1

A magazine for A magazine for peoplepeople with with sight losssight loss..

Autumn 2013. Issue 26.

2

Photos provided by:

Vicky Kay, Judith Grant, Jill Doidge, and Cobolt Systems Ltd.

Cover: Margaret Cooper in Llandudno with the Walking Group. See page 6.

Note from the Editor.

Written by: Vicky Kay, Development Worker, Tameside Sight.

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Eclipse magazine, although, if I’m honest, it still feels a bit like Summer with the mixed but still humid weather!

Here in the office it has been very busy the last few months; after Philip announced his impending retirement, it was ‘all systems go’ to find a replacement and for Philip to start the mammoth task of getting everything ready for his successor, Ben Stoddard (See Page 21 to find out about Ben). We also had Philip’s, Jill’s and Glenis’s birthdays (and my half birthday, just because I was feeling left out...), the walking group’s day trip to Llandudno (see page 6), and then finally the last two weeks of Philip in place and Ben shadowing. These days were filled with lots of questions, mentoring and parties to wish Philip farewell! (See page 16 for Philip’s goodbye). And of course, we have also been very busy with the usual service requests, home visits, training courses, etcetera etcetera. Luckily things have now quietened down a bit, and Ben is settling into his new role nicely.

Now, on with the magazine! This edition contains news about some of the events that have been going on, some (hopefully) useful information, and peoples thoughts and

opinions on some technology pieces.

Glenis has included an article about travel tips, Jill had started to think about Christmas

(naturally), and Philip has included some last few bits as a farewell to being an Eclipse journalist. Hope you enjoy the magazine!

3

In the last edition of the Eclipse Magazine we included excerpts from Tameside Talking News on CD. We would like to know your thoughts and whether you would be interested in receiving the weekly editions. Perhaps you had tried it a few years ago but for some reason changed your mind? Talking News now contains much more than just local news! It now has audio documentaries from radio stations such as Tameside Radio, Radio 4 and Info Sound. They also have important information directed at Tameside residents, and also specifically at people with sight loss.

If you would be interested in receiving Talking News or would just like to give it a try, get in touch with Tameside Sight (details on the back page). Alternatively, if you got the CD but aren’t interested or get it already, perhaps you could pass it on to someone else who might be interested?

Did you like the CD?

Ooh, ideas!

Some of you may remember the magazine-style booklet within Tameside Sight’s Information Pack entitled ‘Ooh, I didn’t know that!’. This was published last year, and we will be renewing this booklet later in the year. We do have some of these booklets left, so if you would like one let us know. What we really would like however is for some ideas to add into the next edition of this booklet; the little solutions to niggly problems that you have picked up or found a way around. We want to share these solutions with other people who may be at the beginning of their ‘sight loss journey’. Have you invented a great way to distinguish between similar objects? Found ways to carry on with those day to

day activities such as shopping, cooking, cleaning and looking after yourself? We want to know!

Please get in contact using the details on the back page, we would love to hear about your inventiveness, no matter how big or small it may

seem!

4

Lynn Reitze the Low Vision Worker with Tameside Adult Services’ Visual Impairment Team officially retired on 31st August 2013.

I have been working with Lynn since 2008 and am amazed when visiting people after a Low Vision Assessment how many of them are astonished by the way Lynn does her job when they realise that she has a visual impairment herself. So many have told me that she makes them feel at ease and more positive about being able to cope with their own sight problems. She will be sorely missed.

Lynn joined the Visual Impairment team in 2002, before that she was employed as a Rehabilitation Officer at the Christopher Grange Care Home in Liverpool. Christopher Grange was purpose built in 1972 to house adults with a visual impairment and to enable them to live their lives as independently as possible. Some of these residents also had learning difficulties. As well as working in the home Lynn would also take residents out for mobility training. Despite bringing up a young family Lynn thought nothing of travelling to Liverpool every day on the train from her home in Chadderton and returning home that night. She could not have done this without the support of her husband Bernard.

When Lynn joined the Visual Impairment Team she carried out all the Low Vision Assessments and also the follow up visits single handedly. She not only worked for Tameside but also did the same job out in Glossop and the surrounding areas of Hadfield and Padfield. Lynn relied heavily on Bernard to do all the driving.

Lynn has helped to set up the Low Vision Drop-in Sessions

Lynn has retired! Written by: Judith Grant, Rehabilitation Assistant - Low

Vision, at Adult Services.

Lynn Reitze.

5

at the Vision First Resource Centre, this is where people can come and have a look at the electronic hand held magnifiers which are currently on the market.

Last year Lynn had the honour of receiving a national award from the Macular Society. This was part of the Awards for Excellence 2012. Lynn and I won the Support and Community Rehabilitation Professional of the year award for working with the volunteers from the Macular Society. For Lynn this was to recognise the work she has done with the volunteers at Vision First to provide ‘Eccentric Viewing’ training. Lynn travelled down to London for the awards ceremony and was presented the award by the actress Gemma Craven.

Despite having a visual impairment herself Lynn has always given 110% in everything she has done. Lynn has helped make a huge difference to the lives of so many people in the Tameside and Glossop area; helping them to maintain and regain independence in their own homes, and issuing countless numbers of magnifiers and other devices to help them with reading their own mail, newspapers, medication instructions etc.

Lynn can now look forward to spending more time with her family, especially her young Granddaughter, and can spend more time at her caravan in Wales. We wish her a long and happy retirement.

If so get in touch and we can pass on the details of how to set up a ‘Standing Order’ from your bank account to Tameside Sight. It can be as

much or as little as you want, and the great thing with a Standing Order is that you are in control! If you would like more information please get in touch on 0161 343 4090.

Also, we are still collecting stamps for our ‘Stamps for Sight’ Campaign and would be grateful if you can continue to send them to us (Contact details on the back page).

Interested in donating regularly?

6

On Tuesday 13th August Trailblazers Walking Group and staff from Tameside Sight Support Project went on a day trip to Llandudno. The day dawned dull and drizzly and on meeting at Tameside Sight Offices everyone was decked out in their waterproofs and ready to have a wonderful day despite the weather! We boarded the coach, which was brilliantly appointed with

a wheelchair lift to help people board more easily, and were welcomed aboard by our lovely driver Rob, whose jokes and informative commentary were a highlight of the day! The rain began to clear up as we travelled towards the A55 and Vicky kept us entertained with a quiz about Wales. By the time we reached the lovely Belmont Hotel the sun was shining and we disembarked happily. We were greeted by the lovely staff at the Belmont and escorted to the dining room which was set up with beautifully laid tables. We all enjoyed our lunches of either salad or fish and chips, followed by fruit salad, apple crumble,

Everyone waving sat on

the coach.

Project Manager Philip and his Wife Carol, ‘The Two

Margaret’s’ and volunteer

Viv sat down for lunch.

Trailblazers in Llandudno! Written by: Jill Doidge, Tameside Sight Admin and ‘Walking Group Hanger-On’.

7

cheese and biscuits or ice cream! Having set ourselves up with a delicious lunch, we set off to explore Llandudno. It is a beautiful area with a wide promenade by the sea, plenty of shops along the main street and a lovely pier with little shops to buy ice creams and souvenirs, and rides for the more wild at heart. It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon and the waterproofs were

quickly discarded as we basked in the sun! We met back at the Belmont Hotel at 3.30pm to get the coach back to Tameside at 4pm, and spent some time on the sun drenched patio with a cool drink until it was time for us to get back onto the coach. Rob the driver told us about the Llandudno elephant and crocodile as we set off home, chattering about our lovely day! Margaret Cooper, Walking Group member and previous guest at the Belmont hotel, said: “The trip was truly wonderful, the food was good, and even the sun came out for us! I thoroughly enjoyed it”. We would all like to thank Vicky for arranging such a lovely day trip, Rob from Belle Vue Coaches for being such a friendly and informative driver and the Belmont Hotel for their friendly and professional staff and delicious lunch! THANK YOU!!!

The view of Llandudno from

the Belmont Hotel’s patio.

Walker’s Walter, Derek and Tom walking with their

wives on the prom.

8

Since I was forced into early retirement by my failing sight seven years ago I have spent six years studying with the Open University. I opted for an Honours Degree in Humanities with Literature, I was given credit for my existing Higher National Certificate gained thirty years earlier, and was assessed for financial support towards the fees. The Disabled Students Allowance office then offered me help with renewal of computer software including ‘Guide’, a screen reader software, and provision of other equipment, as well as help with the costs of attending tutorial meetings in Manchester. Many course materials and text books were available in a range of formats from large print to audio disk, including DAISY format CD. Essays were submitted via the internet and results are returned the same way. Despite being a person with no vision, I had no difficulty in completing the courses I selected each year, since any necessary graphic content and tables were audio described on accompanying recordings. The different tutors for each year were all very encouraging and ensured I met the required standards; Having accepted the services of the Disabled Students Allowance office one was deemed to be on a level footing with other students - fair enough! Losing one's sight at a later stage in life can be a crushing blow but I had discovered that it can open up a new world of interests and achievement. My wife, Jayne, and family are looking forward to celebrating my graduation ceremony at the Bridgewater Hall on October 4th. Anyone interested in studying at this level, and who has

already attained a suitable academic qualification (such as 'A' levels) can make enquiries with the North West

Open University office in Sharston, Manchester. Telephone 0161 998 7007 for Learner Support.

Gordon.

BA (Hons) at 69 years young! Written by: Gordon Collinge, Trustee, Tameside Sight.

9

Medical Appointment Escorts.

The transport and guiding to medical appointments scheme is very popular and is currently oversubscribed. We are looking for new driving volunteers, if you know anyone who might be interested in volunteering for this valuable service then please ask them to get in touch. In the mean time, if you are ringing to book in an appointment, please get in touch with the appointment details as soon as possible, ideally at least a week in advance. We are getting to the point now that we are having to turn some requests down, so please bear with us and we will try our best.

Improving Services in Tameside. Written By: Philip Singleton, Ex-Project Manager,

Tameside Sight.

We all know that some shopping experiences are better than others. Shopping with serious sight loss can be made much easier with a little extra thought and knowledge on the part of the shopkeeper and shop assistants. Shopping could include a whole range of experiences from clothes shopping, a drink in a café, a restaurant meal, going swimming, going to the cinema or theatre, a trip to an art gallery, a hospital visit, choosing a book at the library etc. etc. etc… Tameside Sight’s Support Project are starting some work to help businesses to improve their services for their visually impaired customers.

So we need your help. If you have any examples of particularly good service or any examples of poor service then please get in touch. We would like to recognise good service and offer help and training to organisations that struggle to understand the needs of people with sight loss. We want to publish a list of places offering a good service.

Perhaps you would like to act as a mystery shopper and try out some new venues and share your experiences – let us know. Together we can make a difference.

10

Grand-parenting after Sight Loss.

Having a vision impairment does not mean you have to give up grand-parenting. It is possible to enjoy most of the activities you once did with your grandchildren with a little encouragement, time and training.

If you would like to go out somewhere then a big tip is ‘advanced planning’; find out as

much information about the place ahead of time. This might mean ringing, using the internet or doing a pre-visit.

Practise taking the bus or taxi to the place you wish to visit. (See Glenis’s travel tips on Page 19 for more help!) Feeling more confident in this will help you to turn your attention on making it a fun-filled trip out. Vision First offer mobility training which includes using white sticks with public transport. This can enhance your confidence and safety in getting around in your own neighbourhood. If you would like more information get in touch with Adult Services’ Vision Impairment Team on 0161 342 2570. Alternatively contact Tameside Sight (details on back page) and we can refer you.

A lot of places, such as museums and galleries, have guided tours available which can be booked. You may also be able to do a touch-tour where objects are selected for you to handle. Some museums and galleries have audio self-guided tours and/or signage in large print. Calling in advance to find out about these and any accessibility regarding your vision may be invaluable! Also, asking the children to read information out to you can help them to engage more in the exhibits and promote curiosity.

Theatres and cinemas now have the option of listening to additional commentary through discreet headphones, which explains the visual aspects you might normally miss. This Audio Description (known as ‘AD’ on film and theatre schedules) means you can still take the grandchildren to

11

see the latest kids film and understand what is going on on-screen, while the children are not disturbed by additional comments about body language or which set the scene etc.. Audio Description can also make a family trip to the theatre to see a Panto etc. much more enjoyable for you. Again planning in advance to make sure you get the right showing with AD available is paramount as it is not automatically available on all showings.

When going out with the grandchildren remember to take your white stick with you (if you don’t have one but would like one get in touch). This is a great tool for helping you get out and about as it explains to the public why you may need additional assistance in some circumstances, and helps to keep you safe while travelling.

Depending on their age, rules such as holding hands while crossing streets or moving from place to place can be really important. Remind your grandchildren that you don’t see very well, and that it is important that they stay close so you won’t worry about them. Set up a system with them so you can tell where they are, some children enjoy playing ‘Marco Polo’; where they have to call back ‘Polo’ when you say ‘Marco’. Using a grandchild as a guide can be the best way to keep up with them when travelling from place to place.

Reminding your grandchildren about how much sight you have can be important. Letting them know that if they leave

their toys out you might step on them and break them, or even trip over them because you can’t see them, can instil a

more tidy nature and help you stay safe. Also reminding them to put things back where they find them so you know where they are can be

invaluable. Kids often just need to

12

understand the reasoning behind house rules for them to be able to grasp why it is important to remember and follow them.

Cooking with a grandchild may be a good way of demonstrating you are still a fun grandparent regardless of your sight loss. Using tactile measuring cups, markings on your oven, and a large print timer will be an adventure for grandchildren, and they will enjoy helping to measure things out and read any instructions.

For more active children, tossing a brightly coloured balloon around can be fun, physically challenging and soft on people and breakable objects. Balls with bells inside give a good audible indication of where they are headed during a game of catch.

A lot of board games and cards have tactile or large print versions. There are also large print books available for reading with the children. A charity called ‘Living Paintings’ offer a free library of touch to see versions of well known children’s books – thousands are available. These books come with large print, Braille and audio all in one, along with tactile pictures. If you would like more information get in touch with Tameside Sight. Alternatively, storytelling can be a great way to have some quiet time at home with your grandchildren. Stories can be from your own life or lives of others, or just from books you remember reading when you were young. These can be a wonderful way of sharing experiences, wisdom and awakening imaginations.

Swimming, horse riding, walking, tandem bike-riding and arts and crafts are all fun activities that can be shared safely. Also, accompanying children to sporting events and other family outings enriches their experience and creates memories for everyone.

Just because you have a vision impairment does not mean you have to miss out on being an active grandparent.

13

Get the Firemen round!

Have you had new fire alarms or a fire risk assessment within the last 5 years? If you can’t remember then that probably means no! This is a really useful thing to have done. Not only does it let them know that someone lives at your house that may need additional assistance in a fire situation, but you also get free advice, a personalised fire escape plan, and (in most cases where fire alarms are not connected to the mains etc.) a new fire alarm, with batteries that last 10 years and tend to include a mute button to temporarily quieten it when you’ve burnt the toast! They are also able to assist with fire alarms for people who can’t hear very well also! If you would like an assessment or to find out more, ring 0800 555 815, or get in touch with Tameside Sight, who will happily get in touch on your behalf.

One-Touch Can Openers. Written by: Glenis Lee, Development Worker, Tameside

Sight.

During recent talks to local groups including the excellent Cranberries(!) I have noticed that many Vision Impaired people have been interested in the One-Touch can

openers. These hands-free openers will automatically do the opening for you and easily release the lid. They are battery operated and simple to use. They are readily available in local retailers and I’ve heard that Bailey’s Hardware Stall in Ashton Market Hall is selling the openers for £14.99. So that’s beans on toast for tea, then?!

One-Touch can opener

opening a tin of beans.

14

Membership News. Written by: Joan Kniveton, Membership Secretary,

Tameside Sight.

Having had an increase in the membership fees this year I would like to thank all those who have remained members and to welcome those who have joined for the first time.

I have now completed a list of all those who have paid. If you want to confirm that your payment has been received you can contact the office and we can check this.

An important part of being a member of Tameside Sight means that you are able to attend the Annual General Meeting, which this year will be held at 2pm on Friday 25th October at Tameside Sight. Your ideas and views are welcome. You will receive an invitation nearer the time, but I look forward to meeting you there.

As you know Philip has retired and we welcome Ben as the new manager of the Support Project. Now the search is on for more volunteers to become Trustees as there are several vacancies on the committee. If you know of anyone who is interested please ask them to contact either office for further details.

Talk and Support.

RNIB’s ‘Talk and Support’ is a telephone befriending service for blind and partially sighted people across the country. People of all ages take part in the telephone groups; a growing number of older people living in residential care, but also groups for people in their 40s and 50s, many of whom have family and friends around them but welcome the opportunity to speak to other people with sight loss of a similar age. There are also a number of groups for younger participants; in the 20 to 40 age range.

Participants have reported feeling less lonely due to their sight loss and have established meaningful friendships through the service. This has helped

15

Recently we have had a few incidents where people have been using I.D. theft to commit crimes.

Please make sure that you shred anything with your personal details on. Rip them up very fine, or alternatively burn them. DON'T just bin them. This includes utility bills, bank statements, wage slips, council bills, shop receipts etc.

Without going into too much detail, documents such as bank statements, catalogue booklets with order numbers and personal details have been stolen from people's waste bins and the details used to obtain goods.

I.D Thefts. Written by: PCSO Helen Brockett, Greater Manchester

Police.

Can You ‘Phone Before Visiting?

Although in No.3., the Project Office, there is generally a member of staff who will try and help with a variety of requests from visitors, it would greatly help us if people could ring first and let us know they are coming. We can then ensure that the office is open – we may be home visiting or at a meeting – and also, that the staff member best ‘qualified’ is available – as we all have our additional ‘talents’! Our contact details are on the back page.

to increase their confidence and improve their general wellbeing, with many people feeling more positive about their sight loss and general situation. One participant said “From the beginning it’s been a forum for encouragement… that feeling has never gone away”. Another participant says: “It's been absolutely phenomenal. I don't know how I would have got along without it. It's a chance to talk to other people to hear how they are feeling about things.”

If you are interested in joining the service you can contact ‘Talk and Support’ direct on either 0845 330 3723 or 020 7874 1303. Alternatively you can ask the staff at Tameside Sight (contact details on the back page).

16

Thank You and Goodbye. Written by: Philip Singleton, Ex-Project Manager, Tameside

Sight.

Eleven years ago I started work for Tameside Sight as Project Manager for the Community Support Project. I thought it would be an interesting part time job for a couple of years or so. Well eleven years later it has certainly been an interesting job which has grown and grown but now the time has come for me to hand over to Ben Stoddard.

The two weeks before my final day on Friday 16th August were designed to help handover to Ben

but also included a number of surprise events. I want to say thank you to everyone who helped to make my retirement events so successful AND to keep the secrets!

I have really enjoyed meeting so many interesting people over the years – all with different life experiences and so many inspirational stories. I have worked with many people from a number of different organisations during these years and a big thank you to everyone for your support, comradeship and cooperation.

My thanks also go to the trustees

Philip and Ben

shaking hands.

Philip walking in to his surprise leaving

do.

17

of Tameside Sight over the years and particularly the current trustees – John, Margaret, Ray, Joan and Gordon for their work in keeping the association running as a properly constituted charity.

Finally I have been very lucky to work with three wonderful girls in the Project office – Glenis, Vicky and Jill. Thank you to them all for the hard work, extra hours and dedication in supporting our customers – and for putting up with me! I am really going to miss you all.

So to everyone – thank you for your good wishes for my retirement and the cards and gifts – I have been overwhelmed by the warmth of feeling and the greetings from so many people from volunteers, customers, colleagues, staff, trustees and our MP Andrew Gwynne. I hope you will all support Ben and the team in the coming months and I’m sure that the Project will carry on supporting people for many years to come.

The staff and Philip. The girls with bouquets of flowers from Philip,

and Philip with wine from the girls!

Philip mingling on his last day, wearing a ‘No Work

Zone’ sash.

18

Sight Village, a one day exhibition of technology, equipment and support services for people with vision impairment, is coming to Manchester this September! This stand event will be held on Tuesday 24th September, from 10am till 4pm at Renaissance Hotel, Blackfriars Street, Manchester, M3 2EQ. It is hosted by Queen Alexandra

Sight Village.

I hope you remember last year’s Winter Fair as fondly as I do! It was a lovely afternoon of seasonal fun and frolics! While we had fun we

also raised over £1000 for Tameside Sight! I’ve just been talking to New Boss Ben (who is

very nice) and he has agreed that we can have another winter fair this year!! Hooray!! After a quick chat with the people from the Methodist Hall across from our office, I can tell you the fair will again be held there on Friday 15th November, from 1pm to 4pm. I will send out invites closer to the time. I really hope that you can all come and make this year’s fair even more successful than last years!

Jill Needs YOU!! To kick-start this we are requesting help and donations for the following:

Quality prizes for the raffle, tombola and bric-a-brac stalls.

Bottles (of sauce, perfume, bubble bath, magnums of champagne) for the bottle tombola.

Chocolate (single bars or boxes).

Cakes of all shapes and sizes for the cake stall.

Volunteers – I need help to run the stalls and to make drinks.

Thank you in advance and I’ll see you all at the fair!

Tameside Sight’s ANNUAL Winter Fair! Written by: Jill Doidge, Tameside Sight Admin and

‘Christmas Queen’!

19

A few suggestions here from Transport for Greater Manchester and myself – a fellow traveller!

1. Give plenty of time to catch your bus, train and tram so you won’t then be rushing and flustered.

2. When the bus comes, try to let people off before you start to get on. Waiting means you won’t bump into people who are getting off.

3. Have your pass ready so that you’re not trying to find it when you get on the bus, and, if you have one, show your symbol cane.

4. Don’t forget there may be a gap between the pavement and the bus.

5. On buses the driver can help you, ask them to wait until you are sitting down before they drive off. On buses and trains tell the driver or guard where you want to get off.

6. Use the priority seats on buses and trains if it helps you. On buses they are near to the front to save you walking far to get a seat.

7. Never try to get on or off a bus, train or tram when the doors are closing.

8. Stay sitting down until the bus has fully stopped.

9. Try to keep one hand free to hold onto hand rails etc., and don’t carry too many bags – however difficult that is for us ladies!

10. On a bus, try to ring the bell in good time or ask a fellow passenger to ring for you.

Happy Travels!

Travel Tips. Written by: Glenis Lee, Development

Worker, Tameside Sight.

College and sponsored by ‘Sight and Sound Technology’ and ‘Olympus’. This event is open to the public and FREE! There are 44 exhibitors already signed up, so it promises to be another popular event.

20

After listening to ‘Info Sound’ briefing on Tameside Talking News, I took notice of an article on the Cobolt I-TELL, which is

a speech unit for iPod MP3 music players.

I made my way to Tameside Sight to discuss it with Philip and Vicky. I was thinking of investing in a touch screen iPod music player which has a talking feature but costs over £200. We decided that at the price of £30 plus VAT it was worth giving the I-TELL a chance.

When it arrived I eagerly took it to Tameside Sight along with my iPod. Philip read the instructions, we plugged the cable supplied with the I-TELL into my iPod, then plugged the earphones into the I-TELL and switched it on. The I-TELL has similar controls to the iPod, but the buttons are larger and easier to use. As I scroll through my music list, it speaks each feature as it is selected. It speaks the title of the album and then the titles of the songs.

The I-TELL unit has a 12 inch cable that allows the iPod to be placed into a pocket while the I-TELL can be attached to a belt or pocket edge with the integral clip.

As often found, it is the simplest things that turn out to be the best and easiest to use. Overall I have found this product invaluable and I can recommend it to iPod users who have vision difficulties.

I-TELL plugged into an ‘iPod’

MP3 music player.

The Review: Cobolt I-TELL for the iPod. Written by: David Whitten, Tameside Sight Service User.

21

Hello, my name is Ben Stoddard and I have just joined the team at Tameside Sight as the new Project Manager, taking over from Philip Singleton who has recently taken his well earned retirement.

I live locally in Stalybridge with my wife and two children. Some people may know of me from my previous role as the Manager at Volunteer Centre Tameside, where for the

last eight years I have worked on various volunteer-related projects, involving managing, recruiting and training volunteers and volunteer coordinators. Before this I worked on ‘New Deal for Disabled People’ Initiative, supporting people with disabilities back into employment.

Over the next couple of months I am hoping to settle in and meet more of Tameside Sight’s customers, volunteers and members and also introduce myself to other associated networks within the area. I am also attending my first Visionary conference in October, where I hope to learn more about what’s happening to support visually impaired people in other areas of the country, and also at a national level.

I’ve got a hard act to follow but, with the help of the other staff members and committee, I will hopefully settle into this new role nicely. I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Ben Stoddard, new Project

Manager at Tameside Sight.

Hello from Ben! Written by: Ben Stoddard, Project Manager, Tameside

Sight.

22

Discovering The Kindle. Written by: Margaret Carter, Committee

Secretary, Tameside Sight.

I never thought a few years ago when I was trying to be persuaded to buy a Kindle in a bookshop that I would have to eat my words. Having spent all my working life in library work and being a prolific reader, what has happened to me over the last few months made me think again.

Earlier this year I was on holiday in Tenerife, which as you know is very sunny and the majority of buildings are painted white. Everything I looked at was covered with lots of black dots and a dark cobweb had formed across the right hand side of my vision. I was finding it practically impossible to read as the dots moved when my eyes moved. I had previously been told that I had a few floaters but that was nothing compared to what was happening now. On my return home I saw an optician, but he just gave me a letter to take to A&E if anything else happened and really did not put my mind at rest. I decided to go and see my GP and he referred me urgently to see a consultant who informed me that nothing can be done but my brain will eventually get used to the dots. He diagnosed posterior vitreous detachment.

But help was at hand and after talking to Philip at Tameside Sight he advised me of ways to help reduce the problems.

A Kindle e-Reader with large print screen function, sat on an

standard print book.

23

Sensory Garden Bed. Written by: Roy Knowles, Tameside Sight Volunteer

Those of you who have visited Tameside Sight’s Support Office will know that outside on the front terrace is an ‘C’ shaped raised bed. We intend to replant this area with scented and tactile plants, with a place set aside for any of YOUR favourite plants which you care to donate!

This will be happening in the next couple of months, so please ring us and let us know if you want to donate anything: rotted cuttings, offshoots, bulbs etc are all welcome.

Certain restrictions are: no prickly bushes (roses etc), nothing over 2ft tall (60cm for those who have been converted) and no thugs (the type of plants that spread quickly and crowd out other plants – that means no Mint, Jill!).

The size of the bed is approximately 20ft x 40ins (6.09m x 1m approx). We also welcome any suggestions, comments or criticisms.

Reading was the thing I was struggling with the most and he showed me the Kindle and changed the white screen to a black background with white writing, and also the sepia colour setting. Since then I have been converted but I do miss my books and am able to manage with some.

I was also finding using the computer had become difficult, so Philip showed me how to change the background to black so I can now produce the minutes and letters with no problem at all.

If you are struggling with reading, perhaps have a chat to the staff at Tameside Sight and see what options may work for you.

‘C’ Shaped raised bed.

24

Support for family and friends. Written by: Philip Singleton, Ex-Project Manager, Tameside

Sight.

Sight loss can be very daunting and lead to serious limitations in people’s ability to get around and do the things that they have been used to doing and have enjoyed doing. Fortunately there is help

available to encourage independence and continue activities.

Sometimes, however, it is family members and friends who struggle to know the best way to support the people they know and love. Knowing the best way to guide someone could make a huge difference to the confidence and safety of everyone. Understanding exactly what someone can see and the effects of their eye condition can make it much easier to provide appropriate support.

If you would like someone to learn more about supporting people with sight loss then contact us for details.

Published by: Tameside Sight,

3 Wellington Parade, Dukinfield, Cheshire. SK16 4LE

Community Support Office

Tel: 0161 343 4090 / 6903

Online contact points: office@tamesidesight.org.uk www.tamesidesight.org.uk www.facebook.com/tba.blind www.twitter.com/tamesidesight

Printed by: P.D.

Print, Hyde.

Please remember Tameside Sight when you make your will.

This local charity works for all visually impaired people in Tameside - serving the Community for 37 years.

4 Wellington Parade, Dukinfield SK16 4LE

Committee contact number: 0161 330 7778 Charity No: 504063