Around the end of March I drove down to Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court in leafy Surrey. This is the UK's premier facility for the rehabilitation of injured Service personnel. DMRC has over 300 dedicated military and civilian staff who provide clinical rehabilitation, training and research for the operational role, to achieve optimal military health and fitness for their patients.
A new rehabilitation complex - including a 25 metre swimming pool - was opened by HRH Prince William of Wales last June. Largely funded by a generous contribution from the Help for Heroes charity. You can read more about the Help For Heroes Rehabilitation Complex here.
It was the swimming pool I particularly wanted to see. Tim Clark (yes, another Tim I'm afraid!) is the Pool Manager at DMRC and he'd got in touch to ask if Aquapac would supply a few cases to be used in the pool. I'd already sent down a few of our iPod/MP3 cases (code 518), which he thought would be a nice training aid to allow patients to listen to music while swimming. On the day of the visit I took a selection of other stuff to see what else might come in useful.
Tim told me that underwater video analysis would be a valuable tool for staff and patients. This would give a better view, allowing them to see the bio-mechanics from under the surface. The staff would then be able to use the video footage to help them in their work and to help patients improve in their rehabilitation. I gave him one of our Mini Whanganui Electronics Cases (code 108), a good fit for his phone, and he took it into the pool to try it out. For privacy reasons I can't show you the video that Tim took of the patients during my visit, but he was allowed to get one of the lifeguards, Chris Ward, to do some modelling and you can see that video here.
I'm really happy that our products have proven to be of use at this wonderful establishment. Help for Heroes depends on charitable contributions from the public. So if you'd like to make a donation - however small - do please do so here.
Tim Turnbull
Chief Executive
