Sight Awareness Activities & Assistance - Bournemouth Blind...cleaners or food suppliers via recognised and approved organisations. I liaise with carers, RNIB, DWP and assist with

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 Editor: Jo Wood

ISSUE 52

World Sight Day (WSD) is an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and visual impairment. This year, WSD is on Thursday 12th October and we will be running a WSD Challenge Activity at 2pm to celebrate. As we look ahead to WSD, it is worth remembering that there are an estimated 6,500 people with significant sight loss in the Bournemouth area. Our Charity has been in existence since 1911; we support local blind and partially sighted people to lead active and independent lives, both through our work in the community and at the Centre here in Moordown. We offer a daily programme of Social Activities; a fully equipped Resource Centre; a professional Emotional Support service plus a full programme of FUNdraising evening events (such as Bingo, Quizzes, Music Concerts). If you know anyone who may benefit from our services or would like to support us at any events, please tell them all about us - we are ‘here to help!’

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On Thursday 19th October we are holding an Equipment Demonstrations Day in our Rooper Hall, where a range of suppliers will demonstrate some of the latest equipment available for people with a sight and/or hearing impairment.

We hope to welcome as many of you as possible - please pass on details of this event to anyone who may be interested.

Your local charity supporting blind & partially sighted people

Sight Awareness - Activities & Assistance

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Our Community Support service is run by Geraldine Bradley, who has worked for the Society for over 10 years. She explains a little more about her work:

‘My clients are usually referrals from various partners including the Community Care team, GP’s, Reablement. Generally I work out in the community but I also deal with many enquiries in the Centre, providing lots of information or signposting to relevant services. I may help people to source suitable cleaners or food suppliers via recognised and approved organisations. I liaise with carers, RNIB, DWP and assist with Blue Badge and Bus Pass applications. Some clients are nervous of Social Services so I help allay fears and show that there are people out there to help them! I can refer clients to our Emotional Support service once they have built up trust in me. Some may come into the Centre and join in our activities after my initial home visits. They may have been nervous to come out for the first time but I can bring them in and introduce them.

Community Support

A lot of time is spent helping clients who have already received long cane training from the Sight and Hearing Team. We reinforce specific routes (such as to shops or doctors surgeries) to increase confidence until people can do it themselves. It is important to help find safe places to cross roads; many stand by the side of the road for ages, feel under pressure to cross and can endanger themselves. I also try to discover different routes for Guide Dog users, in order to stimulate the animals. People often say how isolated they have been and how they have stayed indoors prior to my intervention. Clients often need help sorting paperwork. They receive lots of junk mail and as they have difficulty reading it, they are unsure what to throw away and it becomes stockpiled!

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In the Community

As people are now living increasingly longer, so the numbers of people with age-related sight conditions, such as Macular Degeneration (which many of our members have) will also increase. Raising awareness about the challenges facing the sight impaired and the support that is available for people from Charities like ourselves has thus become more important than ever before. Our staff are willing to go out to any schools, groups or companies to deliver sight awareness presentations.

Future presentations include:

Wednesday 4th October - the Macular Society Exhibition in Wimborne.

Wednesday 11th October - the inaugural meeting of the Bournemouth Macular Society Group in the Community Room at the college, Meyrick Road. If you know any groups who would appreciate similar talks or assistance with any training packages, please phone Chief Executive Philip Tarrant on 01202 546644.

I request large print bills and help set up user friendly filing systems with large print labels so that clients can then keep correspondence organised. Some clients may be on the Council’s Housing List. I help research available properties and then bid, if necessary. Other clients need help sorting their clothing, maybe arranging it in colour order. I then advise on equipment to complete the task (a Pen Friend or Colour Detector). Part of my role is to introduce new equipment such as Talking Clocks, that are popular. It’s surprising how people are unaware of even basic equipment like Signature Guides and Bumpons. Over the years I have met lots of interesting people, all of different ages and social backgrounds. It’s a rewarding job, I love it and no two days are the same! It’s really important to work together as a team with my clients to find new ways of doing things. There’s a joint satisfaction of overcoming challenges and we really promote a “can do” positive attitude. Clients are so grateful and many say they don’t know what they’d do without our service!’

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Cricket

The Dorset Dolphins VI cricket team had a fantastic season, finishing in 3rd place in the Blind Cricket England and Wales (BCEW) Regional League South and West. They scored 87 points. (Played 6 games - won 2, drew 3, lost 1)

The team travelled to Leicester in our minibus for BCEW’s Development Festival over the 15-17th September weekend. They played six matches, learning a great deal and growing in confidence. The players proudly cheered for Captain Steve Bailey as he was presented with the trophy for ‘BCEW Regional League 2017 Partially Sighted Player of the Year’.

The Dolphins will train during the winter at Victoria School. If you or anyone you know would be interested in joining the team, please let us know and we will pass on your details.

Walking Group

Our Walking Group enjoyed their last two outings of the season and will now take a break over the winter months.

The Archery Group has now started shooting indoors in the Rooper Hall each Tuesday evening from 6-8pm.

Please call 01202 546644 if you would like to have a go; you will be amazed at how accurate you can be, even with reduced sight!

Thank you to Janice, Dave and the team at Sagittarii for your continued support and enthusiasm!

Archery

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Assistive Technology

Open from 10am - 1pm Monday - Friday

Come and visit our Centre to learn about or try out some of the latest equipment available to help people with both sight and/or hearing impairments. Products can be purchased or ordered. Customers can also be signposted to other services or organisations that they may find useful. Hot off the press! We have just printed a batch of our 2018 large print calendars, which will be useful to you as you plan your social activities and appointment schedules for the forthcoming year. We have also held the price at £5, which will help to raise funds for Bournemouth Blind Society.

Tuesday Drop in Café

Our Tuesday Café is a friendly, fun place where you can meet and make friends with others who have sight loss.

Cooked breakfasts are served each week, in addition to roast lunches on the last Tuesday of each month.

Minibus Transport is available at £4.50 for a round trip.

Please call 01202 546644 for more details.

Sight and Hearing Resource Centre

IT sessions are running again in our AT suite, where you can learn to use the accessibility features of PC’s, Tablets and smart phones. RNIB instructors aim to help you achieve things which were easy before your sight loss. Refreshers on Guide, Jaws, Supernova, Zoomtext or NVDA can also be arranged. Please ring Yvonne Brooks (RNIB) on 07568 130569 to talk more about what you would like to learn.

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We thank everyone for their continued generous support of our Society: We have been notified that the Wessex Chorus raised over £1,000 at their concert held at the Barrington Theatre. Music director Martin Arthur said, ‘This outcome completely exceeded our expectations. It was the largest amount we have raised for charity in a single concert and a great start to preparations for our 10th anniversary year. We are very grateful to all those who gave so generously to support the Bournemouth Blind Society.’

We now look forward to the Chorus’ Christmas Concert in our Hall on Tuesday 5th December and thank them for their continued amazing work and kindness to us.

We have received donations in

memory of members Betty Whitworth and J. Bull. We thank the Southbourne Coffee Circle (who have met for over 40 years) for their £50 donation, which was kindly delivered by Brenda Tingay, who uses our AT Suite. As an independent charity, we rely heavily on donations and fundraising to keep providing our vital services to local blind and partially sighted people.

Results of the 5th Draw (held on 31st August):

1st Prize: R. Keeley 2nd Prize: S. Bailey 3rd Prize: Anonymous

Anyone can still join the Club at any time of the year - this is a relatively easy way for you to support us and be in with the chance of winning some cash!

Please contact the office on 01202 546644 for more details or request membership forms. Good Luck to everyone for the future draws.

Fundraising Thanks

Balls Eye Club

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Sorry but it is getting to that time of year again when we start planning ahead for the festive period!

Dates for your diaries include: Tuesday 5th December: Christmas Concert by Wessex Chorus in our Hall (7.30pm)

Wednesday 20th December: Annual Members v Staff Cards Tournament (1.30pm)

Thursday 21st December: Christmas Lunch, with Music by Paul Hammond We also give you advance notice that Christmas Raffle tickets will be available for you to purchase and sell to acquaintances from about mid-October. We will send you all one booklet, along with your Christmas Lunch invite. The Christmas Raffle is an excellent way to raise funds for the Society and to give you a chance to win £100 cash, a luxury Christmas Hamper or other exciting prizes. We thank you for your continued support with this venture.

Christmas

of 2017 will take place on Saturday 25th November at 7.30pm in our Rooper Hall. Teams of 6-8 people compete in a fun, friendly atmosphere, battling their wits against Quizmaster Philip over six rounds of competition. Prizes are awarded to the winning team. A Cash Bar serves drinks throughout the evening and Fish & Chips are enjoyed at about 8.30pm. If you would like to join us, whether as a full team or an individual who could join an existing team, please call Caroline on 01202 546644. The cost of the evening is £10. Our Quizzes are always great fun and an excellent way to test the ‘old grey matter’.

2018 Quiz Night Dates:

Saturday 3rd March Saturday 16th June

Saturday 22nd September Saturday 24th November

We look forward to welcoming you!

Quiz Night

Our last fundraising Quiz Night

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Tickets for each event: £10 (includes Supper)

Raffle & Cash Bar

For more information, call 01202 546644

Please tell all your family & friends!!

Bournemouth Blind Society

5 Victoria Park Road Bournemouth BH9 2RB

Tel 01202 546644

Supporting blind and partially sighted people to remain independent and part of the community

www.bournemouthblindsociety.uk

Company No: 5792657 Charity No: 1114570

Fun Nights Out in the Rooper Hall

BINGO

Saturday 14th October 7.30pm

Prizes to be won!

Fresh from their production of ‘Priscilla’ to sell out audiences at The Pavilion in July,

Bournemouth & Boscombe Light Opera Company present

A MUSICAL SHOWCASE

Wednesday 8th November 7.30pm