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His curiosity in this area led him to his career specialism: to become the lead safety engineer on numerous projects designing and building offshore oil and gas production platforms and onshore receiving terminals.
When he retired at the age of 69, Ron embarked on a new challenge – he became a student again. He enrolled at Newark College where he learnt how to tune and repair pianos. Part of the course involved spending time in the college engineering workshop, which is where he would make specialist tools to repair pianos. Here, Ron investigated the principles of metalworking, and the combination of these new skills with his extensive career knowledge become an invaluable asset when he started volunteering with Remap.
I am proud of all the Remap projects I have undertaken.
Ron decided to join Remap as a volunteer engineer after he retired in 2017. He discovered the organisation through his brother, Mike, who was already a volunteer at Remap and encouraged him to get involved. Now, as a volunteer for almost five years, Ron has been able to create multiple support aids and transform several lives.
Remap is a rapidly growing charity founded in 1964 that brings together multi-talented engineers and people in search of a solution to an often unique need. The volunteer organisation is delighted that The IMechE Support Network provided them with a £10,000 grant which has supported their continued efforts to recruit more volunteers through their Reaching Out Programme. Speaking warmly about his most memorable projects, Ron explains:
"The one that makes me smile is the 'Sporklift'. It was for a gentleman who had had a serious accident and could no longer raise his hands above waist level. Initially, I made him a long-handled fork so that he could feed himself unaided. He then asked if it was possible to make something that would enable him to use a dessert spoon. A long-handled spoon is not practicable, so I designed and made the ‘Sporklift’ which maintains the spoon (or spork in this case) in a horizontal position throughout the transfer from plate to mouth.”
Volunteering with Remap has enabled Ron to transform the lives of others within his local community with the array of skills he has gained throughout his engineering career. He believes that more IMechE members should get involved with the organisation, as it is a fantastic opportunity to use unique skillsets for the betterment of others, and feel a sense of personal achievement along the way.
What are you waiting for? Spend your spare time using your engineering knowledge and skills to help other people have a better quality of life while keeping yourself mentally and physically active.
Remap always welcomes new volunteers and projects – Do you have what it takes to join Remap’s growing army of ingenious inventors, and use your skills to help make more things possible for people with a disability?
Find out how you can become a Remap volunteer