Connect Magazine

Connect Magazine

February 2017

Issue 12

Connect Magazine

February 2017

Issue 12

Contents

Page number / Article
2 / Contents
3 / Welcome
4 / Your Voice
10 / News
15 / Living well on a low budget
21 / Managing and preventing diabetes
28 / Interview with poet Emily Berry
33 / Milton Keynes Reader Service
37 / Advertisements
45 / Information directory

Welcome

I’m Padma Cheriyan. I live in Milton Keynes and I have cone dystrophy with macular degeneration.

This month, discover some essential healthy eating advice, tips for living well on a low budget, and I’ll tell you more about a unique service called the Milton Keynes Reader Service.

Padma Cheriyan

Campaigner and RNIB Connect community member

Your Voice

Jason’s Ace career

Jason Noble, from Surrey, is registered blind. He’s a magician and children’s entertainer, known as Jase the Ace.

“I spend most weekends entertaining at birthday parties, weddings and christenings, for children aged between two and eight. Each show is custom- designed with different magic tricks to suit the ages of the children, and it’s a fantastic way to earn a living.

My wonderful wife, Hannah, helps me out, as with my eyesight I struggle with getting to venues and with some of the organisation.

I got into magic when I was five, then got a job in Hamley’s on Regent Street as a magician. I feel one reason that my act is so popular is the fact that I have a disability – it’s not always apparent, but it’s given me the ability to empathise with children.

If there are children with certain extra needs, I can cope with that, I think, far better than someone who hasn’t lived with that their entire life.

It might seem strange that there’s a registered blind man performing magic and entertaining 30+ children, but it comes naturally to me. I’ve grown up with my visual impairment, so I know exactly what I can and cannot do.

The best thing about my job is the looks on the faces of the children as they watch the show.

I have the best seat in the house, and it’s one of the things that keeps me going back to entertaining children, week in, week out.”

Contact Jason

You can email Jason on or find him on Facebook (search ‘Jase the Ace’).

A butler’s tale

“Hello, I’m Stephen. I’m from an island just off the north Wales coast, and I’m blind.

I was a butler for many years for a member of European royalty, who turned out to be Prince William’s godfather. It was an amazing life. I met different members of European royalty, every day wasdifferent and I got to hear things that I couldn’t divulge now.

I had lots of media exposure at the time: there was talk of me becoming Prince Charles’ next valet, but unfortunately that didn’t come to fruition.

I was working for a Saudi Arabian prince when I was attacked and severely beaten up. I was in hospital for three months and one of my eyes was badly damaged.

It was not a nice time in my life. I had an amazing job and career and then had it all taken away in minutes. My employers kept my position open, but because of my eyesight, they unfortunately hadto let me go.

My life afterwards was a bit horrible at first. I had to move back to my parents in Wales, but I made a choice that being blind was not going to define who I was. I wouldn’t let it change me as a person. I’ve still got one hell of a sense of humour and I even laugh at myself. Being able to make other people smile has kept me going. Don’t ever give up on yourself.”

This month’s prizes

This month’s contributors will each receive a talking calendar clock – that’s a Communiclock from the RNIB Shop.

To take part in Your Voice, email or call the Connect team on 0303 1234 555.

News

Edinburgh libraries praised

A pioneering drive by Edinburgh City Council to make its libraries more accessible to people with sight loss has won a prestigious award.

The City Council’s Visually Impaired People’s Service, which is integrated throughout the city’s 28 public libraries; clinched the 2016 Gold Excellence Award for tackling inequalities and improving health, from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

The service was designed in consultation with RNIB Scotland, Edinburgh Macular Degeneration Society, and Guide Dogs for the Blind, to meet all of the six steps to improving access to UK library services.

The Cane Explained

White cane users in our community tell us their cane means many things to them and for some it can be a love-hate relationship.

We also know that the different types of canes remain a mystery to the general public.

So RNIB has made The Cane Explained, a video campaign to explain the different canes.

Check out more at

rnib.org.uk/cane-explained

New play guide

‘Let’s Play’ a new play guide helps parents, teachers and carers of children with a vision impairment get the most out of playtimes.

The guide gives practical tips to help you create safe and fun spaces to help children develop and explore their senses.

Co-author Karen Newell, says: “If you don’t see yourself in toys, then it’s truly excluding you. Seeing a toy with glasses or a guide dog can really help you grow your positive self-esteem.”

Download ‘Let’s Play’ at rnib.org.uk/play

Your say, your treatment

If you have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma or cataracts, you’re likely to notice some changes in the way you receive treatment, and that’s because NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – is planning on rewriting the guidelines.

If you have any of these three conditions, RNIB is urging you to speak up about how your experiences can be improved.

Whether it’s about the amount of time it takes to get an appointment, the information you’re given or any aspect of your treatment, it’s important that these decision-makers know what matters to you.

Find out how to get your voice heard at rnib.org.uk/yoursayyourtreatment

Soap’s sight loss story

If you’re an EastEnders fan, you’ll know that one of the main characters is losing her sight.

Dot Branning, played by June Brown, was diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) late last year.

RNIB has worked closely with BBC scriptwriters to ensure the condition is portrayed in a realistic way. Emily Coleman from RNIBexplained more:

“The eye health team has been invaluable in our work on this project. They’ve checked the facts and the tone are correct, and the way that the GP or the ophthalmologist is delivering information.”

Living well on a low budget

Everyday life can be expensive, with food to buy, bills to pay and places to be – it can all add up.

One in five people we spoke with as part of our My Voice report to said they have some or great difficulty in making ends meet.

There are lots of ways you can save money – sometimes a little extra thought can make a big difference in your pocket.

RNIB Connect community member Maxine Turkington, who’s been blind for 30 years, shared some tips for living well on a low budget.

Never pay full price for anything (if you can help it!)

My policy is try to never pay full price for anything. This not only applies to personal effects but also to giving gifts. Look out for sales and reduced price and clearance items.

Think about how you do your food shopping

I understand that lots of blind and partially sighted people have their food shopping delivered to their door because it’s easier, but it can also be more expensive. You also have no control of the quality, getting the right food, or to find special deals.

But I think you can save money if you go in person. I go to the same supermarket each time, and have made friends with the staff.

They see me coming, know I need help and walk around with me, telling me the best offers.

Find out all the benefits you’re entitled to – and claim them

As soon as you’re diagnosed, call RNIB to find out what benefits you’re entitled to. There are some you may have never heard of, and the extra money will really make a difference. Then make sure you claim everything you’re entitled to.

Phone companies, electric companies and the like all have a special department that deal with disability of any kind. They’ll give you the best rates – sometimes there’s a discount – and you’ll get better service if you have a problem.

For gas and electric suppliers, this is called the Priority Services Register.

Just call your supplier to make sure you’re on theirs.

If you have a room that’s devoted to equipment for your disability, you are also likely to be entitled to a break on your council tax.

Make the most of mobility help and get out and about

Getting around can be expensive. Some people use taxis, which I try not to do but occasionally am forced to. You can get a taxi card, which gives you a discount, but you can only get this if you’re receiving two benefits.

I’m a great believer in living life to the utmost – don’t let your sight loss stop you going out, for example to the theatre and cinema.

When going to the cinema or theatre, you’re entitled to a free second ticket because you can’t go on your own.

Make the most of this and split the price between you and your friend or carer. We split the price – so it’s half price – and they’re happy to drive me there. They will have use of your blue badge, and as long as you’re with them, they can park for free and on double yellow lines.

Speak up and be assertive

This is a very important point. Some people are shy – they don’t want to tell people about their sight condition or to ask for help.

That’s silly, because people in general are very helpful and they enjoy helping you. Just have confidence in yourself.

Find out more

To find out more about half-price cinema tickets and cheaper travel, visit rnib.org.uk/concessions

Contact your local council to find out more about council tax breaks, and call your local theatre to find out if you’re entitled to any concessions.

Managing and preventing diabetes

There are now over four million people in the UK with diabetes. Diabetes can lead to many complications, including sight loss.

Emma Elvin, Clinical Advisor at Diabetes UK shared some advice on living a healthy lifestyle to manage and prevent diabetes.

What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is where your pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin, and that means that you have really high levels of blood glucose.

Type 2 diabetes is where your pancreas may produce some insulin, but perhaps not as much as it used to.

Your organs aren’t able to take up the insulin effectively. This can be linked to being overweight and having fat around your organs, like your liver and your pancreas.

There is a well-established link between diabetes and sight loss. Which type of diabetes can lead to this?

Both types of diabetes can lead to retinopathy, which is the complication that’s linked to blindness. Complications of diabetes aren’t just linked to high blood glucose levels. Your blood pressure and blood cholesterol are also related.

How can we help to prevent diabetes and associated conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy?

Sadly we can’t prevent type 1 diabetes because it’s not entirely known what causes it.

Regarding type 2 diabetes, there are lots of risk factors that can lead to a diagnosis of diabetes. Some of these are out of our control, such as our genetic background and family history.

However, some things we can control. Our lifestyle, particularly being overweight, having a large waist and a sedentary lifestyle are big risk factors.

Whether we have diabetes or not, we should all be aiming for a healthy, balanced diet. That should include lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean sources of protein, and be low in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar.

Diabetes UK has a wealth of information as part of the ‘Enjoy

Food’ campaign. What are some of your key points to remember when eating to prevent and manage the condition?

The latest data shows that we’re not eating enough fruit and vegetables. They provide us with lots of important vitamins, minerals and fibre, so it’s vital to look to increase your intake.

The tips around a healthy, balanced diet are crucial. Keeping an eye on your portion sizes is important, and added sugars should be kept to a minimum.

These now have the new name of ‘free sugars’. That’s anything that’s added to products and also syrups, honey and fruit juices.

So even purely natural products like honey should be enjoyed in small amounts?

It may be natural, but there’s no evidence that it’s different from any other type of sugar. It has no additional health benefits. It raises your blood sugar in the same way.

Fruit juice is also classed as a type of free sugar, because once the juice is extracted, the sugar within is no longer contained in the structure of the fruit. Although this may provide important vitamins and minerals, you should limit your intake to no more than one small 150ml glass a day.

Connect member Ibra Siddiqi changed his lifestyle after being diagnosed with diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

“I was 23 when I was diagnosed with diabetes. When I was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy at 37, it hit me really hard. The thought of losing my sight really got to me. I was seriously overweight and I had to do something positive.

I took a look at my diet. The traditional Asian diet uses a lotof ghee, butter and oil. On a daily basis, I substitute these with olive oil, and I always measure it out rather than just pouring it.

I use lots of herbs and spices, as we normally do in Asian cooking, to substitute salt. I still have a sweet tooth, so I still enjoy some traditional mithai (sweet rice) but I have it in moderation.”

Find out more

If you’d like more information on eating well and some recipe ideas, whether you have diabetes or not, visit diabetes.org.uk and check out the ‘Enjoy Food’ section.

If you’d like more information on diabetes in an alternative format, call the Helpline on 0303 123 9999.

Interview with writing competition judge, Emily Berry

Our writing competition may now be closed, but we’re continuing to bring you a fascinating insight into the writer’s mind. We spoke to Emily Berry, who’s judging this year’s poetry category.

Tell us about your poetry – how would you describe it?

I write about personal emotions and relationships, but it’s always very hard to describe the type of poetry that I write, I think.

Your writing doesn’t seem to conform to any conventions; it can be quite playful at times. How or what do you hope this adds to the reader’s experience?

My main, initial aim is to please myself, so I’m the main reader I have in mind. I guess I like things to be playful. I feel like even the dark stuff of life can be funny, and it is an interesting contrast with sadness – and how it comes out. I don’t really think about it verymuch, to be honest.

You’ve created audio recordings of some of your poems, which are great for members of the RNIB Connect community who are blind or partially sighted. Do you think people would experience listening to you audibly reading out your poem in a different way to reading it themselves?

Yes, I would hope that the audio experience of the poem would be a key aspect of it.

Although it lives on a page, it’s something that lives in sound and music, in the rhythm of the voice. Although I think they are slightly different experiences that are both equally valid.

You’re judging the RNIB writing competition this year, so what would you be looking for in a poem?

I like poems that surprise me in some way – not poems that set out to be deliberately surprising, but that use language in an unexpected way. I like poems that are moving. Something with a bit of edge and mystery. I just wait for the poem to introduce itself to me, and if the introduction takes me in a direction I wasn’t expecting, then that’s always a good thing.

You’re the editor of Poetry Review. Would you recommend it for people who are looking to be inspired?

I’d certainly hope so! I’m currently working on my first issue, which comes out in March. I’ve been reading the magazine for many years, and I think it’s a great place to start if you’re looking to delve into poetry magazines.

We have some audio content online, so there are podcasts, where people read poems and are interviewed. I’m hoping to develop that aspect of the magazine so there’s more stuff for people who perhaps aren’t able to access the printed aspect of the magazine.