Not long to go now…

The Blackwood Design Awards is a worldwide competition for people who have come up with a brilliant design, concept or idea for a product that can help people who have disabilities live independently.

Starting out as a UK based student competition back in 2013, the Blackwood Design Awards have grown year on year and 2016 looks to be the best ever…

Here’s a look at how last year’s competition impacted the winning entry…

Details of the 2016 competition will be unveiled very soon but we can already confirm one or two things:

1. Paul Ralph, Co-Founder of Disabled Access Day will sit on the judging panel.
2. As will journalist, MND activist and blogger Gordon Aikman BEM.
3. Television presenter and wheelchair basketball player, Ade Adepitan (MBE) is also confirmed to be on the judging panel.
4. So is Toby Mildon - Diversity & Inclusion Lead at the BBC!
5. Two categories will be launched this year as opposed to the usual one. They will be;
   • Product of the year – open only to designs which are already commercially available.
   • Concept of the year – for those designs and concepts that show huge promise but need that vital support to finally reach their target audience.
6. The prize package is set to be the most exciting one the competition has offered yet!

Student engineers, professional designers, keen or gifted amateurs, all will be welcome to enter with the key criteria being that your entry has the potential to change lives.

Over the coming weeks keep an eye on www.bespoken.me for further info and the official launch.