FAQ (frequently asked questions) as well as information I hope you’ll find helpful for Hobby Aids. Contact me if there’s anything I can add (info@hobbyaids.co.uk).
How much is postage?
UK postage for orders over £20 is free. For orders less than £20, postage will be added at checkout. I typically send Royal Mail first class and aim to dispatch within 1 working day.
At the moment, I only post to UK addresses, but contact me if you would like shipping elsewhere.
To cut down on waste and do a little for the environment, I often re-use packaging.
What if I have a suggestion for a product?
Contact me! I’m always on the look out for new products to stock.
What if I need to return an item?
I offer a full refund for items returned within 30 days of receipt as long as they’re unused and can be sold again (so I need the original packaging in its original condition).
I don’t expect problems, but if an item is faulty, please get in touch.
What do you do with my data?
I will never sell your data and I will only use it for the purpose we got it.
If you buy from Hobby Aids, I will use your information to fulfil the order. I will also contact you by email to keep you updated about the order and perhaps a follow up email. I may email you to ask for a review, which will help other people. An order may mean you become signed up to our newsletter.
If you sign up for the newsletter, I will use your data to send you newsletters and offers. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Is VAT included in the prices?
VAT is included in all of our prices.
At the moment Hobby Aids is not VAT registered and so I cannot offer VAT relief for disabled people.
Out of stock items
As Hobby Aids is a small business and I want to stock as much of a range as possible, stock levels of any particular item are low. This may mean a product shows as out of stock when you look into it. Please get in touch with me if something you want is out of stock. I will then try and source it and let you know what I find out.
For handmade items, if it’s out of stock it may give a page unknown error. These are items I may not be able to re-stock, but might be able to find something similar. Please send me an email.
Are you planning any sales?
I have no sales (or Black Friday) planned. I occasionally offer discounts to our newsletter subscribers.
What’s the charity support mentioned in the blog?
Each month I select a charity or charity-like organisation to support, ideally one suggested to me. I share information from their website through Facebook and Instagram. I also donate 10% of the profit from sales that month to the charity. The 10% is calculated after fees and postage.
What are aids for daily living?
Aids for daily living help people carry out day to day activities like getting dressed. There are many excellent companies supplying aids for daily living and so here at Hobby Aids I focus on aids and products for hobbies instead.
What do you mean by limitations?
At Hobby Aids I prefer not to talk about disabilities or age, after all, they may make no difference to whether you can carry out your favourite hobby. Instead I prefer to talk about limitations. Limitations may be a disability, an injury, a temporary problem like after an operation, a sports injury, wear and tear, bad luck, illness, a problem that isn’t a disability, but is annoying, etc etc. Most people develop limitations and even if you don’t have any, you will still benefit from ergonomic or more user friendly products. I consider a limitation as something that may hinder you doing what you enjoy, but I believe in life beyond limitations.
What types of products do you stock?
I stock a range of products and I will continue to expand the range. Some products are normal or traditional products, some may be adapted to make them a bit easier to use and some may be specific to a limitation or activity.
How can aids make life easier?
It depends on the aid or product, but they can help by reducing strain, sharing load, being more ergonomic (allow more natural movements) or overcoming a specific problem.
What hobby should I try?
This depends a lot on what you enjoy doing. Budget comes into it too (sky diving is probably not that cheap), as does access to information or friends who can help you if you get stuck. Have a think about what sorts of activities you enjoy. Do you like attention to detail, quick results, something you can do whilst watching TV, something energetic, something you can do with others, being outside – have a think through the activities you enjoy and see if you can identify common themes (or things to avoid). Some hobbies have starter kits that aren’t expensive so these can be good to try.
Why take up a hobby?
Hobbies are good for you. There’s been plenty of research into the benefits of hobbies and I’ve written a blog article about scientifically proven benefits of hobbies. Benefits include helping with mental well-being, giving an outlet for stress, potentially improving memory, giving reduced levels of depression and increasing self-esteem. Some benefits seem obvious like physical hobbies increase fitness, but other benefits are less obvious like artistic hobbies can prevent dementia.
Which hobbies do you support?
I have focussed on popular hobbies like gardening and reading, but I aim to expand the range of hobbies I support. I need your help though for suggestions so please get in touch!
Please contact me if you have any other suggestions of information to add to this FAQ page for Hobby Aids (info@hobbyaids.co.uk).
