Sue’s Hello!

Insight Update

Issue 27

Autumn/Winter 2012

Hello Everyone!

Well, this is my first message in the Insight Magazine so the first thing I would like to say is that it’s very nice to be here! I took over as Chief Executive of HERIB following Sue Pallister’s retirement at the end of July and I have to say I don’t know where those three months have gone already! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know all our fantastic staff and volunteers and have met a lot of our wonderful service users. I’m really enjoying the job and love the variety of the work and the sense of purpose behind the role. We have a fantastic and dedicated team of staff and volunteers here at HERIB and I’m really enthusiastic about taking the charity forward.

I am a local girl who was born and bred in Hull and now live in West Hull with my husband, two teenage children and my dog so life’s hectic but that’s just how I like it really. Since I’ve been here I’ve attended a 70’s evening in fancy dress, driven a minibus supporting my sons football team doing a sponsored walk for HERIB and walked over hot coals so hopefully I’m doing ok for my first few months!

I look forward to meeting many of you in the very near future and for all of our fundraisers and supporters out there I would just like to say thank you very much, your support really does make a difference and allows us to deliver the valuable services that we do to support so many blind and partially sighted people in the area.

If you would ever like to pop in and have a look round our facilities please just ask or if you have any suggestions about how we could develop our services or ideas for fundraising I would love to hear from you.

Wishing you all much happiness and good health until next time ………….

Sandra Ackroyd, Chief Executive

here for people with sight loss

News from the Board of Trustees

HERIB Closures

Please note HERIB will be closed on the following days:

Wednesday 28th November 2012 and Monday 24th December 2012 to Tuesday 1st January 2013 (inclusive) We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you!

Since the last edition of Insight there have been some changes in the make up of the Board. Regrettably, both John Tasker and Sue Watling have had to retire on health grounds. They will both be greatly missed. On the plus side we have a new Trustee Hollie Haeney, who is an experienced Accountant and a further two or three possible Trustees are going through the selection process. They will keep our numbers up in double figures.

If anyone feels they might wish to become more heavily involved in HERIB’s activities and feel they have skills they believe would be useful in the future development and the direction of our activities, feel free to contact me or a fellow Trustee or Sandra for consideration.

Volunteers and others are welcome but unfortunately the Board is closed to working staff or those contracted to HERIB for the provision of services. Since Sandra took office we have

experienced a hectic and interesting schedule including re-examining our strategy and looking at staff and service issues in detail.

We have also been busy with fundraising. Local opticians have recently donated over £4,000 and other private donations have been secured.

On a personal note, I along with 13 other hardy, or should it be fool hardy, souls took place in the Fire Walking event. Surprisingly we all enjoyed ourselves, the worst damage being a few blisters. I think we all experienced a mixture of relief and achievement.

The Board wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas and a bright and energetic New Year. Eric Harrod. Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Services News

Day Groups

We have had a busy summer, this years Scarborough Holiday was another success, despite the rain, thirty three people had a great time. So much so we have booked for next year!

15th – 22nd June 2013 at the Delmont Hotel. If anyone is interested in finding out more information about the holiday please contact our Services Manager Julie

Woolley.

We celebrated the Queens Diamond Jubilee in style, all the nine day groups met together in the Hull centre and we had a week long party, with flag waving, singing, dancing and even a visit from the other King - Elvis!

We are now looking forward to Christmas we have a week of parties planned with a traditional Christmas lunch prepared on the premises by our cook Karen, followed by entertainment and maybe even a visit by the big man in the red suit! Our day groups meet in six different locations throughout the East Riding, lunch is provided along with an opportunity to take part in a wide variety of activities; craft making is always popular. If you would like any more information on our Day Groups or if you would like to come along and visit please get in touch on 01482 342297.

Assistive Technology

Focus Day

Tuesday 4th December 2012 10am—3pm

In the HERIB Resource Centre

A chance to view and try out the latest products from:

Optelec; low vision aids including

magnifiers Dolphin; computer software

Calibre; audio books

Booking not required for this event.

Everyone welcome!

Services News

MACULAR DISEASE SOCIETY

HULL GROUP

A self help group for people with impaired central vision. The group meets at HERIB on the 3rd Friday of every month between 10.30am—12.15pm.

For more information, call Clive Skinner on 01482 656714.

Home Visiting

Janie Dent is one of five Home Visitors working for HERIB. She covers an area which includes Beverley, Driffield and as far as Bridlington, meaning she clocks up

on average 260 miles every week.

The role of our Home Visitors has changed dramatically over the years and has gone from popping in for a cup of tea and a chat to advising people on benefits, supporting them through difficult times and offering up to date advice and information to visually impaired people and their

families.

Janie, who has worked at HERIB for five years explains “Being a Home Visitor means I get to see lots of different people every day and try to help them the best way I can, whether it’s practical help they need like reading post and changing batteries or referring them to other agencies such as Social Services and Occupational Therapy, or making appointments at the Low Vision

Clinic.

It’s always a long visit if benefit forms are being filled in but it’s worth it when they get the letter to say they have been successful. It’s during our little chats that I really get to know the service users and can then suggest things that may help them in the future. I am still seeing the same people I saw when I started five years ago and would like

to say all my visits are a pleasure.

Helen Pook of Beverley said “Without Janie and HERIB I wouldn’t be where I am now. She gave me the confidence to get around, introduced me to the tandem club and told me about courses I could take to update my IT skills and most importantly, made me realise that I

wasn’t useless”.

If you feel you would benefit from a visit from a Home Visitor, please contact us here at HERIB on 01482

342297.

Services News

Low Vision Assessments

Local charity Help for Health have kindly donated more than £2,800 to HERIB to provide up-to-date equipment and specialist training for our staff so that they can now deliver preliminary low vision assessments both at our Resource Centre on Beverley Road and on

Home Visits.

The information gained from each assessment will then be used to determine if any low vision aids e.g. magnifiers are available to help the person with sight loss as well as providing guidance to people in to how to use such equipment correctly.

Our Resource Centre is open Monday

to Friday from 9am to 4pm.

Beech Holme Court Beech Holme Court is a sheltered

housing complex of 22 flats for

people with visual impairments

who are independent and care for

themselves.

If you would like more information

about Beech Holme Court’s

facilities or to be considered for

addition to the tenancy waiting

list, please contact HERIB on

01482 342297.

Children’s Pantomime Visit

Following on from the success of last years trip, we are once again taking a group of visually impaired children and their families to see the pantomime at Hull New Theatre on Sunday 9th December. This year it is the timeless classic, Sleeping Beauty, starring the

Chuckle Brothers.

As well as experiencing all the magic and mayhem that comes with a traditional family pantomime, the children will get to meet cast members before the performance and touch and see close up some of the costumes and scenery used in

the production.

Numbers for this trip are limited and demand is always high for places so if you know of a family who would benefit from this opportunity please contact Alison at HERIB as soon as possible on 01482 342297. Places will be allocated on a first come,

first serve basis.

Message from June—Support Worker

Hi everyone, Can you believe that a year has passed since the NHS took over the Support Worker role at the Eye Hospital

- how time flies! The service is still proving to be a necessity. Approximately 5,000 people have been referred to me with a variety of problems to address, sometimes quite challenging. I have had a few complaints that people can never reach me by telephone. As I am a sole worker, I apologise that the answer machine has to be on, especially when I am with patients, in order to comply with confidentiality rules, but I do try to ensure ever call is answered eventually, so please be patient with me. I attended the annual Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) Conference in York in October and was shocked to learn that there are now over 200 ECLO’s or Early Intervention Officers working throughout the UK. There was only a handful when I first started in post, so I am pleased that the service is being recognised as vital link to visually impaired people, their families and carers. I am also glad to update that I have

now successfully completed the Eye Clinic Support Studies course with School of Health Sciences/City of London University in conjunction with the RNIB. What will be next I ask myself? I am currently working with HERIB, Nikki Kirk / Hull City Council Sensory Team and Julie Jewitt / East Riding Sensory Team to re-establish the Information Sessions at the hospital for newly registered patients. The first session has been arranged for November so I will be sending invitation letters out to patients registered during October soon. Remember, this is “your” service, so if you feel that you have any problems or questions you need answering relating to your sight, please call in for a chat after your Eye Clinic appointment. I am based on the second floor of the Eye Hospital, Fountain Street or I can be contacted on:

Telephone: (01482) 605 333 As Christmas time approaches may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2013. I thank you for another successful year and look forward to meeting with old and new faces in the coming year. With regards June Crosby Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO)

Services News

Mobile Resource Service Our Mobile Resource Bus offers advice and information to help people to cope with the every day difficulties of living with sight loss. there is no need to book an appointment, simply pop along to any of the venues on the above dates. If you are a carer or health professional reading this and you think you would like our bus to visit we would love to hear from you. Please call Tracy Atkinson at HERIB on 01482 342297 or email tracya@herib.co.uk.

Scarborough Holiday 2013 Scarborough Holiday 2013 will take place from 15th—22nd June and will cost £295 per person. This annual holiday is designed for you and a guide. Shared, twin and single rooms are available staying at the family friendly Delmont Hotel. Transport from home is provided along with Bed Breakfast and Evening meal plus daily outings to various locations in and around Scarborough. For more information or to reserve a place, please ring HERIB 01482 342297 or email juliew@herib.co.uk.

Low Vision Exhibition Tuesday 19th March 2013

10 am—3pm

in the Main Hall at HERIB

An opportunity to view the latest low vision aids and equipment.

Refreshments available.

Clubs and Groups

THE YOGA CLUB Fridays 2pm –3pm at HERIB Class fee: £3 There’s no need to book simply turn up on the day. For more information please call Louise Hebblewhite on 07969 333715. This class is available to the general public.

Pool Team The HERIB pool team meet Monday through to Thursday here at HERIB on Beverley Road . Made up of a group of VI service users, the Pool Team practice during the week and play at the West Park Hotel every Thursday night. Captain of the A Team Carl Thew, who has been playing for a number of years, said “We don’t win many games but we take it on the chin and carry on, if we win it’s a bonus but it’s the playing that’s important”. B Team Captain Brian Kershaw agrees “We play fully sighted teams and sometimes teams with people with other disabilities. It’s a good night out with a really friendly atmosphere”. Sadly, one of the regular players, Phil Acaster, passed away earlier this year and is much missed by his team mates. “Phil was a brilliant pool player” said Carl “other teams used

to be scared of him he was so good”. If anyone would like to join the pool team, contact us here at HERIB on 342297. You don’t have to be a fantastic player, just come along and have a go.

The Late Phil Acaster

Training News

LOOKING AHEAD

Wednesdays 10am—12noon Starting dates for each series of seven weekly sessions: 31st Oct.2012 – 12th Dec.2012 6th Feb 2013 – 20th March 2013 10th April 2013 – 15th May 2013 The sessions take place in the Resource Centre at HERIB. Course fee: FREE (donations welcome)

For more details about any of our training programmes please call us on 01482 342297. Looking Ahead Information Sessions Have you been recently diagnosed with a visual impairment? Do you need help adjusting to your sight loss? Then why not come along to our “Looking Ahead” sessions? “Looking Ahead” is a series of seven weekly information sessions for anyone who is getting accustomed to their loss of vision. For more information or to book on a session please call us on 01482 342297.

In the last month HERIB has provided visual awareness training for the staff of Boothferry Housing Association. Carol Walker of the Association said, “Thanks for the ‘brill’ training which made our staff more confident in working with residents who are visually impaired’. We also delivered a talk on visual impairment to sixty members (from all over the country) of the Almshouses Trust.

We are also currently delivering training to eighty Hull City Council staff on Sensory Awareness. Feedback from the first session was very positive and staff commented that the course enabled them to acquire the skills to improve services to their sensory impaired service users.

Our next Open College Network Visually Impaired Awareness Training Course will be on Wednesday 6th March. These nationally accredited courses are aimed at Caring and Support Staff, Workers in Education, Retail and front line Public Sector Staff and Auxiliary Nursing staff. Open College Network credits are recognised by a large number of employers. A Braille reading and writing course is currently running each Wednesday afternoon between 1pm and 2pm. Visually impaired or sighted people are welcome and learners can progress at their own pace.

Fundraising News

Sandra Webster held a Garden Party

and raised a fantastic £302.

Without your support we simple could not continue our life enhancing work. In this newsletter, we could not possibly include everyone who has run, walked, dived, baked, danced or simply donated but we are grateful to each and everyone of you

for your kind support.

Here are just a few of the things you

have been doing:

Joanne Pick and Gordon Lazarus took on a Tandem Sky Dive challenge

and raised more than £1,500!

Help for Health donated £2,815 to provide Low Vision equipment packs and specialist training to HERIB Home Visitors and Resource Centre staff. MARS donated a £250 MARS Refuel Award to help fund the support vehicle for our weekly Beech Holme

Tandem Club rides.

Thanks to the staff and customers of Sainsbury's Local, Beverley Rd, Hull who chose HERIB as their Charity of the Year and raised an amazing £1,405! The volunteers at St Augustine’s Church, Skirlaugh raised £470 for HERIB from their weekly coffee mornings and we can testify that

their cakes were delicious!

Leah Wright and Emma Drewery collected more than one hundred teddies for our soft toy appeal which we used to raise more than £100 on

our teddy tombola stall.

Fundraising News

Lifestyle team Love Life Live (Lauren, Tash, Cassie and Amy) raised £123.60 for us during their school summer holidays. Well done

girls!!

Peter Preece ran the Hull Marathon

and raised £116.

Sue Saxby organised a Family Fun Day in Beverley with the help of her family and friends and raised an

incredible £1,080.

Mrs Garton and friends at Burton Pidsea Memorial Hall held a weekly coffee morning and raffle and raised

£300 for HERIB.

Elaine Cornforth organised a 70’s/80’s evening with the help of her family, friends and work colleagues at Andrew Jackson Solicitors and raised a fantastic £1,060. The Rotary Club of Humberside held a “Last Night at the Proms” concert featuring the Humberside Police Concert band and chose HERIB as one of the recipient charities donating £400 to help local people

with sight loss.

John Denman undertook the Three Peaks Challenge and raised £264 to refurbish the HERIB Day Centre

garden.

Fundraising News

We are very happy to announce some fabulous prizes for this year’s Christmas Prize draw, not least of all a first prize of £200 cash! Other fabulous prizes to be won in this year’s raffle include: • P & O Mini Cruise • £25 of Marks & Spencer

vouchers. • Six bottles of wine. Plus many other prizes. The draw will be made on Tuesday 18th December. This year, with your help selling tickets to your friends, family and work colleagues, we are hoping to raise more funds than ever. Simply contact us on 01482 342297 and we will supply you with the tickets and a FREEPOST envelope to return your entries.

It costs HERIB almost £2,100 every day to provide its support services to local people with sight loss so every ticket sold can make a real difference. Thank you!

Christmas Draw 2012

Fire Walk 2012

lifetime and walked across 20ft of burning hot coals to raise funds for HERIB. We are pleased to report everyone not only completed this amazing challenge but finished in one piece with no injuries and with a smile on their face! (and very dirty feet!!)

Sponsorship monies are still being collected however we estimate the event raised over £2,600.

Thank you to everyone who took part and all their friends and family who came down to support and cheer everyone on. It was certainly a night to remember.

Thanks also to David Lloyds Fitness Centre in Hull for their kind support.

On World Sight Day Thursday 11th October, fourteen brave souls took on the challenge of a

HERIB Diary

FUNDRAISING DATES Sainsbury Hessle Collection Friday 16th November 10am—4pm Hull Heritage Victorian Christmas Streetlife Museum Saturday 24th November 10am—4pm Tesco Driffield Collection Monday 3rd December 10am—4pm Christmas Craft & Gift Fayre Cottingham Civic Hall Saturday 8th December 10am—4pm Beverley Flag Day Beverley town centre 10am—4pm Book Fair HERIB Main hall Saturday 9th February 2013 10am—4pm Craft & Gift Fayre Cottingham Civic Hall Saturday 23rd December 2013 10am—4pm Ladies Luncheon Tickton Grange Tuesday 16th April 2013 12noon –3pm

We are always in need of volunteers to assist with our fundraising collections. If you can spare even an hour or two on any of the dates listed, your help would be very much appreciated. Please contact us on 01482 342297. Thank you.

Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal

HERIB is delighted to have been chosen as one of the beneficiaries of this year’s Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal and would like to thank Councillor Danny Brown and his team for their generous support. If you wish to donate to the Lord Mayor’s charities, please send a cheque to the civic offices at the address below. Please make the cheque payable to ‘Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal Fund’. Lord Mayor’s Office Hull City Council Room 74, The Guildhall Alfred Gelder Street Hull

HU1 2AA

Tel:

01482 300 300

A Message from Fr. John

On the 4th of October, the Revd Brother Wilfrid Simpson, a Franciscan Friar, passed away peacefully at the Queensgate Care home in Hull. He was 96.

After contracting meningitis at the age of 11, Wilfrid lost his sight. Even so, this did not deter him from striving after certain goals. In 1943, then aged 27, he joined the Franciscan order. There, his passion for gardening began. He cultivated a pink standard rose called ‘Brother Wilfrid’. It was marketed in the 1970’s. He later organised the landscaping of the terraced gardens at Alnmouth Friary in Northumberland. They became an attraction to hundreds of visitors each summer.

From 1978 – 81 he served as Chaplain to the Queen Margaret School in York, and from 1981 – 2001 he was appointed as Chaplain to the Royal National College from the Blind in Hereford. Then, in 2001, Wilfrid finally retired and settled in Hull. His association with HERIB, through former Home Visitor Sue Sawyer and current member of

Talking Newspapers

Do you enjoy local news? Would you like to have it delivered to you at home for FREE? Call your local Talking Newspaper today: Hull & District 01482 585 822 Beverley & District 07845 047 044 Bridlington 01262 603 166 Goole & District Email: caldicod@aol.com

staff Janie Dent, was much appreciated. Thanks to both of them for bringing joy and laughter into Wilfrid’s life. On behalf of the Society of Saint Francis and myself, our sincere and heart felt thanks are extended to all the professional and dedicated staff at HERIB for their invaluable contribution to the lives of those with sight loss. May God bless you all. Fr John

Volunteers

Congratulations Robin

Congratulations to Robin Russell, a volunteer and trustee at HERIB who received the runners up award in the “Volunteer of the Year” category at this year’s national Visionary Awards. The award is an annual honour made in recognition of outstanding achievements by volunteers who have made a positive impact on the lives of people with sight loss. Robin has been leading the HERIB Beech Holme Court Tandem Club for over ten years and he has been instrumental in encouraging more front and back riders to get involved as well being a Trustee for

HERIB.

Robin, pictured centre, is congratulated by London 2012 Paralympian tandem rider Lora Turnham and 2012 Paralympian tandem gold medallist Neil Fachie.

Well done Robin and thank you for all your continued support from all

the team at HERIB.

Thank You Carol

A big thank you to HERIB Trustee Carol Winter for her recent donation of £2,565. Carol has been raising funds through a variety of events and activities supported by lots of

her friends and family members.

She is pictured above with fellow fundraiser Vicky Johnson, Hull City owner Ehab Allam and HERIB Chairman Eric Harrod. (Photo courtesy of the Hull Daily

Mail).

HERIB would like to thank all

our volunteers who give up

their time to help in so many

different ways to support our

work. We simply could not

provide our vital services

without your help.

Thank you to each and everyone

of you and best wishes for a very

Merry Christmas and a Happy

New Year!

here for people with sight loss

Compliments or Complaints

If you have any compliments or complaints please contact:

Sandra Ackroyd, Chief Executive HERIB

01482 342297 Email: mail@herib.co.uk

Next Insight No.28

Out Spring/Summer 2013

If you have anything you would like us to include in the next issue please send it to HERIB by the end of March 2013

for inclusion in the Spring/Summer 2013 edition.

Thank You

Improving and enriching the quality of life for local people with sight loss

Hull and East Riding Institute for the Blind, Beech Holme, Beverley Road,

Hull, HU5 1NF Telephone: 01482 342297 Fax: 01482 443111 Registered Charity Number: 223668 Email: mail@herib.co.uk

www.herib.co.uk