Your local charity supporting blind & partially sighted people ISSUE 40 OCT/NOV 2015 Editor: Jo Wood Bournemouth Blind Society supports AFC Bournemouth The town has been gripped with ‘football fever’ over the past few months as we have excitedly celebrated AFC Bournemouth’s promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history. If anyone believes blind or visually impaired people can’t still passionately support football teams, they would be very wrong! Here at Bournemouth Blind Society we have many Cherries fans who have been delighted with their team’s progress and wish to share their AFCB stories with you. (Read more on pages 5-8) Arts & Crafts paintings, drawings, quilting, pottery, sewing and knitting. Many people are surprised when we discuss our Arts & Crafts activities, wondering how blind or visually impaired people create artistic work. Group patchwork quilting Member Brian explains, ‘I thought my days of painting were finished when I went blind but my son told me they do Arts & Crafts here and to give it a try. I can’t see to get the colours, it’s just guesswork or from memory! I wish they did the class every week - everyone who works here is so lovely.’ Member Freda adds, ‘it’s a lovely class, we are all happy doing it. We do all have poor Future Arts & Crafts sessions: eyesight and mine is almost Monday 12th October totally gone, but I enjoy Monday 16th November coming and they tell me my Monday 30th November paintings are rather good!’ Come & join us! Over the past year our group Thank you Jackie, Celia and have proudly produced some Margaret for all your support, wonderful projects, including inspiration and enthusiasm! 2 Assistive Technology Dorset Dolphins Following the success of the two previous courses held here, Yvonne Brooks from Action for Blind People will be offering a new 6 week course starting on As the Dorset Dolphins V.I Tuesday 10th November, with Cricket team near the end of both morning and afternoon their second competitive sessions available. season, Bournemouth Blind 3-4 people attend each Society again provided their session. minibus and driver for the T10 One-to-one tuition with a mini tournament at Leicester volunteer is given, plus University over the weekend of support from a specialist. 11-13th September. One-off sessions can also be Captain Steve Bailey explains, arranged. ‘it was a competition between two groups of Northern and Assistive Technology helps Southern sides in 10-over people communicate by either games. Awards were then voice or magnification on their presented, such as for best computer, tablet or mobile newcomer and best totally phone. blind player. Please call 01722 345440 for I am really proud of the way further details or e-mail: the players have performed as yvonne.brooks@actionfor a team this season, they have blindpeople.org.uk always been willing to go to training and confidence has Yvonne says, ‘come and learn been raised, together with what you want to learn at your performance levels and team own pace and in a relaxed and spirit. The team have been informal atmosphere and really amazing! We now look environment.’ forward to next season.’ 3 In the Community Tuesday Drop in Cafe We had an Information stand Cooked breakfasts are served at the Bournemouth Lions Club on Tuesdays from 10.30- ‘Healthy Happy Living’ event at 12.30. Roast lunches can be Bournemouth School for Girls booked for the last Tuesday of on Saturday 19th September. each month. Minibus transport can be arranged. Come along Philip is giving presentations to to join this friendly group, the RNIB volunteers in Dorset make some new friends, have on 3rd October and to the fun and a good chat! Trefoil Choir in Bournemouth on 10th November. Walking Group Unfortunately our August walk If you know any group who to the New Forest was would like a presentation about cancelled due to wet weather visual impairment and our but we enjoyed our last outing work, please contact Philip on of the season to Christchurch 01202 546644 or e-mail: Quay in September. philip.tarrant@bournemouth blindsociety.uk Hearing Club Our Hearing Club will meet on Wednesdays 14th October and 11th November (10.30- 12.00) Optional activities can be arranged. Chiropody We now look forward to further Chiropody appointments can walks next year. be booked for Wednesday If you have any ideas for 14th October and/or 25th venues or know anyone who November (£16). Transport is would like to join us or available for £4. volunteer to ‘guide’ on the Please phone 01202 546644 walks, we will start walking to book your appointment. again next April. 4 AFCB & Bournemouth Blind Society Redknapp was our Manager. They told me I would have to wear a big furry suit. I was up for it as I’d already done some promotional stuff as ‘Eddie Echo’ when I was a driver for them. It was great fun, I went out before the match and at half time. Nowadays mascots go out and dance around but in those days we weren’t Ernie Batson, age 62, (left in allowed on the pitch, we just photo above) only has 4% walked along the bottom end sight in his right eye and an of the Main Stand to the South acrylic left eye. He’s supported End, saying hello and shaking the Cherries for over 46 years hands with the kids. I did it for and also worked for the Club. around 4 or 5 seasons, only at He believes he was the first home games but I did go to ‘Cherry Bear’ mascot. Ernie Highbury for a Junior Cherries was a steward at Dean Court Cup and there were other for over 19 years, looking after mascots there - the Arsenal crowds at the Brighton Beach Alligator, Southampton Dog End and in the Family Stand. and Millwall Lion. I fell over on He explains, ‘I became a the pitch, the ball hit me on the steward as I wanted to do head and went in the goal! something for the club as well I was a steward when Leeds as support it. When I first came down on that fateful became a steward I remember Bank Holiday, we all had to a Head Policeman laughing at stick together and cover each me and I said, “well, it’s better other’s backs!’ to have the rogue you know Ernie’s favourite player was than the rogue you don’t!” And Tony Nelson, who taught him my knowledge of being a fan to play football at East Howe helped me to do the job! They school in the 60’s. Ernie was a asked me to be Cherry Bear disabled ticket holder until he in the early 80’s, when Harry became too ill to attend. He 5. now watches the Cherries Dave sits with the wheelchair on his 60” TV. ‘It used to spectators near to the be diabolical to follow a match goalmouth. He says, ‘I can’t when they played with an all see loads but I can tell what’s white ball as you missed it going on by following the when it was kicked up against crowd noise. The Club is great the light or sun, it’s so much with fans with disabilities, I just easier to follow a coloured or find it a little annoying when yellow ball. some people walk past us As an Arsenal fan I used to go wheelchair users but it’s a to Highbury and listen to the great atmosphere amongst us, match on headphones. The we’re always singing “Red only problem is that you get a Army” and “Eddie Howe’s delayed reaction, my carer Barmy Army”. We really do would be laughing and telling have such a great crowd!’ me to sit down as the team had John Garard (photographed scored 20 seconds before I on front cover) is 45 and both started cheering!’ visually and hearing impaired. Dave Blown, 62 (right in John doesn’t allow his photo) has had sight problems disabilities to stop him being since age 16. He explains, one of AFCB’s more vocal ‘I’ve had 7 strokes, each time fans! He says, ‘I’ve got half my sight gets a little worse. I sight with tunnel vision so it’s can’t see at the sides or up and best when I sit at the back of down, so when the goalie the North Stand; I find it harder kicks the ball out, I can’t see and miss things if I am closer where it’s gone!’ to the pitch. Dave has supported AFC since I’ve been a fan since I was 1976 when he moved here. little. My first game was when He’s been a disabled season Dave Webb was Manager, we ticket holder for the past 3 beat Oxford United 2-1. I’ve years and says ‘I think I’m the seen many lower league lucky mascot as we’ve had all matches over the years - I was these promotions since I have the only boy at Exeter Royal been going! I always believed Deaf School to support AFC in my heart of hearts that we’d and took quite a lot of stick for get to the Premier League, it! I’ve waited my whole life we’ll definitely stay there!’ always believing we’d one 6 day play in the highest league, my friends who joked about it are the embarrassed ones now! I’ve seen some great games - I was there in ‘84 when we beat Man Utd 2-0 in the 3rd round of the cup.