THE MAGPIE NEWS
The Quarterly Newsletter from
The Norfolk & Norwich Association
for the Blind
Contact Details:
NNAB Magpie Road Norwich NR3 1JH
Telephone: 01603 629558
Email:
Website: www.nnab.org.uk
Issue 74 / January 2013We wish you all a very healthy and prosperous 2013.
Thank you to everyone who sent us cards, greetings and New Year wishes; we appreciate your kind thoughts
If you would prefer to receive your Magpie News in a different format please let us know.We can supply it in the following: Large Print, CD, email,
Braille or memory stick
Contents
1 / Message from CEO / 19 / Effstopeyes
2 / New Community Worker / 20 / Sports News
3 / NNAB Holidays 2013 / 21 / Local Fundraising
4 / News from the Equipment and Information Centres / 22 / Christmas summary
5 / Major Spring Exhibition / 23 / Collections in 2013
6 / The Breckland Equipment and Information Centre / 24 / Pink Elephants and home boxes
7 / Sight Information Service / 25 / Charity Race Night
8 / Quote of the day / 26 / Recycling
9 / YoungEyes@NNAB / 27 / Sad News
10 / Mobile Equipment and Information Centre / 28 / Charity Dance Night
11 / Leisure Groups for 2013 / 29 / Norwich Macular Disease Group
12 / Theatre Group / 30 / Norwich Social Centre
13 / Heritage Group / 31 / Items for sale
14 / Audio Book Clubs / 32 / Riddle Time
15 / Bradbury Activity Centre / 33 / Tea Dance Success
16 / Discussion Group / 34 / Calibre’s new service
17 / Creative Writing Group / 35 / Gardeneyes
18 / Arts@Bradbury / 36 / Riddle Answers
Every effort is made to ensure that the content of this newsletter is correct, however we cannot be held responsible for errors and omissions. Goods and services featured do not carry any recommendation from The Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind.
If you should inadvertently receive more than one printed copy of this newsletter please pass it on to friends, doctors’ surgeries etc.
The Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind, Magpie Road, Norwich NR3 1JH
Tel: 01603 629558 Fax: 01603 766682 Email:
Website: www.nnab.org.uk
Also at: King’s Lynn Tel: 01553 660808 and Great Yarmouth Tel: 01493 745973
Charity Number 207060
1. Message from CEOWelcome to 2013 and a very Happy New Year to all our Magpie News readers from all of us at the NNAB. I am looking forward to another busy year in the Association during which it is my intention that we build on the successes of 2012 and seek to improve the services we provide. There are still far too many people in this wonderful county of ours who have never heard of the NNAB and do not realise the variety of support available from us. We must do more to inform people and perhaps one way you can help is by making sure that you act as one of our marvellous ambassadors within your own local community. By talking about us and promoting what we do along with the services we provide, together we can spread the word and make a difference to more people.
2. New Community WorkerHello, my name is Tracy Jary and I am the new Community Worker for the Great Yarmouth area. I am very excited about my new post and look forward to meeting clients in the Great Yarmouth area. I can be contacted at the Yarmouth office where I will be every Thursday and Friday morning between 10am and 1pm. Please pop in and say hello or give me a ring/email if you would like a visit. My contact details are: tel 01493 745973, email
3. NNAB Holidays 2013If you are interested in our holidays and would like a holiday pack, please contact Donna Hewitt 01603 629558
The following dates are available:-
Great Yarmouth – 2nd to 9th June
Eastbourne – 2nd to 7th September
Turkey & Tinsel, Great Yarmouth – 11th to 15th November
4. News from the Equipment and Information Centres
Product News
In the Norwich Equipment Centre we are very pleased to be able to offer the chance to view and try a wide range of video magnifiers. We have on display both desk top and handheld machines from 7 major suppliers.
Two new clocks
SlimTalking Travel Alarm Clock - £9.50. Large digital display and clear female voice. The casing includes a cover which protects the display and buttons and also acts as a stand for the clock.
Talking LCD Alarm Clock - £10.50. Compact – talking clock has a female voice and clear LCD display, backlit in green. It speaks and displays the time, together with the temperature in C and F.
Appointments
If you wish to visit us for low vision advice including magnifiers and lighting, it is advisable to ring for an appointment so that time can be set aside for your visit.
Closure date for the Norwich Equipment Centre
The Norwich Centre will be closed on Friday March 22nd 2013 for Annual Stocktaking.
5. Major Spring Exhibition
Friday, April 12th 11am - 5pm
An Equipment and Low Vision Exhibition will take place in The Bradbury Centre, Beckham Place, Norwich NR3 3DZ.
Many of our main UK and international suppliers will be present demonstrating their new equipment and services, which will include digital books, computer access, magnification, braille and independent living resources.
If you require any further information, please contact: 01603 629558
6.The Breckland Equipment and Information CentreThe advice session which is held at Wayland House, High Street, Watton, IP25 6AR, will now be held there once a month only. It will be on the first Thursday of each month from 10am -12pm.
7. Sight Information Service
We are very pleased that libraries throughout Norfolk are now working with us to publicise NNAB’s Sight Loss Information and Advice Service. A new leaflet and leaflet holder have been distributed to libraries and the following dates have been booked for Sight Information Points, within libraries, so far this year:
February
Costessey -Wednesday 6th, 10.00-12.00pm
Dereham-Thursday 7th, 2pm- 4pm
North Walsham - Tuesday 12th, 2.30-4.30pm
Norwich Millennium Library - Wednesday 20th, 9.30-3.00pm
Taverham - Thursday 21st, 2.30-4.30pm
March
Aylsham – Thursday 7th, 2.30pm -4.30pm
Wroxham – Thursday 14th, 2.30pm -4.30pm
Do drop in and see us if you are passing and mention this advice service to friends and neighbours.
Your comments are always welcome
If you have any comments about our service or would like to suggest a special interest day that you would like us to arrange, please do contact me 01603 629558
8.Quote of the day‘You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream’.
By C S Lewis
Christmas Party
Letters from our YoungEyes friends aged 2 -9 years old were given to Santa when he made a guest appearance at our Christmas party.
More than 30 children with impaired sight gathered to meet Father Christmas, together with their siblings, families or carers.
Santa left his sleigh at home to arrive at the party in a huge, shiny, red truck driven by former East Coast Truckers chairman and convoy director Rob Billman.
His elves were an escort of nine powerful Harley Davidson bikes ridden by members of the Eaton Hogs Bikers’ Club, and the party tea was provided by Norwich insurance company Smith and Pinching.
Special guests at the party included the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James, the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Ralph Gayton, the Sheriff of Norwich, John Jennings and Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, Paddy Seligman, all of whom joined in the fun and games.
The number of families that attended was the largest we’ve ever had and they came from all over the county. Altogether with families, friends and ‘Santa’s Little Helpers’, 125 people had a fun afternoon dancing, playing games and eating! To bring all the mums and dads together and to see them chatting about their common concerns was fantastic. A big thank you to all who helped.
Pantomime at The Theatre Royal.
A group of YoungEyes friends will be going to the Theatre in January for an Audio Described performance of ‘Aladdin’ and a Touch Tour.
Rainbow Tots
Our under 5s play group for families with vision-impaired little ones will continue to meet in the Bradbury Centre on the fourth Thursday of each month 10.30am-12pm. Fun, music and games for the tots with coffee and cakes for the Mums!
We are very excited to reveal that during this year we shall be working with the charity, Musical Keys. They will be providing musical therapy with lots of fun at our Rainbow Tots monthly sessions. Musical Keys is a superb organisation which has worked with children in Norfolk for many years and they are as pleased with this joint working as we are.
Watch this space for more exciting YoungEyes events in 2013.
For more information about our YoungEyes Service please contact Dorothy 01603 629558
10. Mobile Equipment and Information CentreOnce again Richard will be hitching up the Mobile and bringing equipment and information to you. All the dates are provisional so please check the website or phone to confirm before travelling.
MarchTues Wed & Thurs / 5th to 7th / Wymondham / Waitrose Car Park
Tues Wed & Thurs / 12th to14th / Fakenham / Queens Road Car Park
Tues Wed & Thurs / 19th to21st / Gorleston / Morrisons Car Park
April
Thursday / 11th / Eaton / Waitrose Car Park
Wed & Thurs / 17th 18th / Wells / Freeman Street
Car Park
Tues Wed & Thurs / 23rdto 25th / North Walsham / Sainsbury’s
Car park
Tuesday / 30th / Sheringham / Station Road
Car Park
11. Leisure Groups For 2013
The NNAB runs a wide variety of leisure groups across the county from heritage to gardening. We are always delighted to welcome new faces. We provide a regular mailing list for all our groups and all information can be found on our website under the ‘Leisure and Education’ link. So please get in touch if you would like to join one of the groups or have any suggestions for places to visit or things to do.
Please contact Mark or Simon on 01603 629558 or email
12.Theatre Group
This year holds an exciting packed programme of audio described performances at the Norwich Theatre Royal, starting with Starlight Express, Light years ahead of the rest this futuristic tale about love and hope in the face of adversity promises to take you on the ride of a lifetime. Saturday 13thApril at 2.30.
Tickets £18.00 available from Mark or Simon at the NNAB.
Further shows include ‘The Rocky Horror’ Show on 7th June, with a further 3 shows in July, ‘High Society’ 3rd , ‘Birdsong’ 13th and ‘Evita’ on 24th, with more details to be announced shortly.
13. Heritage Group
We are very excited to announce a series of 3 special talks in conjunction with the Norfolk Archaeology service, to include handling and described talks on local archaeological finds from the prehistoric period to medieval times.
The first talk starts on Wednesday 23rd January in the Bradbury Activity Centre, Norwich at 10.30, with a further 2 talks on Wednesday 20th February and Wednesday 27th March both at the same time and venue. The cost is just £2 to include refreshments, and we look forward to taking your booking.
14. Audio Book Clubs
The Association has a number of monthly audio book clubs meeting in libraries around the county, giving access for visually impaired people to the Calibre audio Library. Many of our current book clubs have spaces, so why not come along to enjoy lively discussions on a variety of literature, with books to suit all literary interests. Many of the book clubs also take part in additional book reading events, short talks by local authors and occasional reading aloud events.
We currently have 8 groups, which meet at the following locations and times each month.
Norwich Millennium Library - 1.30 – 3.00pm Second Monday
Watton Library – 2.00 – 3.30pm first Wednesday
Dereham Library 10.30am – 12.00pm – third Wednesday
Diss Library – 2.00 - 3.30pm – fourth Friday
Gaywood Library 2.00 – 3.30pm – first Thursday
Cromer Library 2.00 – 3.30pm – second Tuesday
Great Yarmouth Library 2.00 – 3.30pm – last Friday
Aylsham Library 10.30 – 12.00pm – third Tuesday
We are keen to open additional audio book clubs at other libraries and would welcome feedback from you if you’d like to join one. Please phone us or fill out the Magpie News slip with your details and name of your local branch library.
15. Bradbury Activity CentreThere are a number of Leisure groups and activities held regularly in the Norwich centre. Everyone is welcome to attend and it would be great to see some new faces in our already well established groups. To attend a group costs £2 which includes refreshments. For further details please contact us on 01603 629558.