Amputees to get personalised limb covers from new project

Jeroen Blom, a researcher at Glasgow School of Art’s Highlands and Islands Creative Campus, brought the team of three artisans together.

They are Karen Collins, from Rafford, and Scott Gleed, of Relugas, both in Moray, and Roger Milton, from Auldearn in the Highlands.

They are working with three people who use prosthetic limbs.

Among the materials being used to make what are known as greaves is wood, while the skills involved include weaving.

Designers attended co-design workshops led by Mr Blom who developed template models for them to use their skills in creating the personalised limb covers.

The artisans collaborated with the amputees on the design and in the making of the greave.

Mr Blom said: “Co-design is an approach that involves the end user fully in the exploration and design of the product or process so as to ensure maximum benefit.

“Through this project three lower limb amputees have been able to have a full involvement in the creation of something very personal and unique to them and in so doing had a much greater sense of involvement and ownership.

“For the artisans, meanwhile, this has been an opportunity to apply and showcase their skills in a new area and to create very special partnerships with their collaborators in the co-design process.

“The aesthetics of the resulting greaves reflect the identity of the amputee as well as the artisanal process.”