This year Saara Raatikainen left the Executive Committee after 6 years of dedicated service to the EFSHT.

We welcomed a newly elected president-elect, Karin Boer, from the Netherlands

In 1989 the European Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (EFSHT) was founded. Everybody interested in hand therapy learned to recognize the symbol of the EFSHT, created by Griet Van Veldhoven. The EFSHT has grown during the last 32 years and our logo could be found in many places. It has never changed until today. The goals of the federation stay the same, nevertheless an update of the logo was in place. Starting from February 1st, 2021 the EFSHT says farewell to the well known and trusted logo.

For the first time in the history of the EFSHT, we were not able to meet each other during the annual Council Meeting due to the Pandamic, covid-19.
Thanks to the digitalisation we were able to hold an online meeting with all representatives of the different countries. We were also able to have our triennial congress, not in Basel, Switzerland, but as an online -EFSHT-event. Vera Beckmann-Fries and Marianne von Haller have made a big effort in the realization of this online scientific event.

A fantastic team made the Council Meeting of the EFSHT go very smoothly. The first steps off future plans were made

The full Council and the new ExCom (Gabi Versümer Bücker, Treasurer, Francesco Romagoli, president-elect, Helle Puggaard, president, Saara Raatikainen, past-president, Paul De Buck, Secretary)

Copenhagen, a Council Meeting with our new president-elect Helle Puggaard of Denmark (right side of the pictures, middle Saara Raatikainen past-president; left side Paul De Buck, secretary). A meeting with the fresh ideas and the first steps for new future plans of the EFSHT.

2017 was a special year for the EFSHT as the EUROHAND congres was being held in a country without an national hand thrapy society. The Therapist program had been put togehter by the members of the EFSHT. The ExCom took a big role together with different delegates, committee members and former members. Together with the organisation of the Council Meeting it was a full year. The whole team can be proud on the work realized, as the Council Meeting and the Congress were fantastisc, and new steps in the evolution and promotion of hand therapy in Europe were been made.

With great sadness, we bring you the news that Paul Van Lede passed away at the age of 73.
He was one of the pioneers in splinting in Hand Therapy. He will never be forgotten, because many of us are using his techniques and ideas when making splints. Nevertheless, he will be missed by many.

Thank you Paul!

June 2015 Milan, Italy

Just before the FESSH congress in Milan the annual council meeting took place. New ideas were shared and also a lot of new friendships were made. We welcomed our new member Austria, represented by Mrs. Sparl and some new delegates. During the FESSH congress the Italian Association for Hand Rehabilitation provided a very nice scientific program consisted out of workshops. Many therapists enjoyed being at the congress and being in Milan.

EUROHAND Congress 2014, Paris. During the annual council meeting was held. A new executive board was appointed. From left to right, Saara Raatikainen (president-elect) Turid Aasheim (President) and Gabriele Versümer Bücker (past president). The first steps in structure - regulations were made.

The hosting society, the French society did a great job. Also the congress in the "Palais de Congrès" in the heart of Paris was verygood. A lot of new idea have been launched and old ideas rephrased. This was also the year of the World Championship football which gave Eurohand an additional binding atmosphere.

In a very sunny and warm Antalya a constructive Council Meeting was held on May 27th and 28th 2013. The very enthusiastic EFSHT Council worked hard to get new rules voted through and to give all countries a good overview of what is happening in Europe. The first small steps have been made to enter the world of social media with a twitter account: @efsht . In the future we hope to be even more visible on the digital world.

Antwerp, a city build on a myth of a giants' Hand which was chopped of and thrown away. This was a perfect place to meet again and to bring a full program to a positive end. Additionally to the council meeting there was a wonderful scientific day about the thumb organized by the Belgian Hand Therapists under the coördination of Paul De Buck (BE). He was also elected as the new secretary of the EFSHT. This year the process to follow in order to gain the ECHT qualification was clarified and the hope is that many will subscribe. Application forms and all relevant information is available on the website. It was also a Meeting were 2 senior members, Sheila Harris and Angela Harth, retired. We are them very grateful for all the work they done and wish them good luck and a happy retirement.

The joint FESSH / EFSHT meeting was held in Oslo and proved to be a great success again. The highlight for the Therapists was the awarding of the first European Hand Therapist Certificate, there were two successful applicants, Melanie Eissens and Nick Gape, although only Melanie was present to accept her certificate.
Unfortunately our President elect had to tender her resignation for personal reasons. It was agreed by the Council that a postal ballot would take place and Gabriele Versuemer Bucker was duly elected.

Once again a full programme was planned but we also had time to visit the anatomy theatre, thought to be the oldest in Europe. The Hand Therapy Profile was presented to us by the ESC and the process of gaining Certification was explained. It is hoped that the system will be ready for the 2011 Congress in Oslo. The PSC, now to be called SC, reported that work was well underway to develop a network of experts to review various methods of treatment.

This year was a special one for EFSHT and also for the French Society, it being our 20th anniversary and the French society's 25th! There were obviously some celebrations but also some hard work. Spain was re-elected as a Full member which was heartening. Congratulations were given to the Swiss Society for the excellent meeting last year which helped boost the federation's funds. The newly formed Website Committee had us all brainstorming and full of ideas for the revamping of our website. Sheila Harris was re-elected as Secretary.

The Congress in Lausanne was combined with the FESSH meeting and a very enjoyable but hardworking time was had by all. Once again the two sub Committees presented their progress and it was gratifying to see that some countries had already started to translate the Profile. The PSC were able to show the results of their first Delphi Profile for Mallet fingers. Roma Bhopal took over the Presidents role and Tracy Fairplay was elected Vice President. Glykeria Gounaropoulou was re-elected as Treasurer.

A packed programme of work but also socializing awaited us in Slovenia. Delegates stayed in the old jail, now a youth hostel but retaining the old bars etc. Italy were welcomed as Full Members. Both the Education and Scientific Committees presented their progress during the previous year and it was exciting to see how much had been done. The European Hand Therapy Profile, ECHT, was ratified.

A happy team of colleagues in Izmir took full time care of their guests when the Turkish society realized its bid from years before to host a Council Meeting. To plan the meeting with more group work proved to be very fruitful. An Education Committee was decided. The exciting tastes of the area's rich culture and history enhanced the good federation spirit. Nicole Grünert-Plüss entered as the new President. Roma Bhopal, UK, was elected President Elect and Sheila Harris was elected Secretary

The 8th Congress was made a joint therapy - surgery venture with FESSH in sunny Göteborg. The primary common subject was grip function including tendon transfers and a round table on "To grip or not to grip". The new PS Committee with chairperson Ton A. Schreuders was presented. Education was focused in the Council Meeting, model standards presented and a taskforce established. Glykeria Gounaropoulou, Greece, was elected as the new treasurer.

Matching the scientific congress of IFSHT, Edinburgh was chosen as perfect for this Council Meeting. Slovenia was welcomed as a new full member nation. Based on the hand therapy education survey, possible minimum standards and future certifications were discussed. The present formation of the PSCommittee was dissolved. Ragnhild Cederlund entered as the new President, and, Nicole Grünert-Plüss, Switzerland, was elected President Elect.

The Council Meeting was this year hosted in Lisbon by the enthusiastic and youngest EFSHT society. It was held parallel to the FESSH Congress and combined with a national hand therapy course. Workshops inspired a survey on hand therapy education in Europe to be conducted by the President. Cultural and social nights (left) gave us the real European family feeling. Åse Lier, Norway, was reelected as secretary for a third period.

The 7th Congress was linked with FESSH in Amsterdam. The Dutch therapists and surgeons had cooperated closely to offer a more complete fusion of scientific topics with focus on Evaluation and Neurological Diseases.

With Birgitta Rosén, Sweden, as chairperson a Permanent Scientific Committee (PSC) of EFSHT had been established (right), and new standards for scientific papers developed. The EFSHT web site had been launched earlier in the Spring. Angelos Poulis entered as the new President, and Ragnhild Cederlund, Sweden, was elected President Elect and Nickos Georgiadis was re-elected as treasurer.

This year The German Society hosted the Council Meeting in Sendenhorst. Apart from the long agenda, the program included a scientific morning, as well as warmly welcome cultural and social events.

In Barcelona EFSHT again linked with FESSH and held the 6th Congress. The theme was The Functional Hand.

Margreet ter Schegget entered as new President of the Federation. Angelos Poulis, Greece, was elected new President Elect.

The 5th Congress was held independently of FESSH, in Athens, hosted by the Greek Society. The theme was Upper Limb Dysfunction.

Margreet ter Schegget, The Netherlands was elected President Elect and Nickos Georgiadis, Greece was elected new Treasurer.

With the Council Meeting in Athens1996 as model, the Council met in Aarhus with the Danish Society as hosts. Long hours were dedicated to the revision of by-laws and planning the program of the next Congress. The rewarding social breaks were considered equally valuable for the purpose and outcome of the meeting. It was decided to run Council Meetings every year.

The following 4th Congress in Bologna was also linked with the following FESSH Congress. At the Council Meeting in Bologna the Founder President and Secretary of the EFSHT resigned. Sheila Harris, United Kingdom was elected new President and Åse Lier, Norway, new Secretary

The Greek Society with its dynamic President Angelos Poulis invited the executive officers and the Council to a primarily socializing and brainstorming weekend in Athens. Officers and delegates were accommodated in the homes of Greek colleagues. In the atmosphere of the famous Greek hospitality many ideas of development were exchanged and it was agreed that this was an excellent way to combine the Council Meeting with letting the local Therapists see how EFSHT worked.

The 3rd European Congress was held in Paris, linked with the 3rd FESSH Congress. It was gratifying to see more presentations from Therapists creating discussion between Surgeons and Therapists.

The 2nd EFSHT Congress was held in Dublin, co hosted by the Irish Hand Therapy Association with the British Association of Hand Therapists led by Lynda Gwilliam and Ann Birch, who was then Treasurer of EFSHT. 150 therapists attended the meeting. The guest speaker was Dr Kit Wynn Parry giving an historical account of the development of Hand Therapy.

Plans were laid for the organisation of the 1st Congress of EFSHT to be held in 1993. This first congress took the form of a Hand Therapists satellite symposium at the 1st Congress of FESSH (the European Federation of Surgeons) in Brussels May 1993.

On the first day there were symposia on Orthotics and RA and Burns, Evaluation, Tendons, Congenital hand deformities and Electrotherapy. The second day was made up of workshops on the topics of Burn Scarring of the Hand, the Musicians Hand, Functional Electrical Stimulation and Muscular Chains. There were good opportunities for delegates to network together and look forward to meeting again in Dublin the following year.

At the first meeting of the executive of the EFSHT Jacques Otthiers, Belgium was elected Founder President. Jean-Claude Rouzaud, France was elected Secretary General. Gwendolyn van Strien, Netherlands was elected Treasurer.

Seven countries were represented on the Council:
Belgium - Paul van Lede, France - Alain Berthe, United Kingdom - Annette Leveridge, Netherlands - Gwendolyn van Strien, Italy - Mauro Serantoni, Poland - Marek Pieniazek, Switzerland - Anne Marie Serex.

A Constitution for the European Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy was formulated between France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

After the formation of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy 1985, in which European member countries were well represented, it was agreed that there should be an opportunity for European hand therapists to meet more regularly and exchange ideas.