Tuesday 18th February

The Swimming Group are swimming at the Waterside Pool in Ryde from 8.00pm till 8.45pm. The pool is closed to the public whilst the group swims. There are male and female volunteers to help you get in and out of the pool as well as Lifeguards to ensure your safety. To join the Swimming Group, please call Sight for Wight first to notify us of your swimming ability. You need to register with the office at Millbrooke House first to be able to swim with the group.

Wednesday 19th February

The weekly coffee morning will be held at Millbrooke House from 10.00am till 11.30am.
There will also be our Low Vision drop in between 10.00 am and 11.30am. This is a weekly event to allow you to view and try the Low Vision equipment we have at Sight for Wight without the need for an appointment.

We will be swimming at the Special Care Session held at West Wight Sports Centre in Freshwater. The session runs from 12 noon till 1.00pm. The cost to swim is £4.20. Minibus transport may be available depending on location for as suggested donation of £2.00. If you are interested in joining the group then please contact the charity as we will need to ask some questions about your swimming ability, general health, and mobility and next of kin details.

Thursday 20th February

There will be a coffee morning at The Old Smithy Coffee Shop in Godshill between 10.30am and 11.45am. Our coffee mornings are run by staff and volunteers from Sight for Wight and are open to all. Refreshments including delicious fresh cakes are available to purchase direct from the coffee shop.
The Thursday Social Group are meeting at Millbrooke House. The group meets from 10.30am till 2.00pm. Most Thursdays with the help of volunteers, the group enjoy a number of activities, crosswords, catching up on news and trivia, knitting and crochet. They are currently making pompoms for the rug. This very friendly, mixed group also love to chat and enjoy lunch together. Later in the afternoon volunteers come in and read to the group on different topics. If you would like to join the group then please contact the Charity on 52220

Any Other News

Southern Vectis visit – on March 11th Richard Tyldsley who is general manager at Southern Vectis will be joining us at the Wednesday Coffee Morning at Millbrooke House to speak to us about the Southern Vectis service and to answer any questions members may have. This will be from 10am. For further details please contact the charity on 522205 or email members@iwsb.org.uk

Touch Tours
Jo Bressloff is a freelance artist educator who is very passionate about making arts and heritage venues accessible for everyone. She organises Touch Tours which are friendly and informal opportunities for visually impaired people to have a ‘hands on’ experience, whenever possible, of some of the arts and heritage exhibitions and collections in both Southampton and Portsmouth. There will be a Touch Tour at Southampton City Art Gallery on Friday 28th February 2020 from 10.30am-12.30pm.These events are both free but places do need to be booked. To book a place call Jo Bressloff on 07443224341

Pre-owned equipment for sale
We have been asked to advertise on behalf of a member a pre-loved BraillePen 12 Touch. This is a Bluetooth Braille keyboard with Braille display designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision. This keyboard connects to a phone, netbook, PC or tablet. It allows the user to navigate an external device with a joystick, write SMS, browse the Internet, complete 6-key entry into a Braille translator or simply type. The user can also switch between 6-dot and 8-dot Braille entries. The asking price is £100. If you are interested in purchasing this item or require more information, please call 01983 522205 and ask for Laura.

RNIB Living with Sight Loss Course- Have you or a family member been diagnosed with sight loss? Share experiences with others in similar situations and find out about services available to you. These free informal, community –based courses provide information, advice, support and practical solutions for people with sight loss and those close to them, helping them to adjust to a sight loss condition, increase independence and boost confidence.
This course will be running on Thursday 20th February, 10am -3pm at Falcon Cross Hall, Shanklin. PO37 7LA
To book your place please call the RNIB on 0300 123 3933 or email at lwslenquiries@rnib.org.uk
More information can be found at www.rnib.org.uk/livingwithsightloss

Accessible Activities and Services Day will be held at West Wight Sports and Community Centre on Saturday March 14th, 10.30am – 3.30pm. All welcome, admission free of charge. For further details phone 01983 752168 or email info@westwight.org.uk

This weeks In Touch:
In Touch
As the government consults on the use of e-scooters on roads, Christiane Möller of the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV) tells us about the impact the vehicles have had on blind people in her country. And Adam Solan, a teenager who has already struggled with abandoned bikes for hire in Oxford, gives us his perspective.
And Valentine’s Day is nearly here. But what are the challenges of being a blind bride? Sassy Wyatt is a blogger and she’s agreed to keep us about how she is preparing for the big day…
It won’t be long until we know exactly who will represent Great Britain in the Paralympics. And we’re taking a closer look at some of the runners and riders. But Nicola Naylor won’t be travelling at speed. She talks to Fern Lulham about the exacting skill of dressage.
Presented by Peter White
Produced by Kevin Core

You can listen to this week’s In Touch by clicking HERE