Vision Norfolk
Magpie News - Summer
2023
Welcome to the Summer
edition of Magpie News with updates from Vision Norfolk, your local sight loss
charity.
Summer Adventures
With the return of the warmer weather
we are once again hosting accessible walks and outings in the Norfolk sunshine.
Throughout the summer months there
will be guided walks of varies lengths from each of our hubs. Tandem cycling is
once again on offer in Norwich, though spaces are limited due to the need for
volunteers. Our boating group in Norwich has returned to open air sailing after
going out in the enclosed motor cruiser all winter. There will also be a
special outing to Cromer for crabbing and to the Norfolk Lavender Farm from our
Great Yarmouth Hub.
You can find a full list of our
upcoming activities later in this newsletter, on our website or by contacting
your local hub and asking what�s coming up.
Please be aware that our community
hubs will be closed on Monday 28th August due to the bank holiday. No regular
activities will be taking place on this day.
In This Newsletter
Vision Norfolk News
� Hammond Court Construction
Norwich Hub Updates
� New Bowls Mat
� Photography Group Looking for Members
King�s Lynn Hub Updates
� Knitted Blankets Donated
� Sit Fit Date Changes
Great Yarmouth Hub Updates
� Celebrating the Coronation
� Railway Trip
Children, Young People and Families
Equipment News
� Using Our Equipment Centres
� Window�s 10 Accessibility Settings
Activities
� Norwich and South Norfolk
� West Norfolk
� East Norfolk
Other Things
� Vision Norfolk User Group
� Feedback
� Leaving a Legacy
� Living Wage Employer
Contact Details
Hammond Court Construction
We have just unveiled a �650,000
investment in our Norwich-based Hammond Court accommodation, which allows
residents to live independently in accessible flats.
All 20 of the flats have been
significantly upgraded, including expanding bedsit studios into onebedroom
flats, installing new adapted kitchens and bathrooms, and adding patio doors in
every flat, enabling residents to access the sensory gardens which surround the
development. The refurbishment to Hammond Court, which was built in 1980, was
made possible by a generous legacy donation to the charity. Louise Bunting has
lived at Hammond Court for 20 years. Her bedsit studio was enlarged into a
one-bedroom flat, with patio doors opening out onto a lawn. �I am so happy to
have a proper onebedroom flat with a separate, private bedroom,� says Louise.
�It has so much more space, and I am
looking forward to making the most of the summer months and being able to open
my patio doors and go out into the garden�.
Norwich Hub Updates
New Bowls Mat
Our short mat bowls group will have
the chance to enjoy the best of bowls inside the Norwich Bradbury Activity
Centre with a brand new bowls mat.
This mat was purchased with money from
Active Norfolk who support the development of physical activities for everyone
in Norfolk. They are also helping to support a number of our other sports and
wellbeing activities across the county including yoga, guided walks, archery
and more.
Short mat bowls sessions take place
every Tuesday from 10am until 12pm.
Photography Group Looking for Members
We are looking for more members to
join our photography group based in Norwich!
The Effstopeyes
is a group of passionate photographers with vision impairment that meet at the
Norwich Hub. In the past they�ve gone hunting snowdrops, held exhibits to
display their work and gone on photoshoots in the Norfolk countryside.
The group meets on the first and third
Friday of each month from 1:30pm until 3:30pm. For more information please
contact Mark at 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or email mark.smith@visionnorfolk.
org.uk.
King�s Lynn Hub Updates
Knitted Blankets Donated
Our knitting group in King�s Lynn have
created and donated two blankets to The Purfleet
Trust, a charity that supports people experiencing homelessness in West
Norfolk.
Squares were knitted by staff,
volunteers and members of the knitting group and then joined together to make
two full blankets. Kieran Gamble and Dawnmarie Bird
from the Purfleet Trust came over to the King�s Lynn
Hub to collect the blankets and express their thanks. They also said that they
welcome any more donations that anyone wishes to drop off at the hub as they
have offices nearby.
Sit Fit Date Changes
There have been a few schedule changes
to our regular Sit Fit classes in Downham Market. The
July session will be on Friday 14th July and the August session will be on
Friday 11th August. All other session will be taking place on the 3rd Friday of
the month as usual.
Great Yarmouth Hub Updates
Celebrating the Coronation
The Great Yarmouth Hub held a lively
Coronation Party on Wednesday 3rd May for clients and volunteers. This was
extremely well attended with everyone enjoying a selection of sandwiches and
specially decorated cakes. Everyone had the opportunity to enter into the name
the Coronation Bear game and this was won by Kylie Reed who chose the name
Dusty.
We had the pleasure of welcoming the
Deputy Mayor to our event, Mrs Penny Carpenter, who took time to chat to
service users and staff at the party and find out why they enjoy attending the
hub so much. Andrew Turner, a local BBC radio Norfolk reporter also popped in
to gauge thoughts from those who attended, which was also very positive.
Everyone went home with a Coronation keep-sake to remember the occasion.
Railway Trip
In April a group from the Great
Yarmouth area enjoyed a special sensory steam train trip when they boarded the
Bure Valley Railway for an exciting journey from Wroxham to Aylsham and back.
The group enjoyed the atmosphere of
the train as they travelled along the nine mile track from Wroxham, before
having a special lunch at the Whistlestop Caf� at
Aylsham Station prior to the return journey.
Children, Young People, Families
The Children, Young People and
Families Department organises activities and events to improve confidence and
encourage independence.
The Children, Young People and
Families Department organises activities and events to improve confidence and
encourage independence. By including the whole family, we empower these
families through shared experience and knowledge and build lifelong
friendships.
In April, the CYPF department created
three new events for Vision Norfolk. These were Gravity Trampoline Park,
Norwich Rage Room and Bubble Football. These were great fun and it was
wonderful to see both the children and parents enjoying the sessions.
In the coming months we would like to
continue to reach more families across the county with the focus of running
more events within the Great Yarmouth and King�s Lynn areas. We are starting a
new preschool group for Kings Lynn, and we also hope to create one for Great
Yarmouth in the near future.
We are currently working with local
authorities and other charities to create new partnerships which allows us to
share ideas and therefore create new and exciting events. This also allows us
to offer more support networks for our young people and their families.
�Some of the future events we are running later
this year are:
� Hippodrome Circus
� Alpaca Afternoon
� Archery
� Amazing Animal Day
� Summer Party
For more information please email Josh
at [email protected] or call 01603 573000 Ext. 505.
Equipment News
Using Our Equipment Centres
Our community hub team members can
provide one-to-one support and assess the needs of those with any degree of
sight loss to determine how best we can help and support you. We can provide
access to equipment to help around the house and help you and your loved ones
to develop strategies to adapt to daily life. We will be there every step of
the way and for as long as you need us.
You can book an appointment to come into
our equipment centres to try out equipment, talk to our staff about what would
work best for you, ask questions, get demonstrations on your current equipment
and make purchases. Some walk-in consultations may be possible but appointments
are strongly preferred to ensure that our staff are available to help you when
you come in.
You can contact our Low Vision
Advisor/ Educator John Morland with any questions you have on equipment or to
set up an appointment at our Norwich Equipment Centre at 01603 573000 Ext. 323.
Alternatively you can set up an appointment to view and discuss equipment in
King�s Lynn by calling 01553 660808 or Great Yarmouth by calling 01493 745973.
Window�s 10 Accessibility Settings
We�ve had quite a few questions in our
equipment centres about the accessibility options for Windows 10 computers.
Accessibility features can be found by selecting �Settings�. You can use the
keyboard shortcut which is the Windows key and �i� or
go to the lower left corner, click the Windows start icon, select �Settings�
and then �Ease of Access�.
From there you can:
Make Text Bigger: Select �Display� on
the left hand menu. There is a slider to make text bigger with example text.
When you�re happy with the text size press the �Apply� button. This slider only
affects the text on the screen.
Make Everything Bigger: You can make
everything on the screen bigger (including images, icons and other items) by
scrolling to the �Make Everything Bigger� title directly underneath �Make Text
Bigger�. There is a drop down menu that will make everything on the screen
larger. Most people prefer to just alter the size of the text.
Magnifier: If you go back to the left
hand menu in �Ease of Access� and click �Magnifier� you can access the
magnifier which allows you to zoom in on sections of your screen. This section
allows you to manual turn on this feature and lists the relevant keyboard
shortcuts.
Colour Filters: Go to �Colour Filters�
on the left hand menu. This allows you to adjust the colours on your screen
using a number of filters including inverted, greyscale and others. There�s
switch that turns on the colour filter and a number of options you can try to
see what works best for you.
High Contrast: Go to �High Contrast�
on the left hand menu. There�s a switch to turn on high contrast which alters
the overall colour scheme. This includes a menu with various themes. You can
also set specific colours for text, hyperlinks and other individual features to
make them stand out more.
Narrator: Go to �Narrator� on the left
hand menu. This feature reads aloud selected items, describes what is on your
screen and will read text as you type.
Activities
Following is the list of activities
that are currently available for adults across the county (contact our CYPF
team for activities for children and young people). All of our activities are
free of charge unless otherwise stated.
Please check with your local hub for
the latest updates on activities.
Norwich and South Norfolk
Unless otherwise stated please contact
Richard at 01603 573000 Ext. 322 or [email protected].
Regular Activities
Arts and Crafts � Norwich, Thursdays
10am-12:30pm
Undertake a variety of arts and crafts
with support from Helen and the volunteers. Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext.
341 or [email protected].
Audiobook Clubs
Our friendly, informal audiobook clubs
offer a chance to get together and enjoy a chat about a chosen book. Contact
Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or [email protected].
Norwich Audiobook Club - 2nd Monday of
the month, 1:30pm-3pm
Diss Audiobook Club - 4th Friday of the month
2pm-3:30pm
Sailing � Norwich, Fortnightly, 12:30pm-5pm
Come and enjoy an afternoon of sailing
on the Norfolk Broads with the Nancy Oldfield Trust. Transportation available
from the Norwich Hub. Trips cost �17 per person. Contact Mark on 01603 573000
Ext. 341 or [email protected].
Boccia � Norwich, 1st and 3rd Friday of the month,
10am-12pm
Join us for a session of the
competitive precision ball sport boccia, open to all
abilities and levels of experience.
Bowling � Norwich, 2nd and 4th Friday
of the month, 12pm-3:30pm
Come and enjoy some friendly
competition with ten pin bowling. Regular bowling fee to be paid to Namco Funscape.
Socials
Come and enjoy a cup of coffee, a
slice of cake and a chat about everything and anything.
Norwich Coffee Morning - Last Monday
of the month, 10am-11:30am
Hethersett Coffee Morning - 3rd Tuesday of the month,
10am-1pm
Creative Writing � Norwich, 3rd
Tuesday, 2pm-3:45pm
Join a creative writing group that
will give you the opportunity to express yourself through the written word.
Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or [email protected].
Darts � Norwich, 1st and 3rd Friday of
the month, 1pm-3pm
Join us for a few friendly games of
darts. Volunteers are around to help you position or read the numbers on the
board if needed.
Special Events
Dunbheagan Gardens Visit � Norwich, 19th July
Join a group of garden enthusiasts for
a visit to Dunbheadan Gardens with transportation
provided from the Norwich Hub. The trip costs �4 per person for refreshments.
Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or [email protected].
Brick Kiln Gardens Visit � Norwich,
9th August
Catch a minibus from the Norwich Hub
to visit the Brick Kiln Gardens in Shotesham. The
trip costs �5 per person for refreshments. Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext.
341 or [email protected].
Guided Walks
We are trying to organize some walks
of various lengths over the summer. Please get in contact for more details.
Tandem Cycling � Norwich, By
Appointment
Tandem cycling allows you to continue
to enjoy a good (and safe) bike ride regardless of your vision loss.
Theatre Trip: The Life of Pi �
Norwich, 30th September, 2:30pm-5pm
Must be booked by 28th July. Based on
one of the best-loved works of fiction Life of Pi is a breath-taking new
theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope. Tickets cost
�49.50. Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or [email protected].
Theatre Trip: 2:22 A
Ghost Story - 11th October, 2:30pm-5pm
Must be booked by 2nd August. Belief
and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that
something is getting closer, so they�re going to stay up� until 2:22� and then
they�ll know. Tickets cost �42. Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or
[email protected].
Theatre Trip: Northern Ballet�s Beauty
and the Beast � Norwich, 25th November, 2:30pm-5pm
When a terrifying creature threatens
her father, Beauty selflessly leaves her family to live with the Beast in his
castle. As time goes by, she grows strangely fond of her host. Tickets cost
�49.50. Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or
[email protected].
West Norfolk
Unless otherwise stated please contact
Zoe at 01553 660808 or via email at [email protected].
Regular Activities
Archery - Downham
Market, 1st Monday of the month, 4pm-6pm
Sight loss doesn�t need to prevent you
from trying new and exciting things. Join one of our archery sessions designed
to be accessible for all abilities and skill levels.
Audiobook Clubs
Our friendly, informal audiobook clubs
offer a chance to get together and enjoy a chat about a chosen audiobook.
Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or [email protected].
Fakenham Audiobook Club - 3rd Monday of the month, 10:30am-12pm
Gaywood Audiobook Club - Last Friday of the month,
1:30pm-3pm
Dereham Audiobook Club - 3rd Wednesday of the month,
10:30am-12pm
Choir � King�s Lynn, Fortnightly on
Wednesday, 1pm-3pm
Join the Vision Norfolk Choir to
improve your mental wellbeing, meet new people and most importantly have fun.
Socials
Come and enjoy a cup of coffee, a
slice of cake and a chat about everything and anything at one of our socials.
West Norfolk Coffee Morning - King�s
Lynn, 1st Wednesday and 3rd Tuesday of the month, 10am-12pm
West Norfolk Men�s Group - King�s
Lynn, 1st Monday of the month, 12pm-2pm
Fakenham Coffee Morning - 4th Tuesday
of the month, 10am-12pm
Free to attend but any refreshments
must be purchased from the caf�.
Emneth Coffee Morning - 3rd Thursday of the month,
2pm-4pm
Free to attend but any refreshments
must be purchased from the caf�.
Downham Market Social - 4th Wednesday of the month,
11am-1pm
Knitting � King�s Lynn, 2nd Tuesday of
the month, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Whether you are a complete beginner
who would like to take up knitting or a seasoned knitter, our sessions are a
fun and sociable way of getting together with fellow yarn fans.
Sit Fit � Downham
Market, 3rd Friday of the month, 1:30pm-3:30pm
A seated exercise class suitable for
all adults regardless of age, gender or ability.
Special Events
Guided Walks
We are trying to organize some walks
of various lengths over the summer. Please get in contact for more de
East Norfolk
Unless otherwise stated please contact
Catherine at 01493 745973 or [email protected].
Regular Activities
Audiobook Clubs
Our friendly, informal audiobook clubs
offer a chance to get together and enjoy a chat about a chosen audiobook.
Contact Mark on 01603 573000 Ext. 341 or [email protected].
Great Yarmouth Audiobook Club - Last
Friday of the month, 1:30pm-3pm
Cromer Audiobook Club - 3rd Monday of
the month, 2pm-3:30pm
Socials
Come and enjoy a cup of coffee, a
slice of cake and a chat about everything and anything at one of our socials.
Great Yarmouth Coffee Morning �
Wednesdays, 10am-12pm
Cromer Coffee Morning - Last Wednesday
of the month, 10am-1pm
Contact John at 01603 573000 Ext. 323
or [email protected].
Games Morning � Great Yarmouth,
Thursdays 10am-12pm
We usually play a variety of dominoes
and card games.
Weaving Group � Great Yarmouth,
Fridays, 10am-12pm
We use different types of soaked cane
to make baskets of all shapes and sizes.
Special Events
Bingo � Great Yarmouth, 25th July, 8th
August, 22nd August
Try your luck at our regular Bingo
nights with prizes available for winners. Costs �5 per person.
Lavender Farm Trip � Great Yarmouth,
3rd July, 10am-3pm
A group from the Great Yarmouth hub
will be taking a trip out to Norfolk Lavender Farm. The cost is �5 per person.
Crabbing � Great Yarmouth, 11th July,
10am-4pm
Join the Great Yarmouth team on a trip
to Cromer for crabbing and fish and chips. The cost will be �10 per person
which includes the cost of crabbing and a small cod and chips.
Guided Walks
We are trying to organize some walks
of various lengths over the summer. Please get in contact for more details.
Bowling � Great Yarmouth, 26th
September, 12pm-3pm
The Great Yarmouth hub runs group
bowling trips to Wellington Pier. We ask for a �5 refundable deposit.
Other Things
User Group
Our User Group was set up in the
middle of 2021, shortly after the closure of the community worker service. It
was seen as a group that could be run by blind and visually impaired clients to
assist the staff and Board of Trustees when it came to making decisions on
promoting Vision Norfolk and making sure the charity was moving forward
positively.
So far, the group have discussed the
format of the Magpie News, the website and an updated Vision Norfolk survey
which will be sent out soon.
The group is always looking for new
members; in particular, people who are in the North and the West of the county.
We meet around the county once a month
but we also use a conference online system so you can join with us from your own
landline or computer.
There is no pressure to make a
decision, if you would like to come and observe a meeting to see how it is run
before committing yourself, you would be welcome. All correspondence can be
sent out in accessible formats including Braille and email.
It is a very friendly group,
consisting of about 10 members at the moment, so please join us.
If you are interested and want to find
out more, please contact: 01603 573000 or email [email protected]
and one of the team will get back to you with more information.
Feedback
We always welcome your feedback on our
services and ideas on how we can better support you. Any feedback can always be
communicated to 01603 573000, [email protected] or by coming into one
of our hubs and speaking to a member of staff.
In this edition we are especially
looking for feedback on this newsletter. What sections do you find the most or
least helpful? Is there any other information you wish would be included? Is
there any way that the format could be easier for you to access.
You can give your feedback at any time
by following the previous contact details or you can send your ideas directly
to our Communications Officer at [email protected].
Support Vision Norfolk by Leaving a Legacy
Why leave a legacy gift?
Big or small, a gift in your Will
helps us to achieve our mission of supporting people with sight loss of all
ages in Norfolk to overcome barriers to independence and to live the lives they
want.
Our services have provided a lifeline
for people across Norfolk for over 200 years and your legacy will help us
ensure we are here for the next 200 years.
Why are they so important?
Vision Norfolk has relied on legacies
since its inception and this channel has provided the backbone of our funding.
The legacy market is changing due to the increase in financial uncertainty and
as more families pass on their inheritance to their loved ones. Nevertheless,
we ask that you do think about charitable giving when making your Will.
How do I leave a gift in my Will?
Remembering a charity in your Will is
extremely easy, but certain guidelines must be adhered to, or your wishes may
not be followed.
In essence there are three basic types
of Will gifts: Residuary, Pecuniary and Special Gifts.
Residuary Gifts represent the remainder
of your estate after all creditors and other beneficiaries have been paid.
Pecuniary Gifts represent a specific
sum to be donated.
Special Gifts are gifts of specific
articles; property, stamp collections etc.
When writing a Will it is important to
get it checked by a legal professional. We are not legal professionals.
How We Can Help
We have teamed up with Kwil to offer you the ability to make your Will through a
simple online process. For a small fee of �90 for a single Will or �120 for a
couple. In addition, 50% of this fee is donated back to us at Vision Norfolk. Kwil will guide you through the process of creating your
Will online. There are no hidden costs and your Will is checked by legal
experts. There is live telephone support and advice from Kwil�s
team of UK based experts.
Call 0800 061 4934 or visit
https://www.kwil.co.uk/affiliate?partner=VisionNorfolk to find out more.
Living Wage Employer
Vision Norfolk has been accredited as
a Real Living Wage Employer.
As part of our goal to attract and
retain the best people to ensure we deliver high quality services, we have
committed to paying staff the Real Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage
Foundation. The Real Living Wage is currently �10.90 an hour, compared to the
statutory �National Living Wage�, which currently stands at �10.42 an hour.
Chief Executive Andrew Morter said,
�Our staff are at the heart of everything we do � they are our greatest asset
and are the key to our success.
In recognition of this, we have
committed to putting our workforce at the very centre of our approach,
encouraging a �people first� culture where we value people�s experiences and
wellbeing.�
Vision Norfolk also plans to actively
support the Norwich Living Wage City Action Group (NLWAG), an alliance of local
businesses, charities and public sector organisations which have made the
commitment to be Real Living Wage Employers.
Daniel Childerhouse,
CEO of Future Projects and a member of NLWAG, said, �We applaud the trustees
and management of the charity for making this commitment, which will translate
into even better quality services being delivered to vision impaired people in
Norfolk�.
For further information on how we can
support you and how you can get involved:
Website - visionnorfolk.org.uk
Telephone - 01603 573000
Email - [email protected]
Our hubs can be found at:
Norwich
Bradbury Activity Centre, Beckham
Place, Edward Street Norwich, NR3 3DZ
Telephone - 01603 573000
Email - [email protected]
King�s Lynn
Unit 3 Dundee Court, Hamburg Way,
King�s Lynn, PE30 2ND
Telephone - 01553 660808
Email - [email protected]
Great Yarmouth
12 Hall Quay, Great Yarmouth, NR30 1HP
Telephone - 01493 745973
Email - [email protected]
Registered charity no. 207060