BT Paralympic World Cup
RGK will once again be exhibiting product and providing technical support to the teams competing in this year’s BT Paralympic World Cup, which takes place in Manchester on 25th-31st May 2010.
The competition will see over 400 competitors from 31 countries competing in four sports: Wheelchair Basketball, 7-a-side Football, Athletics and Swimming.
The GB Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team, sponsored by RGK, will be hoping to improve on the bronze medal that they won last year. They will be competing against Australia, who will be defending their title, Canada (last year’s silver medallists) and current European Champions, Italy.
In the women’s tournament, the GB Ladies will be looking to avenge last year’s 4th place finish as they compete against Australia, Canada and The Netherlands.
Why not come along and support the GB teams as they prepare for the forthcoming World Championships being held in Birmingham in July this year.
Tickets go on sale on 29th March, so to buy yours or for more information about the World Cup, visit: www.btparalympicworldcup.com.
Product Feature – RGK Vision
Following on from the outstanding success of the RGK Quattro Club, we are pleased to present the Vision - a new daily-use chair available in two frame styles and in a range of standard sizes.
The Vision has an excellent standard specification which includes:
Folding backrest, Push handles, Brakes, Sideguards or armrests, Ergo seat
All this for the basic price of £1295, meaning the RGK Vision delivers excellent value for money with the usual RGK quality.
RGK Total Bespoke Versatility
When Zoe Wagner’s family approached RGK and asked us to build a frame to mount her Otto Bock seating system, we said “why not?” and set about providing a solution for her requirements.
With RGK’s advisor Pat Dolan working closely with Roland Fitch from Otto Bock and Chris Besant in RGK’s design office, we were able to build a chassis that perfectly fit Zoe’s seating and gave a great smooth look with excellent function.
Zoe’s father, Chris commented “We are very happy with the new chair. The build quality is very good”.
Another satisfied RGK customer!
Disabled Model in Debenhams Ad Campaign
Debenhams became the first high street retailer last month to use a disabled model in its advertising campaign. Shannon Murray, who uses an RGK Hi-Lite wheelchair, appeared in the Principles by Ben di Lisi campaign for Debenhams alongside “real size” models: a size 16 model, a petite 5’4” model and a size 10 model.
Shannon sustained her injury in 1990 at the age of 14 as the result of a diving accident. She has been modelling since 1994 when she won the first ever modelling competition for disabled people, “Model In A Million” at the age of 18.
The Debenhams ad campaign was in partnership with the Channel 4 TV show How To Look Good Naked With A Difference, where presenter Gok Wan started a campaign to get a disabled model onto the high street. The photographs will appear in a number of Debenhams store windows across the country. And Debenhams say that this is not just a one-off – a second photo shoot is already on the cards.
How refreshing to see the high street embracing diversity!
RGK by Oracing
We are delighted to announce a new partnership with Oracing from Spain that will see RGK offering an exciting range of new products including rugby wheelchairs, hand cycles and daily-use wheelchairs.
Oracing is owned and managed by Felipe (C5) and Enrique Garcia and have been working as the RGK distributor in Spain for 2 years. Using Felipe’s knowledge of handcycling, they first began to develop a range of handbikes, aiming to build high quality bespoke products using 7020 aluminium frames and high quality components. Since establishing their manufacturing facility, the product range has diversified to include daily-use chairs and rugby chairs.
We are currently finalising pricing and order forms, but some examples of the products are pictured here.
RGK Training Bike
Looking to get fit for the summer? Why not consider the RGK by Oracing “Ergo Bike”? A static training bike coupled to a Tacx roller giving the optimum cardio workout in your home.
For more information, contact Russel Simms: russels@rgk-wheelchairs.co.uk
Short Throw Scissor Brake
RGK have introduced a new brake design combining the smooth fold away design of a scissor brake with an improved easier to use action. No more reaching under your chair to find the lever or getting the lever caught in your underseat pouch. One quick and simple single-handed motion both applies and releases this wheel lock. Fits using the standard brake mounting clamp, so can be retro fitted to most chairs.
RGK Sledge Development
The recent launch of the RGK Inline Sledge has met with great interest in this new sport, subsequently an ice version has been developed based on the same frame design as the inline version. RGK are now working on the next version to be able to offer a product that is multi-functional in that it can be fitted with either inline skate wheels or ice runners.
A link to a video of a recent Sledge Hockey charity game played on the 27th February 2010 between the Hull Stingrays All Stars and the Grimsby Redwings All Stars, can be found below.
Both teams were made up of professional ice hockey players, Paralympians, GB Sledge Hockey Players, club level ice/sledge hockey players and radio presenters from Viking FM and Magic 1161.
View the Hull Stingrays vs Grimsby Redwings Highlights
As you can see from the highlights it is impossible to tell who has a disability and who doesn't highlighting the fact that Sledge Hockey is one of the most inclusive sports in the world. Basically once a player is strapped to a sledge they have the same restrictions to movement as every other player. In addition Sledge Hockey teams are mixed gender (up to and including Paralympic level), reinforcing the inclusive nature of the sport.
Further information is available on the British Sledge Hockey Association (BSHA) website
RGK TCAT Rhinos - Challenge Cup Showdown
RGK TCAT Rhinos are set to take on Oldham Owls at TCAT Sports Centre, Telford, in their last game of the season on 27th March.
Rhinos will be looking to seal the RGK Super League title which would see them become the first midlands team to lift the title.
The Challenge Cup showdown weekend will also see the Rhinos Reserves play Owls second team for a place in the GBWBA National Division 1 finals in Sheffield in May, and on Sunday RGK Rhinos Academy team will take on Coventry Crusaders at Wolverhampton City College (Bilston Campus).
For more information on attending the games or to support the Wolverhampton Rhinos charity please visit www.wolverhamptonrhinos.com.
Rhinos in Europe
The Rhinos are also hoping to be the first GB team to take the European Challenge Cup title the weekend of the 24th/25th April.
Rhinos won all five of their games to get to the last 8 in European competition, and will fight it out with teams from France, Sweden, Poland, Switzerland and fellow GB team Oldham Owls to win the title.
We wish them all the best for the competition – let’s hope they take the title!
GOSH Fundraising Event
As we have reported in previous Newsletters, Paul Smith, an Arsenal fan from Portsmouth, is doing a sponsored wheelchair push around 51 laps of the Emirates stadium next month (17th April). Paul is raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and hopes to raise £20,000 for the charity.
RGK has loaned Paul a chair for the event to help him achieve his goal, and his training in it seems to be going well, with Paul commenting that the chair “went like a dream” during one session.
RGK would like to wish Paul all the best for the event and feel sure that he will achieve his goal.
If you think you can help, please visit www.justgiving.com/paulforgosh to donate online.
RGK Online Shop – Offers for April
Why not log on to the RGK Online Shop and check out our offers for April. New offers include:
- Inner Tubes for only £2.80 each
Normal online price £4 each
- Seat Pouches for only £9.50 each
Normal online price £14 each
- Click Straps for only £19 each
Normal online price £45 each
- Kenda Treaded High Performance tyres (24x1 & 25x1) for only £9.50 each
Normal online price £13.00 each
April offers will begin on 1st April. And don’t forget every item sold online is at least 10% cheaper than buying over the phone with us!
RGK Employee News
RGK Employee Of The Month
RGK have a new opportunity for staff to become the Employee of the Month! We are not looking to reward outstanding output or duties that are within the team members normal line of work, but people who go a little bit further to help others, make something happen, have a great idea or those who have just made a real difference.
Congratulations to Ben Evans on being the first Employee of the Month at RGK! Ben works in final product assembly and benefits from an early finish on Friday. Lucky him!
RGK New Staff Member
RGK would like to welcome Stuart Northey to the team. Stuart will be working in Material Controls alongside Fred Howley.
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