Hello newsletter
Winter 2016 edition
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.
Henshaws, Atherton House, 88-92 Talbot Road, Old Trafford, Manchester M16 0GS
Phone: 0161 872 1234Visit: henshaws.org.uk
Contents:
Page3Welcome
Page 4Henshaws Stories
Page 5Community Services News
Page8Fundraising Updates
Page 9Christmas Quiz
Page 10Christmas Recipe
Page 11 Groups Updates
Page15Arts and Culture
Page18Other News, Services and Useful
Numbers
Hello and welcome to the winter 2016 edition of Henshaws ‘Hello’ Newsletter.
The days are getting darker and chillier, the mince piesare on the shopshelvesand the John Lewis advert is on our televisions, which can only mean one thing… it’s almost Christmas.
We hope you enjoy the latest news and updates from our Community Services team, including our award winning ‘Pathway to Independence’ and new handy Life Hacks series. In this edition, you can read about what our Friendship Matters groups have been up to, including a tactile tour of the Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell’s home, and find out more about our upcoming groups and events that you can get involved with.
You’ll also hear from Sylvia, who kindly shared her story on Charles Bonnet Syndrome in the magazine ‘Chat’, which is distributed to over 320,000 people UK wide, and did a fantastic job in raising the profile of a little-known condition.
Our fundraising team have been busy with the brand new Christmas raffle and putting together the final touches to our Carols by Candlelight, which is set to once again fill Manchester Cathedral with Christmas cheer. Thank you to everyone who has been buying ticketsso far, and we hope you can continue spreading the word to friends and family so we can raise as much money as possible to keep our services going.
On behalf of all of us at Henshaws, we hope you have a wonderful, happy and healthy festive period.Enjoy reading our round off to 2016, and I look forward to catching up with you in 2017!
Robert Cooper, Director of Services, North West and North East
Henshaws Stories
Sylvia Wood
We are very grateful to our group member, Sylvia Wood, for speaking out about her experience of Charles Bonnet Syndrome in a recent edition of ‘Chat Magazine’ (15th September) to raise awareness about the condition.
Sylvia, who was registered blind in 2012, describes her experience. “I was at home when I suddenly saw 10 children sitting on my living room floor. What on earth? I spluttered, blinking frantically. The image disappeared & I knew what I’d seen wasn’t real - it was like my mind was playing tricks on me. Over the next few months it kept happening; the images would last for seconds then disappear when I blinked. I worried that I might be going senile, but I was too scared to mention anything to my husband or my GP.”
It was only when Sylvia heard a friend at Henshaws talking about a similar experience that she discovered she had Charles Bonnet Syndrome, a condition that can be caused by the brain’s reaction to vision loss.“There’s no cure, but I was just so relieved I wasn’t going mad,” Sylvia says. “Now I’m learning to live with my hallucinations, but when I first started seeing things it was terrifying - that’s why I’m telling my story. I hope I can help other people experiencing symptoms like mine. Hallucinations might just be your eyes playing tricks, so please don’t suffer in silence, fearing the worst.”
If you would like information, support or advice about Charles Bonnet Syndrome, please get in touch with our First Step team on 0161 872 1234.
Community Services News
Conquering Digital Accessibility for Disabled People – new eBook chapter
We’ve released the latest chapter of our eBook ‘step-by-step guides to living with disabilities’ - our free, practical guide which is written for and by people living with disabilities. Chapter 4 features finding and using digital devices which can support visually impaired people within their working and day-to-day lives, and shares our volunteer Tom’s own personal tips.
If you’d like a copy of our book in Word or PDF, you can either visit henshaws.org.uk/ebook to download your free copy, or ask a member of staff.
Oldham TechTalk – last call for interested parties!
In our last edition we let you know about our upcoming TechTalk group in Oldham, which will be formed next year. Thanks go to everyone who got back to us and, if you're still interested, don’t worry – you’ve still got (a bit of) time to get back to us.
TechTalk meets once a month, either at one of our hubs or virtually (via Skype, FaceTime, or by email) to share all the latest tech news, personal knowledge and experience. The group is a great mixture of beginners and experts, so there’ll be plenty of knowledge exchanged and peer-to-peer support.
The first group meeting will be introductory, where we can assess the level of knowledge and people’s interests for future meetings; it is free of charge, although a suggested contribution of £2 helps support it.To register your interest, get in touch with Mark Belcher at or ring 0161 872 1234.
Congratulations to our Skillstep graduates
We’d like to say a huge congratulationsto our latest Skillstepgroup, who have now finished their work placements. The group concluded their 12-week course with a presentation, where they described Skillstep as a “turning point” in their lives – which we think is a brilliant way to describe it!
Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, Skillstep is a course which blends IT, career guidance and work placement – and over 90% of people continue into further education, voluntary work or employment. Our next course is from 10thJanuary - 30thMarch 2017, with eight places available. If you’re ready to start your new ‘turning point’, please contact Julie Parrish as soon as possible on 0161 872 1234.
Henshaws Life Hacks
At Henshaws, our ultimate goal is to create an ‘accessible community’, where anyone with a visual impairment and their caring network of family and friends can access support and knowledge to provide them with the opportunity to be the best they can be and go beyond expectations.
You might have heard about our Life Hacks which we’ve started sharing this year. Our short videos and eBook share different 'tips, tricks and tech', covering everything from managing money to getting around in the garden, with the aim of helping those living with sight loss lead a more independent life.
In 'Hello', we’ve started sharing any great tips we get and in this edition, Trefor Jones from Todmorden shares this top tip: when baking a pie, you can tell when the crust is done using a colour reader. Before it’s cooked, the reader will say the pastry is ‘light yellow’ and, when you think it’s ready, check again with the colour reader - it should now say ‘dark yellow’. A great tip for the perfect pastry, especially when you’re baking mince pies ready for Christmas!
If you have a life hack that works well for you, get in touch at , so we can share your useful tip with others. If you’d like to see more of our Life Hacks, you can check out 52 other 'tricks, tips & tech' as well as our short videos at henshaws.org.uk/lifehacks.
Our Pathway to Independence is award winning
We're very pleased to be able to announce that in October, our team won a national award at the UK Visionary conference for their Pathway to Independence delivery model.
The annual Visionary conference shares best practice to improve the quality of service provided to people with sight loss across the UK, and our Pathway to Independence model won ‘Best Example of Service Delivery’. Fiona, Helen, Mark and Rob were there to receive the award, and even demonstrated our new Life Hacks videos and some of our ‘I Can Do It’ activities.
Last year, our ‘Pathway to Independence’ model trained 607 people, supported 935 new people and provided, on average, 402 people with new friendship opportunities every month. Well done to everyone involved!
& talking about awards…
Volunteer news
We are delighted to hear that Henshaws’ Volunteer Mary Gifford, our Art Galleries & Museums Group Leader, has been nominated for the Manchester 'Be Proud' Awards, run by Manchester City Council to celebrate the city’s army of volunteers who make Manchester great. Mary has made the shortlist (of three) in the ‘Unsung Hero’ Category. The winner will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony at Manchester Town Hall on the 2nd December.Many congratulations to Mary for this much deserved recognition for all her wonderful work.
Fundraising Updates
Christmas raffle
There’s still time to get your tickets for the Henshaws Christmas raffle and, with the chance to win up to £1,500 and support your Friendship Matters groups, your Christmas could get off to a great start. Tickets are available online at henshaws.org.uk/raffle, or from Henshaws staff members, until the draw on Wednesday 21st December.For more information, phone Holly in Fundraising on 0161 786 3656.
Carol concert
Henshaws Carols by Candlelight is back to entertain and enchant you with an evening of timeless carols at Manchester Cathedral on Wednesday 14th December at 7.30pm.
We have some great performances lined up, including the return of Denise Leigh and Stefan Andrusyschyn, and guest performances from the Sale Salvation Army Brass Band and the Flixton Socialites WI choir. We will also be hearing from gold medal-winning Paralympian Hannah Russell as she tells us all about her exciting Road to Rio and back.
You can enjoy a complimentary mince pie and glass of mulled wine during the interval and, at just £10 for adults and £6 for concessions, this is the perfect way to start a perfect Christmas. You can purchase your tickets by ringing 0161 876 3656 or at henshawscarolsconcert.eventbrite.co.uk.
*Special offer* We’re offering 3 tickets for the price of 2 if you want to bring friends or family to the concert, so make sure you get yours before we sell-out!
Skydivers
Congratulations to our three jumpers Sam, Jake and Callum, who took the 12,000ft plunge out of an aeroplane on 9thOctober – all in the name of fundraising for Henshaws. Our apprentice Callum raised a whopping £783.05 for his skydive, which was an amazing achievement, and we’re hugely grateful to all three for taking this challenge of a lifetime for Henshaws.
If you fancy chucking yourself out of a 'plane in the name of charity, our sky-dive day will be back in May 2017. To express your interest, call Rachael on 0161 876 3656 or email .
Christmas Quiz – true or false?
Challenge your friends and family to our Christmas quiz and test your seasonal expertise (answers are on page 19).
True or False?...
(1)In Band Aid's song ‘Do They Know It's Christmas’, the opening words "It's Christmas time..." were sung by David Bowie.
(2)Per person, the USA eats more turkey than any other country in the world.
(3)Brenda Lee was 13 years old when she recorded 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree'.
(4)In Japan, KFC is very popular to visit on Christmas Day.
(5)'White Christmas' by Bing Crosby is the all-time, bestselling single worldwide.
(6)Coca-Cola is the reason Santa Claus always wears red – before that, he used to wear green.
(7)Charles Dickens was born on Christmas Day.
(8)In Iceland, children are given gifts on each of the 13 days leading up to Christmas.
(9)There is a man whose job includes checking the roof of the Met Office in London on Christmas Day for signs of snowflakes.
(10)Reindeer lose their antlers every year.
Christmas Recipe
Bubble and Squeak – the classic Boxing Day favourite to use up all those Christmas leftovers!
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 20 mins Serves: 4
Ingredients
500g leftover mashed potatoes or diced boiled potatoes/roast potatoes,
500g leftover cooked cabbage/cooked Brussels sprouts, finely chopped
60g butter
salt and black pepper
carrot, diced (optional)
Method
Mix the cabbage or sprouts with the mashed or diced cooked potatoes and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Method if using mashed potatoes:
Heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the potato mixture and smooth it flat with a spatula. Fry over a medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes or until underside is brown, and the pan sizzles, bubbles and squeaks!
Place a large plate over the pan, then turn both over so that the bubble and squeak is on the plate.
Heat the remaining butter in the pan and carefully slide the bubble and squeak back in the pan. Cook again over a medium heat until the other side is golden brown.
To serve, cut into wedges – you can have the bubble and squeak with bacon and eggs for breakfast, or even add bread and butter or ham for dinner.
Method if using diced boiled or roast potatoes:
Mix all the vegetables together as previously instructed, and just fry them in a frying pan. There is no need to press them down into a cake - stir themregularly to achieve an all-over colour, and then serve with a spoon. Enjoy!
Groups’ Updates
Henshaws Friendship Matters Groups
Our Friendship Matters groups have had a lovely autumn full of activities, music and art. The ukulele music group ‘Ukahalee’ came to perform for our Tuesday Group, covering lots of classics including ‘King of the Road’ and ‘Island of Dreams’, and filled the Manchester centre with music for the afternoon.
Can you imagine sitting at the table that Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell used to write at? Our Art Galleries & Museums group got to experience just that in October when they had a wonderful visit to her home, with object handling to get a real tactile experience.
Our Arts and Crafts Group went to visit the Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre in Knaresborough, where they had a guided tour round the studios, a tasty lunch in the café, and got stuck into the pottery workshop, creating lovely Christmas pots (pictured above).
Henshaws runs a range of Social and Hobby groups, so call Kay George or Charley Keyes on 0161 872 1234 for information. The following is our current timetable, but be aware that days and times may be subject to change. Please note that the Wednesday Group now meet at 12.30.Our Social Groups are a chance to have a brew and a chat and enjoy a range of information sessions and activities including quizzes, games, musical entertainment, meals and trips out.
Tuesday Group meet weekly,
1.30-3.30pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
Broadwalk Groupmeet on the first Tuesday of each month, 10.30am-12.30pm at Pendleton Gateway in Salford
I Spy Group meet every other Tuesday,
2-4pm at the Rainbow Rooms in Eccles, Salford
Wednesday Group meet weekly,
12.30-2.30pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
Eye Groupmeet every Wednesday,
12.30-2.30pm at Wardley Community Centre in Swinton, Salford
Evening Social Groupmeet every other month on Thursday evenings, usually for a pub get-together for a drink and a chat.
Glaucoma Groupmeet on the second Monday of each month,
12.30-2.30pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
We also run a number of Hobby Groups, providing opportunities to share common interests or develop new ones.
GuitarJamming Groupmeet every Monday,
10am-2pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford, and is a small friendly group who get together to practise and play and sometimes perform. If you’ve always wanted to learn to play but never got round to it, we also offer guitar tuition with our experienced volunteers, so please get in touch.
Film Groupmeet on the first Wednesday of each month,
1-4pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
to watch and discuss the latest film releases, shown on our big flat screen TV for a small donation of £3. We feature a variety of films across a broad range of genres, all with audio description.
Yoga Groupmeet every Tuesday,
11.45am-1.15pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
Let go and unwind at our weekly sessions. Yoga focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to improve balance, lower- body strength and boost physical and mental well-being. Learn this ancient form of exercise as part of a small, friendly group, which is suitable for beginners.
Braille Group drop-in meet every Friday,
10-2pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
Continue to develop your knowledge and enjoyment of braille as part of a friendly group.
Arts & Crafts Groupmeet every other Friday,
1-3pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
Come and get creative with us at Atherton House every fortnight in a lovely relaxed environment. The group covers a variety of Arts and Crafts such as painting, tactile pictures and model making.
IT & Touch Typing drop-in meet every Friday,
10-2pm at Atherton House in Old Trafford
and is a friendly and supportive group for people wanting to develop their computer skills.
Henshaws Hikers meet on the first Thursday of each month,
9.30am-4pm, at Atherton House in Old Trafford, then go on to various locations.
This group is a great way to stay active, explore the local landscape and meet new people - and there's usually a stop-off at a pub for refreshments and a well-earned rest! Walks are up to a distance of 7 miles.