Viewpoint Your local sight loss charity news Issue 01 | Winter 2015

In this issue: 6 New Year’s Resolutions  10  Meet our community team 14  Timely Tips Viewpoint | 2 3 | Viewpoint Happy New Year! We’re going Digital! Hello and welcome to our new-look Viewpoint Don’t forget: Great news, our popular monthly magazine on USB Talking Newspaper magazine. For over 8 years Please let us know if you sticks. There will be a lot of Service will be going we have produced our would prefer to receive it work going on behind the digital in 2016! popular newsletter in the in an alternative format: scenes in coming months to distinctive yellow and black get ready for this but in the design that many of you have - CD After being produced in meantime, if you would like come to recognise. - Braille analogue and distributed on to receive our free - Email tapes since we started the As with many things there service over 30 years ago, talking news comes a time when they need this year we will be making service, get refreshing and we felt it was You can also the switchover and recording in touch the right time to update to this read or listen full colour magazine format. our popular weekly news and with us. to Viewpoint We hope you enjoy reading on our website: our first new style edition and RNIB Talking Books now free welcome your feedback. www.nab.org.uk To celebrate 80 years of it’s Talking Books Service, RNIB 4 Computer Group has announced it is making the service completely free Contents for all blind and partially sighted children and adults in 6  New Year’s Resolution the UK. Talking Books are available as digital downloads 8  Noticeboard via RNIB Overdrive, as DAISY CD or on USB. Viewpoint 10  Meet our community team Your local sight loss charity news Every year RNIB Talking Books provides more than Issue 01 | Winter 2015 12  Making the future brighter 1 million audiobooks to people with sight loss and is the largest library of its kind in with more than 14  Timely Tips 60,000 items. 16  NAB Volunteers To join RNIB’s Library for free and start borrowing books 18  Keeping it social call their Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit In this issue: 6 New Year’s Resolutions 22  Mobile Sight Centre dates www.rniblibrary.com 10 Meet our community team

14 Timely Tips Viewpoint | 4 5 | Viewpoint

Kettering Sight Centre Monthly Computer Group Job Club Every week our Sight Centres at and At Kettering we run a at Kettering host computer groups to drop-in session on the first help visually impaired people Tuesday of every month for Sight Centre become more competent with troubleshooting and on all technology. The meetings other Tuesdays we cover Action for Blind People’s are suitable for all abilities, specific topics.All groups specialist Employment from novice to regular users, run 10:30am-12:30pm Co-ordinator will be on and encompass the use of and cost £5 per session. Charity Shop has hand to provide practical PCs, laptops, Tablets and help with looking for a job. Smartphones. You can bring Month Topic moved again! This includes advice and February Emails guidance on making the your own device or use the Our Kettering Charity most of your skills, support computers within the centres, Facebook / Shop, which moved only March to help you keep your all of which feature specialist Social Media 12 months ago to Newland current job and information magnification/speech software. Internet Street, has once again had April on government schemes Shopping to relocate and can now be such as Access to Work. May Photos found at 33 Gold Street Letters and (former Toni & Guy), next June Documents to Boots. July You Tube Open Monday through to Sessions are on a August EBay Friday 9:30am - 4:30pm drop-in basis and Booking Tickets and Saturdays 9am – 1pm. September run from 1:15pm & Holidays Good quality donations to 3:15pm on the For info call: 01536 522773 of clothes and bric-a-brac will be gratefully received last Thursday of Northampton Computer Group and volunteers are needed the month. Every Friday | £5 per 2 hour session | 10am - 3pm to help in the shop. Viewpoint | 6 7 | Viewpoint

So check out the timely encouragement from New Sylvia Wilson who insists that life with severe sight Year’s loss is for living... to the full! Just ten months after taking “It’s best to concentrate up karate Sylvia, who is in on the things you still her early 70s, has gained her can do – not on what you first (red) belt despite being can’t. Use your magnifying Resolution unable to see the instructor. aids when you need them. She is now working towards They become your best the next, yellow one. “I train friends. Go shopping with a hard, keep fit and really companion. Getting out and It’s another New Year. enjoy it!” she says. about is much better than A fresh start, new challenges, being inactive and feeling Sylvia is convinced that a low – I should know!” opportunities and those positive outlook is crucial to staying independent and Like many other visually inevitable New Year Resolutions... achieving new goals. impaired people Sylvia has learned to adapt over “The world becomes a the years. She still uses a different place when you regular mobile phone and are visually impaired. computer, with the aid of Everyday activities you took a strong magnifier, and for granted become more she shops on-line for her difficult. The worst thing is groceries. losing your independence. So as you hang up your car “Who says being almost keys vow to yourself NO – blind stops you from this doesn’t mean I’m giving doing anything you put up on everything!” your mind to? NOT ME!”. Viewpoint | 8 9 | Viewpoint

FOR SALE Smart View CCTV Electronic For information, Magnifying Sytem supplied support and with a flat-screen TV. enquiries call us: Second-hand. Notice JORDY Low Vision£50 System 01604 719 193 from Enhanced Vision. board Ex-display. Call Allison at Northampton £50Sight Centre

Easter Event Product demonstrations from Enhanced Vision Children’s and Families Service and Dolphin plus information and An Easter holiday event for visually impaired support from children and their families. Please reserve Calibre Audio Library and our your place no later than Friday 1st April by calling Hugh on our helpline. Community Team Low Vision Drop in Day: . Monday 7th March 2016 Wednesday10am 6th - midday April 10am -12:30 Children £3 at Northampton Sight Centre Adults £1.50 The Riverside Hub, Northampton 1:30pm – 4pm at Kettering Sight Centre Do you haveDo youthe righthaveDo youequipment?the haveright theequipment? right equipment? DoAre you you haveDo usingAre theyou you rightyour haveDo usingAre magnifier? equipment?youthe you yourrighthave using magnifier? theequipment? yourright magnifier? equipment? 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Souse if theyou telephone,are strugglingSouse if the getyou telephone, outtoare read andstrugglinguseSo orifabout the yougetwatch telephone, outareor to tv,are readstrugglingand see simplySPOTLIGHT: aboutor yourget watch outa ortocooker little arereadtv,and seesimplyuncertain aboutdialsor yourwatch or aor cookerlittle are tv, seesimply uncertain dials your aor littlecooker uncertain dials or Reading was a godsend to ninety one year-old John, Meet our Community Team useabout the the telephone, future,useabout don’t theget the telephone,out put future, and upaboutuse aboutwith don’tthe get the it!telephone, or out putfuture, are andup simply with aboutdon’t get it! a out put orlittle are andup uncertain simplywith about it! aespeciallyor little are as simplyuncertain he became a increasingly little uncertain housebound about the future,about don’t the put future, upabout with don’t theit! put future, up with don’t it! put up with it!following a number of strokes. Then his sight started to fail, John was supplied with an and the lifelong pleasure of effective floor-standing Northampton NorthamptonNorthamptonNorthampton NorthamptonCorbyNorthamptona good and book turned Corbyto acute andlight and betterCorby magnifier, and NorthamptonNorth NorthamptonNorth NorthamptonSouthNorthamptonNorth NorthamptonSouth CorbytheNorthamptonSouth Northfrustration. and His daughterCorbythe North anda complementary Corbythe signature North and contacted NAB and a home guide and his dials and North North SouthNorth South the NorthSouthvisit was arranged. the Northkeyhole werethe marked North for easier use. He was also Laura Laura DesboroughRebeccaLaura Cargill DesboroughRebecca Cargill MargaretRebeccaOur Mitchell support Cargill worker Margaretassessed Mitchellhelped to applyMargaret for the Mitchell Laura Desborough Laura DesboroughRebeccaLaura Cargill DesboroughRebecca Cargill MargaretRebeccahis Mitchell reading Cargill capabilityMargaret and MitchellAttendance Allowance,Margaret a Mitchell advised a good focused lamp disability benefit he could be Northampton North Northampton South Corby and and a stronger magnifier. She entitled to. Laura Desborough Rebecca Cargill the North learned of other difficulties, John is now enjoying his Margaret Mitchell such as fitting the key in the books once again – and front door keyhole, signing his is delighted by the extra and Daventry andWellingborough Daventry and KetteringWellingborough name on a cheque andKettering using payment to his Ketteringbank account Daventrythe South and Daventrythe South andWellingboroughand Daventrythe the South East and Wellingboroughand the East KetteringandWellingboroughand the district cookerthe Eastdials. Ketteringand districteach month! Ketteringand district the South the South andthe the South East and the East andand district the East and district and district Jenny Richardson Jenny RichardsonElaine Jenny Farrington Richardson Elaine Farrington KayElaine Jaffrey Farrington Kay Jaffrey Kay Jaffrey Jenny Richardson Jenny RichardsonElaine Jenny Farrington Richardson Elaine Farrington KayElaine Jaffrey Farrington Kay Jaffrey Kay Jaffrey

Daventry and Wellingborough Kettering and the South and the East district ContactJenny us RichardsonContact todayElaine Farringtonto us bookContact todayKay Jaffreyyour to us bookfree today your to book free your free Contactand usconfidential Contacttodayand to confidentialus book Contacthome todayand your visit to confidentialus free book home today your visit to bookhomefree your visit free and confidentialand confidential homeand visit confidential home visit home visit Helpline: Helpline: 01604 Helpline: 719193 01604 719193 01604 719193 Helpline: Helpline: 01604 Helpline: 719193 01604 719193 01604 719193 NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire AssociationNorthamptonshire for Association the Blind for Association the Blind www.nab.org.uk for the Blind www.nab.org.uk www.nab.org.uk NorthamptonshireRegistered charity in andNorthamptonshireRegiste Walesr ed(201240) Associationcharity in England andNorthamptonshireRegiste Walesr edfor (201240) charity Association the in England Blind and Wales (201240) for Association the Blind www.nab.org.uk for the Blind www.nab.org.uk www.nab.org.uk

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bulbs to raise the lighting lit and cheerful flat to find Making the future brighter level (and the spirits)! She told that Andy has been learning Social isolation can affect the young as well as the Andy about the computer group new skills at the computer elderly, especially when there is more than one at our local Sight Centre and class and making new friends disability involved. a relaxation class, which Fiona too. could also attend if she wished. Carers have been in touch She was also able to steer with Fiona and are providing Andy in the right direction for her with some much needed applying for a guide dog. support. And Andy’s in the assessment process with the Two months later our Support national Guide Dogs for the Worker visited their brightly Blind Association!

“Andy has been learning new skills If you would like a friendly visit from one of our at the computer class and making local Community Team workers who can give you new friends too.” all the information and support you need, call our Helpline today: 01604 719193.

Andy and Fiona are a married It had been some years since couple in their early thirties. Andy had been in touch with Andy is registered blind NAB, but a simple need for a and has spina bifida which liquid level indicator renewed severely affects his mobility. the contact. Our local He is totally dependent on Community Support Worker paid them a home visit and Fiona, his full time carer. now it seems, things are Their life was centred largely looking up. on their nice, but rather dark and gloomy, ground floor flat Her first suggestion was to with very little social outlet. fit some brighter “daylight” Viewpoint | 14 15 | Viewpoint

and preference is different. Lighting Timely Tips Older energy saving bulbs (the sort that were given out free) Best Buys... often give out a poor quality Those dark days of winter are upon us light and take time to come to Available to purchase once again – time to put the lights on! full power. Newer versions are at our Sight Centres brighter and quick to “warm up” and are available in white, Floor Standing It might sound like an obvious or soft white light as opposed Lamp - £89.99 suggestion, but many people to yellow. 18w energy saving go about on the gloomiest fluorescent lamp, of days without illuminating Blue/white, “daylight with easy twist their homes adequately. Yet simulated” light is especially movement & sturdy for most, visually impaired helpful for darker areas of six wheeled base. people in particular, the better the home such as stair wells Mains operated. the light, the better you see and particularly for focused (and feel too)! lamps which provide greater Portable Lamp clarity and definition when £43.99 Maybe it doesn’t cross your reading or doing close up Portable LED mind to switch the lights tasks. And keep the lights lamp, turns on & on until it gets really dark. on in the rooms you are off when head is Or perhaps it’s the worry of regularly using. It saves the lowered or lifted. running up the electricity bill. eyes from constantly having Mains operated, But maintaining a good light to adjust from light to dark, lightweight, white. level can help you achieve and vice versa. more and reduce the risk of trips and falls. Daylight Energy NAB’s Community Saving Bulbs So make sure your overhead Support Team can from £5 light bulbs are as good – advise on the lighting Available in and comfortable for you – bayonet or in your home and help as they can be. There are screw fittings, no hard and fast rules as with any queries. offering greater everyone’s light tolerance illumination. Viewpoint | 16 17 | Viewpoint

British Empire Medal Volunteer for NAB Volunteer Awards

Congratulations to Brian Stone, a long-serving volunteer Our Volunteers make such a big difference to for NAB, who was awarded the British Empire Medal for the lives of hundreds of “services to the community in Northampton” in the New blind and partially sighted Year’s Honours List. people living across the county. Without them Brian (77) joined NAB in 1993 Brian and his wife Hilary many would face social as a volunteer for the talking (pictured right) have been isolation and difficulties newspaper. He became a church visitors for more than in living independently. home visitor, a role which 30 years, originally for Mount At our AGM in October we continued and expanded Pleasant and now Milton Malsor presented special awards over many years. For the Baptist Church. And as a to some of our many long- past four years he helped Friend of Northampton General serving volunteers across the join visually impaired people Hospital, Brian drove the buggy county, in recognition of their to national talking book up and down the corridors and dedication and generosity. services on behalf of NAB and is now a ward visitor. The badges were presented by David Laing, Lord Lieutenant Northamptonshire Libraries. Brian will be presented of Northamptonshire and NAB’s President. NAB was not the only with his medal by the Brian Stone, a long- recipient of Brian’s generosity. Lord Lieutenant of serving volunteer for Awards were presented for His volunteering “career” Northamptonshire 5, 10 and 20+ years service. began as a teenager with David Laing and attend NAB, awarded the Presentations were also the local St John Ambulance, a Royal Garden Party British Empire Medal in made at subsequent club serving 30 years, and he also at Buckingham New Year’s Honours List and branch meetings for drove the Fire Victim Support Palace later in those who couldn’t attend. Unit for the British Red Cross. the year. Viewpoint | 18 19 | Viewpoint

Keeping it social... Both meet on the 3rd Monday of the month at 2pm NAB’s Volunteer Branches and Social Groups have meets at Moor Field, been a backbone of our countywide services for many, Buckingham Way. many years. In this, and following issues of Viewpoint, Contact: we will be highlighting the work of the loyal and often Mrs Bridget Harrhy: Tel: 01327 350573 longserving volunteers at our Branches in Kettering, will be meeting during March , , Towcester and Brackley, along 2016 at the Methodist Church Hall on the with our Social Groups in Corby, , corner of High Street and Hill Street. Northampton and Wellingborough who get Contact: together to run social activities and outings, fundraise David Johnson: Tel. 01280 702361. and maintain vital links with other NAB services.

Towcester Branch, which you can always be sure of Of the current volunteers, meets at Moor Field, an appetising teatime treat, three have served for over Buckingham Way, set up its including the volunteers’ 10 years and three for over monthly social club 35 years renowned homemade cakes five. This year it will be ago. Three of its founder and scones! moving its meetings from members John Giddings, Brackley Branch is even the Town Hall (which is due John Basford and Christine older, established in January for refurbishment) to the Braithwaite, are still helping 1958 by a large committee of Methodist church hall nearby. out today! Two volunteer prominent local townspeople. VIEWPOINT can reveal colleagues, Sheila Twemlow Nowadays under the 13 and Bridget Harrhy have also year chairmanship of David that apart from being busy served for over 20 years. Johnson (a former optician chairmen Bridget and David in the town) it holds monthly have something else in Bridget, who took over as social meetings and outings common – they have both Chairman in 2009, heads up and takes gifts to housebound become octogenarians. Not a very friendly club where VIPs at Christmas. that you’d ever know it! Viewpoint | 20 21 | Viewpoint Comic Writing Competition Less taxing! for the Blind and the Visually Impaired If you are a tax payer and registered severely Comics Empower, an online comic book store for the sight impaired/blind (S.S.I), you could be blind, is holding a writing competition. It’s looking for blind or visually impaired comic book writers. paying too much tax! Our Community Support Workers have come across a The site (www. number of people in recent months who were unaware of ComicsEmpower.com) their entitlement to the Blind Person’s Allowance – an extra translates comic books to amount of tax-free allowance which is added to your yearly audio form. And now that Personal Tax Allowance. you can listen to comic books, there’s no reason you This allowance currently taken out of the tax bracket can’t write them too! stands at £2,290 for the altogether as a result. 2015-2016 tax year. In another case, the The prizes: Winners will get allowance was transferred to their comic books published If your spouse (or civil partner) the husband and the outcome at Comics Empower. Plus, they is also registered S.S.I, then of their back-claim amounted retain all the rights to their both of you can claim it. If to around £2,500! comic books, including the you don’t pay tax or don’t earn enough to use all of your movie rights. The competition allowance, you can transfer ends on March 6th. To enquire or claim, the Blind Person’s Allowance to contact HM Revenue & The website gives full your spouse (or civil partner). Customs (HMRC) help in explaining how to You are eligible from the date Tel: 0300 200 3301 write a comic book with a of your registration. Claims Mon - Fri 8am to 8pm free First Timer’s Ultimate can be back-dated for up to Sat 8am to 4pm. Guide to Comics, explaining four years terminology. Plus, there are Or claim on-line through weekly writing tips. One elderly VIP we helped the HMRC website at to claim received more www.gov.uk Why not have a try! than £300 rebate and was Viewpoint | 22 23 | Viewpoint

Visit our Mobile Sight Centre in a town near you* February March April May Northampton Abington Street 9:30am - 1pm 12th / 26th 11th 8th / 22nd 13th / 27th Close to Central Library Friday Northampton St Crispin 2pm - 3:30pm 10th 11th Retirement Village, Duston Wednesday

area Brixworth 11:30am-12:45pm 23rd Outside Library, Spratton Rd Wednesday

Moulton Village Autos 1:30pm-2:30pm rd Northampton Northampton 23 Stocks Hill Wednesday Brackley Town Centre 10am-12:30pm 2nd 6th 4th Piazza, outside Town Hall Wednesday Towcester 1:30pm-3:30pm 2nd 6th 4th Waitrose car park, Water Lane Wednesday Daventry Town Centre 10am-1pm 10th / 17th 9th / 16th 13th / 20th 11th / 18th Near Shopmobility, New St Wednesday Long Buckby 2pm-3pm South & West th

Northants area 13 GP Surgery, Station Road Wednesday 10am-12pm 27th Burton Latimer Library, High St Wednesday Corby Town Centre 10am-1pm 19th 18th 15th 20th Close to Corby Cube, George St Friday Desborough Town Centre 9:45am-11am 23rd Co-op car park, Gladstone St Wednesday

Oundle Town Centre 10am-1pm th & Oundle Area 17 Kettering, CorbyKettering, Co-op car park, St Osyths Lane Thursday 1:45pm - 3pm 11th 12th Co-op car park, High St Thursday Irchester 1:30pm-2:30pm 5th Irchester Working Mens Club Thursday Town Centre 12:30pm - 2pm 27th The Square car park, off High St Wednesday Rushden Town Centre 10:30am-12:30pm 5th ExtraCare Imperial Court, Duck St Thursday Rushden Area Wellingborough Town Centre 10am-1pm Wellingborough & 11th / 25th 10th / 24th 14th / 28th 12th / 26th Pedestrian Area,opposite Hind Hotel Thursday Local to You - Social and Support Groups

Swan Gardens, 2pm - 4pm Corby Gainsborough Rd 4th Tues of month Greenhill Court, 11am -3pm Long Buckby Park Rd 3rd Thurs of month Delapre Northampton 12:45pm -3:30pm Community Luncheon 3rd Tues of month Centre, Alton St Northampton The Trumpet Pub, 12pm -3pm Pub Lunch Wellingborough Rd 1st Tues of month Knights Court, 1:30pm – 3:30pm Wellingborough Gold St. 3rd Thurs of month 2pm – 4pm on Mon: Daventry Sight The Abbey Centre, 22nd Feb, 25th Apr Support Group Market Square 22nd Aug, 24th Oct 10:15am – 11:45am Kettering Sight Kettering Sight Mon: 8th Feb, Centre, 22 Support Group 9th May, 8th Aug, Wadcroft 14th Nov

Donate now: * In adverse weather conditions Text the Mobile Sight Centre may ISEE15 £2 not be at listed locations. Call to 70070 helpline to check on the day.

Contact us: Helpline: 01604 719193 NAB, 37 Harborough Road Email: [email protected] Northampton, NN2 7BB Website: www.nab.org.uk Viewpoint is published by the www.bit.ly/facebookNAB Northamptonshire Association for the Blind, a registered @nab_northants charity: 201240