Society News

Editor’s Letter

It’s hard to believe that we’re just about to enter the 6th month of the year, we’ll be planning for Christmas again before we know it! Thank you to those who have contributed to the cost of our floral displays this year, John is busy planting up the hanging baskets and clearing the greenhouse so that he can plant up the tomatoes. We do still need some more bedding plants, so there’s time for you to help us if you’d like make a contribution towards the cost of some plants.

Some people have been asking about the annual Garden Party at Mulgrave Castle as we haven’t mentioned it. Unfortunately this year we’re all going to be disappointed because Lord Normanby is not holding his tenant’s dinner this summer, so there will be no marquee available. However, we have been assured that the Garden Party will be back to normal in 2009 when it will be the turn of Whitby and Ryedale members to attend.

Discover the World of Sailing

The Royal Yachting Association’s Sailability programme gives disabled people the chance to sail regularly throughout the UK. It offers everyone, regardless of their disability, the opportunity to experience all of the freedom and enjoyment that sailing can bring. They provide information on where you can sail and advice and support to sailing clubs to help to develop their facilities.

Many of the people they assist have no experience of sailing, and some have never even been on the water before, but disability isn’t an obstacle to taking part or being successful in sailing. There are different boats you can try, some have been specially designed for people with various disabilities, so if you are disabled why not give it a try and face new challenges that offer you excitement and freedom. Being on the water brings everything from exhilaration to tranquility, physically and mentally nothing is the same, but sailing gives you a huge opportunity to make the most of your abilities. You can take part at any age and with any disability and there are over 20,000 regular disabled sailors already in the UK.

Sailability opens up a whole new life to you by making it possible for you to sail, whether it’s for the first time in tiny dinghies or as part of a round the world racing crew, RYA’s volunteers and staff are there to help you to get out on the water and into a new way of life.

If you’d like to talk to someone about trying out sailing then please ring RYA Sailability on 0845 345 0403, or visit their website at www.rya.org.uk/sailability.

Lions Lifeline – Message in a Bottle

A voluntary scheme for those living at home which lets you store essential information including your personal details, allergies, medication, GP and emergency contact person in a special container in your fridge where it can be found and used, in the event of you taking ill, by the Emergency Services. We have a small number of these available on a first come basis, call Yvonne at the centre for details on 01723 503304.

100 Club Winners

The 100 club winners for the £10 draw in April were: 3rd No 25 S. Pallant, No 100 P. Womack, 10th No 4 J. Welford-Smith, No 77 D. Bullen, 17th No 26 N. Clarke, No 86 K. Braim, 24th No 10 P. Davis, No 89 K. Sutcliffe, and the £25 winner was No 30 J. Turnbull.

Our 100 Club raises funds for the Society, costing £1 per week for each number with two prizes of £10 each week, at the end of each month another prize of £25, and at the end of May and November a draw for £100. If you would like to join our 100 Club and support us please contact Yvonne on 01723 354417 for further details.

Second User Items for sale

TV Max glasses only £20 (normally £40)

Loop magnifier with mains lead for only £30 (costs £70 new)

Merlin cctv reader at £650 o.n.o. cost £1500 new, with big tv screen offering colour and other display options, complete with a sliding tray.

We also have an Aladdin Rainbow at £750 o.n.o. which magnifies up to 50X and has various colour contrast options.

There are also a couple of big button phones available and some talking clocks, a talking Timestat and several hand-held cctv readers.

Annual General Meeting

The Society’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 15th July at the Resource Centre at 11.15am.

Each year trustees for the coming year must be elected at the AGM. Existing trustees may seek re-election if they so wish, however anyone wishing to become a trustee must be a full member of the Society, that is, either registered blind or partially sighted within the Society’s area of benefit or a volunteer with the Society.

Nomination forms are available from the Resource Centre, nominees must each be supported by a proposer and a seconder, who must also be full members of the Society. Completed forms must be returned to the Centre no later than Friday 27th June 2008.

Tea and coffee will be served prior to the meeting and everyone is welcome to attend.

Free handyperson service to expand

Scarborough Borough Council’s Home Improvement Agency has won substantial funding through the Supporting People Scheme to enable the agency to expand its handyperson scheme to a full time, 37 hours per week free service and to continue the service until 2010.

Those who run and support the service have welcomed this news, because, up to now it has only been able to operate on a part-time basis of 10 hours per week and it would have had to come to an end in March 2008 through lack of funding.

The scheme is targeted at older people but other people who are vulnerable can access the service. There are now two vans and two handypersons that between them cover all parts of the Borough.

Any works required, including the materials used are completely free of charge. The handyperson service is not currently available to the tenants of Registered Social Landlords such as Yorkshire Coast Homes but the Council hopes to review this in the future.

Phil Woodcroft, Home Improvement Agency Manager said : “Undertaking small jobs around the house such as changing light bulbs, hanging curtains, fitting a grab rail, door lock or a smoke alarm can be vital to the well being and security of older people. A handy person scheme such as ours means that people don’t need to put themselves at risk of falling or other accident by attempting to carry out simple DIY tasks. Our scheme, delivered in partnership with Age Concern, has a proven track record and our clients have confidence in knowing that the work will be done promptly and professionally.”

Any person wanting to use the handyperson service should contact the Home Improvement Agency at The Town Hall, St Nicholas Street, Scarborough, YO11 2HG by phoning 01723 232323 or calling in at the Customer First Centre on St. Nicholas Street or the council’s offices in Whitby & Filey.

Stephen Joseph Theatre

Audio Described Performances in July and August at the Stephen Joseph Theatre are:

Snake in the Grass – July 5th at 2.30pm, starring Susie Blake, Ruth Gibson, Liza Goddard. After the sudden death of their father, conscientious Annabel is keen to patch up old quarrels and make things right with eccentric younger sister, Miriam. But things are far from being right…their sunlit garden is filled with deeply buried childhood memories. When night begins to fall is it only the past which comes back to haunt them, or is it something infinitely more terrifying?

Haunting Julia – 4th August at 7.30pm, starring Ian Hogg, Adrian McLoughlin, Richard Stacey. This is a ghostly comedy by Alan Ayckbourn. Julia Lukin, a brilliant musician with an exciting career as a composer ahead of her, took her own life. Or did she? Was it an accident? Suicide? Or something altogether more sinister? Twelve years later her father Joe is determined to discover the truth about his daughter’s death. Obsessed, he will stop at nothing – even if it means trying to reach Julia herself. But Julia’s ghostly presence is everywhere – can she, too, be laid to rest?

Life & Beth – 30th August at 2.30pm, starring Susie Blake, Ruth Gibson, Liza Goddard, Ian Hogg, Adrian McLoughlin. Richard Stacey. Will recently widowed Beth make it through her first Christmas alone? Even the cat has walked out. The family rally round but her alcoholic sister-in-law, accident prone son and his truculent girlfriend make it hard for her to maintain her welcoming smile. Add in the local lovesick vicar and a further unexpected and totally uninvited guest and Beth is in for a Christmas she will never forget.

Audio Description is a live audio commentary interspersed in the actors’ dialogue. This is transmitted to visually impaired audience members who wear a discreet headset.

Pre-bookable Touch Tours of the set are available 45 minutes before the performance on most Audio Described performances.

Don’t be taken in by scams

Every year, millions of innocent people lose money to scams that come via the post or phone, such as a fake lottery and prize draw wins, bogus psychic predictions and ‘miracle’ health cures. Avoid becoming a victim by following some simple tips.

Never reply straight away to an offer. Speak to a relative, friend, neighbour or your carer before you do anything.

Never send money to anyone who says you’ve won the lottery or a big prize – you’ll never see your promised winnings.

Never give your bank account details or other personal information to anyone you don’t know.

Never ring a number beginning with 090 unless you’re certain how much the call will cost and know what you are likely to receive.

Never send money off in response to bogus psychic mailings. Identical letters predicting good or bad luck are sent to thousands of people.

If you suspect a scam, before sending any money or taking any other action, call Consumer Direct for clear, practical advice on 08454 04 05 06.

Warning – Goddard’s Silver Dip Bottles

S.C. Johnson UK has recently discovered that Goddard’s Silver Dip Bottles (265ml) produced between November 2007 and March 2008 did not contain the required tactile warning of danger labels. While the product itself is safe when used as directed, the company realises that the TWD labels are important for visually impaired people, as well as being a legal requirement in the UK.

Any consumers who have purchased Goddard’s Silver Dip Bottles (265ml) between December 2007 and April 2008, and are visually impaired, have someone in their household who is visually impaired, or are concerned about having this product in their house, they should call the S C Johnson Consumer Care Line on 0800 353353.

Appropriate packaging will then be sent to them, so that they may return the product to S.C. Johnson UK, in return for a voucher to replace their Goddard’s Silver Dip.

British Gas Here to Help Project

RNIB has received continued funding for 2008 from British Gas for the ‘Here to Help’ project, the award winning energy efficiency programme launched in 2002. Now even more people can apply for the scheme, which offers free home insulation, worth around £500, and free RNIB products and services for people with sight problems.

Until now, ‘Here to Help’ was restricted to people who get certain benefits. Now anyone over 70 who owns their own home or rents it from a private landlord can apply to have their home insulated free of charge, regardless of their income or energy supplier. People under 70 who receive certain benefits – including Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Support and Pension Credit can also apply.

British Gas will send a surveyor to check whether the home of a person with sight loss needs extra loft insulation or cavity wall insulation, and will pay for it to be installed. It is not necessary to be a British Gas customer to take up the offer. According to the Energy Saving Trust, cavity wall and full loft insulation will save an average of £200 a year on heating bills and will also help the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

What makes this energy scheme unique is the additional support it offers to anyone with a sight problem. Blind and partially sighted people of all ages who take up the offer of free home insulation will also qualify for a range of products and services from RNIB to help with everyday living, free of charge.

RNIB’s Patrick Keaveney said: “This is a genuine offer with no strings attached. We’ve been able to help over 3000 blind and partially sighted adults and children through the scheme so far. We’ve sent out thousands of free products, the most popular being the big button telephones, the reading lamps and talking watches.”

To check if you, or someone you support, qualify for Here to Help, call RNIB on 0845 330 4897 or email rnibhelp-project@rnib.org.uk. For further information: www.rnib.org.uk/heretohelp

Recipe

Devon Chicken

275g (10oz) chicken breast, skinned

15g (1/2 oz) butter

1 small onion, sliced

1 medium cooking apple, cored and sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

75ml (3fl oz) cider or apple juice

140g (4.9oz) can condensed cream of celery soup

Cut chicken breast into two pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add onion and fry for 3 minutes.

Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides.

Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.

Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Stir occasionally, serve with vegetables of your choice.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in this newsletter. However, Scarborough Blind Society can accept no liability whatsoever for any matters arising from or connected with the use of this information. No recommendation is implied by the insertion of such information.

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