Tuesday 4th February
The Strollers will be meeting for a stroll in Ryde. They will meet for coffee at Bartletts Farm Cafe at approximately 10.45am. After the stroll, lunch will be at Appley Manor 12.15 pm. Please contact Laura on 522205 or email members@iwsb.org.uk if you would like to join the Strollers Group.
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 5th 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. On the first Wednesday of each month we are joined by representatives from the Macular Society
We will be attending the Independent Arts SingAbout session at St Marks Church Hall, Wootton. The session runs from 2.00pm till 4.00pm. It is free to attend and refreshments are provided. However, voluntary donations to Independent Arts are appreciated. Minibus transport may be available depending on location and costs £2.00. If you would like to join the SingAbout group then please call the Charity on 522205
Thursday 6th February
Laura will be at the 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
Stakeholder Consultation Meeting
Tuesday 11th February 10am -1.00pm. All members will have received a letter of invitation about this before Christmas. For practical reasons the total number of participants for this meeting is limited to 40, so if you would like to attend please let us know by 4th February. If the event is oversubscribed the names will be drawn from a hat. If you are unable to attend but would like to make any suggestions or observations for consideration please contact us by February 4th. For those wishing to contribute by telephone, Sue Young our Member Services Assistant will be manning the phones for this purpose on Tuesday 4th February from 9.30am -3.00pm. We look forward to hearing from you.
February Strollers
Please note that the date for the February Strollers has changed from the 11th February to the 4th February. If you wish to join the strollers group, please contact the charity.
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 Touch Tours at Gods House Tower Arts and Heritage Venue on Thursday 6th February 2020 from 10.30am-12.30pm, and 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
Our trustee Ruth Hollingshead will be attending the touch tour on the 6th February with her guide dog Flora, and is happy to arrange to meet at the Red Jet terminal in Cowes and walk to the venue, provided you can bring your own sighted guide or are independently mobile. To contact Ruth please leave your details with Laura on 522205. Please be aware that Sight for Wight is not organising this event, and therefore no sighted guide support will be provided.
Macular Society Meeting in Southampton – The Macular Society holds a meeting for working age people who are living with a macular condition in the local area and our nearest one is in Southampton. The group meets at the Standing Order pub in Southampton, and the next get together is on Saturday 15th February from 11am to 1pm. Our Trustee, Ruth, will be travelling over with her guide dog via the red jet and walking up to the venue, which is about a 10 minute walk. If anyone would like to join her then please leave your details with Laura on 522205 and she will then get in touch to arrange a time to meet at the red jet terminal in Cowes. Please be aware that Sight for Wight is not organising this event, and therefore no sighted guide support will be provided.
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 `13th February and 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
Donations – if you have any unwanted gifts, Sight for Wight would be pleased to receive anything in new condition and suitable for raffle or tombola prizes.
February Newsletter- you can hear a recording of our latest Newsletter later in the programme.
This weeks In Touch:
(Note for readers, the word Sjorgren’s is pronounced Showgrens)
Sjogren’s Syndrome and Blind Surfing
A call has gone out for more male blood donors. It turns out that male blood is crucial for the eye drops needed to control a rare eye condition. Sjogren’s Syndrome is an auto-immune disease which can have several effects including aggravating already dry eyes. We’ll hear from someone with Sjogren’s Syndrome and an expert on the condition.
And we meet Melissa Reid – a gold medal winning triathlete who now has become a champion surfer too.
Presenter: Peter White.
Producer: Mike Young.
You can listen to the programme HERE
