“Finding Bill Bird Shoes has transformed my life both physically and psychologically and has enabled me to have shoes made quickly, efficiently and with a smile.”

I was born, in the same year as the NHS, with a club foot. I have had to wear a built up shoe all my life.

The NHS orthotic service has gone from only providing a ‘surgical’ lace-up shoe to more fashionable shoes. It used to be provided by local surgical shoemakers. However, since the advent of tendering out, the providers are often hundreds of miles away.

This means that the fitting of new shoe and correction of details, has become a cumbersome, inefficient and costly service. Having a new pair of shoes made can take many months, with many fittings. In the old days one could go to the actual makers in the factory and have a fault corrected immediately.

About ten years aqo I was at my wits’ end with the NHS orthotic service. I looked online and picked out Bill Bird Shoes as a possible firm my make my shoes efficiently.

This has transformed my life both physically and psychologically. I now go to see them, discuss the shoes I want and pick the leather, They draw a sketch of the shoe. I go back for one fitting and then to collect the shoes. This is all within a few weeks from start to finish. It is such a pity that orthotics is at the bottom of the priority heap of the NHS.