Hello Newsletter North-East Region

Hello Newsletter – North-East Region

We are a charity that helps people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities to achieve their ambitions and go beyond expectations.

Welcome to the Summer 2016 edition of Henshaws ‘Hello’ Newsletter

I hope you’re enjoying the long awaited summer months as the days are lighter for longer, the sun is shining and we seem to have an extra spring in our step. The Newcastle team have been working as hard as ever to provide you with a varied schedule of classes and events including sport, fitness and classes to improve your skills such as Maths and English. As always, we also offer a range of practical independence courses, information, advice and guidance to help make living with sight loss that little easier. We are also excited to announce our Henshaws Awards event which will take place in mid-June and include nominees from the North-East region who have gone beyond expectations– best of luck.

Happy reading

Robert Cooper, Director of Community Services

Contents

Page 2 Henshaws News and Updates

Page 6 Fundraising Updates

Page 7 Useful services and information

Page 9 What’s happening at Henshaws Newcastle

HenshawsNews and Updates

Community Services staff strategy day

Henshaws staff recently attended a strategy day with a difference, the day was interactive and allowed staff to experience different areas of the services that we offer across each of our regions. These included our ‘I Can Do It’ children’s activity sessions, blind-folded exercise, an overview of our ICT pathway training and an insight into counselling. The day was finished off with a training session about Dementia delivered by our very own Sara Deegan, Community Services Co-ordinator based in Liverpool. The session encouraged staff to learn a little bit about dementia, and inspire them to help those living with Dementia live well. This means that Henshaws staff are now certified as ‘Dementia Friends’. Overall, the day was a great success and staff gave feedback that all the sessions gave them a greater understanding about the services we offer across the regions.

Top ten tips for a world designed for Sighted People.

We’re often impressed by the simple ideas people come up with to make life run smoother when living with sight loss. So we thought we’d compile a list of the Top Ten Tips, so please let us know yours.

We’ll publish the top ideas in our next issue, so please let us know yours by either: emailing , calling us on 0191 265 3031 or just pop in to our Heaton centre and tell us in person. The person who provides us with the best tip will win a box of chocolates!

Networking day

On Monday 18th April, we held a Networking day for our service users and invited head office staff and guest speakers along. 25 of our service users attended aged between one and 77!

External speakers that attended included:

Job Centre Plus Employer Engagement Manager

Provided an update on changes to their services and asked for feedback on how it is to use Job Centres. Our Service users provided insights and ideas to improve services. The main issues being – inappropriate communication formats and flaws in the Work Capability Assessment for VI people. He promised to feed back the issues and report back to us what they are going to make improvements

Francesca Digiorgio – RNIB Campaigns

Spoke about how RNIB can support people on a local level to become involved in campaigning for change about an issue that may directly affect them locally.

Internal speakers: Lisa (Fund-raising) & Sabine (Marketing)

Talked about community fundraising opportunities and the new Lottery and the communications and marketing and got a chance to mingle with our service users and talk about their lives, concerns and ideas. Participants that I spoke to said it was nice to meet other Henshaws staff.

Philippa consulted on Friendship Matters activities and asked about the types of things people wanted to do. The overwhelming choice was to set up a walking group and Fran from RNIB Campaigns offered to support the group by dealing with any access issues we come across.

We all enjoyed a lunch or pizza and buffet food and a chance to mingle, thank you everyone who attended we hope you found it useful. If you have any feedback or suggestions please e-mail .

Children & Families event, ‘Gravity Force’ - Tues 12th April

Kindly Funded by: Nunsmoor Trust

Following consultation with children & parents and having had a number of previously successful ‘Family Fun Days’ at Walker Activity Dome funded by Nunsmoor Trust, we decided to offer a more challenging and exciting opportunity than previous multi-sport sessions . One of the things that weigh heavily on parents of children with a disability is that they don’t often get the chance to take part in activities as a family. We wanted to give them the chance to have a worry-free new experience that would put a smile on the faces of the whole family.

Gravity Force is a Trampoline Park that offers a chance to participate in exhilarating physical activity that is rarely experienced by children with visual impairments.75 people took part and having the venue exclusively for their use meant that the visually impaired children and their siblings could take part in relative safety without the worry they might have if they took part with the general public, who would not be aware they had sight loss.

The event was a real success and because of the thorough safety briefing and other measures we put in place, there were no accidents or incidents….just lots of smiles and squeals of enjoyment.

Here are some of the things people who attended told us:

Parent: “It was brilliant having the whole place to ourselves and not constantly having to watch for strangers knocking in to our children was just a huge relief.”

Parent -Brenda: “The ‘Spotters’ on the floor where brilliant, they really helped and guided the children from one trampoline to another no questions asked.”

Parent- Michelle: “I had been before with my family and it was OK and I was looking forward to going again, but this time the staff where totally different, they explained things differently…better, they led us in to the main area a different way and talked all the way explaining to the kids about the ramps and the mats and putting them more at ease”

Parent – Adrian: “It improved my confidence no end in taking the kids out and about. I took my daughter and her friend, and we are all severely sight-impaired . The Henshaws staff and all the staff there where brilliant.”

Parent: Carly: “well what can I say, the staff where amazing my son is only 7 and I am always frightened that he will hurt himself, but Henshaws and Gravity force staff took him to one side at the foam pit and slowly talked and walked him through what he could do and how he could bounce like the others and he did it, I was so proud of him and so thank full to both lots of staff.

Sibling- Demi (age 14 ) It was lovely to have a family trip out where we could all join in and have fun, brilliant, thank you.

Fundraising Updates

Gung ho

About a dozen people are taking part in Gung ho for Henshaws in early July, an inflatable 5k obstacle course at Newcastle Racecourse to raise funds for Henshaws. They’ll bounce over many obstacles including the largest inflatable slide in Europe and some very big bouncy castles! You can sponsor them by getting in touch with Philippa or Craig in the Newcastle office.

Henshaws Awards

On Thursday 16th June, we’ll be holding our annual Henshaws awards to celebrate the successes of some of those in the Henshaws community. Hosted by Tom Walker, a visually impaired BBC journalist, the awards give us the chance to hear the stories of those who have gone beyond expectations and changed their lives. Nominees include Philippa Young, who has increased her skills in being able to use a keyboard and a mouse and Jackson Edwardes, a 10 year old who has made friends, enjoyed sport again and gained confidence. For more information about the awards, contact Stewart in the fundraising team on 0161 786 3640

Ambassadors

We’re always on the lookout for new ambassadors to go and tell others about the difference that Henshaws, and those in our community, have made to their lives and encourage others to get involved. Full training is provided along with transport to get to the talks so, if you’re interested, get in touch with the Fundraising team on 0161 786 3640.

Useful services and information

Audio Described Events

Anne Hornsby, pioneer of UK Audio Description, launched Mind's Eye in the early 90s to increase access to arts and cultural events for blind and visually impaired theatregoers.

Mind’s Eye operates throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, to provide audio description, descriptive tours, touch tours and handling sessions, audio guides and audio brochures for Theatres, Galleries, Museums, Conferences, Film Festivals and other Cultural Institutions. For an up to date list of local audio described events, please contact Mind's Eye Description Services Ltd.

Tel:01204 522481Mobile: 07889 232438

E-mail:

Web:mindseyedescription.co.uk

Twitter:

Most theatre performances will include a touch-tour an hour or more before the performance, which must be booked in advance. Customers should check with the Box Office or Mind’s Eye for details. Please reserve your headsets for described performances in advance.

Calibre Audio Library

People with sight loss who have always been avid readers often struggle with magnifiers or large print. However, if you need a bit of respite or would like to try a different way of reading, Calibre Audio Library is here for you. Our charity has 8,250 fiction and non-fiction books in 60 different categories, available on MP3CDs, USB memory sticks and via streaming for people to use on tablets, smart phones and laptops. Calibre members now can borrow up to 12 books at a time: 8 on MP3CDs and 4 on USBs.

If people are also using streaming they can put as many books as they like onto their online wish list. We add over 50 books a month including the latest bestsellers so you can keep abreast of reading trends as well as indulge in classic books. Our most popular fiction category is detective and mystery stories. Such is the demand, we have added an additional sub-category called ‘Cosy Crime: Gentle Mysteries’ with authors such as Simon Brett, Margery Allingham and M.C. Beaton. This is for readers who prefer an engaging listen but without the associated violence and strong language often found in more modern crime fiction.

For a one-off joining fee of £35 you can open the door to a life time of free books. We also sell a variety of USB players from £30 to match your listening needs. We also offer a free 12 week trial where you will receive one book at a time.

Please call our dedicated Membership Services Team who are here to give you the time to answer your queries and discuss your book and player options. When you call our number 01296 432 339 you will always get a person, never a confusing menu directing you to press various numbers. Alternatively email . Our website is

What’s happening at Henshaws Newcastle

If you’d like to find out more about any of the classes below or book a place please email: or call 0191 265 3031.

Mondays