Conductor: Messing about at the Messe

Sunday, 22 March 2009

Messing about at the Messe

Trade Fair, Nürnberg, 21st March 2009 (the official beginning of spring)

Looking to the future

Just like all of us my clients get older and older, decisions have to be made for their futures and often I am asked to help at this time. I talk to the clients about moving away from home to study at university, I visit workshops and living accomodation for the disabled with the whole family, I search for information on further-education establishments and I chat with the whole family discussing the options available. Our task at this time is to find out what would be best for the adult-child’s next stage of development.

Looking as far as next Christmas!

To gather information for this aspect of my work was just one reason why I took myself off in the cold to Nürnberg’s exhibition centre where the workshop-for-disabled trade fair is taking place. There were stands representing centres from all over Germany, some of them selling their wares and others displaying the activities that they are involved in.

Another reason that I enjoy this trade fair so much is because there are are many products on display with real works of art amongst them, wonderfully creative and artistic items all produced to a very high standard. It is a perfect place to buy Christmas presents!

Putting the fun into spring cleaning

This year I even found something for myself. I really do not like cleaning but I think that may change in the future since I purchased products from a workshop employing blind people. They produce the most beautiful brushes that you could imagine, with the bristles formed in the shapes of flowers or smiling faces!

Among the many stands I even found a new spinning top for my collection and, this afternoon on my second visit,I am sure to find some more treasures.

Cycling, baking and furnishing the flat

One of the more interesting items on display was a bicycle with a sidecar (see photograph) . In Germany most bicycles with seats for children have a trailer on the back. Having a sidecar instead of a following trailer is more suitable, as rides can communicate during the journey with their passenger. The whole thing weighs about 45 kilos and the sidecar can take a weight of up to 100 kilos.

One of my favourite ideas comes from the bakery in Mannheim which makes personalised biscuits. You can order them with anything from your email address, your signature to a birthday greeting stamped on them. They come in vanilla or chocolate flavours.

The furniture was amazing too, modern and innovative, most of it too big for my small flat or balcony, but I am going to order two sets of the drawers in one of the photos above to put a few of my arty-crafty thing in!

Notes

Messing about on the river –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOVC0-gIFck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQYMMsz9Eec&feature=related

Werkstätten Messe 2009 –

http://www.werkstaettenmesse.de/
Werkstätten Messe 2010, 11-14.03.2010