Tuesday 18th June
Laura will be at the Our Place Community Drop in session at the West Wight Community Centre in Moa Place, Freshwater. Come along to say hello between 10am and 11.30am and enjoy a free cup of tea or coffee.
The swimming group are swimming at the Waterside Pool in Ryde from 8pm to 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 June
The weekly coffee morning will be held at Millbrooke House this week from 10.30am.
There will also be our Low Vision drop in between 10.00am and 12 noon. This is a weekly event to allow you to view and try the low vision equipment we have at Millbrooke House 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 12noon till 1.00pm. The cost to swim is £4.20. Minibus transport may be available depending on location and costs £2.00. If you are interested in joining the group then we will need to ask some questions about your swimming ability, general health, mobility and next of kin details. Numbers are restricted for this session so please register your interest early.
Thursday 20th June
The Thursday Social Group are meeting at Millbrooke House. The group meets from 10.30am till 2.00pm. You can knit or just have a chat, then later in the afternoon volunteers come in and read to the group from different topics. If you would like to join the group then please contact us on 522205.
Any Other News
RNIB invites you to: Come and Connect
The RNIB would like to hear your feedback and update you with what is going on in the community, so you are invited to come and Connect with RNIB, other local support and, most importantly, each other!
Dates and locations for the scheduled events on the Isle of Wight are:-
Friday 12 July 2019, 10am to 1pm, at the Hunnyhill Room, The Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport, PO30 2QR
Friday 2 August 2019, 10am to 1pm, at The Falcon Cross Hall, 6-8 Falcon Cross Rd, Shanklin, PO37 7LA
The schedule for each day is:
10.00am – Free time to grab some refreshments and speak with local support and others affected by sight loss.
10.45am – Organised talks to update you on changes in RNIB, information about RNIB Connect and a chance to feedback.
12.15pm – More free time for refreshments, a chance to collect information, meet local representatives and speak with others affected by sight loss.
If you’d like to join the RNIB at an event, please RSVP by contacting the Community Facilitator, Hazel Cross. Her email is hazel.cross@rnib.org.uk or you can phone 07525 923093.
Freshwater Listening Group meets on the last Tuesday of each month in Freshwater Library at 11am. The Group is for people with sight problems or other disabilities who find it difficult to read print. Each month we listen to an audio book supplied by Calibre Audio Library and meet to discuss the book. It is a friendly group with coffee and biscuits.
The next meeting is 25th June, 11am. Copies of “The Crow Trap” by Ann Cleeves, from Calibre, are available on disc or memory stick in Freshwater Library now.
Open Sight Hampshire are hosting the Eye Contact Exhibition on Wednesday 29th September 2019 between 10.00am and 5.00pm at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. It is Hampshire’s biggest free exhibition which brings together the latest equipment and services available to those with, or at risk of, sight loss.
For more information, please call 02380 641244 or visit their website www.opensight.org.uk
We have been informed of changes to some bus routes on the Island by Southern Vectis due to the Isle of Wight Festival.
The number 39 bus route through Mayfield Drive in Newport, changes with effect from 10.00am Wednesday 12th June until 4.00pm Monday 17th June. The route will divert Fairmount Drive, right into Cook Avenue, left into Atkinson Drive, left into Halberry Lane, back into Cross Lane and along Staplers and right into Furrlongs to continue normal route.
The number 5 route, Fairlee Road, Newport. From 11.00am on Wednesday 12th June until 4.00pm on Monday 17th June. During the Festival, Fairlee Road will become one way towards Newport only. Route 5 towards East Cowes will operate through Staplers and Wootton to reach Whippingham. Buses departing East Cowes and heading to Newport are not affected by this diversion. However, buses will not stop at Whitehouses (Island Harbour) or the Old Police Station.
Additionally, Upton Road in Ryde will be closed between 6.00am and 6.00pm on Monday 17th, Tuesday 18th, Wednesday 19th, Thursday 20th and Friday 21st June. Route 37 buses will instead divert from Ashey Road towards Smallbrook, then into Carter Road before continuing normal route at Upton Cross. Temporary stops will be in place on Ashey Road (near to the pedestrian crossing) and on Carter Road (close to Upton Cross).
Route 1 will be unable to serve Cowes Red Jet Terminal from 8.00pm on Sunday 16th June until 5.00pm on Monday 17th June. Whilst this closure is in place, route 1 will start and terminate at Cowes Carvel Lane by Marks and Spencer.
For up to date information regarding exact dates and times of road closures, please contact Island Roads on 822440.
This weeks In Touch:
Blind Prisoners Compensated for Discrimination
Blind and visually impaired prisoners in the US state of Maryland have been awarded $1.4 million by the correctional service for discrimination. They successfully claimed they were not given access to information, jobs and courses to give them equality within the prison or during rehabilitation.
Eve Hill, representing the group, says some have had to pay for sighted guide assistance, and others to perform sex acts to have information read to them.
Tyrell lost his sight through a gunshot wound and says life was lonely and tough for him as a visually impaired prisoner.
Benjamin Burrows, from Leigh Day solicitors, says he has represented visually impaired people in a number of cases here in the UK, and the picture is similar.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Lee Kumutat
