A day in the life of the Benchmark Fixperts Resident

This article was published 10 years

This week, Fixperts Resident Maya Alvarado reflects on what it’s like to be the only woman in the Benchmark workshop, delivers Mrs Ellis’s tray despite a bit of a hairy journey, and contemplates life on a canal boat…

06:20: I wake up, get ready in warm clothing and make a beetroot, carrot and ginger juice – it tastes a little bit too healthy for my liking!

07:20: I arrive in the workshop and pack up Mrs Ellis’s food tray in a thick blanket and tape. I will take this to her this morning and do the final fit on her walker.

08:00: I spend sometime film editing – I am excited to post the films of each project.

09:30: A friend recently asked me what it was like being the only female in the Benchmark workshop. Initially I admit that I did think I might be an issue, but I genuinely have not been treated any differently. This speaks volume for Benchmark’s attitude, because sadly I have felt prejudices in other professional environments. Another aspect to consider is the fact that so far both of my Fix Partners have been female. I do not think that this has been intentional as my chance meeting with Mireya on the footpath did not start from a Fixperts search and when I sought out a Fix Partner at The Castle College, Heidi was recommended by the head teacher, James. I feel confident that Mireya would have felt happy to approach a man and that James would have partnered me with another student had the right opportunity arisen. However, following this reflection, I decide I would like my next Fix Partner to be male. This raises the question of how to go about selecting Fix Partners, especially over a one-year period. I have contacted many associations, charities and organisations, but most of my partnerships have developed by pursuing individuals, both face-to-face and over social media. This might be due to the number of queries larger organisations receive, or perhaps the advantages of meeting someone in person. Now as I look for my next Fix Partner I am searching through all sources and will be interested to see which works first.

10:00: On the way to Mrs Ellis’s house I am faced with the unfortunate situation of a broken bridge. It is good to see it being repaired rather than demolished and started anew, but I need to turn around and walk back on myself to the road.

10:05: On the way back, I notice a gate to a field that cuts across to the road and saves a lot of time, so I enter with caution to carefully transport the food tray. Half way in I meet a very wet marsh area (both my feet are submerged) and I cannot cross safely, so I walk back to a path alongside the river. Soon I am out of the muddy grass and back on track – albeit with wet feet!

10:30: Finally I make it to Mrs Ellis’s house excited to present her tray to her. I had hoped to film a scene outside her house, but the rain starts to fall, so I will have to come back another day to do that.

10:40: Inside the house I catch up with Mrs Ellis and Mireya. I haven’t seen them for a while, as guests have been to stay, so it is nice to hear about their Christmas breaks. I have left the screwing of the Terry Clips (fish shaped bar clips) until now so that I could ensure that they sit at the perfect position on the walker. I check that they are straight and in the centre of each hinge on the opposite side of the panel.

11:30: The tray sits well on the walker frame and does not overhang, so will not restrict Mrs Ellis from positioning herself safely when walking.

12:00: The verdict – Mrs Ellis really likes the tray. Both she and Mireya love the grain of the ash and how lightweight it is. The tray drops down to a good height just above Mrs Ellis’s lap and in line with her arms to easily reach her plate with cutlery. It is really great to hear that Mireya is happy with it especially with the method of taking it off, as predominantly she will be doing this.

13:45: On my back to the workshop, I arrive at Sue and Bob’s boat – I met Sue in a supermarket recently and when I began telling her about the Fixperts Residency, she told me that she is a Water Way Chaplin. This means that she looks out for people in need and that often other boaters reach out to her. Sue and her husband invited me over to discuss boat life and the opportunity for Fixperts projects. A few months ago I had the idea to organise a Fix It Day on the canal, but today is about really understanding whether it is necessary or not. From what Sue and Bob tell me, boaters have either bought their boat complete, second hand or as a shell. If it is the latter in particular, the owner will be pretty handy and especially capable of fixing parts of their boat that they would have first installed. This removes the need for a generic Fix It Day, as the experts are those already in the power of fixing. As we discuss more we realise that the issue of access onto boats tends to be the biggest problem. Some boaters, particularly those with disabilities or people who have suffered a stroke, struggle with the size and stability of the gangplank (the ‘plank’ that you walk to get on). I have given Sue my number and she says she will pass it on as she meets people who could use a fix. I have more areas to research and now I am totally sold on the idea of living on a boat!

16:00: When I get back to Benchmark I sketch some of the ideas we discussed and look into permanent or semi permanent fixtures for holding a handrail. This could be something that a handle clicks into as someone moors up, and easily clicks off when they are moving on.

17:00: I watch the FixFilm ‘A Pen Holder for Donal’ by students Laura Lowry, Sarah Madden, Nathan Joyce, Maverick Andaloc and Alana McDonough from NCAD Dublin. It is such a fantastic fix – definitely one of my favourite of all the FixFilms. Donal has not written for 15 years, and with this ingenious and very simple pen holder he is now able to write again. The ergonomic block has a slot for a pen to sit in and an opening underneath for the pen to come into contact with the writing surface. It is very moving to see someone regain a skill – as Donal says, “it is like being blind and then being able to see again.”