The patriotic leg cover was designed by Sean Mason and LIMB-art founder Mark Williams, and was unveiled at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire.
LIMB-Art was founded in 2018 by former paralympic swimmer and medallist Mark Williams and his wife Rachel. The company was born out of an overwhelming desire to help other prosthetic users raise their confidence, be proud of what they have and very simply, but equally importantly, have fun showing off while doing so.
Mr Williams explained what inspired the special Urdd edition leg cover:
“As the only Welsh language youth movement in Wales, the Urdd has a very special place in my heart. As a child I competed in many Eisteddfods and have very fond memories of those days.
“As a company based near Denbigh, we overlook the Mr Urdd sign on the mountain and all our team are fluent Welsh speakers. Clearly, with such strong links to the Urdd, we couldn’t let the 100-year anniversary pass without designing and manufacturing a tribute leg cover, which we have been working hard to develop over the last few months.”
LIMB-Art has been supported through the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP). The AGP provides targeted support for ambitious growing firms. The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government. The firm has been supported with marketing, sales and PR through the programme, which Mr Williams says has been invaluable:
“The support we have received through the Accelerated Growth Programme has helped us really spread the word about our products all over the world. This has enabled us to access new export markets and strike partnerships with distributors, which now accounts for more than 25% of our annual turnover.”
Mr Williams explained that his company was born out of frustration at the lack of options available to people requiring prosthetic limbs and limb covers:
“Historically, disabled products have been focussed entirely on function with very or no thought given to aesthetics. If you go to IKEA to pick a cool chair for your kitchen you have a plethora of designs and funky colours to choose from. But when it comes to specialist equipment for those living with disabilities, far less thought is given to design and look. As an amputee myself, I found that uninspiring brown and cream were often the only “choice” available.
“LIMB-Art was born not as a business, but as a response to my own lack of confidence and body image issues around my prosthetic leg. A chance remark from a 4-year-old boy that my leg looked cool inspired me to turn what started as a bit of fun into a serious business venture. Today I am proud to run the world’s coolest prosthetic leg cover supplier, with our products available everywhere from the NHS in the UK to Queensland in Australia.”
Mr Williams continued to explain that there are exciting times ahead for the company, with new leg cover designs in the pipeline:
“We’re so pleased with our Urdd special edition leg cover design. Judging by the amount of attention we had at the Eisteddfod, our special limb cover really captured imaginations.
“We’re now working on a special Wales football-themed cover to celebrate our qualification at the World Cup. The message from us is clear - there’s never been a better time to be a proudly Welsh amputee!”
To find out more about LIMB-Art, visit here.
Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme
The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme is a pan-Wales programme part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.