A Very Happy Birthday for Mr Monkey

A Very

Happy Birthday fo

By Holly Jenkins Illustrated by Sarah Ward

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This book is dedicated to Jonathon without whom none of this would have happened

This book is dedicated to Jonathon without whom none of this would have happened

Mr Monkey was sad. It would be his birthday next week and he was all alone, living in a dark and dusty corner at the back of a cold warehouse.

Once upon a time Mr Monkey had been surrounded by children and laughter. When he was younger he had a very special and important job helping children to stand up tall and get strong. Mr Monkey often thought of the children he had helped over the years…

Mr Monkey was sad. It would be his birthday next week and he was all alone, living in a dark and dusty corner at the back of a cold warehouse.

Once upon a time Mr Monkey had been surrounded by children and laughter. When he was younger he had a very special and important job helping children to stand up tall and get strong. Mr Monkey often thought of the children he had helped over the years…

The first little boy was Jacob. Mr Monkey was as nervous as Jacob was the first time they stood up together, but when he saw how happy and excited Jacob was to stand, Mr Monkey knew that his job was going to be the best job in the world.

Mr Monkey lived at Jacob’s house for a long time and saw him grow from a baby, to a toddler until he was big enough to go to school. Jacob’s Mum told everyone who came to the house what a great job he was doing helping Jacob to stand!

Mr Monkey was so proud.

The first little boy was Jacob. Mr Monkey was as nervous as Jacob was the first time they stood up together, but when he saw how happy and excited Jacob was to stand, Mr Monkey knew that his job was going to be the best job in the world.

Mr Monkey lived at Jacob’s house for a long time and saw him grow from a baby, to a toddler until he was big enough to go to school. Jacob’s Mum told everyone who came to the house what a great job he was doing helping Jacob to stand!

Mr Monkey was so proud.

After Jacob, Mr Monkey went to live in a nursery school where there were lots of children to play with, and what a great time he had! Mr Monkey couldn’t remember all of the children’s names but he could still picture their faces.

It made him laugh when even the children who could stand on their own asked for a turn with Mr Monkey helping them too because it looked like so much fun! But Mr Monkey knew he had an important job for the children who needed him. With Mr Monkey’s help all the children in the nursery could play together – dressing up, painting and having fun.

After Jacob, Mr Monkey went to live in a nursery school where there were lots of children to play with, and what a great time he had! Mr Monkey couldn’t remember all of the children’s names but he could still picture their faces.

It made him laugh when even the children who could stand on their own asked for a turn with Mr Monkey helping them too because it looked like so much fun! But Mr Monkey knew he had an important job for the children who needed him. With Mr Monkey’s help all the children in the nursery could play together – dressing up, painting and having fun.

The nursery was fun, but it was also tiring! One day Simon, the kind Physiotherapist came to the nursery school, picked Mr Monkey up and took him to a new house! Simon introduced Mr Monkey to a little girl called Samira and explained that he was there to help her stand.

Samira was very nervous about standing up at first, she had never done it before and was worried that it would hurt or that she would fall. Simon did a good job of explaining how all Mr Monkey’s parts worked and would keep Samira safe and comfortable. Over time, Samira learnt to trust Mr Monkey, and began to love standing. They stood together every day and Samira grew tall and strong. One day Simon came back with a bigger standing frame for Samira and Mr Monkey knew he would be moving again.

The nursery was fun, but it was also tiring! One day Simon, the kind Physiotherapist came to the nursery school, picked Mr Monkey up and took him to a new house! Simon introduced Mr Monkey to a little girl called Samira and explained that he was there to help her stand.

Samira was very nervous about standing up at first, she had never done it before and was worried that it would hurt or that she would fall. Simon did a good job of explaining how all Mr Monkey’s parts worked and would keep Samira safe and comfortable. Over time, Samira learnt to trust Mr Monkey, and began to love standing. They stood together every day and Samira grew tall and strong. One day Simon came back with a bigger standing frame for Samira and Mr Monkey knew he would be moving again.

This time Simon took Mr Monkey to a big place he had never been to before. Mr Monkey heard Simon explain to a lady there that there were no children who needed him at the moment and asked her to look after him. Mr Monkey was sad, he enjoyed helping children and although he was getting old he knew there must still be children who needed him somewhere.

The lady took Mr Monkey into a huge building with shelves reaching as high and as far as Mr Monkey could see. He learnt that this was called a ‘stores warehouse’, and discovered that there were lots of other pieces of equipment there, waiting to be chosen to help the children and adults who needed them too.

This time Simon took Mr Monkey to a big place he had never been to before. Mr Monkey heard Simon explain to a lady there that there were no children who needed him at the moment and asked her to look after him. Mr Monkey was sad, he enjoyed helping children and although he was getting old he knew there must still be children who needed him somewhere.

The lady took Mr Monkey into a huge building with shelves reaching as high and as far as Mr Monkey could see. He learnt that this was called a ‘stores warehouse’, and discovered that there were lots of other pieces of equipment there, waiting to be chosen to help the children and adults who needed them too.

At first, life in the stores warehouse was fun. The lady put Mr Monkey next to a Bee chair and another standing frame who looked like a dinosaur and said he was called Rex. Mr Monkey, Miss Bee and Rex spent many happy hours swapping stories about all the children they had helped over the years, and wondering where they were and what they were doing now.

At first, life in the stores warehouse was fun. The lady put Mr Monkey next to a Bee chair and another standing frame who looked like a dinosaur and said he was called Rex. Mr Monkey, Miss Bee and Rex spent many happy hours swapping stories about all the children they had helped over the years, and wondering where they were and what they were doing now.

Eventually Miss Bee and Rex went to help new children and Mr Monkey was left alone again. As time went by he was pushed further back in the stores warehouse, into the darkest, dustiest corner. It was cold and lonely there and Mr Monkey felt sad.

The following day Mr Monkey was woken by a noise and a bright light. The big box that had been in front of Mr Monkey had been moved and he could see out from under his shelf. There was the lady who had collected him from Simon when he first came to the stores warehouse, and she was talking to another lady in a bright orange T-shirt with a picture of a giraffe on it. The lady in the orange T-shirt spotted him and said – “Oh wow! Look at this old guy, I bet you’ve seen a lot in your time Mr Monkey”.

Eventually Miss Bee and Rex went to help new children and Mr Monkey was left alone again. As time went by he was pushed further back in the stores warehouse, into the darkest, dustiest corner. It was cold and lonely there and Mr Monkey felt sad.

The following day Mr Monkey was woken by a noise and a bright light. The big box that had been in front of Mr Monkey had been moved and he could see out from under his shelf. There was the lady who had collected him from Simon when he first came to the stores warehouse, and she was talking to another lady in a bright orange T-shirt with a picture of a giraffe on it. The lady in the orange T-shirt spotted him and said – “Oh wow! Look at this old guy, I bet you’ve seen a lot in your time Mr Monkey”.

Over the rest of the day Mr Monkey watched as the two ladies

At the end of the day all the equipment was put back onto the shelves

looked at all the equipment in the stores warehouse, checking it was

or taken to its new homes but Mr Monkey was left at the side. He was

working and making a list. Some pieces of equipment had labels

beginning to think he had been forgotten but then the lady in orange

stuck on with the names of the children they were going to help next

picked him up and put him gently in the back of a van ‘come on

and Mr Monkey was happy that they were about to get new homes.

old-timer, we’re going on a trip’ she said.

Over the rest of the day Mr Monkey watched as the two ladies

At the end of the day all the equipment was put back onto the shelves

looked at all the equipment in the stores warehouse, checking it was

or taken to its new homes but Mr Monkey was left at the side. He was

working and making a list. Some pieces of equipment had labels

beginning to think he had been forgotten but then the lady in orange

stuck on with the names of the children they were going to help next

picked him up and put him gently in the back of a van ‘come on

and Mr Monkey was happy that they were about to get new homes.

old-timer, we’re going on a trip’ she said.

It was a long drive in the back of the van and Mr Monkey wondered where they were going. Eventually the van stopped, the door opened and Mr Monkey was taken into a room in a big factory.

A man in the room began to check him over, easing all his stiff joints and looking at all his parts. The man made notes as he went along but he suddenly gasped and left. “What’s wrong?” thought Mr Monkey.

He was alone again, and a little bit scared.

It was a long drive in the back of the van and Mr Monkey wondered where they were going. Eventually the van stopped, the door opened and Mr Monkey was taken into a room in a big factory.

A man in the room began to check him over, easing all his stiff joints and looking at all his parts. The man made notes as he went along but he suddenly gasped and left. “What’s wrong?” thought Mr Monkey.

He was alone again, and a little bit scared.

The man soon came back with lots of other people. Some of them

Then Mr Monkey heard the voice of an older man who said, “I can’t

were wearing brightly coloured T-shirts with giraffe’s on too.

quite believe it, but this is definitely the first one made – you can see

Mr Monkey could hear a commotion “Wow”, “how amazing!”,

the mark right here”. Mr Monkey recognised the voice and it was his

“that’s incredible” the people were saying.

turn to be amazed, it was the man who had made him all those years ago! “Let’s get him cleaned up and he can take pride of place” said the man.

The man soon came back with lots of other people. Some of them

Then Mr Monkey heard the voice of an older man who said, “I can’t

were wearing brightly coloured T-shirts with giraffe’s on too.

quite believe it, but this is definitely the first one made – you can see

Mr Monkey could hear a commotion “Wow”, “how amazing!”,

the mark right here”. Mr Monkey recognised the voice and it was his

“that’s incredible” the people were saying.

turn to be amazed, it was the man who had made him all those years ago! “Let’s get him cleaned up and he can take pride of place” said the man.

Over the next few days Mr Monkey was treated like a king! All his nuts and bolts were carefully replaced, his straps and covers were cleaned, someone even came and smartened up the paintwork on his foot where Jacob’s puppy had chewed it all those years ago.

Over the next few days Mr Monkey was treated like a king! All his nuts and bolts were carefully replaced, his straps and covers were cleaned, someone even came and smartened up the paintwork on his foot where Jacob’s puppy had chewed it all those years ago.

When they were finished the man carefully lifted Mr Monkey onto a stand at the front of a big room filled with other pieces of equipment.

Next to Mr Monkey the man placed giant balloons in the shape of the number 25 and a sign which read:

The First Monkey Standing Frame Since being launched in 1995 Jenx has manufactured thousands of Monkey standing frames which have helped children all over the world to stand.

Beneath the writing were pictures of smiling children all standing up tall in their own Monkey standing frames.

When they were finished the man carefully lifted Mr Monkey onto a stand at the front of a big room filled with other pieces of equipment.

Next to Mr Monkey the man placed giant balloons in the shape of the number 25 and a sign which read:

The First Monkey Standing Frame Since being launched in 1995 Jenx has manufactured thousands of Monkey standing frames which have helped children all over the world to stand.

Beneath the writing were pictures of smiling children all standing up tall in their own Monkey standing frames.

The next day was Mr Monkey’s birthday, and the opening day of the Jenx Museum. There were lots of visitors, and even a lady taking pictures for the local newspaper. Everyone wanted to see Mr Monkey.

The older man who made him spoke to the visitors – he told the story of how he and his wife wanted to help children with disabilities, and how they had designed many different products over the years.

Mr Monkey was delighted, what a wonderful place this was.

The next day was Mr Monkey’s birthday, and the opening day of the Jenx Museum. There were lots of visitors, and even a lady taking pictures for the local newspaper. Everyone wanted to see Mr Monkey.

The older man who made him spoke to the visitors – he told the story of how he and his wife wanted to help children with disabilities, and how they had designed many different products over the years.

Mr Monkey was delighted, what a wonderful place this was.

It was a long day and Mr Monkey was tired when the visitors left.

That evening he and the others in the museum swapped stories about their lives and spoke about the children they had known and helped. It reminded Mr Monkey of his friends Miss Bee and Rex and a smile spread across his face.

“I’m going to like it here” he thought “What a Happy Birthday this is.”

It was a long day and Mr Monkey was tired when the visitors left.

That evening he and the others in the museum swapped stories about their lives and spoke about the children they had known and helped. It reminded Mr Monkey of his friends Miss Bee and Rex and a smile spread across his face.

“I’m going to like it here” he thought “What a Happy Birthday this is.”

Jenx Ltd was established in 1982 by Clive and Catherine Jenkins, an engineer and a Paediatric Physiotherapist respectively. The vision Clive and Catherine had was for “a better life and a brighter future for children with special needs”. They knew that with the right support provided by innovative equipment, all children would be able to achieve their full potential…everyone is entitled to have a happy and fulfilling life.

Catherine said "Every position a child adopts has an impact on their functional movement both now and in the future. By supporting children in the right way as early as possible we can give them the best possible chance of a functional and pain free life".

This mission continues in the innovation at Jenx and Jiraffe today, still family run by Clive and Catherine’s daughter Holly and is alive in the cutting-edge products, knowledgeable service and friendly advice. The values live on in each member of staff and will continue to change children’s lives well into the future...Always Supportive; Always Caring; Always Safe; Always Ethical; Always Encouraging.

Happy 25th Anniversary Monkey!

Thank you and enjoy monkeying around!