Last Monday we had the pleasure of hosting, alongside the RNIB, one of our famous Tech sessions in which we teach members how to use their own devices in the most accessible way.
 
Whether for beginners or advanced, we provide the opportunity for you to explore accessible features like Screen readers, Zoom, Magnification and other tech tools that make our lives easier.
 
The session was very successful; many had the chance to learn something new. We are happy to announce that we have even more sessions coming up. From now on they will be on Thursdays at the Kingston Library, Fairfield Rd, Kingston, KT1 2PS, running in small groups and also 1 to 1’s. The dates and time are to be confirmed.
 
Our sessions have been so successful that the Apple Store at Bentall’s Centre have invited us to hold a session on Thursday 19th of October at 5pm. It will last 90 minutes and it is aimed at complete beginners who have an interest in discovering how to interact with Mac and iOS. We'll explore assistive technologies like Zoom, Text to Speech and Magnifier, and practice using Dictation to turn spoken words into text.
 
Bring your device or we'll provide one. For sessions with amplified sound, hearing loop technology is available on request.
 
Note that places are limited so please book yours as soon as possible by calling KAB on 0208 605 0060 or our Mobile  07442 394472. Or email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org

An exciting time of the year has come; Sight Village is happening on Tuesday the 7th November 2023. And it promises to bring as many interesting novelties as ever!
 
Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition for blind and partially sighted people. The events offer everyone the opportunity to see leading providers of products and services under one roof.
 
With over 40 exhibitors it is a great day out for anyone who is living with sight loss, friends, colleagues and family members. You can discover audio and braille equipment and services, CCTVs/Magnification, Mobile Technology, New Wearables, Daily Living Equipment, Leisure Services and more...
 
KAB would like to invite its wonderful members, carers and volunteers to join us at this marvellous event. In order for that to happen we will arrange a mini bus to take us from the Kingston Quaker Centre to South Kensington Hall, where the event is taking place, and then returning to the Kingston Quaker Centre after. Help of volunteers is indispensable as we need to ensure member’s safety at all times.
 
Please note that places are limited so book yours as soon as possible. You can do so by calling KAB on 0208 605 0060 or our office mobile 07442 394472. Or email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org.

For all who have always wondered what it is like to live with a visual impairment and would like to learn how to support people with sight loss, we have designed a special workshop that will touch on understanding the emotional impact of living with a visual impairment, support  services available, benefits and concessions, tips and tricks to adapt in everyday living, getting out and about, adapted technology, hobbies and employment, staying active and much more.
 
The course will take place next Wednesday 4th October 2023 from 10:00am to 12:00pm at the Kingston Quaker centre. if you would like to attend, please book your place in advance by calling on 0208 605 0060 or our office mobile 07442 394472. Or email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org.
 

This week we would like to tell you about a crucial item in the kitchen of any VI cook: The Talking Microwave.
 
Everyone knows how useful a microwave can be in daily life. Whether it is defrosting a ready meal or poaching an egg, nothing has been quite the same after the invention of the microwave. To make cooking even simpler, RNIB created the talking microwave which has similar functions to a regular microwave but enables blind users to feel more confident at using it as they know exactly which button they have pressed.
 
Not only is it fully talking (with adjustable volume) but, for simplicity, there are only four controls. There are no complicated menus or features. You just select the cooking power, the minutes and the seconds and press Start to cook.
 
Set the time using the ‘minutes’ button (the letter M is printed next to it and the button has a single tactile dot for identification) and the ‘seconds’ button (found below the ‘minutes’ button, printed with an S and with two tactile dots).
Use the Power mode button (this is the only button without tactile dots and has the letter P printed next to it) to choose cooking power.
 
Below these three buttons is a rotary dial to adjust the volume (choose from 15 levels, the microwave will announce the volume level as you rotate the dial). Press the dial to start cooking (press and hold the dial to reset the microwave). The dial has a V printed next to it and the words START, RESET raised on it.
 
As well as announcing power and time as you set them, the microwave will alert you to the cooking time remaining. It is a very useful piece of equipment to have if you would like to explore the cook within you in a safe and accessible environment. You can find the microwave on the RNIB website: tinyurl.com/RNIB-talking-microwave

We were delighted to be presented with a cheque for £500 by Councillor Yvonne Tracey yesterday at our Social Eyes lunch session. “I'm really pleased to be in a position to start distributing my Councillor allowance to good causes across the Borough, as per my election pledge I made last November. Having experienced how the blind live by walking with glasses that simulate different eye conditions, I feel that life as a blind person is very difficult. there are so many barriers that need to be broken and therefore KAB is a wonderful Charity to donate to”, says Yvonne.
 
Yvonne is distributing donations through a Charity of the Month initiative, which will involve her giving £500 (plus Gift Aid) to a Charity each month, and encouraging others who are able to donate to her chosen cause too.

This month KAB has been blessed to be the Charity of the Month. We are truly thankful for this wonderful donation. We also encourage any members of the public to help us raise more funds, so that we can keep this lovely Charity running. We appreciate any donation, no matter how big or small, every penny counts.
 

The moment that we have been waiting for has arrived! KAB is re-launching its Bowls sessions indoors at the King George Field Indoor Bowls Club, Jubilee Way, Chessington, KT9 1TR. 

The official opening date is on Thursday the 7th September at 10:00am – 12:00pm. The match will be followed by a session in the House Club, where lunch will be available to purchase. It will be a wonderful opportunity for bowlers to meet and build a team together once again.

How to play Bowls:

• The game of Bowls is the same for blind bowlers as it is for sighted bowlers. The aim is to get your bowls nearer to the Jack than any bowl of your opponents. Bowls are delivered from a mat at one end of the green while the target “Jack” is at the other end.
• A sighted marker helps the blind bowler by describing where the bowls come to rest. He does this using the ‘clock method’ to describe the angle (i.e. time) and distance from the ‘Jack’ the bowl has come to rest.  The ‘Jack’ is the centre of the clock; therefore, six o’clock would be in front and twelve o’clock behind, with all other positions being relative to the clock. 
• From the information fed back from the ‘Marker’ the player can build up a mental picture of the ‘Head’, knowing exactly the position of each bowl in the ‘Head’, thus allowing the player who cannot see, to be involved and familiar with the finer points of the game.  The only minor concession made to the blind is that a fine white centre string runs under the mat and is fixed at both ends.  The main object of this centre string is to help the bowler to judge the angle for the amount of green required.

 
If you feel this sport is for you, don’t hesitate to contact us via email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org or phone our office mobile 07442 394 472, and we will be happy to help you with the next steps for you to become a bowler.

We are pleased to announce that, alongside the RNIB, on Monday 18 September, 10:00am – 3:00pm, we are running a session for all who wish to learn how to use any form of accessible technology, ranging from how to use a Screenreader on the computer/phone, to sending emails confidently or even use a new device or app. Whatever you’d like to learn, we are here for you.
 
Note that this is not a drop/in session, slots have to be booked in advance. Members are invited to book a 1 hour slot, please specify what equipment/device you will bring and what support you would like us to provide.
 
Slots are as follows:

• 10:00am and 11:00am - Voiceover training.
• 12:00pm - Session teaching useful apps on your smartphone. These apps are: Facetime, Whatsapp, Voice Memos, Reminders, Bus Times and Traineline.
• 13:00pm and 14:00pm - Zoom and Magnification.

For those members who would like to take part in both a training session and the useful apps session, we would encourage them to book their slot for either 11:00am or 13:00pm and let us know which app you’re most interested in learning.
 
Sessions will be at the Kingston Quaker Centre. For more information or to book, please phone our office mobile on 07442 394472 or email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org and one of our staff members will be happy to help you.
 

If you are registered blind (severely sight impaired) then you are entitled to a “Blind Concession TV Licence” which gives you 50 per cent off of the cost of a licence. For more information, do call us on 07442 394472 and we’ll be happy to explain to you how to apply. Or visit the TV licensing website: tinyurl.com/Blind-TV-Licence.

This week we’d like to tell you about the easy-to-see measuring jug, available in the RNIB shop. With a tactile, braille measuring gauge which fits over the rim of the jug, it allows you to measure liquids by touch. The jug is designed to be used with a talking kitchen scale, but can now be useful to anyone who just wants an easy-to-see jug with a tactile measuring feature.
 
In addition to the bold markings which show millilitres, pints and UK fluid ounces, the measuring gauge has tactile and braille markings for millilitres on one side and fluid ounces on the other. (To change which measure is used, remove the gauge from the clip, rotate it and reattach.)
 
The tactile measuring gauge is made of high temperature-resistant, food grade polypropylene and is designed to be fitted over the rim of the jug with the gauge on the inside.
 
To use the gauge, simply place your finger on the mark that represents the measuring capacity you wish to add to the jug and pour the ingredients into the jug until you feel the ingredient touch your finger. Please do not use this method when adding very hot liquids or ingredients.
 
Both the jug and tactile measuring gauge are microwave- and dishwasher-safe. Available on the RNIB website: tinyurl.com/braille-jug.

Lego is now selling bricks coded with braille to help blind and partially-sighted children learn to read the touch-based alphabet. The Danish toymaker has been providing the specialist bricks, which were tested and developed in partnership with blind organisations around the world, free of charge to a selection of schools and services catering for vision-impaired children since 2020.

From next month, shoppers will be able to buy packs of the bricks, which have studs corresponding to the braille version of numbers and letters with a printed version of the symbol or letter below, to use at home. Lego hopes the initiative will help parents and siblings share in learning braille, and the packs will include ideas for a range of educational games that families can play together.
 
While some view braille as old-fashioned, given modern technology that can turn written text into spoken word, blind adults say they like the freedom to multitask by reading with their fingers while listening to other things. The European Blind Union (EBU) says knowledge of braille leads to improved spelling, reading and writing, contributing to higher levels of education and better employment opportunities for those who are vision impaired.
 
Dave Williams, an Inclusive Design Ambassador for the RNIB, which acts for blind and partially-sighted people, says knowledge of Braille helps give those who could not read print independence. “Who would want a greetings card read to you? And there are things like board games, labels and being able to read your kids a bedtime story – that’s hard to do with a computer talking in your ear,” he said.
 
Williams says software could now convert text from laptops and smartphones into the correct braille code via raised pins. He says learning braille via Lego makes the process less slow and dull, while using a toy “that everybody recognises means it doesn’t feel weird. It breaks down barriers.”

Braille Lego is now available on the Lego website: tinyurl.com/Braille-lego.

John McCarthy, a truly unstoppable man, is one of our lovely KAB members. He is 95 years old and he has lived in Kingston since 1933. He is mostly blind is due to macular degeneration, which luckily allows him to still see shapes of things but not in great detail. For instance, he cannot see individual pieces of food on a plate so he normally eats using a spoon.
 
With the help of his sister-in-law, he has managed to live as independently as possible. He lives in a flat on his own and does most activities by himself such as; cooking home-made meals by using the rest of his senses, visiting places, and even uses a Screenreader to shop on Amazon and to read the News. John also really enjoys listening to the Kingston Talking Newspaper.
 
Despite sometimes suffering from anxiety because he periodically loses sight due to the degenerative nature of his condition, his secret to keep going is to always look at the glass being half full instead of half empty, in other words, he focuses on the sight he still has and the instruments he can use for his daily life instead of concentrating on the sight he has lost. “I believe that something which really helps is to keep having interests, like keeping informed on what is going on in the world and keeping in touch with friends and relatives”, he explains.
 
Mr McCarthy is an unstoppable gentleman. It is amazing how he does everything himself and uses all technological advances despite his age and condition. We can conclude, therefore, that if he can make his wishes come true despite the obstacles, so can we.

The moment that we have been waiting for has arrived! KAB is re-launching its Bowls sessions indoors at the King George Field Indoor Bowls Club, Jubilee Way, Chessington, KT9 1TR. 

The official opening date is on Thursday the 7th September at 10:00am – 12:00pm. The match will be followed by a session in the House Club, where lunch will be available to purchase. It will be a wonderful opportunity for bowlers to meet and build a team together once again.

How to play Bowls:
The game of Bowls is the same for blind bowlers as it is for sighted bowlers. The aim is to get your bowls nearer to the Jack than any bowl of your opponents. Bowls are delivered from a mat at one end of the green while the target “Jack” is at the other end.

A sighted marker helps the blind bowler by describing where the bowls come to rest. He does this using the ‘clock method’ to describe the angle (i.e. time) and distance from the ‘Jack’ the bowl has come to rest.  The ‘jack’ is the centre of the clock; therefore, six o’clock would be in front and twelve o’clock behind, with all other positions being relative to the clock. 

From the information fed back from the ‘marker’ the player can build up a mental picture of the ‘head’, knowing exactly the position of each bowl in the ‘head’, thus allowing the player who cannot see, to be involved and familiar with the finer points of the game.  The only minor concession made to the blind is that a fine white centre string runs under the mat and is fixed at both ends.  The main object of this centre string is to help the bowler to judge the angle for the amount of green required.
 
If you feel this sport is for you, don’t hesitate to contact us via email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org or phone our office mobile 07442 394 472, and we will be happy to help you with the next steps for you to become a bowler.

The Blue Badge scheme enables Blue Badge holders to park on/in reserved disabled parking spaces near a venue so that services can be accessed more easily.

The card has to be displayed on the car’s front window and, in order to use it, the disabled passenger must be out of the car, in other words, if the driver decides to park and both them and the disabled blue badge holder stay inside, the Blue Badge will not stop them from paying the parking fee.

Though the parking concessions don't apply to private car parks, some may still have signage indicating concessions for Blue Badge parking is allowed.

For more information contact the office and we will be happy to tell you about the application process.

Hot water in the kitchen seriously burns thousands of Britons every year. Getting burnt whilst pouring liquid is the most common accident that happens when cooking to both sighted and non-sighted people.

Getting burnt is not about someone’s ability to see with their eyes or about not paying enough attention. Even a sighted person who is paying full attention to the task can get burnt easily because pouring liquid is tricky.

Luckily, the RNIB came up with the bestselling Liquid Level Indicators, which have been helping people with sight loss get their morning cuppa for more than 25 years. This compact, lightweight device has three metallic probes which indicate two separate liquid levels within a cup or mug by triggering audible and vibratory alerts. The first alert tells you when to stop adding hot water if you also want to add milk; the second alert tells you when the cup is nearly full.

The device can be used on most cups and mugs, as well as glasses, jugs and (cold) cooking pots. Store your Liquid Level Indicator on the fridge door, using the built-in magnets, so it's always easy to find when you need it.

Available on the RNIB website shop.rnib.org.uk/rnib-liquid-level-indicator-audible-vibratory
 

David Blunkett needs no introduction. Having retired from politics in 2015 he remains one of the UK’s most respected and influential politicians.

David was born on 6 June 1947 in Sheffield. Improperly developed optic nerves meant that he was blind from birth. He attended The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC), when it was based in Shrewsbury.

After leaving RNC he successfully studied for a degree via evening classes while simultaneously working as a local councillor for Sheffield City Council. He remained at the Council for 18 years, and was Leader from 1980 to 1987. He also served on South Yorkshire County Council from 1973 to 1977.

David entered parliament in 1987 as Labour MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough. Within 15 months he had been appointed Shadow Local Government Minister before becoming first Shadow Health Secretary and then Shadow Education Secretary.

With Labour’s election victory in 1997 he became Education and Employment Secretary. He has since described walking in to the Department of Education and Employment for the first time as a high point of his career and has always maintained his keen interest in both areas.

In 2001 David became Home Secretary where he dealt with the changes in society that followed the September 11 attacks. After the 2005 general election he became Work and Pensions Secretary.

David is an Associate Governor of the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC), a residential college for blind students who wish to finish their education alongside becoming physically independent.

David now devotes his time to causes which he is passionate about. One of those causes is breaking down the barriers and misconceptions about disability. His message is: 'I can by example motivate young people to reach their full potential and change attitudes across society towards disability in a positive manner.'
 

The Macular Society is pleased to announce that they have re-launched their Working Age and Young People Social Meet-up in London.

Date: Tuesday 5 September 2023

Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Where: The Rocket, 120 Euston Road, NW1 2AL

This group is open to working age and young people living with central vision loss. RSVP is required. For any questions, contact Natasha on 07824 330 951 or email groupsadmin@MacularSociety.org.
 

A Disabled Persons Rail Card gives you 1/3 off rail travel plus a travel companion to travel the journey with you. This could be a friend, relative or support worker etc.

Even if you do not have the Disabled Person’s Railcard, you can get discounted rail travel of 34 per cent or 50 per cent on certain tickets, or free travel for a companion when you travel on your season ticket.

To qualify, you must be travelling with another person and have a document confirming your registration both when you buy and when travelling on your ticket.

You can get sighted assistance at the start and end of your rail journey. Contact the train operator you’re travelling with in advance to arrange this.

Many people find it difficult to measure the weight of ingredients without scales. Baking, for instance, is a chemical process that requires exact ingredient quantities. We can estimate that a cup is roughly 9 ounces (250 grams) but it is not exact and the recipe can be ruined.  How to measure ingredients, then, if kitchen scales don’t talk and the font is too small to read? This is when accessible scales come to the rescue.

Talking scales say numbers out loud and, if necessary, convert grams into ounces or ounces into grams. They indicate when ingredients are ready to be put onto the scales and the font, both on the buttons and the screen is much larger than in regular scales.

This marvellous invention allows us to measure ingredients efficiently and without having to ask a sighted person to do it for us.

KAB has its own scales in the office. If you would like to feel them, please contact us on 07442 394 472, or email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org and we will be happy to demonstrate them to you.

Dame Judi Dench was born Judith Olivia Dench in York, England, to Eleanora Olive (Jones), who was from Dublin, Ireland, and Reginald Arthur Dench, a doctor from Dorset, England. She attended Mount School in York, and studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

She has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and at Old Vic Theatre. She is a ten-time BAFTA winner including Best Actress in a Comedy Series for A Fine Romance (1981) in which she appeared with her husband, Michael Williams, and Best Supporting Actress in A Handful of Dust (1988) and A Room with a View (1985). She received an ACE award for her performance in the television series Star Quality: Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill (1985). She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970, a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1988 and a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in 2005.

The esteemed actor, known for often playing roles of dignified, strong-willed women, has been struggling with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which causes the gradual loss of vision, for more than a decade, first revealing her diagnosis in 2012.

AMD is the most common cause of vision loss for adults over age 50 and especially impacts the ability to read, recognise faces and view road signs. As a result of her disability, she has supported Sight for Surrey as their patron.

Dench believes she could still be on stage, as long as there aren’t things to trip over. She is determined to learn a new way of reading scripts despite having a photographic memory, and that this condition will not rob her of her ability to continue with her career.