KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
28th January 2021
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Industry Golf Challenge was not just fun and games
The recent Bathroom Industry Golf Challenge was not just fun and games. It had a serious drive about it. A total of 52 participants sliced, bogied and eagled their way to putting much-needed funds towards the Bathroom Manufacturers Association's favourite charity, The Children's Burns Trust (CBT).
The match, together with the traditional raffle at the networking dinner on 'the fringe' of the Bathroom & Kitchen Industry Conference, raised just over £1,500.
"We are delighted once more to raise so much for the CBT," said Yvonne Orgill, chief executive of the BMA, organiser of the charity challenge and dinner. "We are delighted to support the CBT as our charity and we have been working closely with the Trust for the last few years with our joint campaign 'Hot Water Burns Like Fire'.
"We have grown to realise what an important and caring organisation the CBT really is. Anyone can get scalded in an instant, and their lives can be changed forever. Youngsters are the most vulnerable and the CBT does a wonderful job. We are really pleased to be able to support them."
Alison Tweddle, operations manager at the Children's Burns Trust, said: "This is magnificent news! Children's Burns Trust would like to extend our thanks to the BMA and all their members for their ongoing support - not only for raising this magnificent amount at their recent conference, but also for the wonderful work they are doing in raising awareness of the dangers of scalding from tap water.
"We are delighted to be working together on the Hot Water Burns Like Fire campaign; partnership working and sharing of resources means we can reach a larger audience and work towards reducing the horrific number of these needless injuries."
The campaign is aimed at preventing scalding accidents in bathrooms and kitchens by raising awareness of the dangers of hot water and by promoting the use of simple thermostatic devices to eliminate the risks. It is supported and endorsed by Amanda Redman, MBE, the much-loved British actor who was herself scalded when only 15 months old.
Scald injuries affect all ages. Young children and the elderly are most vulnerable, and the statistics are horrendous. Shockingly, 5195 children under the age of five were so badly burnt in 2015 that they had to be admitted to a specialist burns service. That's four toddlers every single day!
Medical professionals count bath water scalds among the worst injuries anyone can suffer. The burns suffered by scald victims are every bit as painful and destructive as those suffered by victims of fires or explosions. These are really sobering thoughts but scalding by uncontrolled hot water from taps and showers simply need not be.
Following Scotland's excellent example in 2008, legislation was introduced in England in 2010 to ensure the installation of Thermostatic Mixing Valves for baths in new homes. These relatively inexpensive devices accurately control the temperature of water for showering, bathing and handwashing. These valves maintain the pre-set temperatures even if the water pressure varies when other appliances in the building are used.
Installed and maintained correctly, they can significantly reduce the risk of scalding in the home. This legislation was a great step forward in preventing scalds.
Unfortunately, all homes built before 2010 were not covered and the fact remains that the majority of us live in older properties, and therefore have no protection from this law. We are effectively at risk every time we turn on the hot water tap.
The award winning Bathroom Manufacturers Association together with partners including the Children's Burns Trust, have aimed the campaign directly at stopping scalding accidents in existing homes by raising awareness of the dangers of hot water and by promoting the use of simple thermostatic devices to eliminate the risks.
The message is simple: Scalds can be prevented.
T: 01782 631619
E: [email protected]
W: www.bathroom-association.org.uk
21st October 2016