Archive 2008/2009
- Inverclyde Tribute Flower Bed
- Can you help - Shared Streets Survey
- Home Money Box scheme
- Go Project - Summer Activities and Autumn Class Programme
- Corporate Spy Hunt Challenge 2009
- New Flower Bed welcomed with a special picnic
- Report on Successful Outcomes of New View Training Published
- Visibility Nominated for National Award
- Visibility receives donation from Hospital Saturday Fund
- Patient Support, highly successful service extends to further hospitals
- Awareness Raising Talks
- Civic Reception
- Happy Birthday to Us!
- Thistle and Clover Cycle Challenge
- London to Paris Cycle
- Alan Bennett at Aye Write
- Our Spring Newsletter
- Echolocation: Helping children move towards independence
- Visual Impairment Awareness Training – New dates announced.
- Sealladh - Report marks end of first successful year
- Souvenir Review
- Fundraising Challenges
- The Annual Report
- Visible Communities – Information sessions
- Visible Communities: Information sessions and free visual impairment awareness training
- EasyFundraising - help us when shopping online
- Charity Flowers
- Review of Community Eye Care Adult Services in Ayrshire and Arran
- Go - Spring Programme
- Everyclick -help us by surfing the internet
- Our Winter Newsletter
- Information Event, Clydebank Town Hall
- Corporate Challenge 2008
- Vision 2008
- Go Walks
- Go! Gets out and about
- Sealladh
- First Bus Drivers' Fundraising Walk
- Go! Project – Volunteer Recruitment
- News Archive 2004
- News Archive 2005
- News Archive 2006
- News Archive 2007
- News Archive 2010
Port Glasgow Tribute Flower Bed
Inverclyde Council has created a tribute flower bed in honour of Visibility’s 150th Birthday. The display is located by the War Memorial in Port Glasgow and will remain there all summer, so do pop along to see it if you are in the area.
Can you help - Shared Streets Survey
TNS, an Independent Social Research Company, is looking for blind and partially-sighted people to give their views and experiences of shared surface streets and cycle paths. It will involve a 20 minute interview over the telephone at a time convenient to you. The survey is being commisioned in conjuction with Guide Dogs for the Blind's "Say No to Shared Surfaces" Campaign. (http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/sharedstreets/ )
So if you get out and about independently and are happy to give them your views, please email mobilitysurvey@tns-online.com with:
your name;
landline phone number;
whether you live in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland;
and when is a good time for us to give you a call.
A TNS interviewer will then telephone you to arrange a time to interview you in July or August. If you are unable to email, please leave them a voicemail message with the same details on (020) 7160 5619.
Home Money Box scheme
At Visibility we are always looking for new ways for people to support us and, because we know just what a difference every single penny you give makes to the lives of the people we work with, we are launching our Home Money Box scheme.
By saving your loose change in one of our small home money boxes you really can make a huge difference. It may not seem much but it’s amazing how quickly your box will fill up and, with lots of people saving small amounts, it soon mounts up!
People have come up with all kinds of ways to fill up their boxes, some people save certain coins with 5p coins a particular favourite, other people use them as swear boxes or even telephone cost boxes for teenagers who make lots of phone calls!
We rely on donations to provide many of our services, every penny really does count! If you have room for a small money box in your home or office please give us a ring on 0141 332 4632 or email info@visibility.org.uk.
Go Project - Summer Activities and Autumn Class Programme
The Go! project have introduced a new weekday class programme for after the summer break. All classes will run for twelve weeks. If you are unable to attend our weekly classes, there is an additional guitar class which runs on Sunday afternoons and Go Active evening and weekend events which cover walks and social activities to complement this programme.
If you wish to join any of the classes, please call the Visibility office on 0141 332 4632 to register your interest.
If you wish to find out more information on any of the classes or events, please get in touch with a member of the Go! team on 0141 332 4632.
Corporate Spy Hunt Challenge 2009
Visibility’s 150th birthday challenge took place on Thursday 18th June. Seven teams met for a meal before their mission started. After an exciting evening of spy activities and initiatives the winners were a team from the North Lanarkshire Low Vision Project. The money raised was a fantastic £3075 and Visibility would like to say a big thank you to all who took part.
New Flower Bed welcomed with a special picnic
Glasgow City Council Parks Department recently installed a specially designed flower bed to mark our 150th year. On Friday 19th June a group of children with visual impairments came along to Kings park, to take part in activities and enjoy a birthday picnic along with a magnificent 150th birthday cake donated by Greggs the Bakers. - read more about this event and see the wonderrful pictures on our 150th Events Page.
Report on Successful Outcomes of New View Training Published
Visibility's New View programme teaches people to read using eccentric reading and records consistently high levels of participant satisfaction and improved reading ability. Over 300 people have now completed this innovative training and data collected from participants has been analysed and brought together in an indepth and informative research report. The report gives an overveiw of the project and details qualitative evidence that the long term benefits felt by participants are not limited to increased reading speed or the ability to read smaller print, but that the restoration of hope, lost skills and confidence encourages independence and makes a real and positive difference to their lives.
Visibility Nominated for National Award
Visibility has been nominated for a major national prize at The Charity Awards 2009, the UK charity sector’s most prestigious award scheme which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Chosen from a long list of entries, Visibility has been shortlisted in the Disability category. The Charity Award judges recognised Visibility for introducing the eccentric reading technique to Scotland – a pioneering technique which allows people suffering from impaired central vision to read again and, in doing so, helps them to live more enjoyable, independent lives.
David Logan and Valerie Breck will attend the star-studded awards ceremony in London on 11th June hosted by the BBC’s Jeremy Vine and attended by celebrities including Emma Forbes, Hermione Norris, Ken Livingstone, Mel Geidroyc, Richard Wilson and Lauren Laverne
The annual Charity Awards ceremony, sponsored by the Charities Aid Foundation, The Leadership Trust and The Times, is the most high-profile event in the charity calendar. Since launching ten years ago, the awards have honoured hundreds of charities, large and small, from across the UK , acknowledging their outstanding work and achievements and the tireless commitment of the people behind them. The charities are selected for specific initiatives which have improved the delivery of their charitable objectives and which demonstrate an outstanding example of innovation and best practice from which other charities can learn.
The distinguished panel of judges includes John Low, chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, Maeve Sherlock OBE, former chief executive of the Refugee Council,Dame Jo Williams, former chief executive of Mencap, Paul Winter, chief executive of The Leadership Trust, and Venu Dhupa, former arts director of the British Council and patron of the Asha Foundation and the Minorities of Europe.
Visibility receives donation from Hospital Saturday Fund
Visibility was one of 24 Scottish-based causes to receive a donation from the Hospital Saturday Fund at an event at Glasgow’s City Chambers on 24 February 2009. Chief Executive Officer, Fiona Sandford, took to the stage to accept the £1000 donation.
Popular television presenter Carol Smillie also accepted a donation on behalf of Yorkhill Children’s Foundation. She spoke of her delight at supporting the event, where £32,000 was donated to 24 Scotland-based medical charities, hospices and hospitals.
The Hospital Saturday Fund is a registered charity, with HSF health plan as the trading subsidiary. It is celebrating 60 years of operating in Scotland this year,
Chief Executive of the Hospital Saturday Fund, Keith Bradley, says: “We’re delighted to put money back into the communities around Scotland that have given HSF health plan their support over the last 60 years.”
Patient Support, highly successful service extends to further hospitals
The Patient support service at Gartnavel hospital has been running now for over six years, and the service has very much become an integral part of the Eye Department.
In addition to offering advice and support to patients and their families, the patient support workers are often called upon to meet with student nurses and other hospital staff to give an overview of the importance of referring to the service and the value that this has for patients. The fact that this is encouraged and put in place by the Consultants is a real testament to the value the Eye Department places on the service.
The service has been extended to include Glasgow Royal Infirmary Eye department on either a Tuesday or Thursday each week and the workers will also be visiting Inverclyde Hospital on April 30th to offer an information stand /open day.
Please contact Celia Traynoror Heather Campbell on 0141 211 6753 for further information on the service and its operating times.
Awareness raising talks
It may be Visibility’s best kept secret that we have a team of dedicated volunteer speakers who deliver short talks about Visibility’s services free of charge. It is a great way of spreading the word and reaching people who may otherwise never know about services available to visually impaired people.
On average the team delivers between 20 and 30 talks every year to a wide variety of organisations, ranging from Church groups to Rotary clubs, voluntary organisations, colleges, charities, etc. The feedback we receive is always very positive if you are aware of any group or organisations, who may be interested please contact Andrea Vanlanschooton 0141 332 4632.
Civic Reception
On Friday 20th March Bailie George Matheson welcomed 180 Visibility staff and guests to the City Chambers in Glasgow, for a Civic Dinner in celebration of our 150th year.
The Para Olympian cyclist Aileen McGlynn was our guest of honour and she brought along her two gold medals from Beijing for us all to admire. We were also delighted that Ann McKechin the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Scotland Office, and Patricia Ferguson, MSP, were able to join us.
Liz Anderton, Chair of Visibility, gave a stirring speech looking back over the charity’s achievements to date and looking forward to our plans and ambitions for the future.
For many guests it was the first time they had been inside the City Chambers and had a chance to experience the magnificent grandeur of the marble staircases, floors and walls and the dazzling banqueting hall with its chandeliers and ornate ceiling. A spectacular setting for a very special evening.
Photos from the evening can be viewed here
Happy Birthday to Us!
2009 is a very exciting year for all of us at Visibility as the charity is celebrating its 150th year.
In 1859 a group of 32 Glaswegians funded the establishment of the ‘Society for Promoting Reading Among the Blind’, with the objective of visiting blind people, reading to them and teaching Braille.
We have changed our name many times since then but our values and pioneering approach remain the same. Our success is largely due to the generosity of our supporters and we continue to depend on the goodwill of our supporters to help transform lives.
Read More of our HistoryRead about the events we have planned to celebrate our 150th year
Read about our 150th Birthday Appeal
Thistle and Clover Cycle Challenge
The Thistle and Clover Cycle Challenge takes in some of Scotland and Ireland ’s most breathtaking scenery, including the two capital cities. Taking place over the weekend of 17th – 20th September, the challenge starts off in Edinburgh and ends in Dublin with an evening celebration and overnight stay. Covering over 200 miles in 3 days, you will never forget the great sense of achievement as you reach the electric atmosphere of the Republic’s capital city. So if you love cycling, good company and beautiful countryside, and want to raise funds to help people living with sight loss, this is the event for you!
For more information please call the Fundraising Team on 0141 332 4632 or visit www.globaladventurechallenges.com.. Numbers are limited and bookings will be on a first come, first served basis so if you are interested get in touch as soon as you can.
London to Paris Cycle
Visibility’s very own Paul McArthur and Kerrie Brown are undertaking a phenomenal cycling challenge on behalf of Visibility in September. The daring duo are raising funds by cycling the 300 km from London to Paris over four days on a tandem. Paul, who is a member of our Community Support Team and Kerrie our counsellor who has been blind since childhood, are both really looking forward to the event and are training hard around the Glasgow area. If you would like to sponsor them online you can do so at http://www.justgiving.com/paulandkerrie/
Alan Bennett at Aye Write
Novelist Alan Bennett appeared at the Aye Write Festival in Glasgow on Friday 6th March 2009 to talk about his life and work to an audience of 400 people. The event, a sell out, was in partnership with Visibility thanks to one of our ex-Board members Ronnie Anderson, who is an old friend of Alan’s.
Prior to taking to the stage, Alan Bennett met some of Visibility’s supporters and friends at a small drinks reception. Among them were Isabel Haddow, Ann Stewart and Chris McCafferty, members of Visibility’s Go! Writers Group. Chris, who is in her seventies and was diagnosed with macular degeneration ten years ago has recently published her first book “When Sings My Soul”. The sequel “In Blossom’s Shade” is expected in 2010.
Representatives from the Bank of Scotland, one of the Aye Write Festival sponsors, also attended the reception and handed over a cheque for £500 in support of Visibility’s work.
Photo gallery for the eventRead about the other events we have planned to celebrate our 150th year
Our Spring Newsletter
Our Spring 2009 newsletter is now available, you can download it from these pages or if you would prefer to receive a copy through the post please contact us on 0141 332 4632 or email info@visibility.org.uk and we will add you to the mailing list. The newsletter is available in Large Print (16 or 22 point), Audio Tape, Braille Formats or as a word or text document on floppy disc or CD or as an Audio CD
Echolocation: Helping children move towards independence
Visibility’s echolocation project has been gaining momentum since its inception just over a year ago. Most of the pilot group of children and young people have completed their training to a standard that their parents, teachers and they themselves are happy with. They can now make the choice to use this skill in every day activities. We have also begun work with some even younger echolocators who range in age from 18 months to 4 years.
The theory behind our work with pre school children is that developing confident self-directed discovery is central to learning, and is one of the most important areas of development in infants and young children. Sighted children are automatically attracted to explore their environment as they will move towards what they can see. Children who are blind can sometimes miss out on this crucial aspect of learning if they are not encouraged to explore beyond what they can immediately reach out and touch. Visibility's project is about much more than teaching the basic principles of echolocation, it also fosters and encourages a sense of enquiry that can only be satisfied through exploration.
Within schools we are continuing to work with children from Knowetop Primary, with whom we began echolocation instruction in 2007. The children at Knowetop are making fantastic progress and are mastering echolocation at a level that will significantly increase their independent travel skills. We have had positive feedback from teachers, parents, and most importantly the children themselves. For more information on echolocation please call Alex Campbell on 0141 332 4632.
Sealladh - Report marks end of first successful year
Our Sealladh project is for ex-service men and women who have acquired a brain injury and may be experiencing visual difficulties as a result. A report on the highly successful first year of this innovative project is now available. If you have any questions about the project, the report or would like a copy of the report in an alternative format please contact our Low Vision Co-ordinatoror telephone 0141 332 4632
Download Sealladh year 1 evaluation - PDF - (931KB)
Souvenir Review 2008
To commemorate our one hundred and fiftieth year of providing services to people affected by sight loss, we have produced a souvenir review which can be downloaded from any of the following links, if you would like to recieve a copy in an alternative format please contact us on 0141 332 4632.
Download text version of Souvenir Review 12KB
Fundraising Challenges
Visibility have teamed up with Global Adventure, a company who offer an enticing range of adventures for thrill-seekers who want to experience the trip of a lifetime and raise funds to support visually impaired people throughout the west of Scotland at the same time. Whether it's driving Huskies through Lapland in Arctic conditions , trekking through Peru in the sweltering jungle or navigating your way across the vast Sahara desert - we can offer something for everyone for the experience of a life time! These expeditions can prove both challenging and life-changing for you and for visually impaired people who will reap the benefits of your efforts. The full programme of challenges is available on our fundraising pages, Please contact the fundraising team on 0141 332 4632 for available dates and further information.
