Insight Gloucestershire’s What’s On E-newsletter for November 2024

Monthly What’s On Guide

Welcome to the first edition of our monthly ‘What’s On’ e-newsletter, bringing you local events, groups, services, and key updates tailored to people living with sight loss across Gloucestershire. Since this is our debut edition for the region, we may have missed a few activities or notices. If you’re aware of any that should be included, we’d love to hear from you so we can ensure this newsletter remains as comprehensive and useful as possible. In this update we have primarily included dates for November 2024.

Insight Gloucestershire Events and Notices

Everyman Theatre Aladdin Trip

In partnership with the Everyman Theatre, Insight Gloucestershire clients can enjoy discounted front-row tickets for the matinee performance of Aladdin on Friday, 13th December. The event includes a touch tour and a lunch with peers (both are optional). Tickets are £15, and carers attend free, lunch is paid for separately.

If you’re interested, please call us on 01242 221170

Seeking Trustees

Insight Gloucestershire is currently looking for interested people to join our Board of Trustees. The Board meet four times a year, either in person or on Zoom, to review progress and finances and ensure the organisation is moving in the right direction. We would welcome any members of the sight loss community who are interested in being part of the team – if you would like a brief chat about what is involved, please do give us a call and ask for Mike Silvey, or email us and we can send you a role description.

NHS Information Bus

Later this year in December, we’ll be travelling across Gloucestershire on the NHS Information Bus. A Community Sight Loss Advisor will be on board, ready to answer your questions about living with sight loss, our services, and how we can support you or someone you know—whether a friend, family member, or neighbour. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about what we offer, or to direct people who might not know about us to the bus for information and support. We encourage you to spread the word to anyone who could benefit from our advice and services.

We look forward to seeing you on board – you will find us at:

  • Mon 2nd – Dursley Town Centre
  • Mon 9th – Nailsworth Bus Station
  • Weds 11th – Asda, Kingsway – Gloucester
  • Thurs 12th – Cirencester Market Place
  • Mon 16th – Morrisons Tewkesbury

Paid Vacancy from our partner charity

Our partner charity, Sight Support West of England, is seeking an enthusiastic Community Sight Loss Adviser to lead their Information, Advice, and Guidance Service for people with sight loss in Bristol and surrounding areas. This role involves working 1-1 with clients, assessing their needs, and creating action plans to ensure access to support, equipment, and training. A key focus will be developing services for underserved communities to improve accessibility.

This full-time role offers a salary of £25,000 per year. No prior experience working with sight loss is necessary, as full training will be provided. The Job Description and Person Specification are available on our Work For Us webpage, with application details.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, especially those with personal experience of sight loss or from underserved communities.

Closing Date: Monday 4th November 2024, 5pm. Interviews will be held the week of 11th November in Bristol.

Insight Gloucestershire Hubs and Social Groups

Our sight loss advice hubs provide a space for consultations with your local advisor, offering information, guidance, and advice on all things sight loss related. You can explore a selection of helpful aids at the hub and your advisor can suggest what equipment and technology might be useful to help you meet the challenges sight loss can pose. Additionally, some hubs host social groups where you can meet others, share tips and tricks, and enjoy a chat.

For full details of our sight loss advice hubs and social groups, see our website which has the latest information, or you can call our office on 01242 221170. Click here for our website hub and social group listing. You can put your postcode in the search bar to find your nearest hub.

Events & Notices From Other Organisations

These events and notices are from other organisations. Please check with the contact given that the event is going ahead as planned. Sometimes changes need to be made to dates and times at short notice.

Hope Tech Plus – Assistive Technology Survey

Hope Tech Plus is an assistive technology company, developing products through user-testing and participant research. Visit Hope Tech Website

To improve access to new assistive technology and offer greater support to the VI community, they are inviting potential users to take part in a short, confidential survey on their experiences of  accessing assistive tech. Link to survey  Hope Tech survey

If, in addition you would like to help with further research by sharing your own story and experience of using assistive technology, please contact  Laura@HopeTech.Vision directly.

They are grateful for your support and will share the results in the near future.

Leonard Cheshire Paid Internships

Change 100 is Leonard Cheshire’s flagship programme of paid summer internships, professional development and mentoring.

Alongside your paid internship, Change 100 provides support and guidance in sharing your disability and identifying and requesting workplace adjustments.

Deadline for applications is November 21 2024.

Who is eligible?

To apply to Change 100 you must:

  • Consider yourself to have a disability or long-term condition as defined in the Equality Act 2010.
  • Be in your penultimate or final year of university level study, or have graduated within the last five years.
  • Have the right to work in the UK for a summer.

See more at Leonard Cheshire’s internship webpage

Free Alexa Device from British Wireless for the Blind Fund

People living with sight loss can apply for a free Echo Show or Echo Dot device from the British Wireless for the Blind Fund. To qualify, they need to receive certain disability or income-related benefits and have an internet connection at home. Apply for a free Alexa device here: Referrals – British Wireless for the Blind Fund

RNIB Online Workshop – accessible healthcare information

Do you want to learn how to speak up for your right to accessible healthcare information? Would you like to campaign with local health and social care services, to make sure they’re providing accessible information to patients?

Join RNIB’s campaign team next month in one of their online workshops to learn what you’re entitled to and what you can do to campaign for change.

Upcoming workshops:

  • Speaking up for your right to accessible healthcare information: 4 November, 6pm to 8pm, and 5 November, 10am to 12pm.
  • Campaigning with local health services: 12 November, 6pm to 8pm and 13 November, 2pm to 4pm.

The sessions will be online video calls using Microsoft Teams, but you can also join using your landline or mobile phone.

To find out more and get involved, email campaigns@rnib.org.uk and let them know which session you’d like to join.

Local Leisure and Sporting Activities / Events

Hook and Loop Collective: Creative Winter Social Walk for Women with Sight Loss

Hook and Loop Collective is organising creative wellbeing activities with other women who are blind, partially sighted, or experiencing sight loss. To kick things off, they are hosting a Creative Winter Social Walk—a fantastic opportunity to connect, walk, share stories, and get creative, all while enjoying a coffee together.

Date & Time: Thursday, 5th December, 1–4pm
Location: Llanthony Secunda Priory and surrounding areas
Access: Travel support and sighted guides will be available.

The walk will be led by visually impaired artists Holly Thomas and Sarah Goddard. Participants will enjoy nature-inspired creative activities, followed by a relaxed coffee and chat. After this initial meet-up, ideas for future events will be explored.

If you’d like to join, simply send an email to confirm your attendance. Further details will be shared closer to the event, but for now, make sure to save the date!

Hook and Loop Collective: Art Workshop

Join Hook and Loop Collective for an inspiring Art Workshop led by Cheltenham-based sight-impaired artist Sarah Goddard.

Date & Time: Saturday, 16th November, 1:30–4pm
Location: Pittville Park, Cheltenham
Meeting Point: Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham, GL52 3JE

During this workshop, Sarah will guide participants around Pittville Park with creative prompts to help explore and express how each person uniquely experiences nature. The artworks created will form a mini exhibition for everyone to enjoy. The workshop will conclude at 3:30pm, followed by a social gathering at the park café.

Parking: On-site pay and display parking is available, with a limited number of blue badge spaces.

Gloucestershire Growlers

The group aim to give visually impaired people in and around the county the opportunity to take part in sport and create an environment where they can socialise with people who truly understand the daily impact of having a visual impairment. Although the group aim play to win, team spirit is more important than results and the group pride themselves on their unique “Growler camaraderie!

Although finished for the season, they are organising two indoor sessions at Gloucestershire’s Nevil Road ground in January and March of next year.  If you would like any more information contact Phil Gingell at bristolbluephil@googlemail.com

Find a Sensory Walk near you

Sensory walks allow you to use your senses to connect with your surroundings and Sense have partnered with Ordnance Survey to help you find and follow an accessible route, as you go. The walks are designed for people with complex disabilities but can be enjoyed by anyone. You can go alone or in a group, you don’t need any specialist equipment and the walks can be any length you like.

You can go on foot, use a wheelchair or walker – sensory walks are inclusive for all. Find a sensory walk near you – Sense

Support Groups and Courses

See Differently Support Group

An 18+ support group for the blind and visually impaired, along with their family members and / or carers. Come along to chat, socialise and maybe play a few games or two.

Takes place every other Tuesday, 1-2.30pm

Location: The Redwell Centre, Matson, GL4 6JG

Email Harvey on: seedifferently@hotmail.com

Stroud Visually Impaired Club

Meets on the first Thursday morning of the month in Sherborne House, Stonehouse.  Members come from the Stroud area and Cam and Dursley. Transport maybe available.

Please contact Celia on:

07770 146536 / 01452 864645 or email: celiakelly1961 for more information.

Macular Groups

See list below, but please contact before attending, as groups may have an alternate venue or an outing planned.

Call 0300 30 30 111

Gloucester Macular Group

Meet on the first Wednesday of each month, 10am to 12pm at Gloucester Deaf Association, Colin Road, Barnwood, GL4 3JL

Cheltenham Macular Group

Meet on the third Wednesday of each month 2pm to 4pm at Christ Church, Malvern Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2JH

Stroud Macular Group

Meet quarterly, 10am to 12pm in March, June, September and December

At Stroud Hospital, Trinity Road, Stroud, GL5 2HY

RNIB Living Well with Sight Loss Courses

These RNIB courses cover a range of topics related to sight loss, including daily living tips, eye health, magnification, lighting, technology, and wellbeing.

Upcoming Phone Group Sessions:

Course 1: Mon 4th Nov, Wed 6th Nov, Mon 11th Nov and Wed 13th Nov.  Time: 11am

  • Course 2: Thurs 7th Nov, Thurs 14th Nov, Thurs 21st Nov and Thurs 28th Nov. Time: 11am

Focus on Money Matters:

  • Tues 5th Nov, Tues 12th Nov, Tues 19th Nov and Tues 25th Nov. Time: 11am

December Courses:

  • Course 1: Mon 2nd Dec, Wed 4th Dec, Mon 9th Dec and Wed 11th Dec. Time: 11am
  • Course 2: Thurs 5th Dec, Fri 6th Dec, Thurs 12th Dec and Fri 13th Dec. Time: 11am

Contact Information:

Local Audio Described Arts Events

The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, is delighted to be offering audio described performances for:

  • Aladdin on Friday 13th December at 2.00pm

https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/aladdin/

  • Chicago on Thursday 23rd January at 2.00pm

https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/chicago/

(limited tickets available)

  • The Girl on the Train on Thursday 27th March at 2.00pm

https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/the-girl-on-the-train/

Touch Tours on stage at 11.30am

Please contact us here at Insight Gloucestershire if you would like to attend the Aladdin performance as we are currently taking the bookings for this performance. As well as the show and touch tour, we also gather for a lunch together.

If you would like further details or to book either of the other shows contact Sally-ann 01242 695574.

sally-ann.rhodes@everymantheatre.org.uk

Online Notices / Support Groups / Webinars

We have some information about online support groups / webinars / social groups / resources and events that might be of use or interest for anyone living with sight loss.

Online Resources From Other Organisations – Insight Gloucestershire

The What’s On E-newsletter as a Word Document:

Click the link below to download the newsletter as a Word document

11. Insight Gloucestershire November 24 What’s On (DOCX, 86 KB)