News From Paul



-80139-35215Supporting people with sight loss in EssexRegistered Charity number: 116932400Supporting people with sight loss in EssexRegistered Charity number: 116932420955-66040000SIGHTLINESummer 2017Welcome to the Summer Edition ofSupport 4 Sight’s NewsletterNews From PaulA big welcome to TillyI am sure that many of you will have heard that over the last 20 months, I have been waiting for a new guide dog.? Nessie sadly retired in September 2015, which meant that I had to re-visit the white cane.? I had excellent training from Guide Dogs for several months and I started to feel confident using the long cane.?Unfortunately, due to health issues, I was not able to use the Long Cane following my training.? This meant that I was totally reliant on my friends and colleagues taking me out and about and to work.? I had no form of mobility to get out on my own.? I am sure there are many of you out there that can fully understand where I am coming from, and how lonely and isolated you can feel when you cannot get out on your own.?Having no mobility has such a knock-on effect on everyday life, but not only that, I felt very isolated and my confidence levels took a severe drop for the next 20 months.?I was very fortunate to be able to keep Nessie, who incidentally, is really enjoying a well-deserved retirement!? I had friends who are able to look after Nessie whilst I have been at work.? They have walked Nessie and given her those Free Runs that she so enjoys!? She has been a great friend and support through this lonely time.?I would now like to share my good news with you all.? On Thursday 11th May 2017, I welcomed Tilly to my home and started that Guide Dog Training journey.?Firstly, Nessie and Tilly had to be introduced to see how they got on.? This was done outside in the garden.? After a few growls and front paws going up, they settled down and sat at my front door waiting to be let in.? They are now settled together, playing with each other’s toys and lying together on the floor.? It will only be a matter of time before they are curled up together in each other’s bed!? It is very important that they get on well, this takes a lot of work and commitment on my part to settle them in, making sure that they have the time from me to do this.?In the short time that I have had Tilly with me, she is proving to be a very willing and hardworking dog.? She is only tiny, but walks at quite a pace and avoids many of those obstacles and hazards on our routes out and about.?Tilly is a black Labrador, 2 years old and I am sure will make such a difference to my life in the future.? Please can I ask everyone to be patient when it comes to making a fuss, it is the first thing that everyone wants to do.? It would be really helpful if Tilly could be ignored until she has settled into her new partnership with me.? It would also make life a lot easier for me.?I would like to thank everyone for their support and good wishes over the last months when life has been a bit tricky for me.? Please look out for more updates and we hope to see many of you at our future exhibitions and events.?At The Centre Additional Office SpaceWe are pleased to announce that we have acquired additional office space at 8 Hill Street, Saffron Walden. Some of the staff will be working at the new office, however all enquiries should still go to our resource centre in George Street and through the phone number 01799 523700.Glasses Recycling & HoneyAre you popping into Saffron Walden anytime soon? If so, please bring us any old glasses that you no longer use. Also at the Centre don’t forget we sell delicious and very popular local honey, both set and runny, at ?4 per jar!Membership RenewalsIn the previous edition of Sightline we sent out membership renewal forms, thank you to everyone who has sent these back in to us. There are still some existing members who have not been in touch about the renewal and we would love to hear from you. Please let us know if you need us to send out a new form or help completing the one sent out before. This year our membership fee is ?15 for single and ?16 for joint membership.If you are unsure about whether or not you have paid your membership, please call the Centre and we can look this up for you. You can be sure that your membership really helps us to continue providing our many services.News from Support 4 SightFundraising ReportThe Support 4 Sight Dog Walk was a fantastic day in lovely surroundings and we have received great feedback from our participants. We have raised in the region of ?1,300. Thank you to everyone who took part in the event.Heckford Norton Solicitors very kindly hosted our Make a Will Week in March 2017 and this raised a staggering ?1,965.00 in donations for Support 4 Sight. We will be organising another Make a Will Week with Tees Law later this year. For more information please contact Natalie Emuss on 01799 588897. Email: fundraising@.ukOn Sunday 8th April our volunteers did a splendid job running the bar at the Manuden Singers Concert in exchange for donations to Support 4 Sight. Brahms Requiem was wonderful and we are so grateful to the organisers for nominating our charity at Manuden Church. A total ?1000 was raised.What a successful Easter we have had in terms of fundraising! Eileen Gladman’s knitted Easter crafts raised an incredible ?821! The Ambassador Team ran the annual Easter Egg Tombola raising ?140 and also held a craft stall in Saffron Walden Market Square raising an additional ?54.82. Well done and thank you to everyone who helped in any way. Also a big thank you to our volunteers on the collection day at Chelmsford B&Q on Saturday 16th April - they raised over ?160!Waitrose are including us in the July Community Matters this year so please pop into the Saffron Walden Store and vote for us with your green token. We will be providing a Charity Bag Packing Service on Saturday 22nd July at Waitrose and so we need lots of volunteers to help. Please get in touch if you would like to take part.Ambassador Fundraising Events for Your DiarySat 24th JuneCake Stall at Boots Saffron WaldenSat 24th JuneSewards End FeteSat 1st JulySaffron Walden Market StallMon 17th JulyStansted Airport CollectionSat 22nd JulySaffron Walden Waitrose Bag PackingIf you would like to get involved or want any more information please contact Natalie Emuss at Hill Street on 01799 588897.Support 4 Sight Events and ActivitiesWelcome Graham!Hello everyone, I would like to start by introducing myself. My name is Graham Hawkes, I have recently started working for Support 4 Sight as the services co-ordinator.I have been a service user for the past three years and have really benefitted from the social events that Support 4 Sight have been running. I am delighted to have joined the team and hope to expand on the social outings that we can offer, but don’t worry the coffee mornings, pub lunches and local trips will still carry on as before, but I would really like to expand on these and offer some additional outings.I have included a couple of items to show the kind of things I would like to offer, so if you would like to join us on these trips or if you have any ideas of other places that you would like to visit, please contact me on the number below, or speak to me directly as I will be attending all the coffee mornings as often as I possibly can. Please call me on 01799 523700. Many thanks, Graham.Coffee MorningsDo come and join us for a cup of tea or coffee at your local group. If you have any questions about the coffee mornings, or need information on how to get to the venues, contact us on 01799 523700.HarlowSecond Tuesday of each month at the Potter Street Baptist Church ‘Coffee Stop‘, 98 Potter Street, Harlow CM17 9AW from 10.30am until noon.Dates: 13th June (a strawberries and cream special), 11th July,8th August and 12th September. ChelmsfordLast Wednesday of each month at Broomfield Village Hall, 158 Main Road, Broomfield, CM1 7AH, from 1.30pm to 3pm. Please note the afternoon time.Dates: 28th June (a strawberries and cream special), 26th July, 30th August and 27th September.Chelmsford Lunch ClubMembers from the Chelmsford coffee afternoon meet once a month (usually prior to the coffee afternoon) for lunch. If you would like to know more about the Chelmsford Lunch Club, please call Graham Hawkes on 01799 523700.Saffron Walden Last Tuesday of every month at the Bowls Club, Abbey Lane from 10:30am till noon. Dates: 27th June (a strawberries and cream special SPONSORED BY Tees Law), 25th July, 29th August and 26th September.Great Dunmow Second Thursday of every month at Banks Court, Chequers Lane, Great Dunmow from 10.30am till noon. Dates: 8th June (a strawberries and cream special), 13th July,10th August and 14th September.Braintree Last Thursday of every month at Church House, St Michaels Lane, Braintree from 10:30 to noon. Dates: 29th June (a strawberries and cream special), 27th July (at St Michaels Church), 31st August and 28th September.Braintree Support GroupOur Braintree support group meetings are always held on the second Wednesday of the month, from 2pm to 3.30pm, at Braintree Baptist Church, Blyth's Meadow, Coggeshall Road, Braintree, Essex, CM7 3DA. We have speakers from many different organisations and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. We are very lucky to have great support from the Rotary Club who transport some of the members and who also put on wonderful teas for us at different times of the year.Dates: 14th June, 12th July, 9th August and 13th September.Social TripsSAFFRON WALDEN - Wednesday 14th June, 12.30 Lunch Trip to Fleur De Lys in Widdington. Order when you arrive at Fleur De Lys.“Blackwater Dawn” Canal Boat tripsGREAT DUNMOW - Thursday 22nd June, 11am to 2pm3-Hour trip on “Blackwater Dawn” Canal Boat. Leaves from and returns to Sandford Mill, Chelmsford. This trip will include a Cream Tea with tea/coffee. Price is ?14. Unfortunately this is strictly non-refundable.CHELMSFORDWednesday 26th July 10am-4pmWednesday 19th July 10am-4pmFriday 21st July 10am-4pmALL DAYS SOLD OUTBRAINTREEWe will be arranging a Boat Trip in August for those in the Braintree area. Please call Graham on 01799 523700 if you are interested.center0Please see the inside back cover for details of two more exciting trips that we hope to arrange00Please see the inside back cover for details of two more exciting trips that we hope to arrangeLow Vision ExhibitionsThese exhibitions are an excellent opportunity to come along and speak to the experts directly on the latest technology and equipment. Take advantage of a hands-on demonstration and get a good understanding of how it all works. Talk to local organisations that can offer support within your local community.Tell all your friends about these fantastic events and bring them along for a coffee and a chat.? Entrance is free and everyone is welcome. For more information please call Support4Sight on 01799 523700.Chelmsford Exhibition – Wednesday 16th August10am to 3pm. The exhibition will take place at Broomfield Village Hall, 158 Main Road, Broomfield, Essex CM1 7AH.Saffron Walden Exhibition – Saturday 7th October10am to 3pm. The exhibition will take place at Saffron Walden Bowls Club, Abbey Lane, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 1DG.Braintree Exhibition – Thursday 26th October10am to 2pm. The exhibition will take place at Church House, St Michaels Lane, Braintree, Essex CM7 1EY.Focus day with RNIB – Tuesday 27th June10am to 2pm at the Support 4 Sight Centre, 2 & 4 George Street, Saffron Walden CB10 1EQ. RNIB’s Stewart McKay will be here to discuss technology and daily living aids. Of special interest will be “RNIB In Your Pocket” – a reading device designed to give you access to RNIB Newsagent and Talking Books. If you’d like to find out more, go to: OnRenewing your passportThe Post Office can supply customers with information on how to make a successful application in formats for people who have a visual impairment. Call their helpline on 03457 223344 quoting PL1706.New app to help locate cash machines more easily LINK the UK’s cash machine (ATM) network, has launched a GPS-enabled ATM locator app which is designed to help people with visual impairment and other disabilities to easily locate ATMs based on their access needs. The app, called the 'LINK ATM Locator App', allows users to set up filters to find ATMs that cater to different needs. For example, ATMs with audio assistance, wheelchair accessible, provide mobile recharge services, enable pin management and are free to use. It also enables people to find ATMs close to their location and perform postcode-based searches in order to find ATMs at another location.Radio Stations for the Visually Impaired RNIB Connect RadioRNIB Connect was the first dedicated visually impaired and blind radio station in Europe. It was started by the Royal National Institute Of Blind People in 2003 with the name VIP, which was short for Visually Impaired People, and was initially an online only service that ran for two hours a day. In 2007 it changed its name to RNIB Insight Radio, and in 2016 the station changed its name to RNIB Connect Radio.RNIB Connect is now the UK’s premier visually impaired and blind radio station, broadcasting 24 hours a day and 7 days a week online, on Freeview channel 730, or live from your PC – just google ‘RNIB Connect Radio’. It produces programmes and podcasts across numerous topics, like music, entertainment, interviews, human interest stories and articles.BBC Ouch BBC Ouch is the BBC’s disability network and incorporates the Ouch podcast and blog, which promises “interviews and discussion with a personal and often humorous touch.” Ouch is also particularly interested in the links between disability and mental health. It was founded in 2002 by Damon Rose, a blind producer who was hired to make shows for BBC1.The podcast is released weekly and has won several awards, including Best Podcast at the Online Media Awards in June 2015. Ouch also produces videos that cover interesting stories and people, interviews, and news and developments for visually impaired people.BlindRadio.co.uk Blind Radio may not be a producer of dedicated visually impaired and blind radio programmes, however they do provide an important service. They have the tagline “radio for everybody”, and run a website with radio players from stations around the country that are accessible to blind and visually impaired people.Tech TalkBlind Square appThis is a new app for Apple iPhone and iPad users, developed specifically for blind and visually impaired pedestrians. It links to other map applications and can also point out areas of interest as you approach them. You can also personalise it so, for example, you can specify how close you need to be to a place before it is announced. You can also add your own places, a post box for example. It costs ?29.99 from the iTunes store. It may take a little while to learn how to use it but it has the potential to increase your independence and your enjoyment of getting out and about.Be My Eyes appThis app helps visually impaired people to ‘see’ things with the help of sighted volunteers and the video cameras on their phones. To ask for help the visually impaired person opens the Be My Eyes app and requests assistance from a sighted user. This can be anything from knowing the expiry date on the milk, to navigating new surroundings. The volunteer helper then gets a notification for help, and once the request has been accepted, a live video connection opens. Using the live video, the volunteer can see whatever is in front of the visually impaired person by using the phone’s built-in camera and they can then help the blind person answer their question. At the end of each session, the app lets both users rate the call.iDentifi appThis is an app that empowers visually impaired individuals to gain more independence in daily tasks like grocery shopping, self-navigating in indoor environments, and reading. It uses artificial intelligence to enable a visually impaired user to take a photo of virtually any object or piece of text, and will then speak aloud a description of the object or dictate any text in the image to the user. The app gives users the option to choose from three different modes of object/text recognition as well as how fast they want the app to speak.The inventor of iDentifi, Anmol Tukrel, says “it is useful for doing day-to-day tasks, reading and browsing the web. For example, if you went grocery shopping and wanted to find out if the can of soda you were holding was Coke or Pepsi, normally you would have to find someone and ask, however, with iDentifi you can just take a picture of the can and get an audible description within a few seconds.” The app also reads text, signs, menus, pages of books, magazine covers and other things that might have required closer inspection or the help of someone nearby.Essex Sounds websiteThe Essex Sound and Video Archive has created the Essex Sounds map. This allows you to explore and hear historic and present day recordings of various places in Essex by clicking on the map markers. You can find the Essex Sounds website at .uk. Out and AboutThe Fitzwilliam Museum – Coins From India Ancient to PresentOn Tuesday 4th July, from 2.30pm to 4.15pm, join curators and staff at the Fitzwilliam Museum for an exploratory handling session with a selection of beautiful coins from India, and an introductory talk in the exhibition itself. Meet at the Courtyard Entrance. Tea and coffee break provided. Guide dogs and companions are welcome to all sessions.Booking essential. To register your interest call 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.ukWalking at WandleburyOn top of the Magog Hills,?just?south of Cambridge, Wandlebury is the city’s original country park. With views as far as Ely, this tranquil countryside estate?offers more than eight miles of wonderful walks through mature woodland and wildflower?meadows grazed by Highland Cattle. A large part of the?park?is on the remains of a circular historic Iron Age Hillfort – a Scheduled Ancient Monument steeped in myth and legend.Opening Times:? Every day of the year - from dawn to dusk. Free entry if arriving on foot or by bike. Car parking is ?3 for any length of visit – up to a full day. Members always park free. The Park is 2.5 miles south of the Addenbrooke’s Hospital roundabout on the A1307 between Cambridge and Haverhill. There is a pre-visit pack for visually impaired people, obtainable from the office on 01223 243830.‘LifeWalks’ at Epping ForestEpping Forest Council offers scheduled walks at Epping Forest. The aim is to increase general levels of fitness, and visually impaired people are very welcome, guide dogs included. They offer a GP referral scheme and offer patients five walks a week free of charge, for one month,?if they have been?referred by a medical practitioner,?such as?a GP, nurse or?dietician. If you would benefit from this service please contact your GP, or for further information email kmurray@.uk?or call Karen Murray on 01992 564222 and leave a message. If you don’t qualify for a GP referral You can join Lifewalks at any time. There are 2 ways to pay:1.?Pay-as-you-walk - Just turn up! The fee is ?2.00 per walk (please try to bring the exact money). The leaders will collect your fee from you when you arrive.2.?Buy a Lifewalks Privilege Card? - Pay a one-off fee of just ?30.00 and you can come on every walk for the next 6 months. That works out to just under 25p per walk. Even if you can only come along once a week, that still works out to less than ?1.15 per walk. There is an Annual Privilege Card price of ?58.00 for 12 months.To join the Lifewalks Privilege Scheme or to renew, please call Community Services on 01992 564226 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm).Closer to HomeTips for Organizing Your WardrobeCheck the Lighting If you have low vision, first check the lighting in your wardrobes and dressing areas. Is the lighting bright enough for you? Is it even, and without deep shadows? Does the position of the lighting help or hinder when you try to identify and select your clothing independently? Take the clothing you've selected to the nearest window and see if extra light can help you identify or differentiate colours. When you want to match colours, hold your clothing items side by side under bright or natural light. Keep a flashlight in your nightstand drawer or near the closet to help you read labels or distinguish colours.Use Organizing and Sorting SystemsTry using any of the following organizational techniques:Use tactile cues such as texture, cut, style, and button design. Using these cues can help you identify many clothing items without having to label them.Place a matching outfit together on one hanger (suit, shirt, belt, tie, and trousers).Group similar clothing together. Place all trousers in one part of the closet; all shirts in another.Use plastic Ziploc bags to separate socks and hosiery.Consider grouping like items together. For example, place different coloured underwear in separate drawers or different shaped/sized containers.Place gloves and scarves in another box or drawer and separate informal tops from formal tops.You can also use the following everyday household supplies to help you organize your clothing and smaller personal items, such as scarves and hosiery:Shoe boxes, Fishing tackle boxes, Craft boxes, Multi-drawer hardware storage units, Storage boxes/clothing bags.Storing JewelleryUse a jewellery box with dividers to hold individual pieces, such as earrings, rings, bracelets/bangles, and necklaces. If you don’t have a jewellery box an empty egg carton will anize your jewellery by colour, style (formal, informal) or material. You can make your very own hanger labels. Cut a large ring or "donut" from heavy cardboard. Mark it with a large print, braille, or a tactile symbol or letter. Loop the ring over the Tip: If you’re struggling to find a small item you’ve dropped on the floor, such as an earring, use your hoover attachment with a thin sock or stocking over the end and hoover the area. You should find the item stuck at the end of the attachment.Do You Enjoy a Game of Scrabble?Mattel's bestselling word game Scrabble is now available in Large Print!? This new and improved board has larger squares and enhanced colours to make it much easier to read and the tiles now sit snugly within their squares.?The board has a built-in stand for easy rotation and the game comes supplied with a large print user guide. Available from the RNIB website for ?35.94 (inc VAT).Large Print Items from AmazonThere are many large print items available on the Amazon website. Here are just a few that might interest you:Large Print Crossword by Clarity MediaThis is a collection of 100 large print crossword puzzles. You solve them just like a standard crossword puzzle, with the following differences: All clue numbers in every grid are in large print, so there is no need to squint at tiny numbers in the grid; all clues are in large print; all solution grids are printed in large print.If you currently solve crossword puzzles by using a magnifying glass or other visual enhancement aid to make the print larger, you should find that the font size is large enough to make this unnecessary, allowing you to enjoy the puzzling experience even more so than usual. Solutions appear at the back of the book. Price ?4.99.Large Print Word Search Puzzles by Clarity MediaA collection of 100 fun and enjoyable puzzles in a diverse range of topics are great for those looking for something a little easier on the eye. Printed in a large font size, the words here are much less of a struggle to see than those in a standard puzzle book. All puzzles come complete with solutions towards the back of the book and at one puzzle a page, you will be able to enjoy this collection at a relaxed and enjoyable pace. Price ?4.99.Large Print Crosswords Volume 2 by Clarity MediaThis is a collection of 100 large print crossword puzzles and volume 2 features even bigger grids. The large print puzzles solve just like a standard crossword puzzle, the only difference is that the font size is much larger so that you can clearly read it. All puzzles are printed in 16-point font size, are featured one puzzle per page and have solutions (also large print) towards the back of the book. Price ?4.99.Jigsaw PuzzlesAre you a jigsaw fanatic? At jigsawpuzzledirect.co.uk there are many large size jigsaws available. If you search for ‘extra large’ on the website you will see that there are many available with almost all prices at less than ?15 with free delivery on orders over ?10. Did You Know?William Willet pioneered the idea of British Summer Time in 1907. His pamphlet entitled “A Waste of Daylight” advised countrymen to get up earlier. He himself was a keen golfer who was frustrated by having his games cut short by nightfall!However, Parliament blocked his idea and Willett died aged 58 in 1915 without seeing his idea come to fruition. It was introduced the following year.Willett is also the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay singer Chris Martin!BRICK LANE MUSIC HALL 1905444500Come along and join us at Brick Lane Music Hall and enjoy an afternoon of traditional British Music Hall with Afternoon Tea.Price ?35 including Afternoon Tea Plus Travel CostsDate to be confirmed.Doors open at 1.15pm and the Show ends at 5.00pmIf there is enough interest, we hope to arrange a bus for the day.Pick up points Saffron Walden, Gt Dunmow, Braintree & Chelmsford.287210532194500KEW GARDENS VISIT Date to be confirmed. Cost around ?35 per person.Return coach, guided walking sensory tour AND/OR guided bus tour.Pick up points Saffron Walden, Gt Dunmow, Braintree & Chelmsford. 2491239638If you are interested in either of these trips, please contact Graham Hawkes on 01799 523700Before we can arrange these trips we need to know whether there is sufficient interest in them00If you are interested in either of these trips, please contact Graham Hawkes on 01799 523700Before we can arrange these trips we need to know whether there is sufficient interest in themContact usIf you want to speak to us at Support 4 Sight, our Centre is open from 9.30am to 2.30pm; telephone 01799 523700. You’re welcome to drop in without an appointment, for a chat and a coffee. It’s a good opportunity to meet the staff, our volunteers and other members. Here is the list of staff at Support 4 SightMadeleine Cassidy – Chief ExecutivePaul Atkins – Resource Centre and Volunteer ManagerLinda Pollard & Michael Lovell – Paul’s Support WorkersVanessa Cowell – Community Support WorkerNatalie Emuss – Community FundraiserGemma Golab – Financial ControllerJane Myers – Volunteer CoordinatorAmanda Jarvis – Assistant to the Chief ExecutiveAlison Pilkington – Resource Centre AdministratorGraham Hawkes – Services CoordinatorProduced by Support 4 Sight (Essex)2 & 4 George Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EQTelephone 01799 523700Registered Charity No. 116932418897601352550035991801016000With support from:497459019812000 -403860193854All information in this Newsletter is checked and believed to be correct at the time of publication, but cannot be so guaranteed. Support 4 Sight shall not be liable for any loss suffered directly or indirectly as a result of its use.00All information in this Newsletter is checked and believed to be correct at the time of publication, but cannot be so guaranteed. Support 4 Sight shall not be liable for any loss suffered directly or indirectly as a result of its use. ................
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