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Listening and responding to people affected by sight loss in the west of Scotland

News

Winter Newsletter

Our winter 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, Audio CD, Braille or as a word or text document on CD.

Christmas opening times

Our offices and Patient Support Service will be closed from 12pm on Friday 23rd of December and  will re-open at 9am on Wednesday 4th January 2012. Our Supporting People service will operate as usual.  For all urgent eye injuries or problems please contact NHS 24 on 08454 242424 in the first instance.

Personal Shopping with a Vision

Shopping can be arduous for anyone, but according to research, 76 per cent of blind people find it ‘difficult or impossible’. So hats off to Debenhams, who – in consultation with the Royal National Institute of Blind People – has launched a free personal shopper service for blind and visually impaired customers. As of this month, there’ll be at least one specially trained personal shopper in order in each store nationwide. To book, call 0844 561 6161, or visit debenhams.com/store-services, and look under personal shopper.

Are you worried about gas or electricity bills?

The costs of heating your home have risen sharply over recent times.  If you are spending a large amount of your income on heating , you can make heating your home more affordable by:

·                  Improving the energy efficiency of your home

·                  Getting the cheapest gas and electric prices

·                  Maximising your income by ensuring you’re claiming all your entitlements.

Click here for our information sheet 

Mentors Use Their Own Experience of Sight Loss to Help Others

Visibility’s visually impaired mentors actively demonstrate that visual impairment does not mean the end of a career, the end of family life or the end of much loved hobbies and sports. The mentors provide practical information; support and advice which can help people feel more confident and reduce the anguish and distress sometimes experienced with sight loss.

“Although I am still coming to terms with my sight loss, I certainly feel much more positive about my situation and am a lot better at coping with things.  Thank you.”

New Mentor Tony Byrne remembers his own experience: 

“For the first year of my own visual impairment, I went through the full gamut of emotions: fear, isolation, frustration, humiliation, insecurity etc. Then I found Visibility, an organisation that understood completely and showed me how to cope.  The mentoring service can make those first few months a less arduous and frightening time. It is my hope that I can lessen the anguish for someone the way Visibility lessened mine.”

All of the mentors have experienced sight loss and have re-gained life skills and confidence.  Ian Stevenson works full time, has a busy family life and still finds the time to volunteer for Visibility.  He said: 

“I thought this would be a great way to give something back, as it was thanks to Visibility that I was able to get the help and support I needed, when I needed it most.  I look forward to helping people regain their confidence and helping them realise with time that life can carry on.”

Visibility now has 12 volunteer VI Mentors who are trained to provide support to other people with visual impairments.  The service is mainly telephone based and is usually offered for a period of around three months.  To access the mentoring service or if you would like information on becoming a mentor please contact Anne Garry on 0141 332 4632 or email info@visibility.org.uk

Children and Families EventsThe north face explore fund logo

The first of our children’s ski events funded by The North Face, outdoor equipment and clothing specialists, was held at Bearsden Ski Club on Sunday 20th November.  All the children had a fantastic time and many have booked to come again on the 11th December.  The generous funding from The North Face Explore Fund will also enable us to run more of our popular indoor rock climbing sessions in spring.  If you are interested in coming along to any of these events please call on 0141 332 4632

Dumfries and Galloway Goes Visible

Dumfries and Galloway Goes Visible, a visual impairment awareness event for health, local authority and voluntary sector professionals was held in Dumfries on the 25th October.

Staff and volunteers from Visibility’s Glasgow office travelled down to join with our Dumfries based staff for the event, which included information stands and interactive workshops.  The feedback from professionals working in the area was excellent and the team received many interesting ideas and comments:

“A really informative day.  Thank you for inviting me”

“Looking forward to Visibility doing more in Dumfries and Galloway ”

Dumfries and Galloway based staff also had the opportunity to meet many new visually impaired people when they joined the Action for Blind People mobile information bus which visited three of the main towns in Dumfries and Galloway .   In the near future we hope to establish peer support networks across the region to offer support and provide opportunities for visually impaired people to get together in their local communities. 

Go Active Project Events for Spring 2012

Why not make a resolution to get active in 2012 with our new programme of events.  Our easy spring walks range from 2 to 5 miles and cost just £5.00.  Call 0141 332 4632 for further details.

·   18th February Provan Hall Heritage Trail & Medieval Gardens

·   17th March – Jenny’s Well, Paisley Circular

·   21st April – Auchinstarry to Kirkintilloch canal

Community Support Team Ayrshire Spring Events

Information Events for Visually Impaired People, Family and Friends.

  • February 23rd Girvan
  • March 3rd Stewarton
  • March 7th Kilwinning
  • March 14th Newmilns
  • April 18th Cumnock
  • April 20th Arran
  • April 26th Maybole
  • May 10th Kilmarnock
  • May 16th Irvine
  • May 23rd Ayr

These half day events offer people the opportunity to meet with Visibility and local service providers, try out some of the latest equipment and, where possible, meet with the local VI Team.  We serve refreshments and have a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere.

Please call us on 0141 332 4632 for more information.

Enhance the experience

Blind or partially sighted people can now experience everything that a Scottish Opera production has to offer thanks to their Audio Description service which provides live commentary designed to tell the listener what is happening on stage without compromising the music. 

Scottish Opera offers discounted tickets for Visually Impaired Patrons and their carers when they book for an Audio-

described performance at the Theatre Royal Glasgow, Festival Theatre Edinburgh, His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen or Eden Court , Inverness.  They can also send out a useful CD of information prior to the show and offer a Touch Tour of the set, costumes and props before the performance.

If you or someone you know is interested in booking for an Audio-described performance, contact the Box Office at your chosen theatre. Please let them know if you would like a headset during the performance and whether you would like to attend the Touch Tour.

Association of Speakers Club

Fancy a wee bit of Public Speaking? The Association of Speakers Clubs might just be for you. Their website www.the-asc.org.uk can help you locate your nearest club. One of our Volunteers is a member of the East Kilbride Branch, where he says there are two visually impaired participants who are current members, both of whom actively engage in all aspects of the club. The club nights are fun and a great way to improve personal confidence and meet new people. For more information  contact the Go Active Project on 0141 332 4632

Dennis talks about being the first VI MSP

Dennis Robertson the current MSP for Aberdeenshire west recently granted Visibility an interview and told us about his experience of visual impairment and how it impacts on his life as a busy member of the Scottish Parliament.  Please follow the link to read Dennis’s full interview.

Visibility wins award for work in falls and visual impairment

photograph of Fiona and Ruth with the award

Visibility’s “Falls – Look Out” project recently won first place in a UK wide competition for innovation in service delivery, The award was made by Visionary – the nation wide umbrella group for local visual impairment organisations.  Fiona Sandford CEO of Visibility is seen here being presented with the prize from Ruth Badger, runner up in ‘The Apprentice’.

Visibility was delighted to receive the award for the project which was developed in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Community Falls Prevention Program and Glasgow Caledonian University, responding to the fact that people over the age of 65 with a visual impairment are twice as likely to fall as their sighted counterparts. 

Visibility has produced a falls leaflet which encourages people to get regular eye tests, gives tips on making your home safer and gives advice on colour contrast and the importance of strength and balance exercises. Visibility is also talking with people about their experiences with falls and hopes to expand the programme to work with small groups to improve confidence and reduce fear of falling. 

For further information on Falls – Look Out, please contact Shelagh Palmer on 0141 332 4632.

Law firm donates profits from wills to charities

We were delighted to learn recently that Visibility has been chosen by Hann & Company, Solicitors in Annan, as one of their recommended charities.  Hann & Company support good causes by offering to write a basic Will for people in return for a donation to charity, they charge no fee at all themselves.  This is a wonderful way for legal firms to support charities and we are very grateful to Hann & Company for not only supporting us in this way, but also for displaying our Gift in Wills leaflets to encourage people to remember Visibility in their wills.  Legacies are vital to us, without them we would struggle to continue many of our services, so we say a huge thank you to all the solicitors, and particularly Hann & Company, who help raise awareness of our work.

Visual Impairment Awareness Training

    – New dates announced

    Our Visual Impairment Awareness Training will be held on the following dates from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

    • 19th January,
    • 23rd February,
    • 15th March

    Training sessions are held at Visibility’s offices and cost is £60 per person including lunch.  If none of these days are suitable, please contact us as alternative dates are organised from time to time.

    The programme includes:

    • Myths and realities of visual impairment.
    • Eye Conditions and their impact on people
    • Practical Exercises with Simulation Spectacles to give people some understanding of the issues people face

    Lunch

    • Visual Impairment in relation to the work environment
    • Adapting the environment
    • Accessibility
    • Effective Communication
    • Sighted guiding of a blind person

    Training Overview

    Training Pages

    It is also possible to provide in house training and the content of the training can be adapted to the specific requirements of an organisation.

    For any further information and bookings, please contact Andrea on 0141 332 4632 or email Andrea Vanlandschoot

Board of Directors – Can you help?

Visibility’s Board of Directors are responsible for governing the organisation,  ensuring the organisation is run efficiently and that funds are spent prudently making the very best of the resources available.  They all give up their own time to ensure that the organisation operates in accordance with our governance documents, legislation and the pursuance of worthwhile objectives. 

We are looking for new members to join our board and would particularly welcome interest from people who themselves have a visual impairment.  If you are interested then the first step is to request a recruitment pack.

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Fiona Sandford, Chief Executive on 0141 332 4632 or email fiona@visibility.org.uk.

Peer Support Sessions 

Visibility's regular Peer Support sessions are held every two to three months and group members attending share ideas, support each other and have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of information which is provided by guest speakers. If you would like to attend one of the sessions, please contact Anne Garry or Rae McDonald on 0141 332 4632.

Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch

21st March 2012 - 1.30 - 3pm

Milngavie Community Centre, Allander Road , Milngavie

30th November 2011 - cancelled due to strike action

18th  January 2012    -     1.30 - 3pm      

Oban Kilmore and Oban Church Centre,

7th December 2011 - 1.30 to 3.30pm

Emergency Eye Care in Glasgow is changing

The eye casualty which previously acted as a walk in facility is no longer open and has been replaced by the Glasgow Ophthalmology Acute Referral Centre. Access to this is by referral only from an optician or doctor and not by self referral. It is now only open mon-sat and not on a sunday.

If you have a problem with your eyes visit your local Optometrist (Optician).

·         If your optician is closed please contact NHS 24 for advice (08454 24 24 24).

·         If you have an eye injury that requires immediate emergency treatment go to the nearest Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department.

·         If your eye problem requires treatment by an Eye Doctor (Ophthalmologist) your optometrist can refer you to your local hospital. Your GP and local A&E can also do this.

·         If this problem is urgent you may be referred to the new Glasgow Ophthalmology Acute Referral Centre (ARC) at Gartnavel General Hospital.

·         If you are already attending an eye clinic and have an issue regarding your condition, make your consultant’s secretary at the hospital your first call.

Children

Children with eye problems should attend their GP during working hours or contact NHS 24 if the GP surgery is closed.

Eye emergencies or injuries should attend their local A&E department or the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill).

For more information please visit www.nhsggc.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1630

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