Suffolk Sight

Sharing an invite to the RNIB Campaigns Discussion Group

"We’d like to invite you to our next Campaigns Discussion Group meeting on Friday 2 August at 2pm-3.30pm. The meeting will be held on Microsoft Teams.

This month’s meeting will be facilitated by our Regional Campaigns Officer for the East, Bernie Reddington. Bernie will give an overview of our current national campaigns and highlights over the past month.

Our speaker will be Warren Wilson from our Community Connection team who will be joining to talk about the See Sport Differently project and ways you can get active in the sun this summer.

As always there will be plenty of opportunity for you to ask questions and voice any campaigns issues you’ve had or would like to share.

Agenda
Facilitator: Bernie Reddington, Regional Campaigns Officer for East England.
Welcome and apologies
Campaigns Update: Overview of our current national campaigns, followed by any questions.
Accessible Sport: Warren Wilson discusses the See Sport Differently project and how to find accessible sport opportunities near you.
Updates from CDG attendees
Future Discussion Topics
AOB
Date of next meeting: Friday 6th September

For more information about the Microsoft Teams link or the option to be dialled into the meeting, please contact the group administrator, Clay Nash at [email protected] who will arrange this."

We had an amazing day, through rain and shine, at the Haverhill Show on Sunday!

A huge thank you to everyone who came to chat to us, had a go on the tombola and made a donation. We raised just over £300!

The picture shows our fantastic team of 7 volunteers who worked extremely hard prepping for the event and during the day.

Everyone is smiling towards the camera, they are wearing their Suffolk Sight yellow polo tops, standing in front of the yellow and black gazebo.

Come along and say hello to our amazing volunteers who will be at the Haverhill Show tomorrow, look out for our yellow and black gazebo!

It will be a great family day out - free entry - Sunday 7th July, 10am - 4pm
Recreation Ground, CB9 8HF

Other activities on the day include:
Live music, arena performances, fun rides and attractions, arts and crafts, hot and cold food and a licensed bar.

Our very special thanks to Sakura Studio Gallery - Stonham for hosting the "Through our Eyes" exhibition in May.

Studio owner, Albany Tripp, wanted to support Suffolk Sight because of her close friendship with Agnieszka and Amanda in our team, and also with Ray, one of our fantastic volunteers, who sadly passed away two years ago.

Albany said “I think, as artists, there is a lot of weight on our vision
and how we see and interact with the world and show our creativity. There are many artists who struggle with their changing sight and who work with it to show how they see the world.”

The exhibition was a resounding success, we were overwhelmed by the 127 pieces of art that was entered.

We had bids on 36 items and raised £472 from the auction!

The remaining art will be kept on display and continue to raise funds for Suffolk Sight.

Agnieszka, our Social Club and Volunteer Co-ordinator, and very talented artist, was delighted with how well the exhibition went.

"We had such strong and lovely support from our members across Suffolk. We were able to display the work of our beneficiaries to show what they are capable of. We had volunteers, members, local artists all working together in this project, for which we are extremely grateful."

The studio is located at: Pod 7–8, Stonham Barns Park, Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal, IP14 6AT.

For more information email [email protected]

The photos show some of artwork featured in the exhibition.

Photo one shows an owl, created by pyrography, from Georgina Chambers, one of the trustees at Suffolk Sight.

Photo two shows a bright yellow car and the sun shining, painted on canvas by one of our juniors.

Photo three shows a row of beautiful country cottages, painted by Bob, one of our very talented beneficiaries.

Photo four shows a pair of dipped vases in shades of peach and grey.

Our Mildenhall social club really enjoyed the art workshop yesterday.

We think their clay creations are fantastic!

If you would like to take part in an art workshop , come along on 11th July at New Wolsey Theatres NW2 space in Civic Drive, Ipswich 10:30 - 12:00.

For more info email [email protected]

We're looking forward to the free art workshop with Cohere Arts CIC on Thursday 11th July between 10.30-12pm

Come along and join in.. whatever your ability you will have a fantastic time. 🎨🙂

Are you visually impaired and feel like getting creative?

Join us for some arty fun on 11th July at New Wolsey Theatre's NW2 space in Civic Drive, Ipswich 10:30 - 12:00.

Our artist-led session in this lovely accessible venue will be fully supported by trained volunteers from Suffolk Sight. Companions and guide dogs are warmly welcomed. No need to book and it's completely free.

For all levels of artist experience from beginner to pro, come and have a go.

Supported by the David & Jill Simpson Fund through Suffolk Community Foundation and Suffolk Sight.

These are the reasonable adjustments you can expect at your polling station on 4 July.

They’re specified by the Electoral Commission’s Guidance for Returning Officers on assistance with voting for disabled voters.

• Every polling station should display a large print copy of the ballot paper for reference. It must also provide a reference copy for you to take into the polling booth with you, but you must still cast your vote on a standard print ballot paper.
• Each polling station is required to provide a tactile voting device (TVD) to help you mark your vote in the correct place.
• Magnifiers to enlarge the text on the ballot paper should also be available.
• There should be appropriate lighting at the desk and in the polling booths, to ensure that voters can clearly see the faces of staff and are able to read and complete the ballot paper.
• You can use assistive technology tools, including phone apps like Seeing AI, or an electronic magnifier, to read out or enlarge the text on the ballot paper. All you need to do is ask the polling station staff if you can use your device as a reasonable adjustment to enable you to vote.

While these adjustments can help some blind and partially sighted people, they don't guarantee that everyone can vote independently and in secret.
That's why we are urging the future Prime Minister to make voting accessible, once and for all.

Sign our open letter: rnib.in/XOpenLetter



[Image description: “What to expect at your polling station? [arrow symbol] large print copy of the ballot paper [arrow symbol] a tactile voting device [arrow symbol] magnifiers [arrow symbol] appropriate lighting [arrow symbol] option to use assistive technology tools ". A pink graphic with white text.]

Glaucoma Awareness Week 2024

This year, the awareness campaign wants to focus on the fact that glaucoma runs in families.

There is at least a four-times higher risk of developing glaucoma if you have a close blood relative who has it. And even having a more distant relative with glaucoma can give you some increased risk. This means it’s even more important to have your eyes tested regularly.

More information can be found on the Glaucoma UK website :

https://glaucoma.uk/glaucoma-awareness-week/

Quick reminder that our Mildenhall social club meet for a cuppa and catch-up every 1st Tuesday of the month. Next meeting will be Tuesday 2nd July.

It's a great opportunity to meet new people and to make new friends. Sometimes the group also enjoys entertainment and a sing-a-long!

The group is held at St John's Community Centre, Mildenhall , Suffolk, IP28 7NX
Guide dogs welcome

For more information contact us on 01284 748800
email [email protected]

Picture shows our group of 12 beneficiaries and members of the Suffolk Sight team, everyone is waving to the camera.

Once a year we hold a special event to thank our dedicated volunteers for their time and commitment.

This year we all met at The Stevenson Centre, in Great Cornard.
The room was filled with lively conversations as everyone had the chance to catch up and socialise with other volunteers from across the county.

Whilst we enjoyed the tasty treats, we were joined by talented musicians, Paul Airey playing the keyboard, and Anne Chorley who played the harp.

Each volunteer was presented with a home-made jar of lemon curd, with a label attached saying "Thank you, you're a star". A huge thanks to Arlette for providing those.

A special mention also to Tesco, in Stowmarket and Waitrose in Sudbury, for their contributions towards the refreshments.

If you would like join our amazing team of volunteers please get in touch
Email [email protected] or call 01473 611011

Ist photo shows the jars of lemon curd being prepared!
2nd photos shows a delicious home made cake.
(bet you're feeling hungry by this stage)
3rd photo shows some of the group chatting
4th photo shows the table with a pretty china cup and saucer set and one of jars of lemon curd
5th photo shows Ann playing the harp

This time next week we'll be heading to our nearest polling station .

If you have a visual impairment, you have a right to request a reasonable adjustment to vote in the General Election.

We would encourage you to write to your local Returning Officer or local electoral services as soon as possible, to notify them that you require reasonable adjustments in order to vote independently.

RNIB have put some information together in a step by step guide. Click on the link below to find out more:

Voting and elections: what you need to know If you're affected by sight loss, we're here for you

We're delighted to work with Cohere Arts CIC to provide an Arts Taster Programme!

The new art workshop will begin on Thursday 11th July between 10.30 - 12.00 at the New Wolsey Theatre NW2 space, Civic Drive, Ipswich, IP1 2AS.
The sessions will cover mark making, exploring texture in collage and 3D modelling.

This session follows on from a very successful drama workshop, which covered voicework, acting skills, character development and team games.

For more information about the sessions please email [email protected]

The first photo shows a poster for the event, the second photo shows the group of everyone who took part in the drama workshop.
Everyone enjoyed the sessions and they are smiling and looking at the camera. A guide dog is lying in front of the group looking very relaxed.

Macular Week 2024

Nearly 1.5m people in the UK have macular disease. It affects people of all ages. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common condition, generally affecting people over the age of 55. AMD is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, affecting more than 700,000 people.

We have a special feature on AMD in our latest newsletter, detailing the latest treatments and also those on the horizon.

Click on the link below and go to pages 18 to 21

https://suffolksightweb.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/assets/Extended_newsletter_Spring_Summer_2024_fdaa1c548e.pdf?updated_at=2024-05-14T11:20:19.179Z

We're thrilled with the amazing support and fundraising total from St Edmunds Hospital over the past year. A huge thank you from all of the team and volunteers at Suffolk Sight.

St Edmunds Hospital has officially presented a cheque to Suffolk Sight our chosen charity for 2023.

Circle Health Group match any money that we make through events and donations, so we were able to donate a huge £1,188.05!

Amanda Eaves, Member Services Manager said “We really can't thank you enough for all the support you have given us, it really does make such a difference to a small, independent charity such as us.”

From our Executive Director Peter Lord, a big thank you to all at St Edmunds who were involved in the fundraising.

Pictured in the photo are (L-R): Carol Rose, DCS, Amanda Eaves from Suffolk Sight and Peter Lord, ED.

Please note a change of venue for the next Cambridge VI Forum

The forum is a great way to hear from service providers for local blind and partially sighted people and to meet other local visually impaired people.

For the next meeting the forum will be joined by Jake Wheldon from Cambridge’s Neighbourhood Policing Team and Julie Nettelfield from Cambs County Council Sensory Services.

Thurs Jul 4 10:00 - 12:00.
Come to Freemasons Hall, Bateman Street, Cambridge, CB2 1NA

To request a link to join online please email: [email protected]

Glaucoma Awareness Week is an annual awareness-raising opportunity where we encourage people across the UK to talk about glaucoma.

Over 700,000 people in the UK have glaucoma. Half of them don’t know they have it.
Glaucoma UK want to end preventable glaucoma sight loss and that starts with raising awareness of the disease.

Visit their website to find our more : https://glaucoma.uk/glaucoma-awareness-week/

With funding from West Suffolk Council, we're delighted that our new social club in Mildenhall is going from strength to strength.

Join us for a cuppa and catch-up every 1st Tuesday of the month. It's a great opportunity to meet new people and to make new friends. Sometimes the group also enjoys entertainment and a sing-a-long!

As the group is growing in numbers we would love to find some more volunteers to help us to run the monthly sessions. If you have some time to spare please get in touch.

The group is held at St John's Community Centre, Mildenhall , Suffolk, IP28 7NX

Guide dogs welcome

For more information contact us on 01284 748800 or 01473 928307
email [email protected]

Picture shows our group of 12 beneficiaries and members of the Suffolk Sight team, everyone is waving to the camera.

It's coming ho.....no we won't get ahead of ourselves 😉⚽️

Whichever nation you're supporting, don't miss out on the action!

Audio-descriptive commentary will be available for fans at every UEFA EURO 2024 match

Follow the link to find out more:

https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/news/028e-1b134bf35ecd-ce6726f5b59c-1000--audio-descriptive-commentary-available-for-fans-at-every-/

Quick reminder that you can come along tomorrow (Saturday 15th June) for our free tech support sessions at Lowestoft Library. If you are struggling with a piece of technology our volunteers can help.

So, whether you want to make your computer easier to see, have your text messages read aloud, or learn how to connect with friends and family using your voice alone, we can help.

Bring your device along and we can give you tailored support. This is a free drop in session between 10am -12 noon.

For more information please call 01284 748800 or email [email protected]

If you live near the Suffolk/Cambridge border and would like to meet other local visually impaired people, you can take part in the Cambridge VI Forum.

The next meeting will take place on Thursday July 4 10:00 - 12:00. Jake Wheldon from Cambridge’s Neighbourhood Policing Team and Julie Nettelfield from Cambs County Council’s Sensory Services will be going along.

They meet in person at University Printing House, Shaftsbury Road, CB2 2BS or on Microsoft Teams.
For online joining details please email [email protected]

We've had an amazing time hosting our annual Equipment and Information Day at The Olive Centre - Lowestoft

Thank you to all of the suppliers, charities, beneficiaries, volunteers and members of the public who came along.

The weather was autumnal but that didn't dampen our spirits!

A special mention also to Cllr Nasima Begum, Lowestoft Town Council Mayor and to Cllr Andy Pearce for coming along. Cllr Begum commented on the fantastic support and technology available for those with a visual impairment.

VisionAid Technologies Ltd Associated Optical Cobolt Systems Ltd
Vision Norfolk Sensing Change Macular Society Communities Together East Anglia Disability Advice North East Suffolk Christies Care Ltd

Photos show everyone looking at the stands around the room and trying out the technology. The charities also have lots of people asking questions and taking information leaflets. There are Suffolk Sight team photos too.