Newsletter for Spring 2008: Issue 21

This information is also available in Braille, on tape or, if you prefer, by e-mail. If you wish to receive your newsletter in any of these formats, give us a call on 01495 763650 and speak to Sam.

Newsletter Contents

Clicking one of the content links below will take you to the relevant section if you do not wish to read the entire newsletter.

Braille Classes

Shaun Doyle is keen to hear from anyone who would like to learn Braille. He doesn’t have any sight himself and is keen to pass on his skills. Qualified at the Royal National College in Hereford, he has a variety of courses on offer. So if you would like to have a go at Braille – whether it’s just to label some CDs or tins, or indeed to read War & Peace – contact the Resource Centre on 01495 763650 and speak to Emma who will arrange it all for you.

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Technology and Information Day 2008

On 29th May 2008 we will be running our annual Technology & Information Day at St Albans RC School, Pontypool. The school is located at the bottom of Pontypool, very close to our offices. The day kicks off at 10am and you can drop in any time until 2.30pm.

We will have speakers on Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Cataracts and general eye health as well as about 20 services and equipment providers such as Dolphin, Force 10, Sight & Sound, RNIB, Deafblind UK, Technovision. For a full programme of the day’s events please call 01495 763650.

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Midsummer Jazz

The Little Crown pub at Wainfelin has very kindly agreed to put on an afternoon and evening of jazz music on Saturday 14th June. There will be a FABULOUS line-up of musicians, something definitely not to be missed. Drop in any time between 1pm and 11pm and enjoy a BBQ in the open air – these jazz sessions of theirs are quite legendary so come along to really get into the midsummer spirit and bring friends and family with you.

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Local Events

For each of the areas we cover, we are running a series of special days that will include information on benefits, looking after your finances, keeping well, and different eye conditions. There may also be aids and equipment to look at. If you would like to come along, and have a specific topic or query you would like answered, please let us know in advance and we will try to ensure it is covered. The dates and venues are:

Forthcoming Events in your Area:

Venue	Date	Time
Caerphilly New Cottage Dance Centre	July 15, 2008	10am
Monmouthshire Bridges Community Centre	August 12, 2008	10am
Torfaen Salvation Army, Pontypool	September 16, 2008	10am
Blaenau Gwent: venue to be confirmed	October 14, 2008	10am

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Credit Card Scam

We have been asked by the local council to pass on concerns about a telephone scam to do with credit cards. If someone telephones you and asks for information such as the three numbers on the back of your card, DO NOT GIVE THEM THIS. Neither your bank nor your credit card company will EVER ask you for this information and also will never ask for your PIN number.

Scammers are particularly good at making you feel relaxed in the conversation and making you believe that they are refunding you some money. They are not.

If anyone asks you for your numbers on the back of your credit card or your PIN number, tell them that you will call your bank or credit card company to verify the conversation.

For those of you with internet accounts, beware also of very realistic looking sites that make out they are ‘checking’ your account details – again the real bank or credit card company would never ask for these details (why would they – they already have them if they issued the card!). These sites are known as phishing sites.

Finally, although it is difficult with poor sight, do make sure you keep tabs on what is going out of your bank or credit card account. If you want the information in bigger print or Braille ask the bank or credit card company. If there seem to be any payments that you don’t recognise, get straight onto your bank or credit card company.

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Chepstow Readers Club

Pam Dennis has started a Visually Impaired reading group in Chepstow and is keen to hear from any Talking Book users in the area.

They meet on the second Tuesday of each month to choose books for the future and talk about the book they have read. They also have an excellent speaker who entertains them with tales and poems (and also cooked a very nice meal at Christmas!). If you are a keen Talking Book user in the Chepstow/Caldicot/Tintern area please ring 01495 763650 for more information.

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An Evening of Thanks and Celebration

On July 8th 2008 at 6.00pm we will be meeting in the Torfaen Mayoral Chambers Floor 2, Civic Centre, Pontypool, to celebrate our successes and thanking supporters for all their help over the last year.

Despite a much tighter financial situation, we achieved a huge amount – and we want to share that with you! We have displays and demonstrations available to show you what you’ve helped us do in the year.

We also want to talk about what YOU would like to see us doing in the future. This is our Annual General Meeting, so you will also get the opportunity to meet and vote for Trustees. Please let us know in advance that you will be coming (01495 763650) as we need to arrange for refreshments.>

We look forward to seeing you.

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Thank-you

We were very grateful to receive a donation of £50 from J Howells – and have decided to put this money towards our Braille class, and use the opportunity to remind anyone who would like to learn Braille that we have an excellent tutor. Get in touch if you would like to learn 01495 763650. Thank you J Howells for your generosity.

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Diana: No. 9 in the World!

Diana Evans, Newport Rehab worker, represented Great Britain in the IBSA World Tenpin bowling championships for the blind in Sydney, Australia. She came away from the tournament at a very credible 9th in the World. Well done Diana!

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Winners of our 2007 Raffle

Thank you if you were one of the many people who kindly took part in our 2007 raffle. We raised over £4000 and will be putting this towards our minibus (yes ….. it’s still going, 14 years on, but this year we think it might have to go to the big car park in the sky!). Winner of our main prize was Mrs Shoebridge of Newport who won £300 and other prizes were won by Mrs Levi of Newport, staff at Magor Post Office, Mr Hill of Caerphilly, Mr Williams of Ebbw Vale and Mrs P Murphy. Thank you for taking part.

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Swimming, archery etc.

We are running a special get out and enjoy yourself day at Cwmbran Stadium on June 10th from 10.00 to 3.00.

Come along to try out archery, swimming, bowling, reiki, massage, reflexology and much more. It’s more enjoyable for you if you bring along a sighted guide who can also take part in all the activities. We also need – for health & safety purposes – to enrol everyone at the start of the day so telephone 01495 763650 for more details and we look forward to seeing you there.

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Money in lieu of Flowers

We were sorry to hear about the passing of Alice Pope, Daisy Olga Ward, Mrs D M Goss and Patricia Margrett. We were grateful to their families for offering us money in lieu of flowers, and this money has gone to buy a new digital aerial so we can hopefully demonstrate digital radios from our centre.

Thank you also to Mrs Edwards for a generous donation in memory of her husband George.

We couldn’t be here without the kindness and generosity of those who leave money to us in their wills. If you would like to create a lasting legacy, please remember to tell your solicitor that we are Gwent Association for the Blind. We are not ‘RNIB’ and money given to us ALWAYS gets spent in the area, whereas a national charity will spend its money out of the district. Please telephone 01495 763650 for advice.

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Cookery

Sue’s Kitchen – a web resource for visually impaired cooks

Sue Pallett, who has been blind since birth, got hooked on cooking from the age of eight. Over the years she received a thorough grounding in basic cookery at school then went on to take courses in specific cookery skills gaining certified recognition from her local catering college. She shares her knowledge and skills on her web site (be prepared for a boiling kettle and other sound effects when first logging on!)

On Sue’s web pages you’ll find measurement and temperature conversion lists (including American conversions), what she finds helpful in the way of kitchen equipment – including ‘must have’ items, a glossary of preparation techniques (lining cake tins, making pastry,bread and cakes, separating eggs etc), preparing fruit and vegetables, recipes for one pot cooking, pies and pastries, cakes and biscuits, bread, quick and ready meals etc. There is also a section ‘How do I do that?’ to help those new to blindness with simple tasks like making a pot of tea and making toast – probably the first basic domestic skills that have to be re-learned.

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Newport Swimmers

Congratulations to Kelly Ball and Gerard Dupe who both collected a fistful of certificates at the Newport Swimming Group for people with sight loss. They meet on Thursdays 12.00 until 1.00 at the Newport International Sports Complex and have an expert coach on hand to help improve your swimming. If you want more information please call 01633 656 656.

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Ringaround Service

If you live in Blaenau Gwent county borough and you feel that your sight is stopping you from getting out and about, we are starting a new scheme. It’s quite simple – someone will telephone you every week for a chat and to see how you are. You might be able to pick up hints and tips about how someone else copes with the same problems you might be experiencing, and can work through any problems you have. If you think this could be helpful to you, give us a call on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday on 01495 763650 and talk to Becks.

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Radio Station

On your TV you may have a radio station called InsightRadio. It’s on Channel 0188. It is hosted by the RNIB and is specifically for people who have a visual impairment. Give it a whirl!

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Helping us Decide our Future Services

We are looking for people who would be willing to attend a meeting about every three months to help us make decisions about services, provide feedback and guidance and generally make sure that Gwent Association for the Blind does what YOU need us to. If you think you could help us in this way call 01495 763650 or

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Counselling and Emotional Support

Sight loss may be something you or someone close to you has been living with for a long time or it may be new experience. Either way, there will probably be times when you feel in need of some emotional support.

Gwent Association for the Blind is delighted to announce that we have recently received some funding from WCVA to provide Counselling and Emotional Support to our service-users. We shall now be able to provide the following services :

• One to one counselling here at our premises in Bradbury House
• One to one counselling in your own home
• Emotional support over the telephone

The counselling service is completely confidential and provided by trained and supervised counsellors.

For further information ring Emma Richards on : 01495 763650

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Volunteers Wanted!

We are always keen to hear from people who can lend a hand – particularly if anyone is able to help with being a guide on our buses, or to help with some general office work. Call 01495 763650.

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Newport Club: new home

One of our oldest and biggest clubs, The Eton Road club in Newport, has sadly lost a great friend and organiser – Mrs Yvonne Williams who has been running the club for well over 15 years. On her retirement, the club has been taken over by some wonderful volunteers and has moved to a new venue in Shaftsbury Road Newport. If you live in Newport and would like to come along please telephone 01495 763650. Activities include hearing speakers, choirs, having a chiropodist along and generally making friends. Of course we all wish Yvonne a long and happy (and well deserved) retirement!

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