This is a story, not our usual Tech Thursday share of an innovative product that we discovered on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, but an actual story of an actual person.

There are days in your life when you meet somebody who’s tale makes you stop in your tracks and go wow. So inspirational that you consider your own path. Usually, for me, that person is in a newspaper or on Twitter! They’re already a national icon or a hero. But two weeks before Christmas 2017, I met such a person at a craft fair, I know, not the likeliest of places. And in real life.

Meet Peta Seymour, the creator, innovator and inventor of the Fobbit. Peta strived for years to bring her creation to life using thousands of her own money, and we’re talking tens of thousands. Scratch cards of all things, inspired Peta! Having brought a couple of them home after work, she sat with her mum, and realised they didn’t have anything handy to scratch the card. How would they know if they’d won big time? And that’s how the Fobbit came into being. The Fobbit is a multi-functional tool, with a 101 uses.

How one day can change your life

Once the idea had done the ‘ping’ thing, Peta set about designing it, and creating it. All whilst holding down a full time job. So far, so, yadda! We know, when you have a design or a product, you’ll do anything you can to create it whilst keeping normal family life and job ticking over. This design involved Peta having the Fobbit made in China, with all the patents and export licensing that involves.

But then Peta had a near fatal accident that left her with months of recovery. Along with some very serious life changing results. In addition, she was made redundant from her job.

That’s where our story, becomes one of courage and fortitude. One of inspiration. Peta believes so much in the Fobbit, and like most innovators, she’s invested her life in it. So standing in a small hall, on a cold and wet Saturday, I listened to the tale of the Fobbit’s creation and I too became inspired. Because, it’s one thing to be in full tip top health, and create innovation, but quite another to be battling illness, and have the will power to continue striving to get your creation out in the world. #yougogirl

Little tech with a big impact.

We’re not over dramatizing when we say that, because this little multi-purpose tool, will have an impact on your everyday living. If your life is plagued with the dreaded arthritis. Your fingers can’t grab those ‘pully’ things on tin cans, a Fobbit can easily lift the ring. Here are a few other ideas

• What about those sealed film lids on microwave meals? Impossible to penetrate, Fobbit has a puncturing tool
• Scratchcard scratching the start of the whole adventure
• On an outdoors level, mud removal from boots. Keep walking boots in good condition
• When you can’t lift the edge of a pack of ham (or insert here for any vacuum packed product!) as the corner is always too thin to lift
• Screw removal, just want something quick to hand to remove a flat head screw, without rummaging in the tool box
• Zipper for kids, younger children can struggle with small zips, a Fobbit on a zipper
• For the elderly using the end of the Fobbit for the zipper on boots/shoes
• The shaped end can be used for prising open just about any lid (we tried it on vacuum lidded pickled gherkins!)
• I come from a family of paper crafters! Spreading glue evenly, applying double sided tape
• Wrapping headphones around

Fobbit On!

Even as young (!) able bodied, adults the Fobbit has 101 uses. When you find yourself older and with ailments a small, handy multi-tool can become invaluable for all those irritating new technologies.

As you can see, we think the Fobbit is one of our best Tech Thursday innovations, and they’re only a £1 each, yup you did hear that right! Peta has seen to it that there’s a Fobbit to suit everyone, creating it in 11 colours.

We’ve had a Fobbit with us for a couple of months now, and have used it virtually every day, and we’re not arthritic yet!!

Check out the Fobbit and their Facebook page. Let us know what you do with your Fobbit, on our Facebook page, until next time #getoutdoors