Easibathe Goes for Gold with Paralympic Athlete Stephen Miller

Posted: 20/09/2011

Four times Paralympic gold medal winning athlete Stephen Miller has opened the new Easibathe & Easiaccess assessment areas which have been extensively refurbished and were unveiled at the Grand Opening on 20 September.

The new assessment areas feature an extensive range of accessible bathrooms and wet rooms, ramping and for the first time they also feature accessible kitchens. The Grand Opening featured workshops with suppliers to provide training and information on hoists and slings, whale pumps (water systems), Excellent Systems ramps and modular metal ramping.

Stephen Miller was guest of honour at the Grand Opening on 20 September and talked about his achievements in the Paralympics and plans for the future. He unveiled the new assessment areas to current and prospective customers, giving them a chance to see how the different features work ‘in situ’, and what will be the best solution to suit varying needs.

Stephen was happy to be asked to open the new areas, commenting: “I am delighted to be involved with Easibathe & Easiacces, and it is great to see the new assessment areas, which give you an idea of how you want your home to look. I think it’s important that people realise what’s out there in terms of making life easier and more accessible for disabled people.”

Features of the new assessment areas include top of the range kitchens with height adjustable and rise and fall worktops, low level wall units, drop down or pull out baskets and much more. With regard to bathrooms and wet rooms, Easibathe has built a reputation over our 15 years of trading as having the best product and expertise on the market. The assessment area showcases their wide range including shower seats, shower cubicles, shower toilet cubicles, overhead ceiling track hoists and wet rooms, both tiled and vinyl, full and half height shower screens and of course toilets, sinks and bath replacement trays.

The emphasis is on the bespoke nature of the bathroom, which can be fitted out to suit the exact needs of the customer. There is also a ‘Changing Places’ toilet which includes a hoist and height adjustable changing bench, which they have installed at the Newcastle City Library and The Newcastle Museum of Science and Engineering and are involved in campaigning to get these installed in all public buildings.

Easibathe is delighted to be working with Stephen and his nominated charity the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund. Stephen was born and bred in the North East and is now a professional athlete, competing in field athletics including the club (javelin/hammer), discus and shot put. He has represented Great Britain for over 10 years, most notably competing in 4 Paralympic Games, which he won 3 Gold and one Bronze medal for, 3 World Championships and 2 European Championships.
Stephen was born with cerebral palsy, a form of brain damage that affects the signals from the brain to the muscles and makes balance and coordination more difficult than usual.

Stephen explains:
“My parents were continually advised that someone with my level of disability would never make it in athletics and that cerebral palsy 'sufferers' couldn't develop muscles through strength training. I'm glad to say I think I've proved a few people wrong.”

It is this determination to succeed and prove his doctors wrong that has seen Stephen achieve incredible success. With next year’s Paralympics looming, Stephen states: “I am looking forward to hopefully competing in the London 2012 Paralympics; it will be great to compete on home turf.”

If you would like to view the assessment areas, which are open year-round please contact Laura Lynch on 0800 321 7430 to discuss.

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