BucksVision News

The new film “My name is Khan” has become the first Bollywood film to be released with audio description.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100224/914/ten-mnik-first-hindi-film-with-audio-des.html

A Great New Way of Raising Funds for BucksVision! Do you have any broken chains, odd earrings or jewellery that you simply don’t wear anymore?

Whether it’s costume jewellery, gold or silver, you can help raise valuable funds with BucksVision’s new recycling scheme. All you have to do is pop your items into a labelled Freepost envelope which we can send out to you. And don’t worry if you have a mix of items as each piece is individually evaluated. Call us on 01296 487556 or email reception@bucksvision.co.uk.

Please spread the word and help us to make this new fundraising initiative a great success!

Deanshanger air rifle club is a sports target shooting club specifically for blind and visually impaired people.

We have an article for anyone who would like to know more.

This year is going to be a challenge for us all, so please take a look at the following link.

http://www.everyclick.com/chrismellor

Chris is doing a challenge to raise money for us, so if you are not ambitious enough to take the challenge yourself, perhaps you would consider sponsoring Chris and raise some money for BucksVision.

The following link takes you to a list of 8 free web browsers designed with visually impaired users in mind.

http://webaxe.blogspot.com/2009/11/free-browsers-for-visual-impairment.html

Our latest newsletter is now on our Newsletters Page.

Dr Chetz Colwell of the Open University is looking for people who are blind or partially sighted and who use the web, to test a new website.

The testing will take place in mid-November at Walton Hall in Milton Keynes and will take up to three hours. They will pay £100 (minus tax) and cover travel expenses.

Please contact Dr Colwell (details below) if you are willing to help.

Dr Chetz Colwell

Accessibility in Educational Media team

Institute of Educational Technology

The Open University

Walton Hall

Milton Keynes

MK7 6AA

Tel: 01908 655772

Email: c.colwell@open.ac.uk

Coming soon is our new transcription service. This will make more effective communication available for everyone with serious sight loss. We will be using audio cassette, CD, USB stick and MP3 files.

We are also now able to offer an audio translation service for Hindi and Gujrati and are looking to recruit speakers of Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi, Phari and Pusto.

We will let you know when the new recording room is up and running hopefully within the next few months.

LOSING PATIENTS is a new campaign aimed at highlighting the difficulties of receiving health information in the correct format. Have you experienced problems either with appointments, test results, or health information ?

If so, please contact Padma on 01908 377058 or email pscheriyan@gmail.com

Your chance to be heard …

BucksVision needs your help by taking part in a survey that will shape the future of service delivery for blind and partially sighted people within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

The survey will gather information about current service provision: the good, the bad and what is missing. It is a comprehensive look at how BucksVision supports its members and what more it could do. This is your chance to be heard, your chance to shape BucksVision and your chance to ensure that the services we offer meet your needs.

The survey is offered in large print, yellow copy and a screen reader format or it can be completed over the telephone. If you would like to take part in the survey then please download the questionnaire and send in the filled in document or contact Neil Hunter:

Telephone: 01296 487556

Email: nhunter@bucksvision.co.uk

By post at: 143 Meadowcroft, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 9HH.

We have been given information on the Here to Help programme, which has been set up by British Gas to address the issue of fuel poverty and help make thousands of homes throughout Britain warmer.

RNIB works with British Gas on the Here to HELP programme to provide blind and partially sighted people with additional products and services to improve quality of life - free of charge.

Read the full (Word) document here.

We’re delighted that BucksVision Volunteer Millie Rowe (nee Gerrard) has won the Milton Keynes Council and Age Concern MK Volunteer Award. Padma Cheriyan sponsored Millie who has volunteered tirelessly for BucksVision and other charities for many years. Millie’s involvement with BucksVision has included Home Visiting, Eye4Art Club and much more. Congratulations Millie from all at BucksVision.

BucksVision members and staff attended an Enterprise Day in September at Chesham High School. As before, it was constructive, informative and uplifting to work with so many teenagers - 180 to be exact. Students are given marketing tasks to complete working with a charity - BucksVision! Thank you to Elsie Carwardine, Tony Hawkins, Peter Robbins and Peter Stickland and Lawrence Ward for coming to the Day and sharing their experiences and knowledge.

The following extracts are from a letter received from Chesham High School student Thomas Jeffery “I would just like to thank you on behalf of Year 10 at Chesham High School for coming in to share and take part in our Enterprise Day. We would also like to thank you for the first hand opportunity to speak and get to know you. This was extremely helpful when relating to our objectives throughout the Day. The aids and equipment that were brought in to replicate what it is like to be blind or partially sighted were extremely valuable not only for trying and experiencing how to move around but also so that we can see through the eyes of people who suffer with sight loss.

We would like to thank you for coming in and we will be looking forward for other years to possibly have this experience as well.”

Our latest annual report is now available for download.

Jim and Linda Lawson, who have considerable experience between them of visual impairment have launched a specialist greeting card company called Easy2C. From designs to print size these cards are produced for people with sight loss and in addition, all paper is environmentally friendly. The greetings can be tailor made for different occasions as well as buying the standard greetings off the shelf at £2 per card. For further information, please contact Easy2C on 01704 573199 or Henshaws in Liverpool on 0151 227 1226.

This website provides information on all Bucks Hospitals and their services.

Hosting a Lunch is just a great way of celebrating a special occasion, of bringing together family or friends, or having an informal, fun afternoon! Now here’s another special reason.

The European Blind Union has for 10 years campaigned for changes to air travel for blind, partially sighted, deaf blind and blind people with additional disabilities. As a result, from 26^th July 2008, new Air Regulations came into operation at all airports throughout Europe. Assistance at airports should be the responsibility of a central body contracting third parties if necessary. These Regulations need to be monitored and your input if you are using air travel, would be appreciated.

Regulations that you need to be aware of:

1. Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility have the same right as all other citizens to free movement, freedom of choice and non discrimination. They should not be refused transport other than on the grounds of safety.
2. No air carrier, agent, or tour operator should refuse, on the grounds of disability or reduced mobility, a reservation for a flight departing or arriving from an airport to which this Regulation applies.
3. Assistance and any particular needs should be provided at the airport and onboard aircraft at no extra cost to the passenger. For example assistance to proceed from a designated point of arrival at an airport to an aircraft, from the aircraft to a designated point of departure, including embarking and disembarking. These points should be designated at main entrances to terminal buildings, in areas with check in counters, in train, light rail and bus stations, at taxi ranks and other drop off points.
4. The design of new airports, terminals and any major refurbishment programme, including aircraft, should take into account the needs of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility.
5. If wheelchairs or other mobility/assistive equipment is lost or damaged during handling at the airport or during transport, the owner should be compensated.
6. An air carrier or agent shall make available, in accessible formats, the safety rules that apply to the carriage of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, and any restrictions on mobility equipment due to the size of the aircraft. Tour operators must make safety rules and restrictions included in package travel, holidays and tours which it organises, sells or offers for sale.
7. Air carriers, agents and tour operates must take all measures for the receipt at all their points of sale (including phone and internet) of need for assistance. When an air carrier/tour operator receives notification of assistance at least 48 hours before the published departure time, this information has to be transmitted to relevant parties 36 hours before the departure time of the flight. The operating air carrier then informs the managing body of the airport of destination (if within the Member State territory). The managing body of the airport shall be responsible for ensuring the provision of assistance provided that the notification of assistance has been made to the air carrier or its agent or tour operator at least 48 hours before the published time of the flight. This notification also covers the return flight. The same notification rules apply to guide dogs.
8. Air carriers, and airport managing bodies shall ensure that all their personnel providing direct assistance to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility have disability equality and disability awareness training.
9. Complaints should be addressed to the body or bodies designated for the enforcement of this Regulation. Penalties should be applied to any infringement.

Responses and queries to Jill Allen King MBE nfbuk@nfbuk.org Chairperson European Blind Union Commission on Mobility and Transport Public Relations Officer - National Federation of the Blind of the UK.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has step by step guidance ‘Your Rights to Fly’ and links to other useful information on their website. Go to http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/yourrights/rightsindifferrentsettings/transport/Pages/AirTravel.aspx

People with a complaint can contact the EHRC for advice and if the matter is not resolved within a set timescale, the EHRC can take the matter up further.

19^th August 2008

Bucks CC have produced a document to explain their changes, including details of their Social Care surgeries.

BucksVision and RNIB have launched a new employment service to provide 1 to 1 employment support for people seeking paid or voluntary employment and advice for those who want to consider their options. Meetings will be held in Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Resource Centres. Please contact David Newbold on 0207 391 2151 or email david.newbold@rnib.org.uk to book your place for Aylesbury. Please contact Dane Sullivan on 07789395873 for Milton Keynes.

Dates: -

Aylesbury Resource Centre - 26^th August, 24^th September, 29^th October, 27^th November.

Milton Keynes - 3^rd Wednesday of each month. 20^th August, 17^th September, 15^th October, 19^th November.

2009 may seem a long way away but we are already taking orders for Calendars and Diaries. They are the same design as last year’s. We order them from an organisation called VIP and send them out to members at cost.

If you would like to place an order please email Maria at mmartins@bucksvision.co.uk or ring the office. We do now accept credit cards.

BucksVision member Donald Ball, recently held an exhibition of his work to raise funds for BucksVision.

Donald, who is registered partially sighted, has been an artist for many years and in conjunction with Bucks University, put together a display of his work for sale in Little Missenden Village Hall. His love of art and talent was clearly shown in the range of paintings for sale.

Over £2,000 has been raised so far. An online sale of his work will also be available. Please contact BucksVision if you would like further details.

Some of the art for sale

Some admirers at the exibition

Students in Exeter have tested out new technology to help the partially sighted and blind people cross the road more safely. The local ITV news team have a good report and demonstration online.

We have our report on the annual competition, with pictures.

Forty eight ladies entered the Doubles Tournament and it was once again a huge success. One of the ladies in the winning pair was Yvonne Shaw, the Volunteer who helps to organise this event, so we were delighted that she should win after doing so much hard work towards making the event run so well.

Once again the lady members of the Tennis Club turned up trumps by providing all-day teas and coffees, they made some fabulous cakes and the lunch they supplied was amazing.

Patrick Phillips, our BAB President, attended all day long and presented the crystal prizes to the winners, semi finalists and quarter finalists. The winning pair received the huge crystal trophy (which is held for one year then returned for re-presentation) and this year, their keeper prizes were matching crystal bowls presented on engraved plinths. The runner up pair received matching crystal vinaigrette jugs with stoppers, and the four ladies who were the quarter finalists each received crystal perfume bottles.

The match Referee was an International Ref called Keith Dewick who once again gave his time and expertise for free.

The Bucks Herald attended and took some photos and we have now sent in a report to match up with the pictures, so we hope they will publish it next week.

The weather was extremely hot (a change from last year when it was quite cold and a bit drizzly) and sunny so it couldn’t have been better.

We had some lovely raffle prizes and the event was sponsored with prizes such as Standard Fuchsia’s from Wendover’s Wyevale Garden Centre, a floral bouquet from Aylesbury’s Flower Gallery and Woodhall Cups & Trophies from Naphill subsidized the engraving of the plinths for us. Other prizes were donated from various sources: BAB volunteers, tennis club members, BAB Staff and others.

Our thanks go to all those who helped make the event such a success.

This is to inform you that the RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) has just received over 1,000 CDs of Bill Brown's “Intro to” courses, “Guitar by Ear”, and “Piano by Ear” music instructional lessons.

The “Intro to” courses teach the basics of a particular instrument using no written or Braille notation. These courses are taught totally “by ear” and are suitable for absolute beginners.

The “Guitar by Ear” and “Piano by Ear” lessons are individual CD's that teach an entire song all the way through using no written or Braille notation. These are suitable for those who have taken the “Intro” courses mentioned above or who already have basic skills on the piano or guitar.

To contact the RNIB regarding their product acquisition, go to www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_musicmaking.hcsp.

To request products or information from RNIB contact James Risdon at James.Risdon@rnib.org.uk.

To find out more about all of Bill Brown's “Intro to” and “by Ear” items go to www.MusicForTheBlind.com.

Musically Yours,

Michelle

MusicForTheBlind

On the 2^nd June 2008, the next event in the Royal Academy of Arts' Programme for Visually Impaired People will take place, entitled "Exploring Cranach".

Trained audio describer Gillian Cutbill gives detailed verbal descriptions of works selected from the exhibition while we study tactile representations of the images. This is accompanied by a group discussion and critique of the works led by Artist Naomi Kendrick, of Elephant Project.

Reynolds Room; 10am-12.15; £3, email access@royalacademy.org.uk to book.

A book containing a selection of Tactile Images from the Cranach exhibition is available to borrow on request. Please contact the Access Officer on access@royalacademy.org.uk or ask for the Access Officer at Reception.

One-to-one guided tours are available for visually impaired persons - please contact the Access Officer in advance to arrange this.

Access Officer

Royal Academy of Arts

Burlington House

Piccadilly

London

W1J 0BD

This month sees the launch of an interactive Forum on BlindArt website where people can read, write about and discuss issues relating to art, visual impairment and disability. The Forum will help raise public awareness of inclusive events and the issues surrounding inclusive arts.

For full details view or download their press release.

For those of you with an interest in museums and art, the V & A really is a wonderful place to visit.

Entry to the museum is free and VI people are entitled to free admission with up to two friends for exhibitions. Call the V & A on 0207 942 2533 for further details. An Access Guide of the museum is available on disability@vam.ac.uk.

From 1^st April this year, residents aged 60 and over and disabled people will be able to travel free of charge on all local buses in London or anywhere else in England. All existing bus pass holders will automatically be issued with a new style ‘smart card’ bus pass. Anyone who does not currently have a bus pass can request an application form by ringing 01296 585656. Passport style photo, proof of age and where they live is required. See www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/buspass.

This scheme is not available if people are using the concessionary taxi toxens. In Bucks, National Express and dial a ride buses are not included but this may vary elsewhere in the country.

If you have any queries, do ring AVDC on 01296 585661

Item: BucksVision joins Foneaid

BucksVision has joined a new fundraising initiative with Foneaid (http://www.foneaid.org.uk/).

For each mobile phone we collect we get £3. We have plastic collection bags to distribute (which we will collect if necessary) and would like as many local businesses, schools and clubs (and anyone else) as possible to help us collect as many mobile phones as possible. Any age or condition of mobile gets us money to enable us to continue helping out our beneficiaries so please help if you can.