Simon qualified as a physiotherapist at Guy's Hospital, London in 1986 and took his skills into the Royal Army Medical Corps. He spent the next 5 years consolidating his experience in treating back and neck conditions and was posted to Hong Kong for 2½ years where he was in charge of the physio department at the main military hospital. During his time in the Army he continued his interest in sport, playing rugby, squash, golf and competing in triathlons. He was appointed team physio for the Combined Forces rugby team, the Hong Kong rugby team and for a number of visiting international teams.

Since moving to Leeds in 1991, Simon has run a thriving private practice dealing extensively in the treatment of spinal problems and injuries. During this time he also worked as an occupational health consultant for the Post Office, Yorkshire Television and Yorkshire Rider, treating patients with work-related injuries and advising on ergonomics and risk reduction.

Simon's knowledge and experience gained over the years have been invaluable in the development of many aspects of LPS's manual handling training. His skills have been regularly updated at courses and conferences, and through his participation with the National Back Exchange.

Simon has recently achieved registered membership status of NBE, following the example set by Julia the previous year. He has contributed two articles to the NBE journal the ‘Column’, one on spinal stresses and one on practical sit to stand techniques. Simon was a peer reviewer for both the 5th and 6th editions of the Handling of People series. He has been involved with the Theatre Special interest group of NBE which included looking at postural stresses and simple ways of reducing them in the peri-operative environment. The work included studying limb holding, using retractors, handling operating sets and turning patients prone. On the strength of this work Simon has presented at three AfPP conferences.

Simon has been involved in the setting up of a safer moving and handling programme in a number of Bupa Hospitals, as well as the hospitals in Bermuda. More recently Simon was responsible for the overall manual handling strategy for a 9-strong group of private hospitals. This work involved writing the company manual handling policy, auditing the manual handling within the hospitals, production of all the manual handling documentation, advice on equipment purchase and updating all the staff involved with manual handling training.

In his spare time Simon is still a keen runner (keeping both him and the dog fit) and plays golf whenever he can. He is also occasionally to be seen on TV or on a battlefield, dressed in a red coat with spontoon and sword in hand, as part of the Duke of Wellington's army fighting against the armies of Napoleon.

Julia first became interested in manual handling when she trained as an orthopaedic nurse in Oxford before qualifying as a Registered General Nurse at Guy’s Hospital in 1985. Continuing her nursing career at Guy's Hospital, she became the manual handling trainer for students, care assistants and qualified staff in her department.

She then increased her nursing experience working in acute trauma, general medicine and with the elderly, whilst continuing to update her moving and handling skills courses at the Disabled Living Foundation in London and facilitators courses in Leeds. 

Julia then began to develop the moving and handling training and consultation business in Leeds with her physio husband. Julia’s practical skill and experience and Simon’s physiotherapy experience stood them in good stead to create complete courses in back care and manual handling. She has co-edited the 6th Edition of the Handling of People series and was the author of the chapter on Core Hoisting Skills.

Julia then gained the Adult Teaching Award NVQ Level 3 and became an active member of her local group of the National Back Exchange, serving as a committee member for a number of years, culminating in 4 years as Chair of Yorkshire group. She became of member of NBE’s Equipment Review Panel and was the Equipment Review Editor for The Column for a number of years.

Julia was elected as a Regional Officer on the National Executive Committee of NBE. In September 2010 Julia was elected National Secretary of the National Back Exchange's Executive Committee and in September 2011 she was elected unopposed to the position of Chair of NBE Executive Committee.

Julia co-delivers the 6-Day Facilitators course which has been awarded ‘Approval as a Professional Event’ by the RCN. The course has been adapted for a number of institutions and organisations including Sheffield and Huddersfield university healthcare lecturers and Bradford Special schools. She is currently the manual handling trainer for a number of private hospitals across the North, and co-wrote and delivers the training programme for Care staff in Kirklees Social Services. Manual Handling advice and training has been given to a number of care homes for the elderly, homes for children and adults with special needs, hospices, schools and nurseries, as well as staff within PCTs, local councils and mental health trusts across the North of England. Julia is currently the consultant for a Care management company and undertakes individual risk assessments and bespoke training for clients with complex handling issues.

In her spare time, Julia enjoys yoga and has just recently discovered the excitement of growing her own vegetables. She also spends weekends with a historical re-enactment group demonstrating and talking about her real interest – cooking for the soldier and family of the Napoleonic period. She has 2 children at university, one teenager still at home and a rather mad but loveable dog.

Catherine is the person dealing with most of the phone enquiries. She keeps everything in the office running smoothly so that Julia and Simon can focus on the training.

She has been working for LPS since 2001 and, as the business has expanded, so have her responsibilities and importance within the team.

She finds time to do other things in her life including learning Italian and tending her allotment. She is an ex-international cyclist and thinks nothing of a quick 45 miles on a Saturday morning!

Catherine also enjoys many other sports and activities, all of which stood her in good stead when she served as a Commonwealth Games volunteer in 2002 and became a drug-testing chaperone. She has continued this work for a number of prestigious national sporting events and is looking forward to doing the same for London 2012.

At home Catherine has two teenagers and their social life fills a lot of the week. Her husband recently retired, which has taken the strain off her parental duties as a taxi service.