A sad goodbye to Juddy, founder of Stars in our eyes

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Alastair Ronaldson

We are sad to announce the loss of the founder of the charity roadshow which we have sponsored for the last few years.

Team members, family, friends and fans of “Stars in our eyes” prepare to say a sad goodbye to founder, leader and best friend, George Hamshaw, better known as “Jud” or “Juddy.” Juddy Hamshaw sadly passed away on 2/06/213 after fighting a brain tumour.

Stars in our eyes are a well-known, non-profit charity road show, based in South Yorkshire, who have raised over ¾ of a million in the 11 years that they have been singing together.

Thanks to Juddy Hamshaw and the Stars in our eyes members, many people from across South Yorkshire have benefitted from the money that they have raised.

Collin, a member of Stars in our eyes spoke to Clark &Partners who proudly sponsor the charity; “It is a huge loss; we have not only lost our leader but our best friend. We aim to do Juddy proud, as he said before he passed “The show must go on” and made us promise him that we would reach his target he set of a million. “

Collin went on to say, “We have a gig in September which we are dedicating to Juddy. Our old team members who left to go professional are also coming back to sing for the night to pay their respects to our best friend. I am sure that many will also be attending his funeral to say their own goodbyes on Friday and give Juddy the send off that he deserves.”

Louise Pearson, Sales Manager at Clark and Partners also added, “We have sponsored the charity now for the last few years, and we are all saddened by the passing of Juddy. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this sad time.”

Laura Scales, a member of Stars in our eyes posted on facebook “Sleep in peace Juddy. You have touched so many people’s lives for the better. It’s been an honour working alongside such an inspiration to others. Love to your family and friends x”

As a company, we are very proud to support such an amazing group who have already done great things for many people across South Yorkshire. We are confidence in the team that they will continue to do what they are best at and reach their goal of a million pounds that Juddy had set, and in his words “the show must go on”

Can you guess where our van is?

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Debbie Chapman

Tell us roughly where our van is, and have a chance of winning a £20 Debenhams voucher!!

We are proud to introduce our newly designed vans, which help to assist us on our travels to deliver our products and conduct live demonstrations to our valued customers.

On his travels, one of our delivery drivers, Dale decided to take a well-deserved break, but can you guess his surroundings?

https://www.facebook.com/clarkandpartners

Think you know the answer? Click on the link to our face book page, like our page and then just message us your answer- it’s as simple as that!

Please note: We don’t need the specific road name, just our surroundings/where we are near.

The winner of our “Can you guess where our van is?” competition will be announced on 10/06/2013, so please keep checking on our page, as it could be you!!

Not sure?: Why not share the facebook competition link with your friends and ask them to help?

Rules apply:

- One person who has answered correctly will be chosen at random and announced on our facebook page.

- To answer, like our facebook page, and send us the answer in a message

- Contestants MUST like our facebook page for a chance of winning.

Good Luck!

Staff training the key to success

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Debbie Chapman

Clark & Partners, Sales Manager, Louise Pearson genuinely believes that sound product knowledge is a key customer influence and because of this they invest heavily in staff training and continuous personal development.

Clark and Partners sales team members, eager to expand their skill set, have recently completed the ’Trusted Advisor Learning Programme’. Such a commitment puts them and our business at a distinct advantage in an increasingly competitive retail environment.

The course aims to develop the knowledge and assessment skills of retail staff. During the course their questioning techniques are refined, enabling them to understand customer needs better. Ultimately, better advice is offered and customer trust and satisfaction levels are increased.

The course designed by Years Ahead on behalf of Patterson Medical, is presented by Occupational Therapists and combines online learning modules with one day workshops. It is approved by CEDAB’s Assistive Technology Education and Training Partnership Board and is accredited by the Open College Network (OCN).

Louise said “It was a brilliant course – staff and more importantly customer feedback has been positive… It’s been a very worthwhile and informative learning exercise for all involved. I would highly recommend it.”

Former Royal Service Artillery Women Regains Her Freedom After Clark & Partners Donation

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Alastair Ronaldson

A great-grandmother who served her country during World War Two in the Royal Artillery was left housebound after an indiscriminate thief stole her mobility scooter. Katherine Tissington, aged 92, could no longer visit the shops or nearby park as she struggles to walk due to deep vein thrombosis.

The scooter was taken from the garden of the home in Lowedges, Sheffield, which she shares with blind husband Edgar, also 92.

Local paper – The Star – reported Mrs Tissingtons despair:
“We’ve just got to stay in and wait. I can’t go out, and that’s it.
“It’s not fair. You fight in the war and do all you can and then somebody does this.
“I don’t understand who would do this.”

Her Daughter in-law reported that:
“Katherine was very shocked and upset to find the scooter had gone. She just burst into tears.”
“She has crutches just to get around the house.
“But now some lowlife has taken it and she is stuck indoors all the time.”

Thankfully, this emotive story didn’t end there. Mrs Tissington was given back her ‘freedom’ thanks to Clark & Partners responding immediately to her situation. Within our hours of her story being made known, Sheffield mobility firm Clark & Partners donated a brand new, upgraded scooter.

A thrilled Katherine exclaimed: “I can’t believe it.” “I don’t know what to say… Through all of this I didn’t know anything like this would happen”.

Mrs Tissingtons former tears of despair were turned to tears of joy as Clark & Partners, her family and others responded to her situation.

Clark & Partners, which has mobility stores and across Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Huddersfield and Derby donated the £750 scooter to the Tissingtons.

Mark Shaw, Operational Retail Manager of the Handsworth-based firm, said: “We picked up on the story and I just though, ‘we’ve got to help’.
“We know how vital mobility scooters are to people.
“Hopefully the new one will be better than the one Mrs Tissington had in the first place and will get her out and about again”.

Clark & Partners is a company specialising in supplying products and services to elderly, disabled and infirm people, that range from the very basic to much more complicated mobility solutions. Whether it’s a mobility scooter, wheelchair, stairlift or a simple walking stick, they strive to make a difference to people’s lives through the products and services we provide. Having been operating locally since 1959, Clark & Partners pride themselves as the trusted name for mobility.

Find out more online or call 0114 229 3388

If you are a Motability customer you should read this…

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Alastair Ronaldson

From 8 April 2013 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people aged 16 to 64 with a health condition or disability. You may need an assessment to work out the level of help you get.

PIP is paid every 4 weeks. It’s tax free and can be paid if you’re in or out of work. It is made up of 2 components, daily living and mobility, whether you get 1 or both of these depends on how your condition affects you.

You may qualify for PIP if you are aged 16 to 64 and have difficulty with:

‘activities of daily living’
mobility
terminal illness
daily living difficulties

Most people getting DLA won’t be affected until 2015 or later. You may be affected earlier if your condition changes, or you reach the end of your existing DLA award.

You can go to https://www.gov.uk/pip for more information and use the PIP checker to find out:

when your DLA will be affected
what happens to your DLA
when you can make a new claim for PIP

If you need advice on how to get the best from your PIP, simply call Clark & Partners.
They are a local company who can supply a vast range of daily living aids and mobility products.

To find your nearest showroom call us on 0800 783 3832 or go to www.clarkandpartners.co.uk for more details.

A Great Night Out!

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Alastair Ronaldson

If you want some good old fashioned Saturday night entertainment then go and see the Stars In Our Eyes charity Roadshow who perform throughout the region.

Sales Manager for Clark & Partners, Louise Pearson, did just that last Saturday at Manor Social Club in Sheffield. Clark & Partners have worked with the charity for a number of years and are proud to sponsor and support them as they raise money for such great causes. The most recent event was to raise funds for SRSB, Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind, the final figure at the end of the night was around £800 which was fantastic.
The evening included a charity auction along with a great show from the Stars in our eyes roadshow. The Major of Sheffield was in attendance and helped with the auction, his favourite item has to be said, was the signed Sheffield United football shirt as an avid blade I’m sure he was tempted to bid himself!

For anyone who hasn’t seen the charity roadshow it really is an experience and great value for money. Acts perform songs by favourites such as Cher, Freddie Mercury, Abba, Sandy Shaw, Duffy, The Drifters and Bananarama. The team give their time free of charge and put 100% effort into every show, working hard from set up right through to the end of the night which is often very late. The costumes are amazing and the singers have fabulous voices, the lighting show resembles something you’d expect to see in an arena setting.

Louise said “I’ve seen the show 3 times now and there’s something different every time, I’d recommend it to anyone as there’s something for all age groups. It was a late night for my parents but my mum was up dancing and thoroughly enjoyed the show. The charity are great to work with, they give so much of their time and work hard. We all had a great night out and the venue was heaving with lots of people dancing the night away so it certainly looked like everyone had a good time.”

Find out more about Stars In our Eyes by visiting their website.
And you can find out more about Clark & Partners.co.uk

Clark & Partners help lift people to higher places!

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Alastair Ronaldson

Significant work is being undertaken in Sheffield Cathedral as part of the ambitious Gateway Project which will involve new flooring, lighting and a thrilling new entrance amongst other developments. Services will be held on a raised stage in the St Georges Chapel during the implementation of this work. The Cathedral has long had a vision to be ‘a place for all people’ and Clark & Partners are thrilled to play a part in this by ensuring that wheelchair access is still maintained throughout this period. On a snowy 13th February Clark & Partners installed a Terry Melody One platform lift. The minimalist design means that it sits neatly and unobtrusively in the Cathedral environment, but more importantly it’s ease-of-use means that there is no obstruction to wheelchair users in taking part in activities at the Cathedral.

Clark and Partners is a leading provider for access and lifting solutions and have been working for over 50 years as specialists in the care environment. They work closely with specifiers and designers to supply, install and maintain a wide range of access equipment for public and private care providers.

The experienced team of specialists are happy to carry out an initial consultation to discuss your requirements and provide you with an estimate, either off plan or on site.

Call 0114 229 3388 or email info@clarkandpartners.co.uk

How to get more from power chair and scooter batteries

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Alastair Ronaldson

Here is an additional bonus tip to ensure you or your grandparent’s Scooter or Powered Wheelchair battery lasts as long as possible.

Historically advice given to users was not to leave their batteries ‘on charge’ for long periods of time but to charge them at the start and end of each week. However, the introduction of more of more sophisticated battery technology means that we now advise the following 10 stops to prolong battery life…

1) Charge the battery for 12 – 24 hours before initial use.
2) For the first month carry out only full cycle charges – refer to the battery manufacturer for more details.
3) Avoid running the battery completely flat.
4) If the battery has run completely flat – ensure the battery is then charged for 24 hours.
5) When vehicle use is finished, place on charge until next use.
6) Never store used batteries in a discharged state.
7) Always use the correct type of battery.
8) Always use the correct type of battery charger.
9) If batteries are not going to be used for an extended period, charge them for 24-36 hours prior to disconnecting and storing at room temperature.
10) Where possible, store all batteries as close to room temperature as possible – avoiding storing them in cold store rooms or overnight in vans.

Coming up next…

• In the bathroom
• Cooking & eating

Just ‘Like’ the Clark and Partners facebook page to receive updates.

Clark and Partners have a Mobility and Agecare Centre near you and have been the trusted name for helping elderly family members for over 50 years.

Tel: 0800 783 3832

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Our Quickie team go Pro…

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Alastair Ronaldson

Clark & Partners dedicated employees are proud to be recently accredited
as Quickie Professionals for Sunrise products.

That means Sunrise Medical recognise the importance of having well-trained,
well-informed individuals within their dealer network. The Quickie Professionals
scheme is their way of recognising the professionalism and skills of leading Quickie Prescribers. Few individuals achieve this status so rest assured that they have
the highest level of knowledge and expertise.

Quickie Professionals benefit from:

Privileged access to new product introductions and launch events.
Attending an annual product review with a Sunrise Medical Product Specialist.
Receiving priority notifications of order form updates, technical bulletins
and other important news.
Priority access to technical support so whatever the issue – we can find
a solution fast.

For further information you can contact our Wheelchair & Specialist Seating Team
on: 0114 229 3388

Paul McGee Sunrise Quickie Professional at Clark and Partners

Tip No.3 Getting Out and About

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Alastair Ronaldson

Having a full life is very much about the people we see and the places we like to go, so why let anything stand in your way?

There are a whole range of products available to aid varying levels of mobility.

What are the options?

Walking Sticks
These can be rigid or folding and come in some fabulous colours and styles, don’t forget a walking stick clip so you can keep your stick close by without having to bend down to pick it up. Make sure you get measured for the right height stick, or choose a height adjustable model, otherwise you could end up stooping with the wrong size stick which will lead to bad posture and possible health problems.

Rollators
Available with 3 or 4 wheels, these handy devices are simple to use and provide storage for shopping plus a seat so you can take a rest as you need too as you go out and about. They fold up to enable you to store them out of the way when not in use or take them in a car or on public transport.

Wheelchairs
Lightweight aluminium wheelchairs fold away easily to put in and out of your vehicle, you can take them with you or store them away neatly at home. They are easy to use and come in two options; large wheeled, which are self-propelled so the user can retain independence pushing themselves with the wheels; or small wheeled, known as transit, so a friend or carer can push.

Scooters
The ultimate aid to independence – a scooter will give you the freedom to live life to the full and go wherever you want to go. Consider whether you need a portable boot scooter to take on holiday with you or a larger model designed to go further, faster and handle rough terrain such as fields or bridle paths. In addition, there is a range of accessories such as stick clips, bags, covers and cosys so nothing will stop you enjoying full use of your mobility scooter! If you’ve never used a scooter we recommend you have a free home assessment or why not try your local shop mobility scheme to practice around your local town or city.