IW Feet(Shanklin, Isle of Wight)

Jason Mansell from Ventnor, Isle of Wight, has been steadily building domiciliary and surgery practise since October 2002. During the quiet periods he has been lucky enough to learn a valuable new skill.

He was already friendly with Kevin Garlic a shoemakers with international recognition, but Kevin introduced Jason to a retired Surgical Fitter (also in Ventnor) who made his first pair of shoes at the age of fourteen! Pete Cortesi made shoes, collars, belts, calipers etc for four hospitals in the south of England and ran more than one shoe repair shop for over thirty-five years on the Island.

Pete (real name Pietro) cannot spend as much time with Jason but has taught him some valuable traditional skills. Bespoke leather insoles and cork-raised soles were Pete’s favourite challenges. Pete admits that materials available today are superior to what he was told to use by the NHS.