Simple Projects Needed
Following the email from the CEO requesting case studies for this year’s publications, a panel chairman wrote to suggest a section headed ‘if only they were all that simple’ or something of the sort.
The idea is to have a column or so of simple but clever solutions to clients’ problems devised by volunteers. They would not necessarily need to have photographs illustrating them so the description would have to clear and succinct – and brief.
Any contributions? Please send ideas as soon as you can.
(The two glued together clothes pegs must be on the list!)
- Skills involved:
- Issues Addresses:
- Activities Helped:
- Location:
- Solution:
I tried to include a picture but could not paste it.
Skills involved:
Minimal. An interesting project for a child to make for Grannie!
Issues Addressed:
Stop door automatically closing. Minimal weight for person with weakness in arms. Accessible from wheelchair or standing position for person unable to bend.
Activities Helped:
Daily living.
Location:
Domestic rooms with rising butt hinges(self closing).
Solution:
Materials needed: Breakfast cereal or similar cardboard packet. String. Stapler. Scissors. Pencil. 15-18 cm diameter plate.
A cardboard cone was made and string attached so it could be tied to door handle. The string is long enough to let the cone sit on the floor with some slack.
The door is opened and the cone placed on the floor on the side of the door that swings closed to the frame.
Method:
Open out the cardboard box, Place plate on it and draw round the edge of plate. Cut along the pencil line.
Draw line from circumference of circle to centre. This can be done fairly accurately by placing a ruler on the board and sliding it until the measurement is at its maximum. Draw a line along the ruler. Do the same after placing the ruler at right angles to the line. Where the 2 lines intersect is a reasonably accurate approximation of the centre of the circle.
With the scissors cut along one line from circumference to centre. Tie a knot in one end of the string: Place it on the cardboard so it lies along the cut.Staple it to the board near the centre. slide the long tail through the cut.
Hold both sides of the cut in the cardboard and pull so they overlap and form the cone. It needs to be slightly taller than the gap under the door when it is fully open.Staple the 2 sides of the cut together near the perimeter.
Tie a loop in the end of the string so there is some slack when it is hooked over the door handle and the cone sits on the floor on the other side of the door.
To use: Open Door.:-drop cone on floor so the door rests against it as it tries to close. Close door:-open door a fraction and lift cone off floor; hang it on the outside door handle and close the door.
We are still on our first one after 3 years of daily use.