Arthr Launches Arthritis Aids That Restore Confidence

Arthr is a forward-thinking social venture powered by charity, Versus Arthritis. The two organisations have teamed up to launch new, high-quality products and devices designed to aid the 10 million people living with arthritis in the UK.

After careful research among 1,350 people (commissioned by Arthr), a staggering 43% of them said that they did not think there was enough choice of products that had both form and function, yet still provided the user with a sense of dignity and independence.

Now, Arthr and Versus Arthritis have decided to create and champion well-designed products that improve everyday life for people living with arthritis, and the social venture will give 100% of Arthr’s profits invested back into the fight against arthritis.

Four new innovative products are available from Arthr so far:

Car Door Mate (£24.99)

The discreet Car Door Mate holds the door securely open, giving you the confidence to hold onto it safely and easily, while lifting yourself out from the car seat. The ergonomic design helps to relieve strain on the lower body and provides the confidence to get in and out of the car with ease.

Toilet Riser (£249.99)

Arthritis in knees and hips can make it difficult to go to the toilet. The elegant Toilet Riser increases the height of your toilet, making it easier to sit down on and to get up from.

Bath Step (£179.99)

A nice hot bath can be tricky for people living with arthritis. The Bath Step provides a neat and stylish handle with a stable platform to help you get in and out of the bath with confidence. It also looks stylish and elegant in any bathroom.

Toilet Assist (£149.99)

The Arthr Toilet Assist offers discreet assistance when sitting down and getting up from the toilet.

It features two sturdy handles which helps people with arthritis by relieving pressure from the knees, hips and lower back when getting down and back up from using the toilet. It blends subtly into the bathroom and doubles up as storage for spare toilet rolls.

Arthr’s product design lead is an ex-LEGO designer – Adam Vaughan, who seeks to produce their products by answering two simple questions: ‘will this design have a positive impact on someone with arthritis?’ And ‘will it feel good to own and use?’

Arthr collaborates, co-creates and rigorously tests the products with people who have real and first-hand understanding of the day-to-day tasks that are challenging due to arthritis, whether that’s getting out of a car or lowering themselves down to the height of a conventional toilet.

Bobby Watkins, the Managing Director of Arthr, comments: ‘our single-minded mission is to deliver value to people with arthritis through a new approach to retail and design.“

The company is now confidently on their way to meet the needs of their stated aim of ½  million people with arthritis over the next 3 years.

Charlotte Guiver, the Chair of Arthr and the Director of Income at Versus Arthritis, added: ‘it will address a much-needed gap in the market to provide products that help improve and normalise arthritis.’

Arthr’s leader Bobby Watkins has a 25-year career focusing on upsizing or starting consumer products businesses. His experience pans from Sony, to Acer and Lycamobile. 

It is, however, the smaller and social-oriented projects where the challenge to become established and navigate through initial start-up or upsizing phases, that have been the most actualising for Bobby. 

And hence, Arthr was born from scratch – helping Versus Arthritis to develop a significant revenue stream to continue their great work. Bobby considers himself to be a social venturist and it is the attraction to do work that makes a difference that really appeals to him about Arthr.

You can find out more about Arthr here, and Versus Arthritis here.