Lord Snowdon presents
the prize to William Welch

Snowdon Award for Disability Projects

This award scheme at the Royal College of Art, organised by the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, is now in its third year. Its purpose is to encourage students at the College to take into account the needs of people less fit, mobile and able than themselves.

Lord Snowdon, Provost of the RCA, awarded a joint first prize of £1,000 to a set of adaptable cutlery for people with poor grip or restricted hand movement, and a fun hand-powered trike for children with lower body paralysis.

He commented: "This year the standard was the highest it has ever been. The winning work was practical, imaginative and fully realised."

Joint 1st prize winner
William Welch
Adaptable cutlery

A project for people with poor grip or restricted hand movement. which provides two complete solutions - temporary and permanent. The former can be downloaded for free from the web. The latter makes innovative use of materials

Joint 1st prize winner
Ben Wilson
Hand driven trike

A fun project for a young disabled boy with only upper body strength. A handpowered trike with an innovative steering and cornering mechanism - and a consumer appeal so strong that the boy wouldn't let the designer have it back to display in his Degree Show!