Tag Archives: Blind
Peter and the Wolf and then The Snowman
An enchanting double bill of family favourites, full of old-fashioned magic.
Peter and his animal companions are brought to life before your ears by dancing strings, quacking oboes, fluttering flutes and prowling horns in Prokofiev’s charming tale of courage and compassion. Narrator Pui Fan Lee (former Teletubby and CBeebies star) will guide you through this wintery tale accompanied by stunning illustrations on the big screen.
Christmas also wouldn’t be complete without a screening of Raymond Briggs classic, The Snowman. Howard Blake’s much-loved music remains the soundtrack to every child’s dream Christmas. Now’s your chance to experience the iconic score performed live by a full symphony orchestra, and the unforgettable ‘Walking in the Air’, here sung live by a member of Opera North’s Youth Chorus
Programme:
Peter and the Wolf
Interval (16:30 showing only)
The Snowman
Relaxed and audio described performance (2.30pm):
Our relaxed performance allows members of the audience to move around freely, leave or enter the auditorium as needed; lights never go completely dark and sound effects are softened. There is no interval. There’s also a quiet room (the Corson Room) away from the auditorium available throughout. For the 2.30pm performance, the building opens at 1.30pm, the auditorium itself opens around 2pm and the performance lasts a little over 1 hour.
To access live audio description for The Snowman:
Live audio description for The Snowman can be accessed via the Sennheiser MobileConnect app on your phone:
- Before coming to the performance, find the MobileConnect app in your app store – it has a black S shape in a white rectangle – and download it.
- As you enter the auditorium, put your phone into aeroplane mode, and go to the app. If you have an iPhone, you might be already logged on. If not, go to settings and browse for the MobileConnect wifi and click onto it. Then in the app, click on ‘audio description’.
- You can alter the sound by moving the blue circle with the ear on it around until you find a sound you’re happy with – this changes the EQ balance and volume levels. Remember to bring your headphones!
- You can also put the screen into dark mode which means the background goes black and blue, so there is less light coming from your phone – recommended for theatre settings.
Timings
2.30pm performance – relaxed performance & audio described/ narrated (no interval)
4.30pm performance – standard performance (20 minute interval)
Price Details
Band A: £28.62
Band B: £26.50
Band C: £24.38
Band D: £21.20
Band E: £16.06
Over 60s: £1.50 off
Under 18s: £5 off
Conductor
George Jackson
Narrator
Pui Fan Lee
Christmas Friendship Cafe
Saturday 7th December
from 2pm till 4pm.
at The Centre
St Marys Street
Leeds
LS9 7DP
Free glass of mulled wine
and a mince pie.
All welcome.
our wonderful Evin will be your Host
Friendship Cafe Christmas Update
News Update
The Friendship Café
Saturday 7th December from 2pm till 4pm.
Free glass of mulled wine and a mince pie
Our wonderful Evin will be hosting it.
The Friendship Cafe will be open for Deaf people and Blind people on Sunday 3rd February 2019 between 2pm and 4pm.
Come down and have a chat and laugh with some familiar faces…..and make some new friends.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Click here for poster: Friendship Cafe 2019 poster
Women’s Leeds City Listening Project Focus Group
Leeds Involving People are working with Leeds City Council to provide an opportunity for women (over the age of 18) to speak about the barriers they face and identify solutions that would help tackle some of these barriers.
Thursday 28th November, 1pm till 3pm
Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People
St Mary’s Street
Leeds
LS9 7DP
Women are invited to attend this Focus Group
Participants will receive a £10 voucher for attending.
To book your place, please contact Leeds Involving People:
0113 237 4508 / 0793 493 6927 alison.brophy@leedsinvolvement.org.uk
Universal Credit Update
Open Meetings for all Benefits
- IS – Income Support
- JSA – Jobseekers Allowance
- ESA – Employment and Support Allowance
- WTC – Working Tax Credit
- CTC – Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
Date: Thursday 10th October
Time: Afternoon: 2pm till 3:30pm – Evening: 7pm till 8:30pm
Venue: Leeds Deaf Centre, St Marys Street, Leeds LS9 8DP
Sheffield Deaf Advice Team will give a talk about
Universal Credit and also give 1-2-1 advice
How to find us
We have finally moved into our new home at St Mary’s Street
We are open for booking medical appointments.
When we are fully open we will announce it here.
How to get there by Bus
16, 49, 50 & 50A.
When you arrive either by car or on foot, please press the blue light button (See Image above) on the intercom system to ring the office to let them know you are waiting.
The office will let you in.
It’s roughly a 22 minute walk from the train station, please follow the route below:
UK national eye health and hearing study: case for investment
6 August 2019
Source: UKNEHS
UK’s first vision and hearing survey aims to capture vital data on UK issues
A lack of accurate data is contributing to a £58billion bill for vision and hearing loss in the UK, according to a report published today that calls on the Government to support the first ever national survey of the UK population’s sensory needs.
It is estimated that around 2 million people in the UK are affected by partial sight loss, and this is expected to rise to 2.4 million by 2024. The number affected by hearing loss is estimated at 11 million, and this is also rising.
These issues cost the UK economy £58billion in total every year. This takes into account, medical costs, for example falls and fractures caused by visual impairment, an increased risk of dementia due to hearing loss, service costs, and reduced employment. Around 50 per cent of all sight loss is believed to be preventable.
Researchers and charities have now come together to campaign for the first ever UK National Eye-health and Hearing Study (UKNEHS). The data generated by a detailed survey will help cut the cost to the economy and better inform policy makers and service providers, with a focus on prevention.
Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, Chair of the Executive Board of the UKNEHS said “The UK has not invested effectively in collecting population data for vision and hearing loss. The UKNEHS is of vital importance to current and future generations if we are serious about providing quality, evidence-based services in these areas.”
The case for investment, published today by Vision UK, which works with organisations in the eye health and sight loss sector, outlines the details of the study. It would see 25,000 participants undergo an eye and hearing examination and complete a standardised general questionnaire.
Lord Colin Low, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment, stated: “If the UK is serious about reducing the levels of preventable visual impairment and hearing loss, then we must have the data that the UKNEHS will provide.
“If we don’t fund this kind of research we are saying that we accept that people living in the UK will lose their vision and hearing due to preventable causes, and that it is OK for them to live with hearing and vision loss that is treatable.”
The study will determine the prevalence and causes of vision impairment, blindness and hearing loss in the UK population aged 50 and over.
The study will also measure the detection and treatment coverage rate of major eye diseases and associated conditions, such as diabetes, in order to understand the effectiveness of current services.
Professor Rupert Bourne of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), Chief Investigator of the UKNEHS, said: “Growing demand from an ageing population and increasing incidence of long-term conditions will exacerbate existing issues in the system. However, policy makers are completely in the dark about the scale of the problem because no comprehensive survey has ever been done in this country.
“Other countries across the world regularly survey their populations, allowing them to make informed decisions about care and treatment, identify trends and take action.
“We know the costs – to the NHS and the UK economy – of these issues runs into the tens of billions of pounds every year, so it is imperative that we understand more about our eye and hearing health, so that we can better address people’s needs and reduce costs.”
The UKNEHS brings together a number of partners including ARU, The Thomas Pocklington Trust, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the College of Optometrists.
The report has been submitted to the UK Government. The UKNEHS needs the public to ask their MPs to support the project – e-mail contact@UKNEHS.org.uk to find out how.
Ends
Notes to Editors
ARU is an innovative global university, brimming with ambition. Students from 177 countries gain qualifications with us in four continents. Students, academics, businesses and partners all benefit from our outstanding facilities; we’ve invested £100 million over the last five years and plan to invest a further £91 million over the next five years.
ARU’s Research Institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference, from saving lives to conserving water. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 12 areas classed as generating world-leading research.
We are ranked in the world’s top 350 institutions in the 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and in 2016 we featured in a list of the 20 “rising stars” in global Higher Education compiled by strategy consultants Firetail.
For more press information please contact:
Jon Green on t: 01245 68 4717, e: jon.green@anglia.ac.uk
Jamie Forsyth on t: 01245 68 4716, e: jamie.forsyth@anglia.ac.uk
Retina UK Professionals’ Conference
This exciting new free to attend event in our annual calendar will be held on Friday, 27 September at the Kent’s Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. Registration opens at 9.00am with the welcoming address at 10.00am. We expect the event to end at 3.30pm.It is a one-day conference aimed at education, health care and social care professionals and volunteers supporting those with inherited sight loss conditions. This will include Eye Clinic Liaison Officers (ECLOs), Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVIs), Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (QTVIs), Mobility Officers, Clinicians, nurses and other medical professionals.
The Conference will allow you to:
- Hear the personal stories of those affected by inherited retinal conditions, get an update on the latest research including genetic testing and counselling, the search for treatments and how patients can get involved in research.
- Further your understanding of the conditions and the unique challenges faced by those living with or affected by inherited retinal conditions to help you provide the best support.
- Network with other professionals working in this area and learn from each other’s experiences
- Speak with exhibitors , including our generous sponsors Oxsight, and try out the products available to support those living with inherited retinal conditions.
- Learn how Retina UK can support you and those you care for/support – including services and resources available.
- Understand what support/information/resources are available from other charities and organisations.
- Meet Retina UK’s friendly, knowledgeable staff.
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre is an easy-to-access central location about five miles from Milton Keynes Central Train Station and close to the M1 Motorway. There is also accommodation and free parking available on site.
If you have any questions or would like to speak with us about this event, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@RetinaUK.org.uk or call us on 01280 821334.
Sponsored by:
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Findings from our sight loss survey
Retina UK recently published its unique insight into the experiences of those living with inherited retinal conditions.
Almost 1,000 people completed a survey earlier this year to help the charity understand the real-life experiences, challenges and expectations of those living with these conditions. Over half (53%) say their sight loss has a severe or very severe impact on their quality of life and loss of confidence, anxiety and stress are the biggest emotional or psychological impacts of sight loss.
Tina Houlihan, Chief Executive, said: “We are an organisation entirely focussed on people living with inherited retinal dystrophies; to make the biggest difference for our community and have the right priorities we need to constantly learn more about real-life experiences, challenges and expectations of families living with these conditions.”
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Awaiting funding decision for Luxturna
Luxturna is currently undergoing appraisal by the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), which provide guidance to NHS England and NHS Scotland about which treatments they should fund. (Wales and Northern Ireland are likely to follow England’s lead.)
Retina UK is actively involved in this process; we are working hard to make sure that our community’s voice is heard and that NICE and the SMC fully understand the enormous difference that an effective gene therapy could make to the lives of young people with inherited sight loss.
We expect NICE to publish their formal guidance on NHS funding in December 2019. If the outcome is positive, the NHS will need to establish a pathway for treatment and commission a small number of specialist treatment centres. All being well, Luxturna may be available on the NHS from spring 2020.
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Events
Professionals’ Conference
Retina UK is excited to be holding our first ever conference specifically for professionals who support our community on Friday 27 September 2019. You will hear the personal stories of those living with inherited retinal conditions, gain an insight into the latest research including genetics, and learn about the psychological impact of a diagnosis.
Local Peer Support Groups
Our Retina UK Local Peer Support Groups enable individuals and families to get to know each other
and engage with Retina UK.
Group meetings are scheduled in Oxford (12 September), Edinburgh (28 September), Merseyside (30 September), Glasgow (5 October), Isle of Wight (2nd Monday of each month), Taunton (12 October) and London (26 October).
Find out more and register to attend.
Northern Ireland Information Day
Our final information day of the year is coming to Belfast on Thursday 24 October 2019 (10.00am – 4.00pm). Amongst many other speakers we have Professor Peter Humphries, a leading researcher of genetics of degenerative diseases of the retina joining us. This event is a great opportunity to find out more about Inherited Retinal Dystrophies (IRDs); the latest research, to put your questions to the experts, meet other people and engage with the charity.
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We’re here to help
Retina UK offer a free telephone and email service to those living with inherited sight loss, their family and friends, employers, and health, social care and education professionals.
They can provide information and/or signposting on employment matters, mobility aids, benefits or technology to allow you to better support your clients?
Retina UK’s helpline team all have personal experience of inherited sight loss conditions.
Call: 0845 123 2354
Email helpline@RetinaUK.org.uk
Open 9.30am to 9.30pm Mon to Fri
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Largest meeting of families with Usher syndrome
Over 70 people gathered in Birmingham for the largest meeting of families living with Usher syndrome in the UK. Retina UK and Sense supported Usher Kids UK to hold its first family event in June.
Retina UK’s Matt Carr, said: “It was a really positive event and a fantastic example of how Retina UK works with other groups to make the biggest difference for our community.”
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How can we best support you?
Retina UK would like to engage more closely with the professional community and to enable us to do that most effectively, we’d like you (our existing professionals’ community) to tell us how we can best support your work. That might be holding more information days, providing information and leaflets or something else entirely. Please get in touch with Matthew Carr and Denise Rawden, our Regional Services Managers to let them know services@RetinaUK.org.uk.
Northern Ballet invites you to join us for Expressions
Expressions showcases the exciting work of talented disabled dancers from across the UK. The only event of its kind in Yorkshire, Expressions takes place over three relaxed shows, with diverse performances from professional and community groups.
We are proud to co-commission TIN Arts’ new work Invisible Kisses which will première at Expressions, alongside Anjali Dance Company who return to Leeds with two short dance pieces, Unicorn and The Reflection. Northern Ballet’s In Motion and Ability dancers will join other performers from Leeds to present their own trailblazing work.
For the full line up of each performance, please visit the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre website.