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Supporting blind and visually impaired people across Halifax since 1886.

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Newsletter

Halifax Society for the Blind awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

We are absolutely delighted and honoured to announce that Halifax Society for the Blind have been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour for volunteer groups and the equivalent of an MBE. Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers and supporters who have made this possible – we couldn’t have done it without you!

Sue Mort, Chair of HSB said: “We are truly honoured to have received this award. Our volunteers are enthusiastic and determined in providing a variety of support including; supporting group activities, coaching people with new technologies, giving practical advice about sight aids and providing social interaction in a range of settings. Our volunteer trustees have also guided our Charity through the recent tough times, and I’m proud of all of them.”

It could be you!

Halifax Society for the Blind is on the lookout for a special person who wants make a real difference to the lives of people living with sight loss across Calderdale.

Are you that person who could be our fundraiser? Can you motivate people to raise money, organise coffee mornings, concerts and sponsored events? Can you talk to groups and represent our charity across the local community? Are you motivated by success and get satisfaction by seeing the difference you have made? Hours and days can be very flexible to suit the right person and fit around other roles. Some evening and weekend work would be needed. In return we offer a good salary and great working conditions – want to know more? Just email brief details about yourself to Pete Hoey at pete.hoey@halifaxblindsociety.org.uk and we’ll get back to you.

Halifax Society for the Blind moves to CIO status

On the 17th March 2022 a 2/3rd majority of Halifax Society for the Blind (224258) members at a special general meeting voted to change our status from an unincorporated charity to a charitable incorporated organisation and to transfer all HSBs holdings to the new Halifax Society for the Blind CIO. From the 1st April 2022 our entity name is now Halifax Society for the Blind CIO (197353).

Background information

What change is being proposed and why?

HSB was an unincorporated charity. This means that HSB’s trustees were liable for anything that might go wrong in running an organisation which holds responsibilities for buildings, staff, volunteers, and vulnerable people. While good policies and procedures can help with reducing the risk of financial loss arising from trusteeship of our charity, there is no way of eliminating this unless a way is found to limit this liability. Also, as an unincorporated charity, our building(s) had to be held in the name of certain individual trustees who may change over time, but a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) owns the building which makes things much simpler.

The Executive Committee (trustees) have been working on this since last summer with an experienced consultant, and the new CIO was registered by the Charity Commission on 5 January 2022.

By changing the work of HSB to operate through the CIO from 1st April, HSB will limit that liability in a similar way to being a limited company yet maintain the key features and advantages of a charity, including democratic controls, our charitable mission, and access to grants and Gift Aid for donations.

Will the change impact the services HSB offers?

No – becoming a CIO won’t change our services to our community or our charitable objectives. We’ll still be a charity, and we’ll continue providing the best sight loss support services we can.

Will the change affect my rights as a Member?

Not much. You are now a member of Halifax Society for the Blind and as such you are also now a member of Halifax Society for the Blind CIO. We will still have an AGM with member-based scrutiny of HSB’s work, future plans and elections to the Board will still occur annually.

Could this change or invalidate legacies made to HSB?

No. Much of our work is funded through gifts left in legacies, so we are taking measures to ensure that gifts left to our charity Halifax Society for the Blind get passed to Halifax Society for the Blind CIO. However, if you are kindly thinking of leaving a legacy to HSB in future, please ask your solicitor to use the new name: Halifax Society for the Blind CIO – registered charity 1197353.

We look forward to working with you all and our wider community for the future.

Newsletter Jan 2022

We hope this newsletter finds you well. It seems like there’s lots of water under the bridge since our last edition. Perhaps that’s how things seem in the present circumstances, which we are all working through.

In this edition of Look Out! you’ll be able to read about:

  • News about the services we are offering at the moment.
  • Updated tips on keeping yourself and others safe during the pandemic.
  • An introduction from our new Activities Coordinator, Tina Twibill, and an updated programme of face-to-face and Zoom events.
  • Our very successful Christmas activities.
  • Angie Matthews’ leaving party.
  • Great news about our AVIATORS Project.
  • A member’s general meeting in February, to change HSB’s legal status.
  • An update on our distribution of Amazon Alexas to members.
  • Calderdale Eye – your new audio magazine and how to take part.
  • Other updates including new guest speakers, our work in hospitals, and how we did with fundraising at Tesco.

Meanwhile, we’re working hard and committing large funding to a major refurbishment of our new premises at Southgate in the heart of Halifax. More will be revealed soon, in Calderdale Eye – our audio magazine for people with sight loss.

Official Notice: of General Meeting on 17th February 2022 There will be an all-members general meeting on Thursday 17th February 2022 at 2pm. The meeting will vote on changes to our Charity legal structure from an unincorporated charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This will not impact on the services provided, nor your rights as members. See page 8 for full meeting details and background information about this change.

 Current Services Update

2022 is here, and (at least) the start of it looks just a bit like 2021 and 2020. However, in our own way, HSB have learnt to find effective risk controls for our groups and events. It is heartening to know that our risk-based approach has avoided a Covid19 outbreak amongst members. This is how we plan to continue, so for now, we’ll be operating services as follows:

  • We’ll continue to run a weekly programme of Zoom groups; you can join in informative and fun activities from your own home.
  • We’ll make 1-to-1 appointments with you to explore items of sight loss equipment, through our Sight Centre at Clare Road, where we have bought some HEPA filter machines to protect our visitors.
  • Regular face-to-face groups at Brighouse Rest Centre and the Maurice Jagger Centre in Halifax (read on for full details).
  • Our Sight Centre will also run information sessions, which will be detailed in our weekly activities update email (please sign up).
  • We will do socially distanced home visits where this is necessary.
  • We will continually assess the risks and recognise that we’re not out of the woods yet, it is hoped that our new premises at Southgate will offer better Covid19 protection than our current location.

 5 Top Tips for Protecting Yourself and Others in the Pandemic  

Finding up to date information can be hard with sight loss. During the pandemic, we’ve passed on key facts to help you make decisions. Below, are recent observations from Independent Sage www.independentsage.org/

  1. When doing a lateral flow test, swab your throat AS WELL as your nose, even though the stick might be a bit short. It’s more accurate that way.
  2. Keep using face masks. FFP2 ones give protection against airborne viruses, for you and those around you. A handy metal strip over the nose part can shape to your nose and reduce steam-up of your glasses.
  3. Get jabbed, but remember it takes two weeks to reach full effect.
  4. We’re all seeing more people than previously, so be wise and have a few days break between meeting different people.
  5. Be aware that while your booster hugely reduces the chance of severe symptoms, immunity can start to reduce after ten weeks.

 Introducing… Tina Twibill, Activities Coordinator

Hi, my name is Tina, and I am the new Activities Coordinator. Hopefully by now I have met many of you either at one of our groups or over Zoom.

A little about my background; when I left school I went into factory work as a machinist, after a few years I changed careers to work for Calderdale College, at first as a volunteer but then I was given a contract. After various jobs in the organisation, I finished as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, where my role was to ensure students received appropriate support to achieve their chosen course.

After 30 years I took a break from education and started working at Café on the Track, a community Café run by Ravenscliffe 6th form (a school on Huddersfield Road) as a waitress front of house. I really enjoyed this job as I got to talk to lovely customers every day and all I had to do was make sure they had a great experience from when they walked in the door to leaving.

Then Covid hit and I was placed on furlough, during which I volunteered – going shopping for a couple of ladies that found it hard to get out. Again, I loved this as I got to talk to many interesting ladies.

I have many interests – going on holiday seeing diverse cultures, gardening, card making, socialising, baking, going to gym sessions and dog walking. If someone was going to describe me? I think they would say I was friendly, always have a smile on my face, outgoing, loud, caring and fair.

So, that’s me! I saw lots of ideas from the survey before I came to post and if you’d like to have a chat about our activities, or starting something new, just call me at the office – 01422 352383, or email me at tina.twibill@halifaxblindsociety.org.uk

Regular Activities at Halifax Society for The Blind (Contact the office for further details)
Weekly (or most weeks)When?Venue
Brighouse Group – friendly gathering of people with sight loss, friends and family for social chat, information and games.Mondays from 12.30pm to 2.30 pm.Brighouse Rest Centre.
Tuesday Zoomers – different activities each week (guest speakers, quizzes, information, chat and workshops).Tuesdays from 11am to noon.Via Zoom.
Halifax Group – friendly gathering of people with sight loss, friends and family for social chat, information and games.Wednesdays 2.15-3.45pm (1st, 2nd & 3rd week each month).Maurice Jaggar Centre, Halifax
Thursday Fun & Games – with quizzes and games, keep yourself fit for fun. Bring your own cuppa!Thursdays from 11.30am -12.30pm.Via Zoom.
Chairobics! – 25-minute gentle seated exercise session for all ages and abilities.Friday at 10amVia Zoom.
Less Often…When?Venue
Wellbeing Wise – looking after your wellbeing self-help group.4th Wednesday each monthVia Zoom.
Synapptic Users Group – share experiences at this mobile phone and tablet user self-help group.1st Wednesday of the month, 11am to noon.Via Zoom.
Guide Dog Owner Group – a chance for current, past, and potential guide dog owners to catch up and share their experiences.3rd Wednesday of the month, 11am to noon.Good Mood Café, Commercial Street, Halifax (at the old toy shop).

 Using Zoom to Access Our Groups

To join our Zoom sessions, click this link https://zoom.us/j/9683947679 or on any phone, dial 0131 460 1196, then enter the meeting ID 968 394 7679, then press hash #. If asked for a participant ID just press hash # again and you’re in! Why not join our AVIATORS Project and get skilled up.

 Big Thumbs Up for AVIATORS Project – Volunteers Needed!

We’re pleased to announce two-year funding from the National Lottery for our AVIATORS Project! This is exciting news and validates the project, all the hard work so far and all the members who have gone through the project and achieved positive outcomes. AVIATORS stands for Advancing Visually Impaired Adoption of Technology Out-Reach Service.

The volunteers who supported the AVIATORS project so far have been amazing. Patiently encouraging and supporting members to learn how to use the specially adapted tablets and mobile phones and we have had a huge success rate. There have been 41 members who registered interest in the project, and we want to continue building on this success by helping more local people with sight loss to access technology. To do this we need to increase the number of volunteers we have available. The support takes place once a week for about an hour, remotely so you do not have to leave the comfort of your own home.

You do not need to be technology experts as training is provided and support available. All you need is good communication skills and patience. If you could offer support to someone, show them the benefits of accessible technology with sight loss, help them connect with friends and family or support them to use online activities then please ring the office on 01422 352383 for more information.

You too can be a part of this amazing journey, be part of our fabulous team and make a dramatic difference to someone’s life. Sight loss is not a barrier to becoming one of our volunteers.

 Good news! – Connecting people with Amazon Alexa

In the September ‘Look Out’ we talked about the RNIB Talking Books Alexa skill, with a Smart Speaker available for free. This makes it possible for visually impaired people to access audio books easier. We are pleased that each of the 18 devices ordered have all been delivered to the people who requested them. Happy listening everyone!

 Farewell to Angie Matthews

Angie Matthews has been involved with Halifax Society for the Blind for over 12 years, so when she decided it was time to hang up her Sight Support hat and enjoy retirement, we knew we had to send her off in style!

We wanted to give members the opportunity to say goodbye and pass on their well wishes because we knew what a difference Angie had made to so many people’s lives. Somehow (we are not sure how!) we managed to plan a surprise party for Angie.

We held the party at the Maurice Jagger Centre under the guise of our regular group, the room was decorated, “afternoon tea” style refreshments were laid out and everyone one gathered. We then played our rouse and rang Angie to say we had forgotten something in the office and would she bring it down as soon as possible. The plan nearly fell through when Angie decided to knock on the kitchen window instead of coming through the door but with a bit of encouragement, she walked into the surprise of her life!

With the collection money we bought Angie her very own engraved brandy glass and brandy (Barry was very pleased about that!), a beautiful flower arrangement and a £100 voucher for Café Passion, one of Angie’s favourite eating places.

The afternoon was a bittersweet one as we said goodbye to our Angie, but we wish her all the best for the future and hope it’s not long before she pops in to see us. Here are a few of the pictures of the party. If you would like to see more, please visit our website at www.halifaxblindsociety.org.uk

 Christmas 2021 at Halifax Society for the Blind

Well, against the odds we managed to bring some Christmas festivities to our members this year!

The festivities started with our Christmas Fair held at the Maurice Jagger Centre and was well attended. There was a great atmosphere as people chatted and enjoyed refreshments.

We had amazing stalls for people to browse including Sulky Fox, Black Cat Hampers, Snuggle Books, Knot Paper Scissors and Body Shop at Home. Each stall was selling lovely Christmas products. Our Sight Centre staff had a stall with wares from our Sight Centre and were on hand to offer help and advice.

Of course, there was a raffle with prizes donated from the stalls and from Pride and Provenance, Andrew Lomas Opticians and Home Instead. We even had a cake auction which saw two lucky bidders taking away a Christmas cake and a lush chocolate cake!

The Volunteer’s Christmas celebration was held online, and our fabulous volunteers met on Zoom. We had a Christmas quiz, a treasure hunt (always good fun) and a lucky dip Christmas gift. We were joined by Pete Hoey, Chief Officer who thanked the volunteers for all their help and support over the last 12 months. Without our team of volunteers, we wouldn’t have such a wide range of activities for our members, so we are very grateful to each of them. Our Chair of Trustee’s, Sue Mort was unable to make the event but also sent her thanks and well wishes.

Our Children’s Christmas party followed the Volunteer event and was a huge success. Again, we made the decision to have a virtual party, but this did not stop us having fun! Twelve children joined us for our “Story with Santa,” we played games and then sang as loud as we could in the hopes that the big man himself would join us. We must have done some good singing because he arrived!

Santa read the children Christmassy stories and told them some (truly awful) Christmas cracker jokes and then magically his elves made a small gift appear for each child.

The Brighouse Group and Halifax Groups enjoyed a festive themed final session of the year with Christmas quizzes and mince pies. Finally, the online social groups also joined in the celebrations with their own Christmas themed activities.

 Important Member’s News – We’re Changing the form of our Charity  

Resolution for consideration by the Members of the Charity at a Special Meeting to be held electronically on Zoom at 2pm on Thursday 17th February 2022 (two thirds majority needed to pass).

The Members of Halifax Society for the Blind (registered charity number 224258 – “the charity”) meeting in accordance with clause Q of the charity’s constitution hereby APPROVE the recommendation of the Executive Committee that it is advisable to dissolve the charity and that all activities and the net assets of the charity at 31 March 2022 (or such other date as the charity trustees may decide) shall be transferred to Halifax Society for the Blind CIO (registered charity 1197353).  The date of dissolution of the charity (which may be later than 31 March 2022) shall be determined by the Executive Committee without further reference to members.

To join the meeting click this link https://zoom.us/j/9683947679 or dial 0131 460 1196, then enter the meeting ID 968 394 7679, then press hash #. If asked for a participant ID just press hash # again.

 Calderdale Eye – Your New Audio Magazine

Halifax Society launched its first audio magazine, The Calderdale Eye, at the end of last year. We hope to send future editions out bi-monthly.

You should have received your copy of the Calderdale Eye in a purple wallet. The audio magazine comes on a memory stick which can be played by plugging it into a wide variety of audio devices, TVs or computers if they have a USB port. The next edition is due out in February. If you’re not sure you have a device to play this on or would like some support on how to play it, please contact us on 01422 352383.

Once you’ve listened to the Calderdale Eye, you simply put the memory stick back in the purple wallet, and remove your address card from the front pouch, and place that inside the wallet, and pop it all in the post (no postage necessary) and return it to Halifax Society for the Blind free of charge.

Contributing to Calderdale Eye

Calderdale Eye is designed to be for you, and from you. Its content is led by the interests and needs of all people with sight loss living in Calderdale – people like you. We know that sharing our own stories helps others in the same situation, so there’s no need to ponder whether somebody might find your own story interesting. Your story, by definition, is interesting!

To get involved and make or suggest an article you’d like included in Calderdale Eye, or to help create the magazine, please contact us. Your stories can be recorded over the phone, face to face at one of our groups, or recorded at our new premises, when opened. You can even leave a message for Calderdale Eye by putting an elastic band around the memory stick.

Each month will be different, so we’d ask that you listen to Calderdale Eye a few times, and if it’s still not for you, just contact us and let us know.

 Guest Speakers

As some of you may be aware we hold our Tuesday Zoomers on Tuesdays at 11am. This session involves having a chat about a specific topic such as daily living aids or easy recipes. The session is open to anyone and it would be lovely to see some new faces.

The group requested some guest speakers and this week we were very lucky to have a session with Chris Reason. Chris is a new volunteer and has a remarkably interesting background in script writing for various shows such as Eastenders, Casualty and The Bill.

Chris told us how his career started and shared a few of his stories. Everyone really enjoyed the session, and he has agreed to come again. Look out for the activities update email for further information.

On Tuesday 8th February we will be joined by another guest speaker, Ruth Fones. Ruth is a local artist interested in sight loss, the way different conditions present themselves and how they impact people. Ruth has been collaborating with members from Kirklees Visual Impairment Network (KVIN) to learn more about sight loss and recently had an exhibition in Hebden Bridge to highlight her work. Ruth’s art captures the way people had described their sight with the eye condition they had. Ruth also had an audio description with each picture so that her work was accessible.

This picture depicts the description she was given from someone who has Macular Degeneration and is called “Lace Wall”

Ruth will be joining us to talk about her work and build her connections with local people with sight loss. Hopefully, this will lead to face-to-face workshops once we are in our new premises.

To join this or any of our zoom sessions please use this link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9683947679 or contact the office for further information and support.

 Working in Partnership to Improve Our Local Hospitals

We’ve also been working with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, who operate the Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, to improve the experience of people with sight loss when attending appointments or visiting relatives.

Together with Disability Partnership Calderdale, we’ve listened to the experiences of members and taken up the issues mentioned to improve staff awareness, signage and the general hospital environment.

We’ve made videos which are helping to change designs in future builds – particularly the effectiveness of signage, and ways of easily getting directions and help.

We are really grateful to those who’ve taken part in group sessions around this, because this helped make long term changes. However, the next thing is to change hearts and minds, and we’re looking for people who are happy to talk for a short time on video about your experiences, and this can be used in staff training designed to improve the way that sight loss is worked with in our local hospitals.

We’ll be publishing the details of how take part through our activities email update, and through conversations with people attending our activities. Please let us know if you’d like to take part – it’ll be worth it, because your input will change things for many other people in the future. This information would only be used for internal training purposes.

 Support for HSB at Tesco: Every Little Helps!

Just a quick thank you to everybody who took the opportunity to raise funds for us via Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme. Shoppers were asked to put tokens into one of three chosen charities. It was delightful to see HSB coming top in all the local stores. This meant we got the maximum grant. By taking part in this and choosing HSB, you helped us raise £1,000. Thank you!

 Contact HSB

Call HSB’s office: 01422 352383

Email: info@halifaxblindsociety.org.uk

Write: 36 Clare Road, Halifax, HX1 2HX

Website: www.halifaxblindsociety.org.uk

How to Join Our Zoom Sessions To join, you can use one of these options: On a computer or smartphone, click this link https://zoom.us/j/9683947679 oron any phone, dial 0131 460 1196, then enter the meeting ID 968 394 7679, then press hash #. If asked for a participant ID just press hash # again and you’re in! Or;Save the one tap mobile below exactly as shown onto your smartphone and use it each time to join our Zoom sessions on the phone 01314601196,,9683947679#

Halifax Society for the Blind is a registered charity (No 224258)

SOUTHGATE – HERE WE COME!

After a long search, HSB have found suitable property in the centre of Halifax. This is happening to make it easier for local people with sight loss to receive support.

Announcing the move at theSociety’s AGM on Tuesday 24th
August, Sue Mort (Chair), said:“The money was generously left to
us in a legacy, and we’ve bought a magnificent space in the very heart
of Halifax’s shopping district, on Southgate. By moving to the old
site of Bradford and Bingley /Santander, we’ll be fully
accessible, and it would have been hard to find a place more familiar to
residents.”

It’s been a long search to find the right place in the bustling heart of Halifax
(see picture), and yet not far from the bus station either. There’ll be more
space, and we’re planning a community café, so people can come and get
help, and have a decent brew too! People will be better supported from
there. This is a very exciting time for our entire community, and we look
forward to giving further updates as refurbishment works progress.
This return to the high street has come after almost 80 years, when the
longstanding charity last had a presence at 12-14 Fountain Street (see
picture from 1941). That site is now part of the successful Victorian Craft
Beer Café, which is part of the changing street scene locally.

The Southgate building has a long history, which many will recall. Before being taken over by the Society, it was the CardMarket. Before that, it was Santander and previously the Bradford and Bingley Building Society. People may remember it as a Bernie Steakhouse. For those around longer, it was The Boar’s Head pub!

Ahead, we have a programme of works to get ready for the official opening of the new and bold service. Almost all HSB’s work is funded by donations and
legacies made to us. The last two years have been challenging times and our charity has made a point of standing out to help people. This move crowns
our efforts during the Pandemic. Our community has shown its resilience, and with financial support, we can go further in dealing with sight loss – which
affects thousands locally. Plans are being drawn up for a revamped service, following our large survey of local visually impaired people. We will announce many new initiatives in the coming months, as well as details of a Grand

Opening in the Spring of 2022. If you wish to support us in any way, please call us on
01422 352383 or email info@halifaxblindsociety.org.uk to find out more.

HSB Activities Update

Welcome to the Halifax Society for the Blind Activities Update.  Exciting times, we have some face-to-face activities to tell you about this time!  We are continuing to run phone-based and online groups as well though, so hopefully there’s something for everyone.

In this issue:-

HSB Activities

NEW – Book group

Social groups at Brighouse and Halifax

Charles Bonnet Syndrome support group

Synapptic User group

The Social Room

 

Other activities

Audio seated Pilates

Tandem Trekkers Cycling Club

Facebook groups – RNIB Connect & VI Talk Resources

Activities for children and young people

————————————————————————————————————————————–

HSB Activities

NEW – Book group

Do you like reading or listening to books?  Our new Book Group will give you an opportunity to chat with like-minded people about the books you are enjoying.  During the first few meetings, we can chat about what format you would like the group to take.  The group will be held fortnightly on a Friday at 2pm, starting on the 30th July, at Jamocha Coffee Lounge, 3-5 Northgate, Halifax.  Places will be limited, so If you would like to join the group, please phone the office or phone Lucy on 07458 302903 to reserve your place.

Social groups at Brighouse and Halifax

We have now started two in-person social groups where you can come along for a chat, some refreshments and activities including quizzes, games and bingo.  There will be a weekly group at Brighouse Rest Centre, every Monday from 1pm-2:30pm.  The Halifax group will be at the Maurice Jagger Centre, on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 2:15pm-3:45pm.   

Please contact us to reserve a place if you would like to attend either or both groups.  Numbers are limited and we will offer places on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis.  Subs for the groups will be £1.50 per session – please either bring exact change or you can pay by card.  Please do not bring along any prizes for the bingo as the cost of these is included in your subs, thank you. 

For now, we are asking that you arrange your own transport to the groups.  Calderdale Community Transport have recently expanded their service to include community venues again, but you need to register to receive the service – call 01422 888086 or email sandra.makin@ctcalderdale.co.uk or complete the registration form on their website.  If you need any support to do this, feel free to contact the HSB office. 

Charles Bonnet Syndrome support group

HSB run a monthly phone-based support group for people living with Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS), a common condition experienced by people who are losing, or have lost, their sight. CBS causes people to see things which are not really there (visual hallucinations).  We have had a few meetings now and the conversation has been very informative and supportive.  If you have CBS and wish to join the group, you would be very welcome.  It runs on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 11am – contact Lucy on 07458 302903 or phone the HSB office to get signed up.  Judith Potts (from the national CBS charity, Esme’s Umbrella) will be joining us for the session on the 25th of August, so if you’re new to the group and would like to join, this would be a great session to start with.

Synapptic User Group

This is a Zoom-based group for anyone who uses Synapptic devices, to share ideas and get support on all aspects of using them.  If you are interested in joining, please contact the HSB office and we will send you the link and support you to access the session if needed.  This session is on the second Wednesday of each month at 11am.

The Social Room

This is a telephone-based service run by HSB, where local people with sight loss can socialise, support each other and take part in various activities.  New group members are welcome, just phone Lucy on 07458 302903 to sign up.  Once you’re signed up, at the time of your group, simply phone 0330 606 1112 and enter the room number 781285 when prompted. Or, in the case of the Zoom group, we will share a joining link with you, or a phone number if you would rather dial in.

We can provide joining instructions in an accessible format to suit you.  In some instances, we may be able to dial you in, so all you need to do is pick up the phone when it rings at the session starting time.

We’re always open to your ideas and suggestions for new groups and activities, so let us know if there is something you would like to see us doing, and we’ll work together to help make it happen.  The current group timetable is as follows:-

Tuesday

•        Zoom Group (11am)  Join us on Zoom for different activities each week, including guest speakers, quizzes, information, chat and workshop sessions

•        Coffee Shop (1pm)    Come along for a sociable chat – bring your own brew! We usually chat for about an hour, but you are welcome to drop in and out when you like

Wednesday

•       Well-being Wise (2.30pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month)   Supporting each other to look after our mental and physical well-being.  We have looked at a variety of themes including mindfulness, diet, exercise and stress reduction

Thursday

•       Fun and Games (1pm)   Quizzes and games for a brain workout – it’s just for fun though, you don’t have to be an egghead!

Friday

•        Chairobics (10am)  A 25 minute gentle exercise session, done while seated. Suitable for all ages and abilities.

Other activities

Audio Seated Pilates

Sense Active is offering seated Pilates classes Thursdays from 11:30 – 12:30 to strengthen muscles, improve posture and increase flexibility. The sessions are audio-led and delivered over the phone, making them accessible to people who are blind or partially sighted. Click here to book your place.

Tandem Trekkers cycling club

Tandem Trekkers are a specialist cycling club, dedicated to providing tandem riding for blind and visually impaired cyclists.  They warmly welcome new members at their track sessions on the first Saturday of each month, from 10:30am – 12pm at Leeds Road Playing Fields, Leeds Road, Huddersfield, HD2 1YY.  The next track session is on Saturday 7th August.  If you would like to find out more, have a chat to me (Lucy) as I have attended two sessions and can give you an idea of what to expect.  You can also contact the club direct by phoning Martin on 07974 603699 or Paul on 07774 213372.  Once you have tried a track session and if you want to go further afield, the club also run sessions on the Spen Valley Greenway (mostly traffic free) and days out where they transport the bikes and riders to a quiet (and not too hilly!) location to ride on some country roads.  The first two sessions are free, after which the subs is £5 per session. 

Click here for the club’s website.

Facebook groups – RNIB Connect and VI Talk Resources

If you are on Facebook, check out these two groups that may be of interest. 

  • ‘RNIB Connect – Yorkshire and the Humber’ is a group that shares details of a wide variety of activities run by RNIB and other organisations.  Recent posts include details of a Fantasy Football League, a jobs board, an online men’s group, and a Return to Travel forum.  You can join the group by clicking here and then clicking ‘Join Group’. 
  • ‘VI Talk Resources’ is aimed at anyone who is visually impaired, knows someone who is or has connections with a charity, organisation or group which offers services and or support to visually impaired people.  This group is not for discussion but for members to post about businesses or charities that offer services relating to visual impairment.  You can join the group by clicking here and then clicking ‘Join Group’. 

Activities for children and young people 

  • RNIB  Connect North East – Young People’s Group

This group for young people with VI runs fortnightly via Microsoft Teams.  There is time for social chat, plus other activities such as quizzes and even a virtual escape room!

For more information on how to join, drop an email to Jade.burniston@rnib.org.uk or Christopher.fenton@rnib.org.uk  

  • Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) activities

The RSBC run lots of online activities for children and young people, including an audiobook club, health and well-being sessions for young people, sensory storytelling, and themed sessions on subjects such as assistive technology and ‘How to survive at university’.  Details of all their sessions can be found on their website – click here to access it. 

Final words

Just a bit of news to finish with.  I will be starting a degree course in September, in Rehabilitation Work for People with Visual Impairments, which means I will be leaving my paid post as Activities Co-ordinator.  I will continue to do lots of work for HSB as a volunteer though, so will still be seeing lots of you as more activities continue to restart. 

Keep safe and well,

Newsletter July 2021

Please click the link below for our latest newsletter

Lookout-July-FINALDownload

We are recruiting

HSB are looking to recruit an innovative and person-centred Activities Coordinator on a permanent contract. (£20,952pa pro rata for 25 hours per week)The Activities Coordinator will be our lead for developing, delivering and managing a mixed programme of activities on a day-to day basis. We are currently asking members for opinion on our activities and services and this will be a great opportunity to shape the work we do around what people are telling us.If you are creative and feel you could fit well into this role, we would like to hear from you. Please attach your CV to an expression of interest email addressed to pete.hoey@halifaxblindsociety.org.uk to reach us no later than Monday 2nd August. If you meet our criteria, we will invite you into the application process.

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