Hello newsletter

Summer 2017 editionWe are a charity that helps people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities achieve their

ambitions and go beyond their expectations.

Henshaws, Atherton House, 88-92 Talbot Road, Old Trafford, Manchester M16 0GS

Phone: 0161 872 1234 Visit: henshaws.org.uk

ContentsPage 2 Henshaws StoriesPage 4 Community Services NewsPage 7 Fundraising UpdatesPage 8 Groups’ UpdatesPage 12 TimetablePage 15 Arts and CulturePage 17 RecipePage 18 Henshaws 180th QuizPage 19 Other News, Services and Useful Numbers

Hello and welcome to the summer 2017 edi-tion of Henshaws ‘Hello’ NewsletterIt’s been an exciting few months here at Henshaws, as we prepare for our 180th birthday this June. In this edition you’ll hear from Fred in Manchester, who has been with Henshaws for an astonishing 50 years, and about our upcoming Henshaws Awards in June. There will also be a party pack with a variety of 180th themed activities available for you to use in your social groups, and we hope you’ll enjoy taking part in our 180th quiz as a taster of things to come later this summer.At Henshaws, we’re keen to ensure that the people we support are at the heart of our services, so we'll be telling you how your voice has been shaping our services and how you can get more involved by joining our User Voice Groups. We'll also tell you about our recent merger with Bolton Society for Blind People, which will enable us to provide support for visually impaired people in Bolton within their own community.

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We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter, and that the summer ahead is filled with wonderful warm days.Robert Cooper, Director of Services, North West and North East

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Henshaws StoriesAlmost 50 years of Henshaws! - Fred’s storyAs Henshaws turns 180 years old in June, we’ve been sharing stories of people involved with Henshaws over the years. Fred from Manchester has been with Henshaws for almost 50 years now, since he studied at our college when he was just 12 years old! He told us his story:

“I came to Henshaws in 1958 after going to Wavertree School in Liverpool. At that time you lived at school; for the first 12 months you had to stay in all the time, and you were allowed home once a month. Henshaws was quite different from other schools I’d been to because they encouraged you to do things for yourself rather than always being helped; they helped you live independently and allowed you to do things like making your bed and eating without aid. I stayed at the school for four years until 1962, when the rehabilitation office found me a job at a local engineering firm. I loved the camaraderie of working, being able to talk and have a laugh together, as well as the odd night out in clubs in Manchester!

Once I retired in 2012 I got straight in touch with Henshaws and can honestly say that if they didn’t exist I would be lost. Henshaws has sparked a lot of interests in me - I would never have gone out to galleries or museums without them! Not only has Henshaws got me meeting new people and making new friends, they've given me the confidence to get out there and do things. We all learn from each other’s experiences and pick up new tips every day.

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One group I enjoy is Tech Talk, as advancements in technology make life easier for visually impaired people and Tech Talk helps me learn things I never would on my own. I now use my smartphone and have access to emails; technology has opened a number of doors for me.”

To celebrate Henshaws’ 180th birthday, in September we’ll be holding an exhibition at the Central Library in Manchester, and sharing a story a day on our Facebook page at facebook.com/henshaws. To find out more or to tell a story of your own, get in touch with Stewart on 0161 786 3656 or email stewart.graham@henshaws.org.uk.

Community Services NewsHenshaws merger with Bolton Society for Blind PeopleWe’re pleased to announce that on 1st April 2017, we merged with the charity, Bolton Society for Blind People (BSBP).

Since the 1940s, staff and volunteers of BSBP have worked tirelessly in the community, enabling and supporting blind adults in Bolton. Recent trading for the charity has been difficult with a reduction in grant awards leading to a significant drop in income, and it was agreed that merging with Henshaws would best ensure the continuation of BSBP activities for the benefit of all its members.

With support from Bolton Council, BSBP’s services continue as normal in the Sensory Centre at Thicketford, 5

along with new services from Henshaws which will be introduced over the coming months. The move does not affect Henshaws service users in any way.

The merger was celebrated at an event on Wednesday 10th May, where the great and the good of Bolton came together to celebrate the continuation of the fantastic work done by BSBP over the years. Representatives of both Henshaws and BSBP attended the event, along with Cllr Lynda Byrne the Mayor of Bolton, Warren Smith the Lord Lieutenant of Manchester, Edith Conn the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Manchester and many more.

If you want to find out more about the merger and the support we now offer in the Bolton area, get in touch with Gemma on 0161 872 1234 or email gemma.fairclough@henshaws.org.uk.

Have your say in OldhamWe want to hear from people in Oldham living with sight loss and using Henshaws services. At Henshaws, working in partnership with our service users to develop new services is very important to us, so we want to ensure that we are getting things right and consulting with the people who will benefit from the things we do.

We already have a User Voice Group in Greater Manchester which provides a forum for services users to get involved and give feedback on things important to them and Henshaws. We are now looking at setting up a User Voice Group in Oldham, so that you can help shape the services we provide. The group would meet four times a year, and would elect a Chair who would be responsible for feeding the updates from the group into our North West Steering Group.6

If you’re interested in joining the Oldham User Voice Group, or the Manchester group, get in touch with Fiona on 0161 872 1234 or email fiona.mcmullen@henshaws.org.uk.

You said …. We didWe’ve been welcoming all your ideas on our new ‘suggestion tree’, and there have already been some fantastic suggestions, including having the option of Hello newsletter as an MP3 file, which we’ve now made available. If you would like to receive the newsletter on MP3 instead of a CD or print, get in touch on 0161 872 1234, or go to henshaws.org.uk/hello-newsletter.We were also given the idea for a ‘suggestion phone’, which is now in operation. If you’ve ever thought you’d like to tell Henshaws what you think of our services, it’s now easier than ever - just ring 0161 786 3672.

If you have something you would like to tell us about how we can improve our services, or you’d like us to consider offering a new service, please call us with your comments on this dedicated line - 0161 786 3672.

Grant awarding charities and how to applyWe're pleased to present the latest version of our document ‘Grants awarding charities and how to apply’, which now has over 30 organisations that could offer you financial support, depending on your location, industry, disability and age.

To give yourself the best chance of success, we've also included our step-by-step advice guide on how to write your application, so download the free document from our website at henshaws.org.uk/grants.

Henshaws at Sight Village7

Henshaws will be at Sight Village in Manchester as part of their Roadshow on Wednesday 27th September 2017, at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel.

Exhibitors from throughout the world will take part, including people who are blind or partially sighted, professionals, businesses and family members. The event is free to enter, and we’ll be there all day from 9.30am until 3.30pm. Make sure to pop by to say hello and find out about all we could offer you.

Braille teacher wantedCould you teach braille at our centre in Trafford? - if so, we’d love to hear from you. No teaching qualifications needed, just an ability to read and write braille, and a willingness to donate your time to teach others interesting in learning. Contact us on 0161 872 1234 if you would be interested in volunteering.

Henshaws Life HacksWe return with another Hello Henshaws Life Hack, and this time we’re sharing a tip from Mike Brace:

Not sure if your plug fuse has stopped working? - to test it, you can use a Liquid Level Indicator. Simply touch the metal prongs against the fuse; if the indicator beeps, the fuse is still working, but if it makes no noise at all, then the fuse needs replacing.

If you have a life hack that works well for you, get in touch at stories@henshaws.org.uk, so we can share your useful tip with others. If you’d like to see more of our Life Hacks, you can check out 52 other 'tricks, tips & tech', as well as our short videos, at henshaws.org.uk/lifehacks.

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Fundraising UpdatesLotteryOur lottery is growing by the week, and we currently have just under 3000 lines, which is fantastic! For £1 a week, you could take part in our lottery and be in with a chance of winning £25,000. From every £1 you pay to play, 50p goes directly to Henshaws to help continue the services we provide.

If you would like to know more about the lottery, visit our website at henshaws.org.uk/lottery, or get in touch with Holly on 0161 786 3656.

Henshaws AwardsThank you to everyone who submitted nominations for our Henshaws Awards this year – we received over 60 nominations and heard about some of the amazing achievements within the Henshaws community over the past 12 months. Congratulations to those of you who were nominated, and well done to everyone who was shortlisted for one of Henshaws Awards - hopefully all of you will have received your certificates.

The Awards are being held in The Midland Hotel on June 15th 2017, where the winners of all categories will be announced; the list of winners and shortlisted nominees will be in the Autumn edition of Hello.

Get involved!We are always looking for people to hold events to raise money and increase awareness of Henshaws in their local area, whether by holding a coffee morning or tea party to celebrate our 180th, sending us used stamps, or nominating Henshaws as a local charity in a supermarket. 9

We’d love you to get involved so, if you're interested in supporting our fundraising team, please get in touch with Chloe on 0161 786 3691.

Group UpdatesChildren & FamiliesIn April 'I Can Do It', our independence course for children and young people, spent a week at the Children's Adventure Farm in Altrincham, for a fun-filled time of cooking, animals and adventure.

12 children aged between 8 and 13 came for the five day residential course and undertook a varied programme which included sessions on confidence building, dealing with bullying and stress, handling money, personal safety, specialist equipment and future plans. The hectic week included grooming, walking and feeding the farm’s animals, hearing from Guide Dogs, making their own pizzas and cake pops, as well as a visit to Chester Zoo.The Children’s Adventure Farm told us:“Having partial or no vision certainly didn’t stop the children trying absolutely everything – they’ve had a ball! It’s been so lovely to see them all change as the week progressed. When they arrived on Monday they were all a little nervous as none of them knew each other and for many this was their first experience of an independent holiday without their parents.

You wouldn’t recognise the children today - after just a week together they’ve made friends for life and their confidence has grown so much. Their independence has improved massively, with many saying they will now be able to do more for themselves, and their families, when they return home.”10

Our Children & Families services in Manchester and Oldham have planned a busy summer timetable of activities and days out. To find out more, get in touch on 0161 872 1234 or visit our website at henshaws.org.uk/children-and-families.

What have our Friendship Matters groups been up to?The following is an update from Rob, group leader for Wednesday Group and Henshaws Hikers:

“Over the spring, the Wednesday Group has been entertained by a junior school steel-drum band, and by a pair of owls (Barn and Tawny) which were presented by Stockley Farm Park, Northwich. We have more entertainment lined up for the foreseeable future, including topical quizzes, tastings, samplings and music.

Since the start of spring, Henshaws Hikers have been out into the Peak District, around the reservoirs in Longdendale and the Goyt Valley; we also had the Point of Ayr beach at Talacre in North Wales virtually to ourselves (pictured). Now that we are approaching high summer it's time to go high, on Shining Tor in June and another high Cheshire peak in July. Other adventurous walks are planned for the autumn including, perhaps, another visit to a beach”.

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The Tuesday Group has been out for a meal at Barley Farm in Eccles, played bingo, and had a trivial pursuits afternoon; there was also a visit from Hale Ukuhalee Band, who gave a highly entertaining musical afternoon which was enjoyed thoroughly by everyone. The group has also visited William Hulme Grammar School, one of its favourite places; group member Peter Rhodes tells us why he enjoys visiting the school;

“I enjoy getting out to different places and visiting different venues. It’s nice to get to speak to the kids as they come and sit round the tables with you to have a chat. Group Leader Morris was ‘Part of the Furniture’ a very long time ago, so it’s nice for us to visit his old workplace - not to mention the nice sandwiches we are given!”

Our Art Gallery & Museums group visited the The Costume Gallery at Platt Hall in May for the “Mary Quant: Fashion Icon” exhibition, with description by Anne Hornby (pictured). The group had a wonderful time hearing about fashion from the 1960s and 1970s, and all had the opportunity to feel the different materials. 12

Here’s some feedback from the group:“The exhibition was fabulous - it brought back many happy memories and to actually touch the clothes and hats was wonderful. Anne's descriptions were spot-on as usual, and the gallery staff were so kind and accommodating.”

“The costume gallery is a real hidden gem in Manchester, and the staff very knowledgeable and friendly. Mary Quant was such an iconic designer and it was a great exhibition. Her distinctive bold style and colour palette was such a good choice for VI people, and I especially loved the stories behind the clothes.”

Group feature

Arts and craftsOur Arts and crafts group meets every other Friday at Atherton House, and is your chance to get inventive in a friendly and creative environment.

Projects in the past have included a tactile replica of a football pitch for the Euros 2016, and making jewellery from foam-clay.You might even have seen or touched their artwork around Atherton House in Trafford, and the group 13

recently made a tactile ‘suggestion tree’ out of tissue paper (see page 5).We asked what kind of artwork they enjoyed making…Sharon: “I always like it when we make cards, as you can give them to your friends and family afterwards.”Pat: “I enjoyed it when, a few years ago, we did some pieces to go up in John Lewis's café, including a picture of textured cupcakes with sprinkles and foam, and an aquarium.”

We then asked what they would say to someone thinking of coming to the group…Sharon: “Just come along and have a natter!”Nina: “You can come and enjoy different things each time as there’s a whole range of different activities to get involved in.”Peter: “The tea and biscuits are always good too!”

You don’t need to have any experience in arts and crafts to participate as all levels of ability and confidence are welcome. If you’re interested in joining the group, contact Kay on 0161 872 1234 or email kay.george@henshaws.org.uk.

Greater Manchester Groups Timetable

Monday Time Where?

Guitar Jamming Group (weekly) 10am-2pmTrafford

IT Zoomers (weekly) 10am-12noonTrafford

Tech Talk (monthly) 10.30-11amTrafford

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Film Group (monthly) 1-3pmTrafford

Digital Demo (monthly) 1-3pm Trafford

TuesdayBroadwalk Group (monthly) 10.30am-12.30pm SalfordRoyshaw Group (weekly) 11am-1pm

RoytonYoga (weekly) 11.45am-1.15pm

TraffordTuesday Group (weekly) 1.30-3.30pm

TraffordI Spy Group (fortnightly) 2-4pm

Salford

WednesdayDigital Demo (monthly) 10.30am-1230pm

OldhamTech Talk (monthly) 10.30-11am

OldhamEye Eye Group (weekly) 12.30-2.30pm SalfordWednesday Group (weekly) 12.30-2.30pm Trafford

ThursdayHenshaws Hikers (monthly) 10.30am-4pm TraffordArt Galleries & Museums 10.30am-1pm GMR (monthly) Times and location change

FridayBraille (weekly) 10am-2pm TraffordIT & touch typing (weekly) 10am-2pm

TraffordArts & Crafts (fortnightly) 1-3pm

Trafford15

Pennine Vale Group (monthly) 10.30am-1230pmOldham

As part of our Pathway to Wellbeing (funded by the Big Lottery Fund), we run different exercise classes and social mornings across Manchester. Find your local group in the following list:

Social meet-upsAltrincham LibraryThursdays 10.30am-12.30pm, monthlyNorth City Fitness Centre, HarpurheyTuesdays 1.30-3.30pm, monthlyWythenshawe Forum, WythenshaweThursdays 10.30am-12.30pm, monthly

Exercise classes: these classes are designed to get you moving, at your own pace and ability, to improve your range of movement, strength and fitness, and are followed by coffee and a chat.Atherton House, TraffordEvery Wednesday, 10.30am-12noonNorth City Family & Fitness Centre, HarpurheyEvery Monday, 1.30-3pmWythenshawe Forum, WythenshaweEvery Friday, 1.30-3.30pmWe also run exercise classes in the following areas –Wigan Wellbeing and Resilience centreEvery Monday, 10-11.30amThe Link Centre, OldhamEvery Monday, 10.30am-12noon

The Film Group will be watching ‘Hail Caesar!’ on Monday 5th June, ‘Bridge of Spies’ on Monday 3rd July, 16

and ‘The Monuments Men’ on Monday 14th August. All are welcome to join!

The Art Galleries & Museums Group meet on Thursday, once a month, at a variety of Museums & Galleries across Manchester.Group leader Mary Gifford takes an escorted group to a museum or gallery event, many of which include audio description and sometimes a touch and handling element, and are an ideal way for blind and visually impaired people to appreciate the arts. The events finish with refreshments and time for a chat; where possible, transport is provided for the participants. For more information about the group, please ring the Henshaws office.

Future visits:Thursday 8 June 10.30am –12.30pm. Manchester Museum to visit the “Object Lessons” exhibition of 19th century, glass teaching models of plants and sea creatures. The event includes a handling session of the items and tour and talk by curator David Gelthorpe, with description by Anne Hornsby.

Thursday 6 July 10.30am–12.30pm. Manchester Art Gallery – we are invited by the Manchester International Festival to “True Faith”, a multi-media exhibition of art and design by international artists, inspired by the bands New Order and Joy Division. Description by Anne Hornsby.Note: All days and timings can be subject to change. Due to the holidays, there will be no group event in August.

Arts and Culture17

Making Conversation workshop at Manchester Art GalleryThese lively and sociable workshops, which are open to everyone, are led by artist Naomi Kendrick and supported by audio description; they take place every third Thursday in the month, from 1-4pm.

Future dates:15 June - South Asian Design Gallery20 July - True Faith (art and design linked to the bands Joy Division and New Order)17 August - Shirley Baker: photos of people in inner-city Manchester and Salford in the 1960s and 1970s21 September - Lowry and Valette Urban Landscapes

Materials and refreshments are provided, and Manchester Art Gallery may be able to help with travel costs/arrangements. If you would like to attend, you will need to book a place before the session. Call Kate Day at the Gallery on 0161 235 8855 or email: k.day1@manchester.gov.uk for further information.

Audio Described Events –June to September 2017The following list has been compiled from information provided by Anne Hornsby of Minds Eye Professional Description Service, The Lowry and Vocaleyes. Most theatre performances include a touch-tour about an hour before the performance and you can get details from the Box Office or Mind’s Eye; you can also check ticket prices (including concessions) and book your seats and headsets in advance through the Box Office. NB/ most theatres offer special prices to blind and visually impaired people, so please enquire. The telephone numbers are at the end of the listings.

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17 14.30 Persuasion Royal Exchange28 19.30 The Father Oldham Coliseum

July9 14.00 AD Tour - MIF* The Whitworth12 19.30 Returning to Reims – MIF* HOME15 14.30 Fatherland – MIF* Royal Exchange26 19.30 Curious Incident of the Dog … Liverpool Empire29 12.30 Tour of Unseen Photographs The Lowry Gallery29 15.30 The Railway Children The Lowry* = Manchester International Festival

August17 14.00 Room on the Broom The Lowry

September6 18.00 The Royal Liverpool Royal Court9 14.00 Mr Darcy – Lip Service The Lowry19 19.30 Rita, Sue and Bob Too Bolton Octagon21 19.30 Oh What a Lovely War Oldham Coliseum

Useful telephone numbers:Mind's Eye 01204 522481 or 07889 232438Bolton Octagon Theatre 01204 520661HOME 0161 200 1500Liverpool Empire Theatre 0800 912 6971Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse 0151 709 477619

Liverpool Royal Court Theatre 0151 709 4321Oldham Coliseum Theatre 0161 624 1731Palace Theatre & Opera House, Manchester 0161 245 6605Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester 0845 450 4808The Lowry 0843 208 6000The Lowry Galleries 0161 876 2057The Whitworth 0161 275 7450VocalEyes 020 7375 1043

RecipeThis delicious recipe has been submitted by Joan in Manchester, and has been tried and tested by the very willing Wythenshawe social group! It’s an ideal cake to make for any sight level, and is certain to be welcomed at any coffee morning.

Mixed Fruit Tea Loaf, makes 10-12 slices

Ingredients275g Self-raising flour275g Mixed dried fruit200g Light brown soft sugar250ml Cold tea½ tsp Mixed Spice1 Medium egg

Method1.Prepare the day before: Mix together the dried fruit,

sugar and cold tea. Cover and soak overnight in a large enough bowl to add the dry ingredients the following day.

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2.Pre-heat the oven to 160C (fan) or 180C or Gas 43.Grease and line the base of a 1KG loaf tin with baking

parchment4.Sift the flour with the mixed spice5.Add the egg to the fruit mixture, beat well then stir in

the flour until all ingredients are combined6.Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, and then pop into

the oven for 1hr 30min or until firm and golden brown.

7.Enjoy!Henshaws 180 th Quiz To celebrate our 180th birthday, we’ve put together a quiz to test your knowledge of Henshaws’ and its history - let us know how you do!1. Where did Thomas Henshaw live, and where was the initial Henshaws institution built in 1837?

a) Cheshireb) Greater Manchesterc)Yorkshire

2. What was happening elsewhere in England at the same time that Henshaws school was being built in 1837? (Select the 3 correct answers)

a) Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephoneb) The first Sherlock Holmes book was publishedc)Victoria University of Manchester first openedd) Oliver Twist was first publishede) Lea & Perrins began making Worcestershire

saucef) Euston Station in London was opened

3. How many years was it from Thomas Henshaw leaving his legacy to the first school opening its doors?

a) 7 yearsb) 27 yearsc)57 years

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4. What were the first students taught to make in the original workshop? (Select the 2 correct answers)

a) Wicker basketsb) Breadc)Chairsd) Clothing

5. In 1895, which instruction did we become the first blind school to offer?

a) Massageb) Tap dancingc)Typewriting

6. What year was the new school opened after the government offered Henshaws a grant and a 50 acre site in Harrogate?

a) 1951b) 1971c)1991

7. Which member of the royal family came to visit Henshaws in February 1989?

a) Anne, Princess Royalb) Diana, Princess of Walesc)Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

8. Which well-known Harrogate attraction helped to fundraise for Henshaws in 1993, raising £16,000?

a) The Royal Pump Roomb) St. Peter's Churchc)Betty's tea room

Answers to this quiz can be found on page 20.

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Other News, Services and Useful NumbersFor saleOptelec ClearReader+ – a portable text reader with text-to-speech technology, three years old, price £1000. Contact Peter Rhodes on 07971335804 if you’re interested in purchasing.

Help make transport in Greater Manchester barrier-freeHave you encountered any access related difficulties when using public transport in Greater Manchester, and have you thought of a practical solution which may help resolve this? If so, please contact Tony at the Disability Design Reference Group (DDRG) on tonyddrg@gmail.com. DDRG is a consultation and engagement group from Greater Manchester, representing people with a range of disabilities, and supporting TfGM in making public transport as inclusive as possible.

Is your dog missing its daily walk?The Cinnamon Trust offers free help for elderly or terminally ill owners who are unable to walk their dogs. Please contact 01735 757900 or email volunteer@cinnamon.org.uk.

Answers to the quiz on page 17:1 – b 2 – d, e, f 3 – b 4 – a, c5 – a 6 - b 7 – b 8 - cHelp us spread the word!Once you have read or listened to our newsletter, please pass it on to a friend or family member, or you could 23

enquire at your local community centre, GP, church or library to see if you could leave it there for others to enjoy.

We also have leaflets explaining who we are and what we do – maybe you could ask about leaving some of these; you can get a supply of these by calling us on 0161 872 1234. Remember, the more people know about us and support us, the more support we can offer visually impaired people, so please do all you can to help us get the word out.

DisclaimerAlthough every attempt is made to ensure that the information contained within this newsletter is timely and accurate,Henshaws cannot be held responsible for any information herein. This newsletter is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be either legally binding or contractual in nature.

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