Newsletter (PDF, 267KB) - Falkirk Council
Newsletter (PDF, 267KB) - Falkirk Council
Newsletter (PDF, 267KB) - Falkirk Council
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Welcome to the<br />
FVSC newsletter.<br />
This newsletter is also on the FVSC<br />
website but if you don’t have a<br />
computer, don’t worry, you can have<br />
a paper newsletter like this one.<br />
If you were sent this newsletter and<br />
don’t want to get them any more<br />
please let us know and we will take<br />
your name off the list and you won’t<br />
get one anymore.<br />
It is better for the environment not to<br />
print off paper newsletters so if you<br />
do have a computer and email<br />
address, give it to us and we will<br />
send your newsletters by email<br />
instead.<br />
If you would like the <strong>Newsletter</strong> to<br />
be signed in BSL, then please let<br />
us know and we will see what we<br />
can do.<br />
NEWSLETTER<br />
Summer 2012<br />
- 1 -<br />
Contents<br />
Staff News<br />
Centre News<br />
• Volunteer Awards<br />
• Olympic 2012 Torch Bearers<br />
• Gardening<br />
• Café<br />
Fundraising & Donations<br />
• Fundraising Target & Donations<br />
• The 5k Big Fun Run<br />
• Quiz Night<br />
• Winter Fayre<br />
• Future Fundraising Events<br />
Services<br />
Amendment in our Spring Edition<br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong>: Please note under the<br />
heading Surgery, the new hospital<br />
should read Forth Valley Royal<br />
Hospital. Our apologies to all readers<br />
for the error.<br />
• RNIB<br />
Service Users News<br />
• Loop system Update<br />
• Elton John Concert<br />
• Ladies Group<br />
Sensory Centre Letters<br />
• Letter of Thanks<br />
• Now that I have Recovered<br />
• Café<br />
• Audio Performances<br />
Healthy Lifestyle<br />
• Healthy Living Group at the<br />
Sensory Centre<br />
• Easy Healthy Living by Braveheart<br />
Holiday to Australia & New<br />
Zealand, Part 2 by Jim McLean<br />
Sensory Centre Contact Details
Staff News<br />
This quarter has been a very busy<br />
period at the centre with a number of<br />
staff changes.<br />
<strong>Falkirk</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
• Sheila Gardener and Shauna<br />
Shand start as job share Senior on<br />
3rd September.<br />
• Helen Watt starts as part-time<br />
Social Worker on 10th September.<br />
Good luck to them all.<br />
Stirling <strong>Council</strong><br />
• Emma MacKay starts as Rehab<br />
Worker on 1st October.<br />
NHS Ophthalmology<br />
• Hazel Muldoon is now on Maternity<br />
leave.<br />
• Geraldine Lawrence has been<br />
covering Maternity leave.<br />
Company Staff<br />
• Gina Morrow left the Centre at the<br />
end of May. Maureen Santosh is<br />
now covering as Centre Coordinator<br />
on a temporary position.<br />
• Lorraine Howes-Wright has<br />
reduced her hours. We have<br />
recruited to the hours. More<br />
information soon.<br />
• Ingrid Fitzsimons left us on 31st<br />
August to take up a full time post<br />
with NDCS. We will miss her and<br />
wish her well in her new venture.<br />
Job Advert<br />
We will shortly be recruiting for<br />
Casual Caretaker to cover holidays,<br />
evenings and weekends.<br />
- 2 -<br />
We have advertised for a part-time<br />
Development Worker to replace<br />
Ingrid. Interviews will be held on 11th<br />
and 12th September.<br />
______________________________<br />
Centre News<br />
Volunteer Awards<br />
The Sensory Centre Volunteer<br />
Programme was nominated for 3<br />
awards at the CVS <strong>Falkirk</strong> annual<br />
awards 2012. Although we didn’t win<br />
this year we have received<br />
certificates for nomination in Youth<br />
Volunteer Engaging Organisation of<br />
2012, Volunteer Engaging<br />
Organisation of 2012 and<br />
Outstanding Achievement in Health<br />
and Wellbeing 2012 (specifically for<br />
the My Guide project).<br />
We had the biggest group<br />
attendance on the stage on the night<br />
and all volunteers that attended<br />
received a certificate to acknowledge<br />
their volunteering with the Centre.<br />
• Michael Egan won the runner up<br />
award for Young volunteer of 2012<br />
at the <strong>Falkirk</strong> awards.<br />
• Colin Howie was shortlisted for<br />
Volunteer of 2012.<br />
• Andy Oliver was also shortlisted for<br />
Young Volunteer of 2012 for the<br />
second year running.<br />
• David Black, Lawson Eades, John<br />
Ormsby, Phyllis Burden and Katy<br />
Eades all received 5 year service<br />
medals.<br />
One of our dedicated Volunteers and<br />
active Service User of the Centre,
Christine Moroney, received her 30<br />
years service medal for her volunteer<br />
work with Talking Newspapers, also<br />
wining the prestigious Provosts<br />
Lifetime Achievement Award, which<br />
was the huge award of the night,<br />
during which her volunteer work with<br />
the Centre and Shop mobility was<br />
also reflected on.<br />
Sensory Centre Volunteer Awards<br />
Ceremony - 14th June 2012<br />
We held our in-house volunteers<br />
awards on the 14th of June. All our<br />
volunteer’s were recognised and<br />
presented with certificates and some<br />
additional trophy awards, by our very<br />
own Olympic torch bearer (and<br />
volunteer) Christine Moroney.<br />
Volunteers and their guests enjoyed<br />
a buffet lunch and the chance to chat<br />
to each other as well as meeting staff<br />
and board members.<br />
Forth Valley Sensory Centre would<br />
like to take this opportunity to thank<br />
all of our hard working, dedicated<br />
and enthusiastic volunteers. Without<br />
the support of our volunteer team<br />
many of our services could not<br />
continue.<br />
- 3 -<br />
A list of our Trophy Winners 2012<br />
My Guide Volunteer of 2012<br />
Edwina Mair<br />
Café Volunteer of 2012<br />
Gillian Orr<br />
Activity Group Supporter of 2012<br />
Ysanne Stewart<br />
Volunteer Driver of 2012<br />
Robin Clark<br />
Volunteer Commitment Awards 2012<br />
Colin Howie & John Ormsby<br />
Administration Volunteer of 2012<br />
Jemma Fletcher<br />
Volunteer Achiever of 2012<br />
Michael Egan<br />
Young Volunteer of 2012<br />
Andrew Oliver<br />
Overall Volunteer of 2012<br />
John Preston
Olympics 2012 Torch Bearers<br />
An Interview with Christine Moroney<br />
A Day to Remember<br />
A few years ago I attempted to learn<br />
Braille. It seemed a good idea at the<br />
time but, I had not taken into<br />
consideration my lack of patience. I<br />
did, almost certainly, test the<br />
patience of my admirable teacher. I<br />
think it was fair to say that we were<br />
both relieved when I finally packed it<br />
in. Countless Braille users have<br />
however been successfully taught<br />
the secrets of the dots by that<br />
remarkable teacher, Christine<br />
Moroney.<br />
Christine lost her sight at the age of<br />
five years when she contracted<br />
meningitis. After a long spell in<br />
hospital Christine attended St<br />
Vincent’s school in Glasgow as a<br />
boarder, coming home to <strong>Falkirk</strong> only<br />
at weekends. ‘A daunting prospect<br />
for a seven year old girl’. Her<br />
education continued like this through<br />
primary and secondary stages. She<br />
did receive a good all round<br />
education coupled with the many<br />
skills required for life in general. The<br />
- 4 -<br />
years at St Vincent’s instilled in<br />
Christine the independent spirit and<br />
the strength of self reliance that has<br />
remained with her throughout her life.<br />
Talking Newspapers, which brings us<br />
the audio version of the <strong>Falkirk</strong><br />
Herald every week began in 1982<br />
and Christine, married by this time<br />
with a five year old daughter, was<br />
very much involved in its inception.<br />
At first, from their studio at the old<br />
RSNH at Larbert, Talking Newspaper<br />
tapes were sent to thirty recipients<br />
per month. Today the Talking<br />
Newspaper has two hundred<br />
recipients per week and is available<br />
on CD as well as tape. This is an<br />
invaluable, free of charge service for<br />
all visually impaired people enabling<br />
them to keep in touch with local news<br />
and events. Talking Newspaper is a<br />
charity, relying on public donations<br />
and a wear and tear grant from<br />
<strong>Falkirk</strong> <strong>Council</strong>. The readers are<br />
volunteers.<br />
Talking Newspapers is only one of<br />
many projects Christine is involved<br />
with that benefit the whole<br />
community and when the idea of<br />
having a sensory centre in <strong>Falkirk</strong><br />
was raised Christine was invited to<br />
join the steering group. She became<br />
and still is heavily involved with all<br />
aspects of the centre and is part of<br />
the operational management group<br />
and a very active board member.<br />
She can also often be seen<br />
conducting parties of visitors around<br />
the building and with her extensive<br />
knowledge is a very informative and<br />
highly qualified guide.
This tireless lady celebrates a special<br />
Birthday this year and what better<br />
way to mark it than to discover she<br />
had been nominated to carry the<br />
Olympic torch as it passed through<br />
our area.<br />
To this modest, yet very special lady,<br />
her nomination came as a complete<br />
surprise and she felt highly<br />
honoured, on behalf of her family and<br />
friends, to be one of the eight<br />
thousand torch bearers making this<br />
Olympic year so special.<br />
Christine’s memories of the<br />
preparations leading up to the day<br />
will live with her and all who know<br />
her, forever. A very special occasion<br />
and in Christine’s words, “Almost as<br />
special as her wedding day.”<br />
On the day Christine carried the torch<br />
for a stretch through Cumbernauld.<br />
She received the flame from the<br />
bearer who was accompanied by a<br />
lady from Russia. As the flame<br />
passed from one torch to the other, a<br />
process known as the Olympic kiss,<br />
the lady from Russia kissed<br />
Christine’s cheek. A lovely and truly<br />
international gesture of friendship.<br />
Christine was accompanied on her<br />
run with the torch by her daughter.<br />
Among the six thousand people lining<br />
the path of the route were many of<br />
Christine’s friends and family,<br />
including her son and her<br />
granddaughter. Friends and<br />
colleague from the many<br />
organisations she is involved with<br />
including many from the Sensory<br />
- 5 -<br />
Centre cheered Christine on. Even<br />
her friend in Perth, Western Australia,<br />
watched her; live on the internet as<br />
Christine ran into history.<br />
Christine was overwhelmed and<br />
uplifted by everyone’s support and<br />
she was proud, on their behalf, to be<br />
part of the Olympic experience. A<br />
uniquely British experience. London<br />
is the only city ever to host the<br />
Olympic Games three times. To<br />
mark that fact the torch has been<br />
fashioned with three sides to it.<br />
Since the day Christine proudly<br />
carried the torch through cheering<br />
crowds she has visited local schools<br />
and organisation where she has<br />
spoken about her experience and<br />
given many people the chance to see<br />
and hold the torch.<br />
All the eight thousand torch bearers<br />
will hold special memories of their<br />
experience. One particularly moment<br />
of that special day came for Christine<br />
as she waited for the “Olympic Kiss”.<br />
A small blind school boy approached<br />
her, accompanied by his schools<br />
teacher. Christine asked him if he<br />
would like to feel the torch. As his<br />
small hands traced the special object<br />
Christine described the detail of it to<br />
him. The little boy was thrilled and<br />
thanked Christine. As his teacher<br />
guided him back into the crowd<br />
Christine felt the poignancy of the<br />
moment.<br />
“A day to remember, for many”.<br />
Christine Moroney
Lighting a Fire by Stephen Joyce<br />
The iconic symbol of the modern day<br />
Olympic Games is surely the mighty<br />
cauldron of fire that burns over the<br />
Olympic Stadium.<br />
A small flickering flame, kindled into<br />
life by the rays of the sun on the<br />
slopes of Mount Olympus in Greece,<br />
will reach its full potential as the<br />
words “Let the games commence”<br />
ring out around the stadium.<br />
This year, 2012, our country’s capital<br />
will host this spectacle of sport.<br />
London’s Olympic Stadium will bare<br />
witness to triumph and passion as<br />
the world’s greatest sports men and<br />
women compete to be the best and,<br />
inspired by that small flame, reach<br />
their full potential.<br />
This flickering spark of inspiration<br />
has been carried, proudly and<br />
carefully around Great Britain by<br />
eight thousand torch bearers.<br />
Through them we have all had a<br />
chance to experience the spirit of the<br />
Olympics. One such torch bearer is<br />
Stephen Joyce.<br />
Stephen is a board member of Forth<br />
Valley Sensory Centre and<br />
- 6 -<br />
represents Deafblind Users. He<br />
works as a training manager at<br />
Deafblind Scotland based at Lenzie.<br />
Stephen was nominated to carry the<br />
torch by colleagues at Deafblind<br />
Scotland in recognition of his work<br />
with that organisation and his<br />
valuable contribution to the Deafblind<br />
Community.<br />
Stephen told us of how immensely<br />
honoured and privileged he felt upon<br />
being nominated as a torch bearer.<br />
He was to carry the precious flame<br />
for four hundred metres through the<br />
village of Skinflats and as the day<br />
grew closer so did his excitement.<br />
When the time came for him to hold<br />
the torch - in his words “Wow! I felt<br />
so proud, so honoured that it was for<br />
the Olympics 2012 and I was part of<br />
that”. The route which Stephen<br />
carried the torch was crowded with<br />
people, many from the deaf, blind<br />
and deafblind community. He felt<br />
that it was important for all to see that<br />
he, as a deaf, partially sighted sign<br />
language user was part of the<br />
Olympics. Again in his words “I<br />
wanted people to know that we can<br />
do this and we can come together”<br />
Stephen’s memory of that day will<br />
live with him forever. He and his<br />
family will never forget the part he<br />
played in London 2012 and neither<br />
will the deaf and deafblind<br />
community. Let us all keep that<br />
flame burning.<br />
My thanks to Barbara Stalker and<br />
Mark Sherwin for their contributions<br />
towards this article.<br />
P.D. Burden
Gardening<br />
<strong>Falkirk</strong> <strong>Council</strong> Community pay back<br />
scheme has been helping us to tidy<br />
the Sensory Garden. When this is<br />
completed, we have agreed to hold a<br />
“Bring a Plant to Work Day”.<br />
Service Users and staff can bring a<br />
plant to work and either plant it<br />
themselves or we can get further<br />
help from the Community service to<br />
plant small shrubs and perennial<br />
plants. This should help to keep the<br />
weeds down and hopefully see some<br />
improvements once the plants<br />
mature next year.<br />
Café<br />
The Café has been re-painted and<br />
the Vending Machine returned to<br />
Freshvend. The new Matthew Algie<br />
coffee machine is up and running<br />
providing a selection of different<br />
specialty coffees. The re-branding of<br />
the Café took place around the 24th<br />
August 2012, this includes the Café<br />
Tiki world map which has been<br />
placed on one wall providing the<br />
opportunity to educate users on<br />
coffee provenance and raise<br />
awareness externally.<br />
Improvements to the café will<br />
continue with the addition of soft<br />
seats or buckets chairs.<br />
Café Staff<br />
It is now confirmed that 4 new<br />
Community job fund posts has been<br />
allocated to work across the Café’s.<br />
The jobs will go live at <strong>Falkirk</strong> Job<br />
centre this week. These posts are<br />
funded by Community Jobs Scotland<br />
and are temporary, 25 hours each<br />
- 7 -<br />
week and are open to people aged<br />
16- 19 years. To check eligibility all<br />
enquiries should be made to<br />
Jobcentre Plus or Skills Development<br />
Scotland.<br />
Once these posts are in place, the<br />
Café will be able to extend its<br />
opening hours and increase the<br />
service to our users.<br />
Feedback & Suggestions<br />
Please provide feedback and<br />
suggestions on your Café to the staff<br />
so that the Centre and Café staff can<br />
make things better for you.<br />
______________________________<br />
Fundraising & Donations<br />
£10000<br />
£2280<br />
£0<br />
Following the fundraising target set<br />
for 2012, the community fundraising<br />
events so far has raised a total of<br />
£2280.<br />
Fundraising Target<br />
Ladies Day raised 690<br />
Can Collection 261<br />
<strong>Falkirk</strong> Charities Day 135<br />
The Big Fun Run 394<br />
Plus previous balance 800<br />
Total £2280
Donations Received<br />
It is always a pleasure to receive<br />
donations from our community and<br />
supporters and we thank all those<br />
involved for their hard work and<br />
generosity.<br />
Special thanks go to the following:<br />
Clothworkers Foundation<br />
Co-op Membership Community Fund<br />
Appletree Trust<br />
<strong>Falkirk</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
ASDA<br />
George Cross<br />
The 5 K Big Fun Run<br />
We would like to thank the runners<br />
and walkers that participated in the<br />
BIG fun run at Bellahouston Park on<br />
Saturday 14th July 2012.<br />
Although it was hard work everyone<br />
had a good<br />
time and the<br />
sun even<br />
came out for a<br />
wee while!<br />
A grand total<br />
of £394 was<br />
raised<br />
towards<br />
centre funds.<br />
- 8 -<br />
Thanks to those of you who<br />
sponsored and supported our runners.<br />
Quiz Night<br />
The Sensory Centre Quiz Night took<br />
place on Tuesday 11th September<br />
2012.<br />
A great night was had by all. More<br />
information in the next edition of the<br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong>.<br />
Winter Fayre<br />
The next winter Fayre will take place<br />
on 24th November 2012. The Winter<br />
Fayre has now become a major<br />
event in the Centre Fundraising<br />
Calendar.<br />
We welcome good quality gifts and<br />
bric-a-brac, home baking, crafts,<br />
bottles. Unfortunately we cannot<br />
accept clothes.<br />
Future Fundraising Events<br />
Suggestions to hold a ‘Burns<br />
Supper Night’ in February 2013<br />
have been welcomed. We need your<br />
ideas and suggestions for other<br />
fundraising events throughout the<br />
year to increase our fundraising<br />
targets.<br />
Send your suggestions in to the<br />
Fundraising group or speak to a<br />
member of staff.<br />
Other Fundraising<br />
We need to start looking at major<br />
fundraising for the following:<br />
• Development Worker Post<br />
• Volunteer Co-ordinator Post<br />
• Minibus Replacement
Services<br />
RNIB<br />
Medical Device Alert<br />
Ref: MDA/2012/052 Issued: 02<br />
August 2012 at 15:00<br />
Home use blood glucose monitoring<br />
system for visually impaired patients.<br />
Clever Chek TD4232 talking blood<br />
glucose meter and test strips.<br />
Distributed in the UK by BBI<br />
Healthcare<br />
If anyone has or is using this model<br />
and are having problems, please<br />
return the meters and test strips to<br />
BBI Healthcare or to RNIB at the<br />
Sensory Centre. You could also<br />
update this to the Super Chek 2<br />
meter which gives audible reading<br />
and error warning if the amount of<br />
blood is not sufficient on the test<br />
strip.<br />
For more information, please contact<br />
RNIB at Forth Valley Sensory Centre.<br />
New RNIB Product August 2012<br />
coming soon<br />
New Catalogues will be available<br />
from September<br />
• Cordless Landline Telephone,<br />
PowerTel 710<br />
• AmbuTech deafblind symbol canes<br />
• New shared reading book titles<br />
• Six fun new titles - sure to engage<br />
younger readers! Unless otherwise<br />
- 9 -<br />
stated all include contracted (grade<br />
2) braille and all are zero rated VAT<br />
• DAISY audio book – made to order<br />
August releases<br />
• 20 new titles launching every<br />
month in our DAISY audio books<br />
– made to order the list is<br />
expanding. All zero rated VAT.<br />
The latest Catalogue of Daisy<br />
Audio books to buy and keep are<br />
available from the RNIB shop in<br />
the Sensory Centre.<br />
______________________________<br />
Service Users News<br />
Loop System Update<br />
As you are aware there has been an<br />
ongoing problem with the Loop<br />
systems in the building.<br />
Following several discussions and<br />
meetings we have agreed to fix Hall<br />
3 by replacing the ceiling microphone<br />
to a better quality, relocate the loop<br />
wiring to under the metal grid ceiling<br />
and replace the loop amplifier with a<br />
better quality.<br />
The work has been done and we<br />
have requested the help of our<br />
Service Users to check the sound<br />
quality to establish if this is better<br />
before we look at doing the same to<br />
Hall 1.
Elton John Concert<br />
On Sunday, 10th June 2012, a group<br />
of 25 service users and volunteers<br />
from the Sensory Centre enjoyed a<br />
lovely evening courtesy of <strong>Falkirk</strong><br />
Football Club. We were invited to<br />
enjoy a rare event, Elton John in<br />
concert live at <strong>Falkirk</strong> Stadium.<br />
We met outside the ground at<br />
4.30pm, posed for photographs,<br />
before entering to take our seats in<br />
the main stand. Thirteen year old<br />
Talia Storm, from Stirling, treated the<br />
crowds to a wonderful opening<br />
performance before Sir Elton came<br />
on stage around 7pm, to cheers from<br />
the crowd. He played the piano and<br />
sang for over 2 hours – and the<br />
stadium was rocking. Here are a few<br />
comments from people who<br />
attended:<br />
“Having been to the Elton John<br />
concert, courtesy of the <strong>Falkirk</strong><br />
Football Club and the Sensory<br />
Centre, it took me back to my youth!<br />
This was my first live concert and I<br />
am now 60 years of age! Not only<br />
that, but my grand-daughter, Brenda,<br />
was with me, another generation and<br />
we both enjoyed it together. Also,<br />
this was the first time Brenda had<br />
- 10 -<br />
been to a live concert. We were still<br />
singing the following day! Thank you<br />
to all involved who made this<br />
possible, it was a real treat.”<br />
Nan McLaughlin<br />
“I was asked if I would like to go to<br />
the Elton John concert at the <strong>Falkirk</strong><br />
Stadium. I was taken aback at this<br />
(at the last minute on a Friday<br />
afternoon) it was an experience that I<br />
will never forget. One of the<br />
volunteers made it even more<br />
enjoyable by keeping me supplied<br />
with hot drinks. I mostly enjoyed it<br />
when he sang ‘I’m still standing’ and<br />
‘Candle in the Wind’.<br />
F. Gordon<br />
The Concert was very good the<br />
supporting acts were excellent<br />
especially the 2Cellos - their sound<br />
effects were great. I really enjoyed<br />
my day. Dancing with Alison Gall was<br />
enlightening!! A very well organised<br />
event and well worth going to.<br />
Harry Bell<br />
A great night was had by all – a big<br />
thanks to <strong>Falkirk</strong> Football Club and to<br />
the volunteers who made this<br />
possible.<br />
Mhari Thom
Ladies Group<br />
Forth Valley Sensory Centre’s Ladies<br />
Group took a trip on the steam train<br />
at Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway in<br />
August. The group meets on the<br />
second Wednesday of every month<br />
for activities, outings and talks and is<br />
open to all women with a sensory<br />
impairment in the Forth Valley Area.<br />
If you would like to find out more<br />
about the group, please phone or text<br />
reception on 01324 590 888.<br />
______________________________<br />
Sensory Centre Letters<br />
Letter of Thanks<br />
I am writing to you today to convey<br />
my thanks for the awareness training<br />
that the Sensory Centre ran on 21st<br />
Jun 2012. It was a hugely worthwhile<br />
days training in which I learned a<br />
great deal regarding both the hearing<br />
and visually impaired communities.<br />
Through my police career I have<br />
worked with diverse communities but<br />
I have never had reason or<br />
opportunity to be involved with the<br />
Sensory Centre, but I can definitely<br />
say that it is a fabulous establishment<br />
and one that I look forward to being<br />
involved with in the future.<br />
I would say that one of the highlights<br />
of the day was the lady who<br />
conveyed her life and how being<br />
diagnosed deaf at the age of 3 has<br />
affected her life. A more confident<br />
lady I don’t think I will ever have the<br />
pleasure of meeting. A true<br />
inspiration to others.<br />
The commitment and knowledge that<br />
the staff at the centre show is first<br />
class and I look forward to a very<br />
close working relationship with you,<br />
your staff and the service users that<br />
you provide such a worthwhile<br />
service for.<br />
Once again, thank you for allowing<br />
me to take part in such a worthwhile<br />
training day and I would be obliged if<br />
you could let me know of any further<br />
training courses that would be<br />
appropriate for me to attend.<br />
Yours sincerely,<br />
Mike Parsons, Equality & Diversity<br />
Police Headquarters, Stirling<br />
Now that I have recovered<br />
"Now that I have recovered from the<br />
terror of Thursday, I think I can say<br />
that although the attendance was<br />
'reasonable' (30+), everything else<br />
was everything I had hoped for.<br />
There were a lot of first-timers, a<br />
higher than usual proportion of visual<br />
impaired folks among them and<br />
plenty audience participation.<br />
The Sensory Centre Trainers (two<br />
warm, intelligent, attractive young<br />
women - Margaret Stevenson and<br />
Katrina Campbell) were excellent and<br />
they gave us very practical insight<br />
into the other more emotional losses<br />
- 11 -
which go along with sight loss - like the<br />
exclusion of not knowing what a<br />
speaker means by 'this', 'here', 'there',<br />
'next'; having no idea when you can<br />
speak or are expected to speak; or<br />
how what you say is going down.<br />
Then they gave us basic instruction<br />
in sighted guiding and a chance to try<br />
it out. They were only able to touch<br />
on different kinds of sight loss, but<br />
with the very sensible advice, "Ask<br />
the person what they can see."<br />
They were great ambassadors for<br />
FVSC and they could have done<br />
much more, but we needed to move<br />
on with the rest of the programme.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Donald Black<br />
The Rock Community Project is a<br />
charitable company limited by<br />
guarantee and registered in<br />
Scotland, Registered Address: The<br />
Rock Centre, First Floor, 61-63<br />
Murray Place, Stirling, FK8 1AP,<br />
Company Number SC328036,<br />
Scottish Charity Number SC034069,<br />
www.rockcommunityproject.org.uk,<br />
admin@rockcommunityproject.org.uk<br />
Dear Editor<br />
Further to my letter in the last<br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong>, I thought I must write to<br />
say how much I have enjoyed the<br />
coffee now available in the Centre<br />
Café. So far I have tried the Latte,<br />
Cappuccino and the Hot Chocolate,<br />
all of which is very delicious. There<br />
is also a selection of teas available<br />
and of course a good range of tasty<br />
food, cakes and sandwiches.<br />
Give it a try if you haven’t already<br />
done so, I am sure you will not be<br />
disappointed.<br />
Regards<br />
Lawson Eades<br />
Dear Editor<br />
I am an audio describer responsible<br />
for assisting with co-ordinating audio<br />
described performances for the Kings<br />
Theatre and Theatre Royal in<br />
Glasgow. I am currently trying to<br />
raise awareness and publicise the<br />
audio description service in Glasgow<br />
and would therefore be grateful if you<br />
could share the following information<br />
with colleagues and people that you<br />
work with, who may be interested in<br />
accessing audio described<br />
performances.<br />
The following upcoming performances<br />
will be audio described:<br />
Agatha Christie's the Mousetrap -<br />
September 20th - Theatre Royal<br />
I Dreamed A Dream (The Susan<br />
Boyle Musical) - October 9th - The<br />
Kings Theatre<br />
One Man Two Guvnors - November<br />
17th - Theatre Royal<br />
Information on booking is available<br />
via the Kings/Theatre Royal<br />
www.atgtickets.com/venues/kingstheatre/<br />
I hope you will find this information<br />
useful, and if you wish, I will send<br />
through details of any other<br />
upcoming audio described<br />
performances as they come up.<br />
Thanks<br />
Kat Wilson<br />
- 12 -
Healthy Lifestyle<br />
Healthy Living Group at the<br />
Sensory Centre<br />
If you’re looking for a fun way to keep<br />
active and healthy, why not try our<br />
new Healthy Living Group at the<br />
Sensory Centre?<br />
The group is open to all adults with a<br />
sensory impairment.<br />
Each month the group tries different<br />
activities such as walking or line<br />
dancing. All activities are free or lowcost.<br />
The Healthy Living Group meets on<br />
the first Wednesday of each month at<br />
10.30am – 12.30pm at the Sensory<br />
Centre.<br />
Sighted guides, communication<br />
support and transport are available<br />
on request.<br />
To attend the group please contact<br />
reception by telephone or text on<br />
01324 590 888<br />
email: sensory@falkirk.gov.uk<br />
Healthy Living Group<br />
Timetable 2012<br />
3 October<br />
Line dancing with Kathy Forrest<br />
7 November<br />
Line dancing with Kathy Forrest<br />
5 December<br />
Healthy Xmas recipes with<br />
Wendy Handley<br />
- 13 -<br />
Easy Healthy Living by Braveheart<br />
The good news is that making just a<br />
few small changes to your daily<br />
routine can start to have a positive<br />
effect on your health, looks and also<br />
the way you feel.<br />
Think about your food – is it nutritious<br />
and a good source of energy or could<br />
you improve your choices? As with<br />
most things in life, it’s about getting<br />
the balance right. Knowing more<br />
about the nutritional benefits of<br />
different foods and snacks will help<br />
you make better choices.<br />
“Guideline Daily Amounts” or GDA’s<br />
have been developed by nutritionists<br />
to give guidance on what and how<br />
much to eat of each of the key<br />
nutrients you will see on the back of<br />
most food packaging.<br />
The amounts don’t need to be stuck<br />
to every day, but should balance out<br />
over a typical week.<br />
Think about your level of physical<br />
activity. Staying active has physical,<br />
stress relieving, social and mental<br />
benefits, but you don’t have to leap out<br />
of bed one morning and start running.<br />
Adopt a gradual approach. Consider<br />
what you do already and make a<br />
realistic plan of how you can include<br />
more physical activities in to your<br />
daily life.
Walking is the perfect choice, but<br />
many people find that exercising on<br />
your own requires a lot of selfdiscipline.<br />
Why not make it easy and<br />
fun for yourself by joining other<br />
people in your community on the<br />
short, led walks available in your<br />
local area?<br />
Sounds easy? It is! Simple changes<br />
such as these are what really matter<br />
when you want to be healthy. It’s<br />
simply thinking of better ways to do<br />
things in your life that will improve<br />
your health.<br />
Give it a go and you’ll soon discover<br />
a big difference in the way you look<br />
and feel – easy!<br />
For more information on Braveheart<br />
free walks phone 01324 673 703 or<br />
email adam.donaldson@nhs.net<br />
Free walks in <strong>Falkirk</strong><br />
There are lots of walks going on in<br />
the <strong>Falkirk</strong> area. Step Forth and the<br />
Helix project have popular walks<br />
which are open to everyone. Just<br />
turn up at one of the walks and you<br />
will be made welcome by the<br />
qualified walk leader. Please wear<br />
suitable footwear and come dressed<br />
for the weather.<br />
Monday morning: Step Forth<br />
Health Walk<br />
Meet at Beancross Restaurant car<br />
park and walk around some of the<br />
- 14 -<br />
new Helix paths.<br />
Start time: 10am<br />
Walking time: Between 40 minutes<br />
and 1 hour.<br />
No need to book, just turn up.<br />
Contact: Barbara McConnell on<br />
01324 504 556 or<br />
email Barbara.mcconnell@<br />
falkirkcommunitytrust.org<br />
Wednesday evening: Helix<br />
Summer Walks<br />
Leaving from Laurieston Square and<br />
walk along Helix paths.<br />
Start time: 7pm<br />
Walks will be 3 or 5 miles, depending<br />
on your preference.<br />
No need to book, just turn up.<br />
Contact: Grace McDonald on<br />
01324 590 718 or email<br />
grace.macdonald@falkirk.gov.uk<br />
Thursday evening: Braveheart<br />
Health Walk<br />
Meet at the picnic benches opposite<br />
the 5-a-side football pitches at the<br />
<strong>Falkirk</strong> Stadium.<br />
Start time: 7pm<br />
Walks last around 1 hour.<br />
No need to book, just turn up.<br />
Contact: Adam Donaldson on<br />
01324 673 703 or<br />
email adam.donaldson@nhs.net
Holiday to Australia and<br />
New Zealand – Part 2<br />
By Jim McLean<br />
Taxi from the hotel to the airport and<br />
an Indian fella driving it, from the<br />
Punjab actually but no time to swap<br />
recipes though.<br />
Arrived at airport in a thunderstorm<br />
jings it can batter down here, great<br />
flashes of lightening tae which<br />
delayed us for 30 minutes. Nice wee<br />
flight of 3 hours and we're fed,<br />
tortellini for me. Park Royal hotel at<br />
Melo airport is plush, very nice<br />
indeed and pretty sure we paid same<br />
amount for this as thone bleedin<br />
British seaside guesthouse<br />
equivalent in Perth, Sullivans Hotel.<br />
Doon for dinner Mary took yin bite of<br />
her lamb dinner and next thing my<br />
pea risotto was swapped, that was<br />
really tasty she said, bleedin cheek.<br />
Eh guess what we washed it down<br />
with? Although we did ask for merlot<br />
but they'd nane. Big stinkin' pint of<br />
Boags Blond beer on top of all that.<br />
Ba Ba's but we're both quite bad wi'<br />
jet lag still so it's 3am as i'm typing<br />
this, Mary's jist fell ower and gently<br />
snorin' away, yet anither pattern<br />
gettin' set nae doubt.<br />
In the morning, got hired car and had<br />
to say to Avis fella at leaving gate<br />
about various bumps, no problem<br />
says he in english accent. I says your<br />
no a local, fella, I come from<br />
Yorkshire says he, oh says Mary<br />
pointing at me, he can speak<br />
Yorkshire, HOW MUCH I says and<br />
he laughed, thank gawd and he gave<br />
us directions to Bendigo the first stop<br />
today.<br />
Mary done really well driving the<br />
automatic car we got away from the<br />
airport and onto the right road, weel<br />
done that lass.<br />
Had me first but by no means me last<br />
pie, in a Bendigo bakery, steak,<br />
sausage and ingin. Got stocked up<br />
wi' water and on our way to Echuca<br />
our destination today, found digs, the<br />
Pevensey motor lodge, or to be<br />
precise Mary saw digs as I was<br />
looking on the wrang side of the<br />
road, no surprise there.<br />
Mary here,<br />
Now the middle of the night and I can<br />
assure you that I am not the one<br />
snoring - his worship however is<br />
driving them home. I have never had<br />
jet lag as bad as this. Hire car is<br />
great but omg!!! Driving an automatic<br />
is murder not only do you need your<br />
left leg tied down but your left arm as<br />
well. Apparently it has cruise control<br />
but I am sh!!!ty feart to try it.<br />
Echuca is nice had trip on the Murray<br />
river on a paddle steamer the captain<br />
pointed out a steamer which was<br />
used in the tv series "All the rivers<br />
run years ago". I remember watching<br />
it but for the life of me can't<br />
remember what it was about.<br />
- 15 -
Can't get over the price of alcohol<br />
here 15 - yes 15 dollars - for a half of<br />
lager and a half of cider and 2 bags<br />
of crisps. Jim is beside himself at the<br />
price of drink but it's not stopping him<br />
consuming the stuff.<br />
Nice touch however was in an Irish<br />
bar and asked if they did magners<br />
cider she said no but offered me a<br />
sample of their equivalent, never had<br />
a free sample of drink before,<br />
perhaps I should try this in other bars<br />
and see how much free drink I get.<br />
Contact Details for Forth Valley Sensory Centre<br />
Forth Valley Sensory Centre<br />
Redbrae Road<br />
Camelon<br />
<strong>Falkirk</strong><br />
FK1 4DD<br />
Tel/Text 01324 590888<br />
Fax 01324 590889<br />
Email sensory@falkirk.gov.uk<br />
Registration Number: SC247416<br />
Charity Recognition Number: SC034267<br />
If you would like to put some news or say something in the next newsletter<br />
then we would love to hear from you. Please send an email to<br />
sensory@falkirk.gov.uk<br />
- 16 -<br />
Going to try and sleep now as this<br />
driving after only 2-3 hours sleep ain't<br />
a clever idea.<br />
Cruise on the Murray river was ok as<br />
I saw lots a cockatoos which you<br />
don't see going Doon the water but<br />
on a boiling day we're sat 10 feet<br />
away from the red hot engine.<br />
Wandered along the main street and<br />
then had lovely scran in cafe washed<br />
down with .... well we are on holiday.<br />
Echuca is a lovely place.