Centre 68, 68b Westgate, Peterborough PE1 1RG
T: 01733 344844 | E:
Website:
Facebook:
Twitter:
June 2018 Newsletter
Contents
1.Chairman’s Chat
2.Latest from Sam at the Office
3.Activities Update from Nina
4.Hello from Jodie
5.Notes from the Treasury
6.Renewing your Bus Pass
7.Rise for Disability
8.Guide Dogs Forum
9.Thank You Carol
10.PAB Coffee Mornings
11.200+ Club
12.Upcoming Events
13.Online Basics
14.Worried about Dementia?
15.Peterborough Safe and Well Service
16.Updated Privacy Policy
1. Chairman's Chat
I hope all is well with you. Well summer is here, let’s hope it lasts for a while. It was so good to see Norma recently at a coffee morning, I know she hopes to be involved with PAB again in the future, and that is excellent news.
Our activities are proving very popular, the touch tour of the Cathedral in April was enjoyed by a number of members. Many of the activities we have to offer could not take place without our brilliant volunteers.
I am pleased to say that on the 1st of May Jodie joined the PAB team as our volunteer coordinator. I wish her every success in her role.
Places are still available for our annual trip to Hunstanton on Friday 22nd June. The coach will leave from Westgate church at 10.00am and depart Hunstanton for home at 4.30pm.
PAB are busy with various projects, fund raising and promoting our charity whenever an opportunity arises. An excellent example of this is that PAB have once again been invited to have a stall on Armed Forces Day in the city centre on Saturday 30th June. This will be the third year we have had the pleasure of taking part on this special day.
We plan to have a tombola, "A Name The Teddy" competition, "Children's Spin The Wheel" game and lots of information about PAB and the services we offer.
Hopefully the next three months until I chat again will have passed a little slower than they have this time! Sylvie
2. Latest from Sam at the Office
I hope everyone has been enjoying this lovely weather if indeed it lasts by the time you get this newsletter! I have been busy working away on ensuring we comply with various obligations one of which is a new Privacy Policy. This is simply a document which we have to legally provide you with which explains what personal information we hold about you, why we have it and what we do with it. At the end of this newsletter is a copy of the privacy policy purely for your information. If you are receiving this newsletter in audio format you will find the audio version of the policy at the end of the newsletter.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCMENT
One of the data protection requirements is that we have to ensure that we are up to date with our member’s consent to receive a newsletters from us. Of course when you join us one of the first things we ask is whether you would like to receive our lovely newsletter so many of you are already covered by the new rules! However for some of you it may have been some time since you joined so we would like to make sure we are up to date with your details. We will be contacting you over the next new few weeks to check this information but sadly we don’t have everyone’s telephone number on record - so if you would like to save us a job you are very welcome to ring the office and check your details are still correct. Our number is 01733 344844 or you can email us . Did you know we also have an email mailing list? This is for up to the minute news updates from us. If you fancy joining and have an email we can contact you on then do let us know!
3. Activities Update From Nina
On Thursday 12th April, 11 PAB members and 10 volunteers met at the Peterborough Cathedral for a touch tour. The Cathedral staffhad worked hard to make sure we were all able to get the most out of the tour and had arranged for us to experience areas that were not normally open to the public.
We explored various objects and artefacts and learnt about their different meanings, their history, the materials they were made from, and were also given the option to be able to touch and feel certain items. We learnt about the Cathedral’s font and the large pillars which we then walked around to appreciate their size.
While at the choir stalls members were able to feel the wooden carvings and we were told the story of Oswold’s arm and how it disappeared while Henry VIII was King! We visited the graves of Katherine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots and discovered why pomegranates lay there. We were also given special permission to wind the clock up at the end of the Cathedral so we could hear it chime.
The Cathedral already have a plaque transcribed into Braille and large print service sheets however were very keen to work with PAB in the future on more touch tours and took on board any other suggestions we had in relation to making it a more accessible place for visually impaired people.
Thanks to everyone that comes along to all the activities it is great to see so many new people enjoying themselves. I have been in touch with a few places to plan days and trips out and I will hopefully be confirming dates soon. The first place is the Norris museum in St Ives. This is a small newly refurbished museum with a variety of different exhibits to get our hands on including fossils from the Jurassic seas and early human settlers through the ages to modern ages. I am also hoping they will talk to us about the fossils they have found and do an activity with them. As it’s a journey to get to St Ives I’m suggesting that we goin the morning and have some lunch before going into the museum to make a real day of it. This will probably be at the end July/beginning of August and we will have a minibus to do the journey in. Another place is Burghley House and Gardens; I haven’t been in touch yet as I have been waiting for it to open for the summer season.
Talking craft, the PAB craft group have been really busy! Not only have they made items to sell when we go and promote PAB but also bags that we have donated to No Pain No Gain. They are a charity that give syringe drivers to those who need them. Recently we made fidget muffs that we hope to give to the charity Little Miracles. I have recently been, with member Jim, to a craft group run by the CP Learning Trust. There we were taught how to make sugar craft flowers that look real! For those with Internet pictures will be going on the website soon. I am meeting with the organiser to see how PAB and the group can work together to try out many new crafts. While there I also popped into a new yarn shop – PurlyYarns – in the HerlingtonCentre and spoke to the owners who are keen to hear from anyone who would like to learn to knit or crochet. They have also given me knitting and crochet instructions to make poppies for Longueville Court and Holy Trinity Church who want to display as many as possible in November. So if you are up for a knitting or crochet challenge let me know!
Lastly we have the opportunity for a visit to the Raptor Centre where they run talks and displays on their Birds as well as opportunities for handling so if that is something that would interest you please get in touch.
If you have any suggestions for places to go or activities to do please let me know, hope to see you soon, Nina
4. Hello from Jodie
Hello everyone, I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Jodie and I’ve not long taken on the role of Volunteer Coordinator at PAB. I’ve recently worked for the Prison Service and I’ve also worked for a homeless charity, The Ferry Project in Wisbech which was for over 13 years. I still help out there too. I had various roles whilst there but particularly working with and recruiting volunteers. Volunteering was slightly different there as the volunteering scheme was initially started to help residents of The Ferry Project to improve their general wellbeing. This grew and attracted members of the public who wanted to volunteer to ‘give something back’. From then on the volunteering scheme grew bigger and helped a lot of people improve their wellbeing and many to become work ready. Some people found employment too. My passion really does lie with helping others and to assist in any way I can to help them achieve what is reasonably possible. Everyone deserves a chance to thrive.
I’m looking to use my knowledge and experience to help PAB be more amazing than it already is.
In my spare time I really enjoy horse riding, going to the gym and of course spending time with my family.
5. Notes from the Treasury
PAB has traditionally gained the majority of its income from grant aid and community funding. In fact we rarely hold our own fund-raising events. However as we enter a new exciting era the ability to raise our own funds will become increasingly important. Our paid employees, along with the running costs for the Centre 68 office and venue hire for our various social and sporting activities mean that it will cost £50,000.00 to run PAB this year.
We have corporate sponsorship from the TSB and the Co-op but we need our members and supporters to play their part too. It can be something small like becoming a member of the 200 Club or donating a tombola prize. You could hold a garage sale or car boot to raise funds. How about getting sponsorship for a fun or sporting activity? Maybe you could have a PAB stall at your local fete or craft fair, don’t worry we have plenty of volunteers to help you. Longer term you could make a bequest to PAB in your will or stipulate that a collection be held at your funeral.
Remember every little bit helps and all donations will be used to improve the lives of blind and partially sighted people in the Peterborough area.
6. Renewing your Bus Pass
Our Trustee Peter Skivington has brought to our attention that when he went to renew his bus pass last week he was told he needed to take his card of visual impairment. This is the card the council give you. They would not renew his bus pass without it so please be aware!
7. Rise for Disability
Rise for Disability will be holding their exhibition and conference in Peterborough on Thursday 12th July at the East of England Arena and Events Centre, Alwalton, Peterborough, PE2 6HE. The event is free to attend with over 100 exhibitors, fully accessible and will host inspirational and motivational guest speakers. To register for your free tickets visit or telephone 01268 206251. You can also book a ticket by email
8. Guide Dogs Forum
We are passionate about ensuring people with sight loss have the ability to move about their community freely and independently using the mobility aid of their choice. In addition to this we also want to ensure they have a strong voice within their community.
Across Peterborough we want to ensure we engage and reach as many people with sight loss as possible and want to do this in ways that is as easy and comfortable for them to join in. We have set up a Guide Dog Forum, which meets every 3 months at The Great Northern Hotel in Peterborough and is managed and co-ordinated by two of our clients in a volunteer capacity.
The purpose is clear! The forums are there to provide Information and to share news from other agencies to help change and breakdown physical barriers locally (This could be local campaigning around pavement parking, dog attacks, A-Boards, Street Clutter etc). It also provides a platform for anyone living with sight loss to be heard. The forum is a safe place for people to meet, enjoy chatting and make new friends whilst sharing and receiving information externally with the ability of speaking to key influencers within the community.
We welcome anyone who has sight loss, their friends and family members, our supporters and volunteers, partners and stakeholders. The meetings take place at The Great Northern Hotel, 12pm to 2pm on Tuesday 5th June, Thursday 6th September and Friday 7th December. Peterborough City Council Care and Repair will be speaking at the June meeting.
9. Thank You Carol
Carol Abell has been an important part of PAB for many years. Carol has had many roles within our charity including Trustee and then Chairman and Volunteer Coordinator. For the past couple of years Carol has continued volunteering with PAB. Any member who has had the pleasure of meeting Carol will know what a caring and lovely lady she is.
Carol feels it is now time for her to step away from PAB.
On behalf of us all involved with the charity we would like to say a heartfelt Thank You Carol - PAB has been extremely fortunate to have had you as part of the team.
Sylvia- PAB Chairman
10. PAB Coffee Mornings
As you may know coffee mornings were moved to New Westgate Church Hall originally on a temporary basis whilst works were being undertaken at St Peter and All Souls Church Hall. However the majority of members expressed that they preferred the new hall. Its location in the same building as the PAB office means members are able to pop into the office with queries and payments whilst attending coffee morning. We are pleased to announce that New Westgate Church have agreed to continue to let us rent the room on a permanent basis and so all further coffee mornings will be held at New Westgate Church Hall. Dates for future coffee mornings are as follows and continue to be on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month:
13th June, 27th June, 11thJuly, 25th July, 8th August, 22nd August
11. 200+ Club
We do still have some 200+ club numbers available so do contact the office if you are interested in joining and we can send you an application form in the post. The cost is just £12.00 per number for the year and the draw takes place once a month with 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes of £50, £30 and £20. In December we have just one lucky winner who receives £100!
12. Upcoming Events
Our regular activity calendar can be found on our website or we are happy to email a copy to you. Upcoming main events are listed below:
Friday 22nd June 2018 – Day Trip to Hunstanton. 10am Depart PAB Office, Depart Hunstanton 4.30pm.£2 per person. Guides are Free. Please contact the office to book a place.
Thank you to TSB Bank in Millfield for funding this trip.
Friday 21st September 2018 – Peterborough Low Vision Day at Deafblind UK in Hampton. 10.30am to 3.30pm. Free Entry.
13. Online Basics
Are you struggling to:
•Set up and manage your emails
•Complete online forms
•Shop online
•Access websites
•Connect with friends and family
•Keep yourself safe online
Peterborough City Council are offering training and drop-in sessions for all Peterborough residents to help them get the most out of online services.
There are drop-in sessions at Bretton Library Thursdays 10.30-11.30 (weekly), Werrington Library Fridays 10-12 (weekly) and at Senior Stop from 4th June 10.30-12 (for 5 weeks).
You can find out more about online training by calling on 01733 452266.
14. Worried about Dementia?
Are you worried about someone close to you who has dementia, or who you think might have dementia?
The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is for anyone with a question or concern about dementia. From looking out for the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s, to understanding the challenges of living with someone with vascular dementia, specialist Admiral Nurses have the knowledge and experience to understand the situation and suggest answers that might be hard to find elsewhere.
Call: 0800 888 6678 (weekdays 9am-9pm, weekends 9am-5pm) Email:
15. Peterborough Safe and Well Service
Peterborough’s new safe and well service is provided by NRS healthcare and supports local residents who may be older, disabled, recently discharged from hospital (or caring for someone that is) to find ‘daily living aids’ to help with everyday activities and stay independent.
You can contact Peterborough Safe and Well Service by telephone for more information on 01480 415719.
16. Updated Privacy Policy 2018
1. What personal information do we collect about you?
We collect information from you at the point at which you contact us. Informed consent is the term used for the legal basis upon which we hold your information. You consent to giving us information usually to provide you with a service. We also collect information when you visit our website which is not specific to you in order to better understand visitor behaviour. Details of this are in the header below titled ‘Website’. We may have received your information from a referrer such as another service provider. They will confirm to us that you have consented to us receiving your information. We may contact you directly for further information that will help us to provide a service to you or to enable us to carry out your request.