Hello newsletter
Autumn 2017 edition
We are a charity that helps people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities achieve their ambitions and go beyond their expectations.
Henshaws, Atherton House, 88-92 Talbot Road, Old Trafford, Manchester M16 0GS
Phone: 0161 872 1234 Visit: henshaws.org.uk
Contents
Page 3 Henshaws Stories
Page 4 Community Services News
Page 11 Fundraising Updates
Page 12 Group Updates
Page 15 Timetable
Page 18 Arts and Culture
Page 20 General Knowledge Quiz
Page 21 Recipe
Page 22 Other News, Services and Useful Numbers
Hello and welcome to the autumn 2017 edition of Henshaws ‘Hello’ Newsletter.
As the summer season winds down, we round up our busy schedule of summer activities and events, including the wonderful time we had celebrating our service users' achievements at the Henshaws Awards 2017. We’ll tell you about the events from the afternoon, as well as our deserving winners.
We also hear from Rashid on his journey to becoming a personal trainer and how he has made exercise and sport accessible to him. We’ll also discover the activities and events our different Friendship Matters groups and Children & Families Service have been running over the past few months, including celebrations for our 180th birthday in June, and a touch-tour of the ‘Room on the Broom’ set at the Lowry!
Over the past year, Henshaws has grown across Greater Manchester as we reach people in their local communities. We hope you enjoy hearing our latest updates from Bolton and Oldham, and discovering the groups and courses we have running near you in our latest timetable (on page 15 onwards).
Robert Cooper, Director of Community Services
Henshaws Stories
At Henshaws we love hearing stories of people going beyond their expectations and in this edition we’re sharing Rashid Khan’s story from Manchester. Exercise can often be difficult when you have a visual impairment, especially as equipment and classes are not easily accessible, but Rashid has overcome the obstacles he faced and is now a professional Personal Trainer. He tells us his story:
“I first attended Henshaws in 2010 because I was keen to improve my IT skills, and they informed me of the different types of IT software available for visually impaired people. I have Retinitis Pigmentosa, but still have some vision.
I've always enjoyed sports and have been going to the gym for some years. Being visually impaired can make everyday tasks challenging, but my determination to keep fit and healthy enables me to tackle many of those challenges head on. I've been playing cricket for the Lancashire Lions Visually Impaired Cricket Club since 2011, I play Goalball, and have also recently started boxing training. The sports I take part in all have an audible element, so they can be played using sound.
I go to the gym regularly for my physical and mental wellbeing, where I use tactile stickers on gym equipment and machinery, and bright coloured fitness equipment, which helps me distinguish between the different sections. In the past, when I couldn't use certain equipment safely and effectively, I’ve trained with a fully sighted friend who can support me.
Recently, I've completed my Level 2 Fitness Instruction and Self Development course and have also achieved my level 3 Personal Training qualification. My goal is to be a Personal Trainer who can help and inspire others to overcome their own challenges, whether from low self-esteem, lack of confidence, or having a disability like me.”
If you would like any help, support, training or even nutritional advice, Rashid can be contacted on 07565 669 723 or by emailing . Henshaws also offer exercise classes across Greater Manchester (see page 14), so ring us on 0161 872 1234 to find out more.
Community Services News
Henshaws Awards
On Thursday 15th June, we held our second Henshaws Awards at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, where we celebrated just some of the fantastic achievements of our service users and volunteers from the past 12 months.
Tom Walker from the BBC's In Touch programme kindly hosted the event once again, and our Guitar Jamming Group performed a number of classics including ‘Johnny B. Goode’ by Chuck Berry. We were also pleased to be joined by Anne Hornsby from Mind’s Eye, who audio described our new, 180th Anniversary Video which was launched that afternoon.
The full video can be watched on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/Henshaws1837.
Along with the shortlisted nominees, their friends and families, the ceremony was attended by the new Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham and Warren Smith, Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, as well as representatives from Cargill and UK Fast.
Well-earned congratulations to everyone who was nominated and shortlisted for our awards, and to our very deserving winners (pictured above), who were:
Jean Patterson, Friendship Matters Award
Mary Gifford, Volunteer of the Year Award
Jackson Edwardes, Young Person of the year award – Under 12
Tess Ptonka, Sport England - VI Friendly Business Award
Paul Foster, Technology Award
Jamie Foster, Young Person of the Year 12-25
Bryony Fielding, Gillian Lawrence Award
Henshaws in Oldham
The following is an update from Kate Nattrass, our Community Enablement Officer in the Oldham area:
“Henshaws in Oldham is running well, with lots of different, regular groups and activities to get involved in (see page 16). One of our groups, the Pennine Vale Friendship Matters group, has been growing every month, and alongside a very warm welcome, there is always homemade cake and marmalade, brought in by a kind volunteer, which is then sold to go towards the group funds (and it’s delicious!). The group has regular speakers who come to share their knowledge on the local community, eye health and everyday life, and these talks have been so successful we’re hoping to bring them to the Chadderton Vale FM group very soon.
In our August Tech Talk, we were joined by Sophie Wheldon from British Wireless for the Blind Fund (pictured above, with two members of the Tech Talk group), a free Service that provides easy to use radio devices for visually impaired people. Sophie brought in their latest product, Bumblebee (see page 22 for more information) for the group to learn about and get a hands-on demo with the new product.
Two upcoming groups being set up in Oldham are a User Voice Group, which will give local service users the opportunity to meet and discuss how things are going in Oldham and what people would like to happen, and another Friendship Matters Group in central Oldham. If you are interested in joining either of these groups, please ring 0161 770 1824.
There will also be a ‘Living with Sight Loss’ course from Monday 11th September to Monday 16th October between 1 and 3.30pm at the Link Centre in Oldham. This course gives you the opportunity to meet other visually impaired people and professionals, and to chat to others going through similar situations. To book onto the course or to find out more ring 0161 770 1824.
Finally, Henshaws are also involved with Oldham Council’s ‘Who put that there?’ campaign. This campaign explores different ways to improve the environment for visually impaired people, and looks at things that cause mobility issues on a daily basis such as parking on pavements, street furniture, overhanging trees, etc. Oldham Council is keen to set up a forum to help work collectively on this and therefore requires volunteers to support them, so if you're interested in getting involved, get in touch on 0161 770 1824.”
Successful first year at Altrincham Eye Hospital!
It’s been a busy first year for Henshaws Patient Support Officer Gail at Altrincham hospital alongside her guide dog Wanda. Thanks to generous funding from the Altrincham Community panel, Gail has been supporting patients and their families in the eye clinic two days a week since April 2016.
Gail supports people right from the point of diagnosis: accompanying patients to appointments, information on their eye condition and benefits of registration and the different services available. At Henshaws, we often hear how having someone to offer this support right from the moment of diagnosis is hugely important, and our one year survey found that since we started this service in Altrincham:
· 78% of people had increased knowledge of local services which can support them
· 67% of people felt less socially isolated
· 78% of patients have increased knowledge of their eye condition.
Our wonderful volunteers Charles and Ian have also established a weekly information desk in the clinic waiting room and have provided help and information to over 300 people, often families and friends of patients who also need support in dealing with the impact of sight loss.
We offer our Patient Support Service at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital every day and at Altrincham hospital on Mondays and Tuesdays. If you’d like any support, pop-in to see our Patient Support Officers Gail or Zoe, or they can be contacted by ringing 0161 276 5515 or by emailing .
What are Henshaws offering in Bolton?
Earlier this year, Henshaws merged with Bolton Society for Blind People, and our new enablement officer for Bolton, Suzie Bunn, has been working at our hub at The Sensory Centre at Thicketford over the past couple of months. She told us a bit about herself, and what support you can receive in Bolton:
“I live in Tonge Moor, and I love the community spirit that is alive and well here. My background is in education and leisure, and I volunteered for 9 months with Tonge Action Group. I really enjoyed working with young people and the elderly community, which inspired me to apply for a job working in Henshaws Community Services.
What is your role?
My role is working with the volunteers and adult services across the Bolton area to provide groups, social opportunities and training to people with a visual impairment and other disabilities.
What services do Henshaws offer in Bolton?
We continue to offer the different services that were run by Bolton Society for Blind People, including the Befriending Service and Advocacy appointments, as well as the Braille Group, Lunch Club and Tea and Coffee Afternoon (see timetable on page 17).
We now also offer a monthly Tech Talk Group and Digital Assessments and Training from our digital enablement officer Chris. Later this year, we will start providing Living with Sight Loss courses, and gentle exercise classes.
To get involved, you can get in touch with me on 01204 337896 and I’ll create a personal plan with you which will support your journey with Henshaws. I can offer information, advice and guidance on a range of issues, and also refer you to other professionals who can offer their expertise – just get in touch! I can be contacted on 01204 337896, or you can email me at .”
Henshaws are also working with Bolton News Talk, who are a charity that provides a free weekly digest of The Bolton News, which is delivered free of charge to visually impaired listeners around Bolton. Every Sunday, a group of volunteers record the previous week’s articles from the Bolton News and send them to over 200 people a week in Bolton and the surrounding areas.
If you are interested in receiving a weekly audio copy of The Bolton News, you can get in touch with them on 07547914637 or by emailing .
Visit Henshaws at Sight Village
On Wednesday 27th September 2017, Henshaws will be at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, Sight Village in Manchester as part of their Roadshow.
Exhibitors from throughout the world will be taking part, including people who are blind or partially sighted, family members, professionals and businesses. The event is free to enter, and we’ll be there all day from 9.30am until 3.30pm. Make sure you pop in and say hello!
Henshaws Life Hacks
We return with another Henshaws Life Hack, and this time we’re sharing a hack that’s been one of our most popular tricks from our Life Hacks eBook:
When chopping an onion, you can keep it steady and avoid cutting your fingers by using a metal afro hair comb. Simply insert the comb into the onion, and slide the blade between the teeth of the comb. Make sure to use a stainless steel afro comb – they can be purchased for around £1 from a variety of stores, and this method can be used for lots of different fruit and vegetables, including cucumbers and tomatoes.
Mark has created a short video demonstrating the afro comb; visit henshaws.org.uk/lifehacks to see it in action, as well as other tips and tricks from our Life Hack videos and eBook. If you have a life hack that works well for you, get in touch at , so we can share your useful tip with others.
Fundraising Updates
Henshaws Christmas carol concert ‘Carols by Candlelight’ is returning to Manchester Cathedral on Saturday 2nd December. Doors open at 7pm for a 7:30pm start, and tickets can be bought from the fundraising team by ringing 0161 786 3656.
We’ll be running a Christmas raffle again this year with the top prize of £1,500. Tickets go on sale in early October, so get in touch with Faye in the fundraising team on 0161 786 3656 if you’d like to buy some or sell some to your friends. All the tickets you sell will go towards making sure we’re able to help people when they’re first diagnosed with sight loss.
Don’t forget to drop into Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, and see our 180th anniversary exhibition which looks at the different ways that sight loss has changed in the last 180 years and how Henshaws have helped people. The exhibition will open on Thursday 7th September until the end of October, and is available to visit for free from 9am-8pm Mon-Thursday and 9am-5pm on Friday and Saturday.
Two national awareness events are happening this autumn: 18th-24th September is National Eye Health Week and 12th October is World Sight Day. If you would like to use these opportunities to fundraise or run an event for Henshaws, we’d love to hear from you, so ring Kevin on 0161 786 3656.
What would you like to leave to your local area? This September we’ll be joining forces with other charities across the country to encourage people to think about what gifts they might leave in their will for their local communities. If you’d like to tell us what you might leave, or to find out more about leaving a gift to Henshaws, call our Legacies Manager, Stewart Graham, on 0161 786 3640.