World-leading prosthetics specialist, Chas A Blatchford and Sons, has been nominated by Basingstoke MP Maria Miller for the Made By Britain, virtual Crystal Palace project.
Over the summer recess, Business Secretary Vince Cable had asked all 650 MPs to find an example of British design and manufacturing ingenuity from their constituency that they could nominate for the project.
The idea is to create a virtual Crystal Palace 160 years after Prince Albert unveiled The Great Exhibition of 1851 to celebrate modern industrial technology.
MPs’ nominations can be seen on an online interactive map, by visiting The Policy Connect site.
It is hoped that the project could expand into a major exhibition to coincide with the London Olympics and the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations.
Impressed with what she saw on her tour, Mrs Miller, who is Minister for Disabled People, said Blatchford’s, based in Lister Road, is a shining example for Made By Britain.
She said: “This is another successful manufacturer based in Basingstoke. Because we have such a skilled workforce, our businesses, particularly in manufacturing, are thriving.
“As Minister for Disabled People, I am interested in the unique support that Blatchford’s offer to people who have lost a limb. My focus is how we can help more people to live independent lives when they have become disabled or if they are a disabled individual, and clearly the sort of work that is conducted at Blatchford’s will help people live more independent lives.”
Company chief executive officer Stephen Blatchford said he was honoured that Mrs Miller had nominated his business.
Mr Blatchford said: “I think the visit went really well. We tried to cram in a lot to show Maria all that we do here and I think we have achieved that.”
