Mira Showers Press Office

Diverting stuff from Mira

2011-10-20T13:59:00.003+01:00

Mira Showers has recently enhanced the appeal of its popular Coda Pro bar valve by combining it with deluge and diverter showerheads to create a new all-in-one mixer shower: the Coda Pro Diverter.

The deluge head is an 18.5cm single spray model with rub-clean rubber nozzles for easy maintenance; while the separate hand-held showerhead is 9cm. The user has a choice of shower experience and functionality, being able to use each head separately or both together.

Diverters are particularly popular with the young and the old who appreciate the choice between a fixed head shower experience – or a hand-held one.

Coda Pro’s sculpted, chrome design complements modern interiors and is allied to superior thermostatic technology. Mira’s own front of tile installation system means that the shower can be connected to pipework during second fix and the slide bar has adjustable centres to match grout lines and existing holes in tiles.

Another feature that makes the Coda Pro ideal for retro-fitting is that it has 150mm pipe centres so that it can be easily slotted in to replace a previous bar valve. Guaranteed for five years, the Coda Pro Diverter is suitable for all water systems with genuine performance at 0.1 bar and above.

Mira man shows the way to cut energy bills

2011-10-20T13:53:00.001+01:00

Christian Wagner, Training Development Manager at Mira Showers, was recently one of a number of eco-friendly Gloucestershire householders who opened up their homes to the public to demonstrate how to cut energy bills by up to 50 per cent. “I wanted to show that you can enjoy all the comforts that you are used to but cut your energy bills and reduce your impact on the planet at the same time,” says Christian.

He hopes to inspire others to make their homes more sustainable through initiatives such as the Eco Homes Open Day, which is part of the National Heritage Open Days and aims to show how a range of different technologies will shrink energy bills.

Christian’s modifications to his house include rainwater harvesting, solar hot water and radio-controlled radiator valves. He saves water and energy in the bathroom using Rada aerated mixer taps that are operated by infra-red sensors and enable him to set both the temperature of the water and the time it flows. Christian has also fitted the Mira Eco showerhead, which potentially saves up to 75 per cent of the water that would be used by a conventional showerhead.

Myline mixes it up in the mid-market

2011-10-20T13:45:00.001+01:00

Combining proven technology with streamlined design, the Myline shower from Mira Showers has raised the bar in the midmarket range while offering a quick and easy means of installation that is perfect for retrofits and upgrades.

Myline incorporates the proven technology of Mira’s existing totem valve, which is the best performing vertical valve on the market and provides a strong flow even at low pressure, together with the Mira 360 showerhead with Flipstream technology™.

The valve provides separate flow and temperature controls and complete safety for the family – the thermostatic mixer valve ensures the water temperature remains stable while the valve’s Cool Shield™ technology means it doesn’t get hot during a shower.
The showerhead has a diverter mechanism in the head to vary the spray pattern according to its position so just ‘flipping’ rotating the head about its axis instantly changes the water flow from one spray pattern to the next. This produces four distinct sprays so users can enjoy the ‘rain’, be invigorated by the ‘burst’, get drenched by the ‘storm’ and luxuriate in the ‘cloud’.

The shower pole itself is integrated into the shower to produce a streamlined, all-in-one appearance while the whole shower has a clean chrome finish. Myline works on all systems and pressures – even gravity fed – and is surface-mounted on the bathroom tiles when connected to the pipework. It needs no separate fittings kit and has 59mm vertical pipe centres.

You’re hired! Mira apprentices celebrate 45th anniversary

2011-10-20T13:35:00.001+01:00

1966 not only saw Britain win the World Cup and Cassius Clay defeat Henry Cooper but also saw one of the UK’s most successful companies, Cheltenham-based Mira Showers, introduce its apprentice scheme. And the company has just celebrated the scheme’s 45th anniversary, with a reunion party at the town’s local football club, as more than 300 people have passed through the course. Furthermore, 58 of them are still with the company, including the current Operations Director Wayne Walker.

Other ex-apprentices still with the company have gone into the wide variety of careers possible with a major UK company, including design engineers, quality engineers, support engineers and senior managers.
The current longest serving ex-apprentice Pete Green (NPD Support Services Manager) started in 1969 but one of the original five apprentices John Makuch (Experimental Manager) has only just retired. The reunion was held at Cheltenham Town Football Club, whose main sponsor is Mira.

Government backs showers over baths for ‘drought prevention’

2011-10-20T13:27:00.002+01:00

Mira Showers has welcomed a Government minister’s call to householders to use showers rather than baths to save water during the current drought. Interviewed on the BBC Radio Four’s Today programme in response to the declaration of an official drought in East Anglia, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said that everyone should take a shower rather than a bath. "We're doing all we can to reduce the impact on agriculture and wildlife, but everyone can play their part,” she said.

“It’s been acknowledged for some time that showers are far more economical than baths in terms of water use,” commented Roger Crabb, Marketing Manager of Mira Showers, the UK’s leading manufacturer of showering products and accessories. “According to the Environment Agency, a five-minute shower uses about a third of the water of a bath – and can save 50 litres every time.”

Spelman added, "Households know how to use less water and everyone can do their bit to use water more wisely, not only through the summer, but throughout the year." The Environment Secretary was speaking as water stocks in parts of the South West, South East, Midlands and Wales are in “near-drought conditions”.

Single lever Realm crowned with luxurious showerhead

2011-10-20T13:21:00.001+01:00

Combining the classic styling of yesteryear with the latest showering technology and performance, the Realm ER (‘exposed rigid’) shower is a retro classic that has been further refined by Mira, the UK’s leading manufacturer of showering products and accessories.

The new model now has a luxurious and far larger 21cm deluge shower head that has a single mode with rub clean nozzles. The valve itself is fitted with a sequential single lever that controls both water flow and temperature.

For further luxury and convenience, Mira has also introduced an ERD model that has a diverter that can switch to a separate 8cm single mode handset so the user has three operating choices – handset, deluge head or both simultaneously. Diverter heads are particular popular with children and for hair-washing. When not in use, the handset fits neatly into a parking socket that doubles as hose retaining ring. The retro styling is enhanced by ceramic levers and handset detail.

The Realm is fitted with a state of the art thermostatic mixing valve, guaranteeing temperature stability that will keeps showering safe for all the family, reinforced with a maximum temperature stop for added safety.

Suitable for all water systems with genuine performance at 0.1 bar, the Realm is simple to fix and maintain – the riser pipe can be cut to size at installation to the desired height while the one-piece cartridge is reversible and replaceable for easy installation and service.

Mira pumps up the power for top surf spot

2011-10-20T13:15:00.002+01:00

Installing the Mira Platinum in its guests’ bathrooms has enabled the Headlands Hotel – a four star hotel overlooking one of the UK’s top surfing beaches – to upgrade its showers to the highest standard with a minimum of disruption and cost. Overlooking Fistral Beach in Cornwall, the hotel is in a perfect position to admire the spectacular surf and scenery but, according to owner John Armstrong, the showering had posed a difficulty.

“We’ve been replacing the whole plumbing system in this 110 year old building over the past decade. In this time power showers have become ever more popular and our gravity fed showers had become a continual gripe from customers: they wanted more water. We were considering whether it was practicable to pressurise the whole system, but it seemed that was not a realistic option. Then our local Mira agent drew our attention to digital showers”.
“I didn’t know what he meant at first: “a digital shower”. But these Mira Platinum Digital showers are perfect. We have installed them in 16 rooms so far and the guests have been delighted. We’re also very surprised and pleased because this method of tackling the problem has proved cheaper than the more obvious traditional solution.”

The wireless digital shower enables the user to set their preferred temperature and flow and, because the controls are surface-mounted, it can be retrofitted quickly and simply onto existing tiling. Digital technology and careful design make the Platinum adaptable to local conditions. The wireless controller can be located up to 10 metres away from the shower valve while the pump can be installed where ever convenient within three metres – behind the bath panel, in this case.

“They were easy to fit and easy to set and the back up from Mira was first class too,” remarked Roger Cowl of the installers, County Heating Maintenance, who was so impressed he intends fitting one in his own bathroom.

The digital shower provides thermostatic temperature stability, so showering is safe for all the family, and has separate flow and push button temperature control as well as programmable functions including: Warm – Up mode, Clock display & Eco setting. An additional controller can also be fitted so that the shower can be operated from another room. Supplied without fittings in this case, the Mira Platinum comes as standard with a Mira 360 showerhead complete with Flipstream TechnologyTM – one flip action, four unique sprays.

There’s no end to Coda’s showering versatility

2011-10-20T08:34:00.003+01:00

Mira Showers has enhanced its popular Coda bar mixer shower with the Coda Pro, enabling users to enjoy a top quality showering performance at an entry level price and installers to benefit from a product which is both ideal for retro-fitting and makes for an easier installation at the second fix stage.

The smooth sculpted design of this chrome shower complements modern interiors and is allied to superior thermostatic mixing valve technology, so it not only looks good but is supremely safe for all the family. Separate temperature and flow controls with override buttons enable the user to fine tune their perfect shower while the Nectar 9cm single spray showerhead has rub-clean nozzles for easy limescale removal.
Mira’s own front of tile installation system means that the shower can be connected to pipework during second fix and the slide bar has adjustable centres to match grout lines and existing holes in tiles. Another feature that makes the Coda Pro ideal for retro-fitting is that it has 150mm pipe centres so that it can be easily slotted in to replace a previous bar valve.

Guaranteed for five years, the Coda Pro is suitable for all water systems with genuine performance at 0.1 bar and above.

Mira graduates with distinction at College Hall

2011-10-20T08:11:00.015+01:00

When the Four Pillars Hotels group refurbished College Hall, the grade two listed building at its Oxford Thames site, it chose Mira products to create the desired sense of luxury and style in the bathrooms. Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel is a luxury four star Oxford Hotel and College Hall, which dates back to fifteenth century, contains 12 top class rooms named after Oxford colleges.

“The main aim was to create a more luxurious bathroom in Room 4 – our “honeymoon” suite – and ensure the remaining bathrooms were light, modern, functional and appealing,” comments Suzanne Bush, Commercial Director.

The new Element SLT – the most advanced Single Lever Thermostatic (SLT) shower on the market – more than matched this specification as it is a premium addition to the existing Element range of single control showers. The shower features a single lever control for both flow and temperature that employs ‘Lift and Twist’ technology, an intuitive design similar to a monobloc basin tap.

The ‘Lift and Twist’ technology incorporates a two stage flow control with mid ‘Eco’ setting that gives the option of saving up to 30% of water used. It also features thermostatic temperature control with a soft override function that gives the user subtle feedback when moving into the upper temperatures.

Importantly for the hotel, the Element SLT is approved to TMV2 standards for advanced thermostatic temperature stability, so it is safe for all the family and, because it is suitable for all water systems and pressures (0.1 bar to 5 bar), it can be fitted to any water system and deliver a luxurious flow performance. Out of the three available models, Four Pillars chose the BIR model, which has a massive 18cm diameter single mode showerhead for a truly exhilarating shower.

“The the reason we have, and will continue to use Mira products, is that they are of a high quality at an acceptable price, the ranges available are extensive and varied and the company is willing to work with us and our preferred contractors and designers to adapt existing items where necessary,” comments Suzanne Bush.

Among the other stylish products chosen for this prestige project were from the Kohler stable of products, namely the Escale freestanding bath, Memoirs Stately brassware, shower and accessories, and the Singulier Single Lever Monobloc Basin Mixer.

“We have received very favourable feedback from our guests on the bathrooms we have installed at Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel and our contractors have also commented on the quality of the items,” says Suzanne. Four Pillars Hotels have successfully built, renovated and opened 6 three and four star hotels in Oxford, Bristol, the Cotswolds, Abingdon and Witney, the most recent of which, the Cotswold Water Park Hotel, opened in 2007.

Sweet showering when Mira marks time

2011-04-06T10:50:00.001+01:00

Mira Showers has broadened the style choices available to ‘entry level’ shower users with the introduction of two new showerheads – Beat and Nectar – designed to work with all types of showers.

Both deliver a high aesthetic at very accessible prices, with the Mira Beat having a crisp, contemporary geometric style; while the Nectar is far more organic, being curved with round edges.

Beat and Nectar are available in a choice of white or chrome finishes; and as either single mode or multi-mode shower heads. Complementing fittings kits for each model are also available with flexible fixing centres for easy retro-fitting into existing fixing holes.

University study backs Mira on TMV safety

2011-04-06T10:48:00.000+01:00

Mira Showers has welcomed the results of a study by academics at a leading university that conclusively proves the safety benefits of thermostatic mixing valves. Now researchers at the University of Nottingham are calling for thermostatic mixer valves to be fitted as standard after their research showed that the valves significantly reduce the risk of scalding. Mira Showers, together with its subsidiary Rada and other members of the Thermostatic Mixing Valve Manufacturers Association, have always held that the valves provided the optimum solution for providing safe but hygienic hot water.

The study, carried out in partnership with Glasgow Housing Association, found that using a thermostatic mixer valve to run a bath should cut the risk of scalding by significantly lowering the temperature of hot bath water. Families with a thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) fitted to the hot and cold water pipes in their bathroom had bath water temperatures that were up to 11˚C cooler than those without and their baths were within the recommended temperature of 46˚C.

“Scalds place a significant financial burden on the NHS and society. In 2009, the total cost of scald injuries and deaths from hot tap water was estimated to be £61 million,” said Professor Denise Kendrick, of Nottingham University’s Division of Primary Care, the leader of the study. Now the Professor and her colleagues are calling for social and private landlords to provide TMVs as standard in their properties, plumbers to fit them as good practice to all replacement baths and for a change in the law to make them compulsory in home refurbishments as well as new builds.

Mira has always emphasized the safety benefits of thermostatic mixing valves as they deliver hot water that is both safe and without any bacteria such as legionella, which means the water must be delivered considerably cooler than it is stored. Hot water must be generated and stored at temperatures of not less than 60o C to stop micro-organisms growing within the hot water system while scalding is a danger at any temperature above 45°C. “Thermostatic mixing valves are the sensible way to deliver water that is both sanitary and safe,” says Roger Crabb, Marketing Manager of Mira.

Take your pick with Mira’s online enclosure selector

2011-04-06T10:43:00.000+01:00

Mira Showers has delivered yet another first for the bathroom specification sector with launch of its online, interactive shower enclosure selector.

This tool takes visitors through the process of selecting a shower enclosure step-by-step to choose the right style, shape, ‘handedness’ and size; so they identify the perfect item for their needs.

It improves upon simple brochure text by adding animated line drawings to illustrate the various door opening mechanisms and space solutions, together with line drawings to reduce confusion, especially around left or right-handed enclosures. The final screen in the process then displays the specific enclosure required to meet the user’s needs.

Designed to simplify selection for consumers, specifiers and installers, this online selector shows Mira’s commitment to investing in digital technology to provide the best service in the sector – a commitment also demonstrated by its award winning vodcast on changes to the Building Regulations.
This step-by-step guide is best experienced on the Mira Web site – http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/showerenclosures/index.htm : just choose the enclosures tab and follow the instructions online.

Kat’s kittens lose their mittens for Help for Heroes calendar

2011-04-06T10:40:00.000+01:00

Kohler Mira’s Marketing Assistant Kathryn Griffiths has mobilized her mates to produce a naughty-but-nice 2011 calendar to raise money for armed forces charity Help for Heroes. Entitled Darling, Come Home Soon, the calendar features 11 lovelies – nine of whom work at Mira – in a variety of poses and various stages of undress ranging from the classical to the burlesque. The overall theme though is 1950s – albeit a bit more heartbreakers, than Heartbeat!

Kathryn said: "I wanted to support our troops and decided to revisit the saucy calendar idea pioneered by the Yorkshire WI ladies. I asked the girls at work and there was a great response." The calendar girls hope to raise up to £4,000 for the charity. The calendar’s launch attracted more than 50 guests and raised £150 in its own right.

Help for Heroes aims to provide direct, practical help and support for service personnel wounded in the service of the country. Its current focus is for grants to create a series of regional ‘Recovery Houses’ nationwide and serve as the last stage of rehabilitation before a serviceman, or woman, returns to unit or transits back into civilian life.
Kathryn herself has strong links with the military – her cousin Jayson, 22, currently serves with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and her brother Tim intends to sign up for the army soon.

Kohler Mira achieves settlement in design infringement suit

2011-04-06T10:22:00.000+01:00

Mira Galena

Kohler Mira, a business owned by the US-based Kohler Company, has announced that an out-of-court settlement has been reached in its favour in an action against Triton Showers in respect of design infringements relating to Mira’s Azora and Galena ranges of electric showers.

As a consequence of the settlement, Triton is required to withdraw all versions – whether proprietarily or own-branded for retailers – of its Inscriptions shower from the market by the end of March 2011; plus make good Mira’s legal costs.

Mira is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of showers and shower accessories. In existence for nearly 90 years, the company makes, markets and sells showers, shower enclosures, shower trays and a host of associated accessories, and is renowned for the outstanding quality, performance and safety of its products.

Dave Hill, Managing Director of Mira Showers, said of the agreement, “Each year, Mira Showers invests significantly in intellectual property and new product development. As industry leader in innovation, we cannot and will not allow our investments to be misappropriated through infringement”.
“Our customers trust Mira to develop and manufacture high-quality products backed by substantial research, development and investment. Customers choose our products because of our technical expertise, product innovation and specification support, which over many years has made us a trusted brand name. Consequently, it should not be underestimated as to how aggressively we will seek to enforce our intellectual property rights in the markets in which we operate,” Hill concluded.

Mira mucks in on Merseyside

2011-04-06T10:18:00.001+01:00

As part of its Work Within the Community project, the senior sales team from Mira Showers, the UK’s leading manufacturer of showers and shower accessories, are working on a pioneering initiative to enable the disadvantaged to get onto the housing ladder.

Called Habitat for Humanity, the charity enables would-be homeowners to use their labour – or ‘sweat equity’ as it is called – to replace the capital that would be required otherwise so that they can work 500 hours to provide the deposit for a home. The site in Liverpool is in Granby-Toxteth, a racially diverse area with more than 54 nationalities.

Mira is now a partner with Habitat for Humanity, so as well as the senior sales team working on site and performing basic laboring, the company will also supply products that are installed in the homes.

Paul Hollingworth, Sales Director, Mira Showers, commented on the makeover: “Such projects are very much in keeping with our principles of Corporate Social Responsibility; We judge our business not only by the normal business standards, but also by the difference we make to the world in which we live. We believe that partnering initiatives such as Habitat for Humanity brings sustained, collective value to our employees, our customers and society at large.”
Habitat for Humanity is a self-help charity founded by Millard Fuller, an American self-made millionaire, who believed that the poor didn’t need charity so much as capital.
In 1973 Millard took the housing partnership concept to Zaire in Africa. The model worked just as well there and more than 100 homes were built in the first project. So began a programme of expansion, and now more than 3000 communities in more than 90 countries (including Great Britain and Northern Ireland) have managed to solve their own local housing issues through the Habitat for Humanity model of self-help.

Mira Showers wins top award for installer ‘vodcast’

2011-04-06T10:11:00.001+01:00

Mira Showers has won the industry’s most prestigious marketing award for its pioneering use of new and traditional media. The Construction Marketing Awards 2010 awarded Mira the top prize for Best Use of Public Relations for its Grasping Part G ‘video podcast’ (vodcast); designed to inform ‘white van man’ professional installers about last year’s changes to Part G of the Building Regulations.

Called “an inspired initiative” by the judges, Grasping Part G – developed by Mira’s PR agency Facta – features personalities well known to the trade such as Chris Pateman, managing director of Builders Merchants Federation; Yvonne Orgill, chief executive of BMA and Roy Minett of Mira and chairman of the Thermostatic Mixing Valve Manufacturers Association.

The judges picked out the high accessibility of the vodcasts, commenting on “the number of channels through which the target contractor audience could access the information – capitalising on the rapidly changing media landscape.” This was a result of Mira and Facta promoting the material in print and making it available through Mira’s Web site, on iTunes and on DVD.
The judges were impressed not only by the innovative use of new technology but its value for money in connecting with its audience, describing it as “phenomenally successful in terms of coverage, comparative costing against other media options and RoI against budget.”
The award also demonstrates Mira Showers’ commitment to investing in new technology to deliver the best service to its clients and customers – in this case an entertaining, but informative, update on the latest regulations.
Now in their tenth year, the Construction Marketing Awards are globally recognised as a mark of excellence in construction marketing and business development; and recognise the creativity and innovation within the marketing field.

ACE Bath Screen puts the block on splashes

2011-04-06T09:54:00.002+01:00

Mira Showers is strengthening its offer to the stockist and new build market with the Mira Ace Square Bath Screen, a simple to install semi-frameless water tight bath screen.

The bath screen’s modern, clean lines and polished silver finish provide a simple, but effective solution where the shower is located over the bath. Reversible fixings and wall channels that can be adjusted by up to 12mm to take account of uneven walls and make the bath screen easily adaptable to any location.

The bath screen is compatible with power showers (subject to conditions) and is manufactured with 5mm toughened safety glass. Measuring 1450mm high and 800mm wide, the square bath screen swings in or out for easy access and cleaning.
A complementary product, the Mira Mini Bath Screen, is also available – which is designed to stop water leaks and splashes in corners when combined with a shower curtain. Measuring 1500mm high by 250mm wide, the mini bath screen shares several features including semi frameless construction, reversible fixings, a frame that adjusts for uneven walls and 5mm toughened safety glass.

Mira adds new twist to shower design

2011-04-06T09:47:00.000+01:00

The new Element SLT from Mira Showers is the most advanced Single Lever Thermostatic (SLT) shower on the market and takes advantage of a unique Mira design (patent pending).

The Element SLT is a premium addition to the existing Element range of single control sequential showers. It bridges the gap between single sequential control and dual control thermostatic mixer valves, with a single lever control for both flow and temperature that employs ‘Lift and Twist’ technology, an intuitive design similar to a monobloc mixer basin tap.

The Element SLT’s large 11cm handset has rub-clean nozzles to make cleaning easy and to reduce lime scale. The Citrus handset has four spray-settings to give a fantastic showering experience. The slide bar rail has adjustable fixing centres so it can easily be installed to match grout lines or to retrofit using existing holes in the tiles.
Like other showers in the Mira Element range, the Element SLT is approved to TMV2 standards for advanced thermostatic temperature stability, so it is safe for all the family and, because it is suitable for all water systems and pressures (0.1 bar to 5 bar), it can be fitted to any water system and deliver a luxurious flow performance.
Backed by a five year guarantee, the Element SLT comes in three models – the EV, BIV and BIR, which has a massive 18cm diameter single mode showerhead for a truly exhilarating shower.

Minibelle takes a turn for the better with 360 showerhead

2011-04-06T09:29:00.000+01:00

Mira Showers has extended its immensely well-received 360 Showerhead offering by combining it with the market leading and stylish ‘mini ‘mixer valve: the Mira Minibelle. The world’s best performing upright valve with dual control and powerful thermostatic performance, the Minibelle is described as “the ultimate in ‘mini showers’”.

The compact Mira Minibelle is a thermostatic mixer valve, vertically-mounted to provide both style and installation flexibility. With separate flow and temperature controls, its thermostatic temperature stability keeps showering safe for all the family. It also features cool touch valve technology – ensuring the valve body does not get hot during use, thereby increasing user safety even more.

And it’s now been matched with the sophisticated 360 showerhead which delivers four spray modes, chosen by the user by simply flipping the head through four quarter-turns of 900 each. Each quarter-turn ‘flip’ changes the spray pattern: so users can enjoy the ‘rain’, be invigorated by the ‘burst’, get drenched by the ‘storm’ and luxuriate in the ‘cloud’.

The 360 Showerhead’s FlipstreamTM technology uses a diverter mechanism in the head to vary the spray pattern according to its position. Simply rotating the head about its axis instantly changes the water flow from one spray pattern to the next.

Mira brings social showering home

2011-04-06T09:11:00.001+01:00

Mira Showers has compiled a comprehensive collection of showering and bathroom products from both its own range and from Rada’s commercial range that particularly suit the demands of the social housing sector. Each element combines safety and security for the user, together with water efficiency, ease of installation and low maintenance.

The collection includes showering, bathing and hand washing products as well as adaptation products that enable less-able tenants to wash and shower independently. Among the impressive accreditations that many of the products have been awarded are TMV2, TMV3, BEAB Care, Waterwise and endorsement from the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).

The showering range offers a choice of products to suit every type of UK domestic water system whether it be low or high pressure, hot and cold water or cold water alone.

Contemporary mixers incorporate the latest ‘Eco’ water efficiency technology and electric showers feature thermostatic control for safer showering.

Among the products included are the Mira Excel EV, the UK’s best-selling thermostatic mixer which is suitable for all pressures, and the Mira Sport. One of the UK’s best-selling slimline electric showers, the Mira Sport features Sensi-flo™, which prevents scalding if there is any loss in water pressure or any blockage in the hose. Sport also features Opti-flo™, which ensures optimum flow performance throughout the year.

The breadth of technology-led products from Mira and Rada provides a range of products that can adapt conventional fittings so they can be used by the less able, such as long lever taps, non-touch digital showers and infra-red operated non-touch taps. For instance the Mira Advance ATL Flex is not only one of the few electric showers to be awarded the BEAB Care mark for safety, it is also endorsed by the RNIB thanks to its user friendly features designed specifically for blind and visually impaired users.

Each year around 20 people die and nearly 600 are seriously injured by scalding, an issue addressed by Part G of the Building Regulations which highlights the importance of thermostatic controls in safeguarding children and the elderly. Rada and Mira are leaders in the development of thermostatic controls, so their combined range of TMV2 and TMV3 products makes compliance with these regulations straightforward.

The range is competed by shower trays, wall panels and accessories that can be employed to adapt and upgrade existing fittings. Mira Flight trays and panels, already specified in the healthcare sector, incorporate BioCote® antibacterial protection which reduces bacteria and mould by 99.9% and are easily installed: the panels are up to 75% faster to install than conventional tiles.

The accessories in the range are selected to meet the demands of community housing developments and special needs adaptations and include showerheads that limit water usage and lime scale, corner-mounted slide bars that save space and shower seats. All these products are detailed in the latest publication from Mira, Showering and Bathroom Products for Housing Communities.

Mira’s voyage of Discovery with new Diverter

2010-09-29T14:59:00.002+01:00

Mira Showers has broadened the appeal of its stylish Discovery range of showers with the introduction of the versatile Mira Discovery & Diverter valve. The new mixer consists of the Discovery thermostatic in‐wall mixer shower with new diverter technology, which enables the user to switch between outlets and is compatible with a range of Mira shower and bath fittings. The fittings enable the specifier or consumer to customize the shower room by using the valve with a combination of different style and performance elements.

For instance, the Discovery & Diverter valve can be combined with a prestige deluge head and hand shower, or, for flexibility in the bathroom, can divert between shower and bath fill using one of a selection of matching bath spouts developed to complement the new product.

Discovery & Diverter is suitable for a wide range of applications, such as high end housing or hotels where the flexibility of the Diverter and the safety provided by the thermostatic controls and maximum temperature stop is particularly appreciated – the valve is TMV2 approved, providing temperature stability to the highest domestic specification. With its ‘soft stop’ override function the valve will also provide an increased bath fill temperature and is supplied with flow regulators, so it can be used to cut water consumption.

Supplied with a three-year guarantee, Discovery & Diverter is easy to install – it fits into stud walls, for instance – and can be adjusted for varying wall depths. Servicing is also simple thanks to a replaceable cartridge and easy access to large inlet filters. Discovery & Diverter can be installed on all systems and suits both high and low pressure applications.

The Mira Discovery & Diverter valve is compatible with five style matched accessories that are competitively priced at the high-end market: an overhead shower; a variable fittings kit; an overflow bath filler plus a wall‐mounted and a deck‐mounted bath spout.

Mira underpins retail sales with £800K consumer campaign

2010-09-29T14:53:00.003+01:00

Mira Showers is underpinning its commitment to driving retail sales with the launch of a high-profile £800,000 consumer advertising campaign entitled My Mira. The campaign is part of a strategy to build on the success Mira enjoys by focusing attention on driving consumer preference for the brand; and secure sales for its retail partners.

Titles featuring the campaign include leading home interest magazines, such as Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful and Ideal Home; and weekend national supplements such as You (Mail on Sunday), The Sunday Times and the Telegraph Magazine.

My Mira is a campaign where people describe how their Mira shower creates their perfect showering experience. The brief was to create a clear positioning for the brand which is true to the business but also resonated with its many audiences. Importantly, the campaign needed to appeal to consumers, portraying the stylish and innovative products across the Mira range, while reflecting the values of the brand.

Roger Crabb, Marketing Manager of Mira commented: "We were really impressed with the ideas presented to us in terms of this exciting new development of the Mira brand. As the UK’s leading shower manufacturer, we needed to make sure that the creative represented what people get out of their showering experience. The campaign conveys warmth, but with a tone of voice and personality that makes us stand out in this competitive market”

The campaign is Mira’s biggest advertising campaign in over 20 years and will run across press, online and direct mail, and is part of ongoing investment in a bid to achieve increase consumer market share for the company and its distributors.

Baker moves up in Mira marketing

2010-09-29T14:50:00.002+01:00

Mira Showers has appointmented Craig Baker to the position Director Marketing - Kohler Mira. Craig replaces Daniel Brohn, who has been promoted by Kohler to the position of VP Marketing – Global Faucets and will now be based in Wisconsin.

Craig joined the Mira business in 1997 as a Design Engineer, and progressed through Senior Design Engineer, Project Leader, Project Manager and Programme Manager before being appointed as the Director - New Product Development in July 2006.

Over the past four years Craig has established himself as a key member of the K&B U.K. Executive Team, delivering significant improvements in the key business metrics of innovation and vitality. His achievements and strong partnership with Daniel Brohn and the Product Marketing Team were recognised in April 2009 when along with Daniel Brohn he was presented with the Chairman’s Award at the Executive Management Meeting in Kohler.

Commenting on his new position, Craig said: “There has really never been a better time to be leading the marketing effort at Mira. The popularity of our products has never been higher in the marketplace, reflecting our commitment to design, innovation and technical excellence. But we never rest, and I’m looking forward to driving a host of new developments and initiatives that will truly cement our position as UK market leader”.

Mira’s Galena brings three faces to the shower room

2010-09-07T19:29:00.001+01:00

Mira Showers has introduced three new stylish fascias to its Galena electric shower, which matches minimalist styling to the latest in showering technology. The new fascias – light stone, silver glass and black flock-patterned glass – mean homeowners can enjoy the benefits of Galena’s patented technology and thermostatically controls matched with a choice of aesthetic to suit their personal tastes.

Galena’s ‘Shape Memory Alloy’ (SMA) technology ensures that the water temperature is stable to within +/-2 deg C and its Sensi-flo feature protects the user by switching off the heat if the flow is blocked, so guaranteeing that all the family can shower without fear of scalding.

Another patented feature, Clearscale, reduces the limescale by half, so giving a better performance and longer life. Delayed shutdown also improves both safety and durability because it turns off the shower gradually so that hot water is flushed from the tank, reducing limescale and cooling the water for the next user.

The Galena features separate power and flow/temperature controls with a push button to start and stop the flow from the shower head, which has five spray positions and easily cleaned rubber nozzles.

Shelves stack up against Mira’s 360 showerhead

2010-09-07T19:26:00.001+01:00

Mira Showers has developed a set of shelves that complements its 360 showerhead range and provides both a showerhead holder and storage in one handy product. A modern and stylish alternative to the traditional slide bar, the set of three shelves is adjustable and flexible. The shelf units measures 200mm wide, 100mm deep and 40mm high and have a 1.25m metal hose with brass conical ends and engineering-strength plastic liner.

It is supplied complete with all wall fixings. Easily fitted as it can be mounted with the showerhead holder on the left or right; the removable white liner sleeve also makes the unit simple to clean too.

The 360 showerhead delivers four spray modes that the user chooses just by flipping the head through four quarter-turns of 900 each. Each quarter-turn ‘flip’ changes the spray pattern: so users can enjoy the ‘rain’, be invigorated by the ‘burst’, get drenched by the ‘storm’ and luxuriate in the ‘cloud’.

FlipstreamTM technology uses a diverter mechanism in the head to vary the spray pattern according to its position. Simply rotating the head about its axis instantly changes the water flow from one spray pattern to the next.

The range is available in three different design models – the 360m, the 360r and 360i – all of which can be used with any system and all pressures, giving the user the opportunity to transform and revitalise their showering.

The 360m is minimalist in design with a contemporary, geometric aesthetic while the 360r is rounded, soft and natural in form with organic flowing curves. The 360m is offered in either chrome (handset) and white (sprayhead), or chrome and black. The 360r also comes in chrome (handset) and white (sprayhead), or white and white. For a bolder design statement, the 360i is iconic and striking with its black/chrome format. All styles feature the same functionality.

The shelves add a new design dimension to showerhead mounting, while solving the storage problem that so often afflicts bathrooms, especially smaller ones. Mira has also cleverly engineered the shelving to be compatible with all its shower systems and its standard showerheads.

Mira’s new Platinum shows its mettle

2010-09-07T19:19:00.001+01:00

Mira Showers is taking showering technology to new heights with the introduction of its latest wireless digital shower. The Mira Platinum is bristling with innovations to make showering an even more pleasurable experience, literally at the touch of a button.

The Platinum can be programmed to allow a number of functions to be set including shower duration, maximum and minimum temperatures and flow rates, as well as a warm up mode and eco mode. There’s even a clock display to keep an eye on the time.

The new digital shower uses radio frequency (RF) communication between the interface and control valve. This makes installation simpler, provides the freedom to locate the interface almost anywhere and also permits the use of additional interfaces which can be mounted outside of the cubicle, allowing the user to ‘warm’ the shower to the desired temperature prior to entry.

Installation could not be simpler with either ceiling or rear fed fittings available, and a choice of valves – a high pressure valve for mains pressurised systems or combination boilers or a pumped valve for low pressure or gravity fed systems – to choose from. Such is the flexibility of Platinum that the valve can be sited somewhere discrete be it in the loft, under a bath or other convenient location up to 10 metres from the controller.

With the launch of Platinum, Mira has raised the bar in digital showering offering convenience and control for the consumer, while providing flexibility and ease of installation for the trade.

Apple takes a bite out of Mira

2010-05-18T08:41:00.004+01:00

No-one likes to lose, but if you going to do so, it might as well be to acknowledged design pioneers Apple. At the recent Design Week Awards, the innovative 360 Showerhead from Mira was a runner up to the ionic iPod in the Consumer Product Design category.

The awards celebrate and reward the very best in design, from consumer products and retail interiors through to packaging and print. Mira was delighted to have been a finalist, and, although it would have been nice to have won – and Mira should have (!) – Jonathan Ive, the man behind the iPod, is always a hard act to beat...

The 360 showerhead delivers four spray modes that the user chooses just by flipping the head through four quarter-turns of 900 each. Each quarter-turn ‘flip’ changes the spray pattern: so users can enjoy the ‘rain’, be invigorated by the ‘burst’, get drenched by the ‘storm’ and luxuriate in the ‘cloud’.

Flipstream technology uses a diverter mechanism in the head to vary the spray pattern according to its position. Simply rotating the head about its axis instantly changes the water flow from one spray pattern to the next. The range is available in three different design models – the 360m, the 360r and 360i – all of which can be used with any system and all pressures, giving the user the opportunity to transform and revitalise their showering.

Mira is set to make installers Jump!

2010-05-18T08:36:00.003+01:00

Mira Showers is creating large scale opportunities in the electric shower replacement market with the launch of Jump: its new entry level appliance. Importantly, the new shower features, for the first time from Mira, a right-hand water inlet. This makes it the perfect replacement model for other, lesser brands of electric shower, which commonly feature right-hand water inlets.

The retrofit opportunity has been central to the design of Jump, which incorporates many features to simplify the replacement installation. These include a swivel water inlet which accepts rising, rear or side entry connections from the right, multiple pipe entry points and the capacity to accept push fit or compression type fittings.

Similarly, there are multiple cable entry points for electrical connection accessible from both the right and left hand side thanks to the dual terminal blocks. Removable case inserts remove the need for time-consuming and fiddly case cutting, while the shower control box and fittings are designed to cover existing screw holes, so there’s no need to make good.

Not only is the new Jump perfect for retrofit installations, it is also a fully-featured shower in its own right, providing the installer or consumer the chance to upgrade the showering experience. It is available in a choice of power ratings: 8.5kW, 9.5kW and 10.8kW; and comes with Mira’s patented Clearscale™ technology, which is proven to reduce limescale by up to 50%.

The fascia has Select & Forget controls with a push button start/stop and an Eco energy saving power setting. The adjustable slide bar is designed to cover the screw holes left by a previous installation, and the unit comes complete with a four-mode full rub clean handset. It also carries a two-year guarantee.

The introduction of the new Jump model delivers the chance to replace and upgrade existing electric shower installations with the minimum of fuss and does away with the need to go down the like-for-like route.

Mira has an ACE in its pack with Flight enclosures

2010-03-16T12:43:00.001Z

Mira Showers is strengthening its offer to the installer, merchant and volume housebuilder with the launch of a range of framed shower enclosures. Called Mira Flight ACE the line up includes pivot, bi-fold and sliding doors so providing a variety of styles from which to choose.

The framed enclosures allow consumers the premium feel of high end enclosures without the premium cost. Furthermore, the accent is very much on ‘installability’ – with 29mm adjustment available on each wall profile – providing an enclosure solution that’s easy to fit, delivers a cleaner, more professional installation and improves productivity and/ or profitability on site.

Designed along simple yet strong lines, Flight ACE doors and panels can be combined to give up to 16 different enclosure styles: from extended alcove enclosures to more compact arrangements for en suite situations.

The classic frame design is further enhanced by the use of rigid 6mm toughened safety glass in all styles, save the Quadrant which features 5mm toughened glass. All frames are offered finished in polished silver – the finish which accounts for 90% of demand from consumers seeking this type of product.

With reversible doors for left and right hand opening, both alcove and corner formats are possible. All enclosures are power shower approved so providing a safeguard against wet and slippery floors. Further peace of mind is offered with a 10-year guarantee.

Quality is integral to all Mira shower enclosures, and the ACE range is no different. Doors are tested for 32,000 slam cycles – equivalent to 20 years use by a family of four showering daily. Similarly, every panel tested to BSEN14428+A1 (2008) which represents the impact of being hit by a 20 stone person falling over.

Each door style features mechanisms to ensure trouble-free operation. Dual-roller bogies ensure smooth and consistent performance of sliding doors (including quadrants). Bi-fold models incorporate a planet gear mechanism that correctly aligns the door, while the adjustable ball catch used on the pivot door offers additional installation flexibility.

With the launch of the Flight ACE range of shower enclosures Mira now offers the complete enclosure installation package. Compatible with Mira’s Flight shower trays – by far the most popular brand in the UK – the new ACE enclosures are set to raise the bar in terms of affordable style, choice and ease of installation.

Mira offers new seating arrangements in the shower

2010-03-16T12:40:00.002Z

Mira Showers is giving elderly and less able-bodied people the opportunity to shower in greater comfort with the launch of its new premium shower seat.

The seat features an ergonomic design with integrated drainage holes and can be folded up against the wall when not in use or if a shower is preferred to be taken standing up. Alternatively the seat can be located outside of the cubicle to provide a convenient place to sit and rest. It is available in two colour combinations – white and chrome or grey and chrome.

It is recommended that the seat be installed on a solid masonry wall, and if done so, will support loads up to 150kg (23st). All fixings are included and the seat carries a one-year guarantee.

Mira’s new premium shower seat offers both a stylish and functional option for those in the independent living sector and provides the means to take a shower where previously one might not have existed.

Central Saint Martins brings artistic touch to Mira

2010-03-16T12:37:00.001Z

Mira Showers has teamed up with BA Graphic Design graduates from London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design for an innovative new design project.

The college has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of art and design and produces some of the country’s leading graphic designers every year. In Mira’s case, graduates – selected at the course’s final show – were briefed to create new concept designs for the fascia of the Mira Azora thermostatic electric shower. Each graduate submitted three designs based on the themes ‘seriously trendy’, ‘outlandish design’ and ‘fun and family friendly’. Of the designs, three were developed into final concepts, subsequently made into a real Mira Azora fascia.

The project was inspired by research into decorating trends, which suggests that 80% of people would like to make bigger style statements in their homes; and, in particular, want their homes to reflect their personalities more.

Roger Crabb, Marketing Manager at Mira Showers said: “Working with these young designers has given us greater access to new creative talent and valuable concept ideas for consideration in future products. Simultaneously, it also gave the graduates the chance to gain some invaluable industry experience.

Mira Showers is committed to innovation; and the Central Saint Martins project is one example demonstrating how keen we are to deliver the best showers and shower accessories by embracing new and different design values”.

Mira gets grubby in the garden

2010-03-16T12:31:00.002Z

As part of its ‘One Community’ programme; 20 employees from Mira Showers recently undertook a Ground Force style project to makeover outdoor spaces at Whaddon Youth Centre, a few hundred metres from the company’s HQ in Cheltenham. During the challenging project, volunteers cleared overgrowth, levelled ground, planted flowers, erected new and relocated existing sheds; and built a brand new patio area, complete with benches and a pergola.

As members of the local Oakley Regeneration Project, the company is committed to helping improve local facilities in an area where many of its staff and their families live. The Youth Centre has no funds of its own to support such projects, and appealed to Mira – as a local employer – for assistance. The two-day project culminated in a celebratory BBQ when the volunteers, and youth centre users, celebrated their joint achievement.

Roger Crabb, Marketing Manager, Mira Showers, commented on the makeover: “Such projects are very much in keeping with our principles of Corporate Social Responsibility; and we were delighted that so many of our employees, including our apprentices, took part and were excited to create a really useful space for the enjoyment of all the young people that use the club”.

Mira helps youngsters with a Head Start for the future

2010-03-16T12:23:00.002Z

Mira Showers has relaunched its Head Start apprenticeship support programme as part of its commitment to underwriting the future of the industry.

Loss of skill – as installers age and retire – results in a reduced competitiveness in favour of economies and workforces that possess the know-how. This skill loss also boosts the cowboys, encouraged to try their hands at jobs for which they are unqualified. It may also tempt the homeowner, struggling for access to a professional, to employ the services of the cowboy or even have a crack at DIY.

The Head Start programme is designed to give lecturers and students quality insights and technical materials to support teaching and learning in all areas of shower installation. Lecturers can expect to receive an extensive series of A1 technical posters covering plumbing systems, and the installation of mixer, power and electric showers. They also receive A5 technical literature on mixer showers for distribution; plus all the documentation necessary for student registration etc.

Furthermore, a whole host of other media is provided – by way of USB sticks. These include an e-learning module – based on Mira’s trade installation DVD; product installation and user guides – and, not least, seven videos covering subjects such as commissioning electric showers, installing enclosures, bar valve installation and commissioning a Mira Discovery with reverse inlets. Published materials will be augmented with those on power showers and electrics later in the year.

Students, beyond access to the classroom materials above; also receive their own suite of technical literature on mixer showers and a quarterly newsletter focussed on the hot topics of the day. This is backed up by a discount on CIPHE subscription.

Supporting colleges is just one – important – way that businesses can ensure their own survival; as a robust industry, peopled by qualified, professional installers is a must for their own success.

Mira hopes that, in these tough times, forward-thinking installation companies can still find the wherewithal to keep taking on apprentices and training the installers of the future. They then will be better placed than their competitors to exploit the opportunities that will become available in the post-recessionary environment.

Gloucester takes green counsel from Mira

2010-03-16T12:18:00.003Z

If there is an impression that some councils are slow in reacting and getting to speed with some modern technologies: the accusation cannot be levelled at Gloucestershire County Council. Its Climate Change Champion Network is really getting to grips with the complex issues of reducing the council’s carbon footprint. The programme includes awareness training, encouraging behaviour change amongst colleagues, questioning the carbon credentials of suppliers amongst many other initiatives, such as dimming and part-night lighting street lights and the introduction of LED traffic lights.

To help in this mammoth task, the ‘eco talents’ of Mira Showers’ Christian Wagner’s knowledge was recently exploited. Using the extensive knowledge gained through 38 years managing training and development at Mira – combined with that from ‘self-building’ his own SAP A designed home and updating his current one to dramatically reduce running costs – Christian has delivered the council with a thought-provoking, interactive and dynamic set of materials entitled Are You Eco Solvent? The materials demonstrate the nature and benefits of incorporating sustainable and efficient materials and systems into the domestic environment.

These range from basic draught exclusion and dimmable low energy bulbs – costing only a few pounds – though to Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) and solar-heated DHW systems. Water saving is achieved by using the Mira Eco head, and harvested rainwater for WC flushing. A programmable two zone central heating thermostat is combined with radio controlled radiator valves and a condensing system boiler with climatic compensation to accurately and comfortably control the heating.

Cooking is done with an electric induction hob, running at an efficiency of around 84% compared with 40% for gas, and without the dangerous products of combustion. The increased use of the latest generation of LED lighting has reduced even further the power consumption of even low energy lighting. And the best of all, the house does not look like a test laboratory!

Christian commented on Are You Eco Solvent?, saying: “There is much talk about eco, but insufficient action. From conversations with GCC and others, it seems that this is not for a lack of enthusiasm but a want of practical knowledge on what can be achieved in the home”.

Mira assists village in an African adventure

2010-02-12T17:59:00.002Z

Russell Harris – from Mira's Customer Services – recently swapped his headset and desktop for a chainsaw and a shovel as part of team building an adventure playground for children in Gambia. Russell’s work was in the village of Sambel Kunda where – beyond the adventure playground – he was also involved in planning a water tower, and re-plumbing some very leaky washroom and toilet facilities.

The village projects were all made possible by charity Stella’s School Scheme – founded by the late Dr. Stella Brewer-Marsden. Stella started to support the village and its school as part of a local, ‘holistic’ approach to her OBE-winning work on wildlife rehabilitation; being inspired by a poor, but bright young, lad who hustled and bustled any reading matter he could from teachers – even though his parents could not afford to enrol him.

Educating the children is vital in the fight against poverty, and wider activities serve in uniting the community – with recent examples being solar power installation, a school garden, child sponsorship scheme and a recently built kitchen ensuring the children get at least one ‘decent’ good meal a day.

Russell worked in 40 degree heat for the seven days of the playground build, from site clearance to completion. As Russell comments, “After a sweltering week, we had done it! We’d come up with two tyre swings, three climbing ropes, four trapeze rings, stepping logs, crocodile balance beams, a swinging log and a fantastic Burma rope bridge.

After all that sweat, a broken finger for a local, a dodgy generator, 56 very deep holes, 25 3.5m poles, 25 litres of creosote and 12m of threaded bar: sorting out the plumbing was a doddle! All credit to the villagers and other volunteers; plus thanks to Mira for a chunk of cash towards getting the project realised”.

Mira has some Verve when it comes bath water safety

2010-02-12T17:56:00.001Z

Mira Showers has improved its Verve Bath Shower Mixer (BSM), which has now been certified to BuildCert TMV2. This ensures that it complies with BS EN 1111 and/ or 1287 and so meets the amendments of Part G of the Building Regulations that set maximum temperature limits for water delivered to baths.

It is ideal for those looking for a straightforward, easy solution to adding a shower facility to an existing bath, with the added benefit of providing thermostatic bath fill too. The Verve BSM will also help the new build and social housing sectors obtain building control approval for bathroom installations.

There are two version of the Verve BSM, one designed for wall mount installations, and the second includes deck mount connectors so the BSM can also be mounted on the bath. Highly durable – as a result of a full brass body and metal handles – Verve will work at all pressures from 0.5 to to a whopping 5 bar; and is available in a perennially popular chrome finish. It comes with a 5 year guarantee too for added piece of mind.

Controls are also very simple: with one knob controlling flow and another temperature; while a diverter switches water from bath fill to shower. TMV2 approval is the icing on the cake, ensuring that Verve meets new Part G amendments requiring thermostatic temperature control for bath-fill in all new houses.
The Verve BSM valve is sold excluding fittings; which allows for a wider choice of fittings combinations depending on style, function and price requirements.

Mira man beats the desert in Help for Heroes challenge

2010-01-12T14:33:00.003Z

Mira engineer Anthony Haynes has just completed a gruelling 120Km trek of the Sahara as part of a desert challenge to raise money for wounded armed forces charity Help for Heroes. Anthony, 31, personally raised in excess of £4,700 for the charity; with the total raised from the challenge being over £150,000 and rising. He has been a Mira engineer for seven years; and is based in Swadlincote, Derbyshire.

Help for Heroes aims to provide direct, practical help and support for service personnel wounded in the service of the country. Its current focus is for grants to create a series of regional Recovery Houses to be built across the UK and serve as the last stage of rehabilitation before a serviceman, or woman, returns to unit or transits back into civilian life.

The challenge trek was across the Moroccan Sahara: covering hard stony ground; through to soft, rolling dune sands. Anthony spent seven nights camping in the desert, beating the overall trek target of 10 days by a day and a half.
Out of the 59 who started the trek, nearly half didn't make the full distance: a result of gastro-enteritis raging through the camp. Anthony puts his good health during the ordeal down to a diet of hot chilli sauce, washed down by local red wine supplied by Berber tribesmen.

He comments on his motivation for undertaking the challenge: “My mate Richard’s brother is currently stationed in Afghanistan, and both my step-brothers have served in the area. I decided to give something back to show gratitude to the men and women of our armed forces – especially those who are wounded in the line of duty. I, for one, am eternally grateful, as we all should be”.

Beyond the heat, dust, night-time cold, thirst and illness; Anthony’s main other challenge was personal hygiene, “There’s nothing like Mira’s top-notch showers out there; so it was wet wipes for a week – like being some monstrous toddler”.

Picture shows: (left to right): RAF pilot Andy Johnson, Anthony Haynes, Mira; and Alex Wratten of The Daily Telegraph.