New Talent Joins Easibathe & Easiaccess

Posted: 26/08/2011

North East disabled living adaptations provider Easibathe & Easiaccess has welcomed Sophie Farrier, Steve Race and Dawn Lambert to its growing team.

The company, which provides a wide range of disabled adaptation products and installation services, has brought in new talent in order to further improve their service and develop their product range.

Sophie Farrier has joined Easibathe on a 12 week placement, working in the design department of Easibathe and Easiaccess. Sophie is currently studying Product Design at Northumbria University.

Her course involves taking part in ‘live projects’ within industry, so far she has carried out projects for global brands, furniture companies and a number of FMCG companies.

Sophie has completed projects as part of her course, which look at making products that are more user-friendly and attractive for older people, carrying out focus groups and research into what is currently available and what people want.  She has also carried out research into inclusive design, creating products and furniture that can be used easily by both disabled people and their families, and is both stylish and functional.

Sophie is really enthusiastic about her placement, and comments: “I feel as though I am an important part of the team here and it’s exciting to know that the work I do will go towards an actual product and to helping people in the future.”

Also joining the company is Steve Race, who came on board in June 2011 as an Installations Administrator for Easibathe.  His role involves arranging estimates, repairs and liaising with local authorities and other bodies on legislation including building certificates and asbestos reports.

Steve has had a varied working background including working for the Home Group as a maintenance assistant, the Altzheimer’s society as an administrator for 5 years and other customer service and administrator roles for companies including Natwest and Oso Hot Water.

Steve commented: “During my first week here at Easibathe I shadowed the guys out on jobs so I could see what went on ‘in the field’. I think it’s great to have this sort of experience as it really shows you what you’re dealing with. I am impressed with the fact that Easibathe pride themselves on their customer service, because I do too and it was what attracted me to the company.”

Dawn Lambert joins Easiaccess as an Administrator. Her main duties at Easiaccess include scheduling surveyor appointments, sales invoicing, customer questionnaires, providing quotations and creating work packs for access jobs.

Additionally, there have been recent promotions within the company as Easibathe & Easiaccess place a great deal of emphasis on personal development and rewarding those that have made a difference to the company.

Lee Morton started out as an Access Installer where he held a role for 3 years before being trained to be a surveyor. As he already had extensive knowledge of the Easiaccess products and procedures he was a natural choice for this position.

Richard Wilson has been with the company for 10 years and has recently been made a trainee surveyor. He has worked his way up in the company, and used to work in servicing and repairs.

Easibathe was set up 16 years ago by Martin and Denise Cook, selling and installing special needs bathing and hoist equipment to local authorities across the North East. They later established Easiaccess, which provides environmentally friendly access solutions, from small threshold ramps to large metal modular ramps for Local Authorities, Councils, Housing Associations and the private sector.

The company has come a long way since their modest beginnings, out of a garage in Holystone, to a 25,000-sqft head office in Dunston. Today, the family run business has developed into a £5m turnover company, employing 60 people and selling their products and services nationwide.

For further information on Easiaccess and Easibathe visit www.easi-access.co.uk and www.easibathe.com.