Haggazine
The magazine for blind and partially sighted young people in Scotland
Issue 7
Entertainment
Spring 2015
Contents
Section 1: Let us entertain you!
Section 2: Sam Little: a little Insight
Section 3: Claire Forde: choral Claire
Section 4: Asif Ali Khan: active Asif
Section 5: RNIB Overdrive: a new digital library service
Section 6: Accessible arts
Section 7: Did you know? Audible theatrical
Section 8: Did you know? Accessible aliens
Section 9: Did you know? Music festivals
Section 10: Contact us
Section 1: Let us entertain you!
The editorial team would like to welcome you to our first issue of 2015!
To kick things off, we are exploring the world of entertainment. As a theme that can cover a wide range of activities, we have collected together a variety pack for you to sample. This issue features Haggeye members sharing their love of singing, the cinema, bowling and broadcasting. As well as some interesting Did You Knows on music festivals, theatre and audio books.
We hope this issue keeps you entertained over this season and we will be back again in summer for our Education and Family Services special issue.
Tuesday and Jill
Section 2: Sam Little: a little Insight
Sam Little (25) of Aberdeen is a familiar voice to listeners of Insight Radio. As an aficionado of alternative and new music, she is passionate about providing entertainment and introducing her audience to new artists and bands. Although Sam has sight and hearing loss, and lives with Type 2 Usher Syndrome, she has not let that get in the way of her desire to get involved in the world of media.
How did you get involved with Insight Radio?
“A few years ago I came across Insight Radio and they invited me to give a young person’s perspective of what it was like to live in London with sight loss. About a year later I moved back up to Aberdeen and decided to make it a general thing about a young person’s life no matter where you live. After a while I was offered a new show. I had a lot more responsibility, a lot more creative control, and I got to talk a lot longer as well – which is always good!”
What’s the best thing about being a provider of entertainment?
“I think it’s the ability to get really creative and engage with different audiences. Trying to work out what people want to listen to and come up with different ideas. There are so many amazing artists and bands out there that you’re just spoiled for choice.”
Are there any challenges you face in providing entertainment?
“I think outside of having sight and hearing loss I probably just face the same challenges as everyone else. I am a volunteer presenter at Insight Radio, so doing this outside of a 9 to 5 job means it can be hard to find the time to come up with ideas. I enjoy doing it so much it’s never really been a challenge; it’s just finding new ways to do things.
“If you always get bogged down by the negative things you’ll never get anything done. You’ll always be held back. That’s how I’ve been able to do all the things I’ve been able to do because I’ve been like ‘Right. OK. How do we deal with this? What’s the obstacle here? How can we remove it?”
What would your advice be to anyone wanting to get into radio?
“Pursue as many options as possible. There’s hospital radio, there’s stations like Insight Radio, community stations, and all the major broadcasters tend to do work experience and internships. The great thing with the internet is you don’t even need to go to a station to create your own radio show. All you need is a computer, some recording equipment and the ability to edit and you can just post something up online.
“You have to accept that you’re going to get knocked back quite a few times and do quite a lot of unpaid work experience. Persistence and determination is key as it’s a tough industry to crack, but if it’s something you love and are passionate about it’s all part of the experience.”
The Sony Award winning Insight Radio is RNIB’s radio station and broadcasts 24 hours a day. You can listen across the UK on Freeview channel 730 or online at insightradio.co.uk
Sam’s podcast “A Little Insight” is broadcast on Thursday during Insight’s Morning Mix and is repeated during the Afternoon Edition. Her show “A Little Alternative” can be heard on Insight each Friday from 9pm and is repeated on Saturday evenings at 7pm.
Section 3: Claire Forde: choral Claire
My name is Claire, I am 18 and I live in Gourock. As a baby I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and had an operation to have a shunt inserted, which allowed the fluid in my brain to be drained off. In March 2014, I noticed that my vision was becoming blurred. Thinking that my prescription required to be adjusted, I booked an appointment with my optician. My worst fears were realised when it was discovered that the shunt had blocked and my optic nerve was damaged. I lost all of my forward vision.
I can’t deny that my first year with sight loss has been very challenging. But during the difficult times, I have always been able to turn to my passion – music – for consolation and inspiration. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t listen to music, attend concerts or sing in choirs. My musical taste is very eclectic: I listen to pop, rock, classical, folk and R&B, although my favourite genre of music is house. My parents often remind me of how I enjoyed music even before I was born! As John Bon Jovi was belting out “Keep the Faith” on the radio, I was dancing along frantically. My mum and dad tell me they could see my feet kicking my mum’s tummy in tune to the music.
When I was nine I accepted an invitation to join the Inverclyde Schools Training Choir, after overcoming my aversion to clapping, associated with my hydrocephalus. Inverclyde has a very rich history of choral singing and it is generally considered that it produces some of the most accomplished choral singers in the UK.
I made the progression through the Training, Junior and Senior Choirs and now sing with Inverclyde Voices and, for good measure, I sing in my local church choir every Sunday. I sing top soprano. I’ve been privileged to sing at some of the most well-known arenas in the UK, including the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (where The Beatles performed); the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh; Birmingham NEC; and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
We often perform for some very good causes too, including Ardgowan Hospice, Music for Malawi and Inverclyde Foodbank. Particular highlights have been when the Junior Choir sang in the Heat Finals of the BBC’s Choir of the Year in 2008; singing with the world-famous Phoenix Choir and singing for The Queen in Greenock in 2012, as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Music has the power to liberate people, bring them together and give children and adults confidence to perform before large crowds. Singing is a gift that is not dependent on one’s ability to see and when I suffered my sight loss, I continued singing – nothing could stop me. If inspirational blind musicians like Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Andrea Bocelli thrived after they lost their sight, I felt that I could do the same. Sight loss can never affect what comes from the heart.
Section 4: Asif Ali Khan: Active Asif
Asif Ali Khan (22), originally from Pakistan but now living in Coatbridge, is registered blind.
What do you do for entertainment?
“I go with my best friend to the cinema once or twice a month. I go swimming with my foster brother once a week. It gives me a chance to learn how to swim safely. I also go bowling.”
How did you get into bowling?
“My best friend meets me once or twice a month and we try different activities. He suggested I try bowling and for me it was a new thing. I was nervous but he showed me how to do it. It’s really good fun and I get to meet some new people too.”
Do you use audio description at the cinema?
“Yeah, before I go to watch a movie I phone the cinema and ask if they have audio description and most of the time they do. It helps so much because it talks me through everything. For example when someone goes outside of the room or comes into the room. I get a sort of picture in my mind.”
Have you faced barriers to any entertainment?
“In bowling, when I try to throw the ball without using the bumpers I can miss or throw it in the wrong direction. I feel a bit embarrassed because everybody is watching but it doesn’t stop me.
“Sport-wise, what I really love is running, but the hurdle in front of me is I can’t find a guide. That’s the only thing stopping me. Also, when I was at school I loved basketball but I have never had the chance since I left.”
Is there any other recreational activity that you would recommend?
“I would definitely suggest people try judo. I think it’s a really good sport because it gives you a chance to balance, gives you strength and ways to protect yourself. There is no punching or kicking in it. I like going to fighting competitions. For me, coming from a different country, it helped me gain more confidence as well.”
Section 5: RNIB Overdrive: a new digital library service
This service gives you the ability to download talking books, magazines and podcasts straight to your computer, tablet or smart phone. You can borrow up to six books at one time, search by title, author and genre, and create and manage your own bookshelf with no limit on the amount of books that can be borrowed each year. Once you have downloaded an item you can listen to it anywhere, any time without having to wait for an internet connection. After you have finished with your choice you can return it, choose your next selection and start reading.
RNIB carried out a trial in 2014 and found that 147 out of 150 blind and partially sighted people of all ages were all able to browse, choose, download and read a book with various levels of technical support. Users get instant access to over 20,000 audio books from the popular and high quality talking books collection. You have to be 16 years old or over and resident in the UK to use the service which costs £50 per year. You can get more information from RNIB’s website rnib.org.uk
Section 6: Accessible arts
In March 2015, Scottish Youth Theatre travelled across Scotland to schools, clubs and community groups delivering free specialist led drama workshops to young people aged 11-21. The workshop programme, delivered by an inclusive team of theatre arts professionals, was designed specifically for young people with sight loss, deaf young people and deafblind young people. A professional drama tutor from Scottish Youth Theatre, a deaf youth theatre specialist from Solar Bear, and Scotland’s first professional musical director, who is blind herself, worked with young people across Scotland giving them a fun, high quality theatre arts experience.
Each workshop was tailored for each group and students could choose from a menu of three drama workshops. The “Intro to Devising Theatre” workshop gave young people the opportunity to create their own pieces of theatre using games, exercises and a variety of props and costumes. In the “WW1” workshop participants learnt more about what life was like for both soldiers fighting on the front line and their loved ones left at home. “Shaken Up Shakespeare” was a fun and active introduction to some of the Bard’s best known plays.
For more information about the Scottish Youth Theatre, contact them on 0141 552 3988, email or visit scottishyouththeatre.org
Section 7: Did you know? Audible theatrical
Whether it’s a play or a musical, a night at the theatre is something a lot of people enjoy. Many shows offer audio-described performances so that blind or partially sighted viewers get the full theatrical experience. Access Scottish Theatre provides information on audio-described, BSL-interpreted and captioned performances across Scotland. Their website lets you check what venues and shows are accessible and the dates they are playing. To check it out for yourself, visit ast.flip.org.uk
Section 8: Did you know? Accessible aliens
Assistive technology on mobile phones is making it easier for people with sight loss to access the world of gaming. Whilst many games are totally inaccessible, The Nightjar was developed with blind and partially sighted people in mind. Nightjar is an adventure game set on a spaceship invaded by aliens. There are no visuals onscreen, only areas which you tap to walk around. The game uses 3D audio to give the impression you are on board the ship yourself. Your only hope of escaping is to listen carefully and get to the door before the aliens get to you! The Nightjar is accessible with VoiceOver and can be downloaded from the app store.
Section 9: Did you know? Music festivals
As the summer approaches, many people will be preparing to soak up the atmosphere of this year’s music festivals. Many festivals, such as “T in the Park”, offer facilities which can make your stay more accessible. This can include things like a free carer’s ticket, viewing platforms and adapted camping sites. Many sites even offer a shuttle bus service to make getting around the site, and to your next band, easier!
Section 10: Contact us
This magazine has been created, developed and written by young people from the Haggeye project, the forum for blind and partially sighted young people in Scotland, and produced by RNIB.
Facebook: Facebook.com/haggeye
Email:
Telephone: 0131 652 3140
© RNIB Scotland March 2015
Registered charity number SC039316
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