Picture Sheffield Website - Graham

Graham here! As people who know me know, I am a long term user of SRSB’s services, but I do have enough residual sight to enjoy looking at photos if they are blown up large enough. I used to be a keen amateur photographer before my sight put the mockers on this. I still have enough sight left though, to enjoy looking at photos on a large PC screen, so I still get a lot of pleasure from family snaps, scenery and more recently looking at old historical photos.

I was recently ‘tipped off’ about the Sheffield Archive which now has an extensive collection of old mostly black and white photos of the Sheffield area through the ages. It is FANTASTIC.

 

The website is Picture Sheffield and for partially sighted users, the pages and links are pretty bold and obvious and the site works with speech software.

 

If you have some residual sight and are interested in local history or just curious about what ‘old sheffield’ looked like, check it out.

 

Particular pics that I was impressed with include Chesterfield Road Toll Gate. A then rural area where B&M is now. A burning building in the city centre with an abandoned tram in silhouette I think on the high street. The Bombed out old Redgates Building on the Moor. The old Classic Cinema, one of my favourite old haunts as a teenager, burning to the ground with firemen sillouetted against the flames coming through the roof.

And particularly for me at Chapeltown  loads of photos of Newton Chambers works all gone but for a much smaller cleaner ‘Business Park’ within sight of our home.

 

One particularly relevant picture that has relevance to my earlier life is the photo of the clothing shop Tramps on King Street. I bought my first wedding suit here. Black shiny crushed velvet £9.99. I looked AMAZING!!!   .. Errrr I think....

 

Picture Sheffield is a fantastic free site to explore for you if you have some sight and for the rest of the family.

Cheers
Graham

Pattison the Ghost at Tapton Mount School _ Carol

Carol shares a story about their school ghost!

“I don't remember how old I was when I first heard about Pattison's existence but, memories of having to go down into the cellar to have showers still stick in my mind. I must have known because I never wanted to be the last one to go back up from the cellar. I remember when I had to stand in the corridor for being naughty and being scared that Pattison would come and get me. I vaguely remember it being a threat from the housemothers if we did anything wrong.

“We were all scared of the thought of him, we knew he had been there for a very long time. I don't ever remember anyone saying they had heard or saw him except for adults.”

Memories from Tapton Mount School - Carol

We recently did an online presentation about our long history with Sheffield to celebrate our 160th Anniversary. Some of our clients attended, and it prompted some memories – these memories are about the school Tapton Mount from Carol:

“I remember how big the school seemed and how the corridors echoed at night.

“I looked forward to the tape lessons when I was very little, this was wearing head phones, which were extremely big and heavy which were connected to a tape recorder. You had to Braille on your Perkins Braille machine, which was also big and heavy. Everything that the person on the tape said, for example, bag (b a g), write a line of the word bag and so on. That's how we learned our Braille.

“I loved the drama room and the musical movement things we use to do. The assemblies where we would sing hymns and I loved and the choir.

“When I first started we had to do basket weaving which I found extremely boring.

“The library was a big room that smelled funny but had many books in Braille.

“I loved going to Brownies and getting out of the school once a week to take part in the Sheffield Junior Choir's rehearsals. We did a big concert at the City Hall and Albert Hall for Christmas which was an amazing experience. That's where I first made friends with sighted girls my age.

My memories of Tapton Mount School were great, much better than my next school at Tapton Comprehensive, except for the house we stayed in called Hallam Lodge on Tapton Crescent Road.

At Tapton Mount there were kids from all over the country, and we played all sorts in our dormitories including with a football.”

Gardens at Wentworth Woodhouse Trip - Graham

Strange times for all of us, sighted and sight-impaired and although there are some great walks in the woods near where we live, you can sometimes have too much of a good thing. So it was interesting to hear that Wentworth Woodhouse just past Chapeltown has opened its gardens to the public as part of its fund raising work to restore the house to its former glory.

If pre-booked, it is only £5 per person or £7 for those who just turn up. A couple of my friends are volunteers in the gardening team and they were so encouraging, we decided to give it a try. I went with Marie and we met our daughter there not really knowing if it would be OK. You know how it can be if you have poor or very little sight, it sometimes seems to be not worth the trouble.

This definitely WAS worth it. There is no other option really but to go in the car, but there is plenty of parking near the garden entrance which is through the arch of the original stable yard.

Once through the obvious, but temporary entrance, it is slightly daunting as you don’t know if you should go to the left or right, but it doesn’t really matter. We went left past the old ‘ice house’ to a cosy but nice walled garden and then came back in the other direction, through some trees and as the view opened out any fears of social distancing issues were left behind.

The gardens are massive with open grassy areas, flower borders that are amazing at present (early August). Clean toilet pods are scattered about and they are spotless with hand sanitiser as well as the usual…

We didn’t have much idea about where we were going but walked round following paths and grass areas with flowers everywhere and looked at the various ornamental bits including the low back wall with spectacular views towards Kepples Column and Rotherham. We took a few photos and had a sit down in deck chairs that were scattered about in fours for everyone to use if wanted. They also were like new.

Anyway, 3 hours after entering we were totally relaxed and ready for the trip home.

A great afternoon out and we all said that next time we go we will take out own picnic (which is encouraged) Drinks were available, but we had taken our own... but a picnic sounds a great idea to me.

Highly recommended, but this trip would definitely need help from a sighted person.

2 hours later at home Marie and I were still ‘chillaxed’ and sat in our garden planning our next visit.

Note. Guided tours are also available and I think that for many people they would prefer this option as you would learn so much more about the history of Wentworth Woodhouse.

Warning: Don’t get mixed up this and ‘the other place’ Wentworth Castle. This is a different building and gardens at Stainborough near Barnsley.

           UPDATE to this story. Graham asked Wentworth Woodhouse about carers and they              responded to say "We allow all carers free entry to our gardens and house for all                      events and visits. Please contact us (Wentowrth Woodhouse) on 01226 749639 for                  more information."

 

Social Distancing and Accessibility - Amy

Getting out and about is very challenging for people who are visually impaired even in normal circumstances. As we all know, things have changed a lot over the last few months, and going out has become even more of a challenge.  

Some visually impaired people will struggle more than others depending on what useful vision they have. Some people do not have good central vision, whereas others do not have good peripheral vision. Even two people with the same eye condition may have a very different level of sight. It also depends on how confident the person is when they are out. Some are more confident than others which makes a huge difference. Some people may be more confident at doing certain parts of the journey, not necessarily the whole thing.  

I have not had the opportunity to get out far myself yet, but I have been to my local shop occasionally and to a few parks.  Luckily I have had my Mum or Dad with me when I have been going to these places otherwise I would find it extremely difficult. Even though I have not been to many places myself, I have heard about the changes that have been made in most places. I have also been told how difficult some of these changes are to understand and cope with.  Based on my experiences and things I have heard, so far I have been really quite frustrated about how inaccessible places have become for people who are visually impaired.  

Many places have signs up that can be hard to see, never mind read. There are also floor markings which are hard to follow. My local shop has introduced a one way system around the store which I do understand the purpose of, but I can’t always tell which way the arrows are pointing, so how am I supposed to know which way to go? I have also been told that some places have foot print markings instead of arrows, I imagine that I would struggle with that even more.  Queue areas also have two metre markings so that people do not stand too close to each other. It is often hard to tell who is queueing and who is shopping because of the large spaces between people. Plus if I am stood two metres away from the customer who is being served, I can’t always tell when they have gone, depending on the layout of the checkout area. I haven’t had to deal with these situations on my own, because I just won’t go on my own while all these changes are in place. I find it difficult at the best of times, but impossible with all of these changes. Having to rely on others so much is not a nice feeling. It is really important to me and other visually impaired people to be as independent as we possibly can be, however much this is. In the current circumstances I don’t feel able to be independent at all. The time I feel the most independent is when I am volunteering at SRSB. I do still need help sometimes, but I can walk around a busy building without feeling rushed or worrying about walking into something. Everybody understands, even staff and volunteers who are not visually impaired understand.  We all give each other plenty of time and space when we are walking around the building. This is the only building of that size where I can do this. I haven’t been able to go in while all this has been going on and I really miss it.  

I saw a video online yesterday which actually made me think. I did already know this, but it did help to jog my memory. The video was about a lady who has a guide dog and how the guide dog is not trained for social distancing.  Obviously I was aware of this, but it did get me thinking.  Guide dogs are trained to help people travel and go out more easily, safely and independently. As most of them were trained years ago, they have no idea of what social distancing is. The lady on the video said that her dog was trained to take her to the door of a shop, not queue up outside a shop. So when her dog has taken her to the door of the shop and not the back of the queue, somebody in the queue rudely shouted at her. Guide dogs are also not trained to keep a two metre distance from people. I do not have a guide dog myself, but I do know that they are very stuck in their ways and stick to what they have been trained to do. I sometimes have a guide dog laid under my desk when I am volunteering at SRSB. She lays there because that is where her owner sits, he wasn’t in the room at the time but didn’t need to take her with him. In the past people have tried to move her to give me more space and she was very reluctant to move. This is because that is where her owner sits when he is using a computer, so she was trying to make sure that he got his usual seat, which would make things easier for him. Just to point out, I didn’t steal his seat, he was out of the office for quite a while and we are usually in on different days. It is also my usual seat. I don’t mind her being there though because I don’t want to unsettle her, so we just leave her now and she keeps me company.  

One of the things that I really don’t like about social distancing is that people are not allowed to get close enough to help. My friends are not allowed to help me if I see them because I don’t live with them. And I can’t see them without needing some kind of physical help or guidance. So I just haven’t suggested meeting up. One of the things that I am so desperate for is for the rules on this to change, so that we can have physical contact with our loved ones again and give them a huge hug. The time that we need a hug the most has turned out to be the time when we are not allowed. And it’s horrible. I don’t mind not being able to go to restaurants or have my hair done, I just want a cuddle with my boyfriend and to hug my best friends.  

My Sight Loss - Tia

In November 2019, I was dealt a blow that after 6 months of regular hospital visits, surgery and various treatments, that nothing else could be done to improve the vision in my right eye. I would now be classed as blind.

  

Feelings of shock, hurt, grief and anger followed, I was trying to make what limited sight I had better with the surgery, not worse. I was supposed to be enjoying the last few months of my maternity leave with my first child, not worrying about what this meant for me and how was I going to cope. I felt like I was letting my baby girl and the rest of my family down.

Since my childhood diagnosis of Ushers Syndrome, I've always known that my vision would deteriorate gradually over time. I honestly didn't think it would be this soon and I don't think I was prepared for it as much as I thought I was.

I spent the next weeks in denial, trying to ignore what had happened, and struggling with daily tasks. Then I was dealt a second blow in December that I was to be made redundant from a job that I had loved and dedicated 10 years of service to. My confidence and self esteem absolutely plummeted. How on earth was I going to find another job that I could physically do and do well. And how could I do this on top of everything else that I was still trying to figure out.

It was then that I asked for help, and to my surprise many people responded, SRSB was one of the first that I contacted and that's how I met Heather. She regularly visited and kept in contact, she listened, she answered questions (she really knew her stuff!), she found additional support for me, she offered advice, she supported me, and most importantly she showed me that I wasn't alone. She introduced me to the wider community of SRSB. My little girl first met Santa at the SRSB Christmas party. I remember feeling an absolute nervous wreck before as it was the first event that I'd taken her to alone. But everyone was so friendly, welcoming and helpful. I left the party with a very happy and tired out baby, but also a confidence boost and a feeling that I can do this.

Heather and everyone at the SRSB, along with my family and friends, all paid a key role in the past 6 months.

I have accepted and am slowly embracing my differences. I have learnt new skills, knowledge and technology to help me continue to do all the things I need and want to do. I have learnt new ways of doing things and it has built my confidence back. For every new challenge that I came across, I have adapted and become stronger. I hope to continue this with all the new challenges yet to come.

The job situation is the next hurdle but I will tackle it once I am able to as the Covid-19 pandemic has put a hold on it. But I feel more prepared now and I hope to use the help and resources that SRBS have to help me when I can.

I have seen kindness and thoughtfulness that surprised me. It really is the case that if you ask for help, there are people that want to help you. I am forever grateful for the part that the SRSB played with helping me to feel like me again and being happy.

Week 9 in Lockdown - Amy

Week nine already? In some ways the weeks seem to be flying by, but then when I think about the last time things felt normal, it feels like so long ago. Things started to change slightly last week, the lockdown has eased a little. This is really good, but also very complicated and confusing. At least we are heading in the right direction, I just hope so much that it stays that way and that we keep moving forward. The sooner we all get to live normally again, the better. Even though the restrictions have eased slightly, things won’t be back to normal for a long time, if ever. For some people it will never be the same again. We came into the lockdown from one world and we will be leaving it into another. We never expected any of this did we?  

If you have read my previous posts you will know that mentally I have been really struggling with the lockdown. Not being able to go out and keep my mind occupied is not doing me any good. Also the feeling that I have no control over my own life, it makes me feel really uncomfortable and trapped.  In real life I always make sure that I have things to look forward to and that really does help to keep me focussed. In this life, lockdown life, I can’t do that. I can’t plan anything.  So with no real plans, what is there to look forward to? Other than what feels like an imaginary end to the lockdown. 

I have had issues with my mental health in the past, so this isn’t just the usual being fed up and not liking it. Some days I have been really down and depressed. For anybody who hasn’t experienced true depression before, it’s a darkness that takes over my way of thinking. I describe it as a level beyond sadness. And it makes it hard to see the good in things. Even the things that would normally cheer me up, don’t always have much of an effect. On a dark day, the chances are that nothing will really cheer me up. Things may help, but the darkness still comes back quite quickly. Then after a dark few days I am mentally and physically drained. I feel quite numb for a day or so as I gradually start to feel more positive. This week has probably been my darkest week in years. Everything felt so hopeless and like the lockdown would never really end. Luckily I am feeling a lot more positive today, but it has taken me five days to go through the process. Luckily I have some very supportive family and friends to help me through it.  

I have also noticed that when I occasionally go out, I am feeling a lot more anxious. This isn’t just because of the virus, but my usual anxiety related to my sight loss. This may sound strange, but I feel that my eyes have got to used to not seeing beyond the four walls of my house. When I am outside there is so much more to see and I think my eyes can’t quite catch up. There are things in the distance, things that move, the weather and potential dangers to look out for.  When I am in the house, everything is where it is and I don’t really have to use my eyes as much, because I know where everything is. I have got to used to staying in and that isn’t good. I knew it would happen though and it’s really annoying. I have spent so long building up my confidence and now all of that hard work has been undone. I feel like going back to normal is going to be a very nerve-wracking experience.  Even so, it is something that I am so desperate to do sometime soon. 

I really hope that all of my SRSB friends are doing well.  I really hope I get to see you all soon. Xxx

Lockdown. Archery Update - Phil

Due to the coronavirus, my archery training and competitions have unfortunately been put on hold. Both the National competition at Lilleshall and the Para European International in Sardinia were postponed. They may be rescheduled for later in the year or early next year, depending on how we emerge from this pandemic.

I am still doing archery related training exercises to keep muscle memory and to keep fit. I keep in touch with my SRSB archery friends by phone and other clubs via email.

Otherwise, most of my time during shielding, is spent in the back garden with my partner. Thankfully the weather has been good and we have enjoyed sitting out listening to music. My sister has sent me a variety of vegetable seeds that she had spare. I have made some small wooden planters and the seedlings are now growing quite well.

I am hopeful that sometime later this year we might be able to get out and about. Stay well and stay safe.

The Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind - Mary

Mary is the married to Lee, one of our clients. She wrote this lovely piece entitled The Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind a few years ago.

T stands for thoughtful

H stands for helpful

E stands for encouraging

S stands for supportive

H stands for hospitality

E stands for excellence

F stands for fun

F stands for friendly

I stands for interested

E stands for enthusiasm

L stands for laughter

D stands for developing

R stands for reassurance

O stands for optimistic

Y stands for young at heart

A stands for assistance

L stands for likeable

S stands for smiling

O stands for order

C stands for catering

I stands for interaction

E stands for eagerness to help

T stands for trust

Y stands for young children who attends sparkles

F stands for freedom it gives visual impaired

O stands for obliging

R stands for reliable

T stands for tactful

H stands for hopeful

E stands for essential help and equipment

B stands for the blessing of knowing that I can do stuff without worrying about Lee as I know he

is safe and sound

L stands for life changing

I stands for inspiring

N stands for nice people

D stands for discreet which the staff are

These are the reasons I love being part of the family and volunteering for the Sheffield Royal Society

for the Blind.

Mary

Lockdown Poem - Carol

In This Time by Carol Adams

In this time it would be easy to get low

but do not despair so

for we have social media and the news

and you've got lots of time to snooze

If you venture out

without your spouse

it would be very hard

you must be on your guard   

you decide on your fate 

if you go out of that gate

can you see enough to know?

It's easier to just bake dough

to get work done in the house

to give your spouse

jobs inside

and afterwards show them both off with pride

at least it is warmer outside than it is inside

you can get that tan

and make time to do that bulk cook in that pan

feel lucky for what you have

it could be taken away 

don't be daft

come on ninny

just be silly.

Lockdown For Me - Carol

I wake up at some point during the day depending on how I've slept.            

I'd hope that the sun is out so that I can enjoy time in the garden getting a sun tan which I should have got on my holiday to Tenerife. That of course was cancelled.

I love hearing the sounds of the birds singing, the children playing and the occasional neighbour talking.

I also like to hear my husband doing the garden or doodling and tinkering with various tools as he makes items... usually to make my life easier in some way or another.

I sit covered in sun tan cream with a hat and glasses on, a lager in my hand... or sometimes something a little stronger, listening to a book or watching something.

This is all in between going in to sort washing or tidy the kitchen for our next meal.

At evening time we would have dinner while watching something on Netflix or Disney plus.        

On Fridays it is so strange not to be picked up by our lovely driver Dennis on the minibus to go to Mappin Street for the Writing Group.     

So I'd catch up with people on social media, or the phone, and I would take part in my choir session on line. I'd keep up to date with the news and by going on face book etc. 

Friends and family would bring shopping to our front door and the same with Amazon and the chemist.

The best thing about this all is that I get more time to spend with my husband and my gadgets without feeling guilty for missing anything and thinking about where I should be. I can exercise on my treadmill and get fresh air in the garden.

Week 4 in Lockdown - Amy

We are now in week four of lock down in the UK. Things have changed quite a lot since week one. Supermarkets are being more supportive to elderly and vulnerable people and also people who work for the NHS. I don’t think there is quite as much panic buying going on, but supermarkets are playing their part with that by limiting the amount of certain things we can buy. I haven’t been to the supermarket in weeks. My Mum and Dad are doing all of my shopping for me. Every so often I will go for a walk up to the local shops and obviously try and keep my distance from other people. 

The mood of the country seems to have changed a lot over the last few weeks. Everybody seems to be more accepting of it and trying to make the most of it. People are thinking of creative ways to keep everybody’s spirits up. There have been online church services, people singing outside care homes and children drawing pictures to decorate the new hospitals that have been built. Some people who work for the NHS have also been getting some lovely treats recently from various companies. We have also had Clap for our Carers on Thursday evenings. There has been some really heart warming things going on. It’s really nice to see some community spirit and people supporting the NHS in these tragic times. 

There is still no sign of an end to this lock down, which is really bringing me down mentally. But everybody is doing their best to try and cheer me up and remind me how lucky I am. Luckily I have some very patient and understanding family and friends.  

Week One in Lockdown - Amy

As of Friday closing times last week, everything involving any kind of fun has closed. Restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, cinemas, everywhere I live my life really.  

This is the first week of lockdown in the UK, to slow down the spread of Coronavirus. It all just feels so wrong. I feel trapped and like I desperately need to escape.  

In January this year I finished six months of therapy for post traumatic stress disorder, which was partly caused by my sight loss. I have finally got into a good place mentally and now this happens. I need to go out and socialise regularly to keep my mind healthy and happy. I don’t usually have the most hectic schedule, but I do try to go out and do something most days. Staying in the house for more than a few days makes me feel quite down. It is not anything to do where I live, or who I live with, I would be the same anywhere. I just need to be out there and living my life. Luckily I don’t live alone, but I still need to be out, moving around and seeing different people. The thought of doing this for weeks or even months really does scare me. I know things could be a lot worse for me, at least everybody that I know is well. I do understand why this is happening, but staying in for long periods of time really doesn’t do me any good.  That worries me just as much as going out does. There is nowhere to go, nothing to look forward to. I can try and look forward to when this is all over but it seems quite cruel because nobody knows when this is going to end. That is what I really need to know, even if I don’t like the answer, I need a date to work towards and focus on. This might be lowering the risk of catching Coronavirus, but my worry is that it is going to cause major problems in other ways for people, physically and mentally. 

Valentine's Day 2020 - Amy

A few years ago I wrote a post about Valentine’s day and how miserable and depressing it can be for those who are single.  Every year Valentine’s Day just felt the same, a big disappointment. The older I got, the less I believed that I would find the man of my dreams. There is so much to deal with when it comes to me, I need help in a lot of ways that most people don’t. This feels quite embarrassing and awkward when it comes to dating. It will put some guys off and the ones who seem fine just don’t seem to understand. I like to think that there is more to me than my health problems and sight loss, but it takes very special people to see that too. 

I had been on and off a dating app for a while and last year I was on a bit of a break from it again. I was trying to avoid any unnecessary stress so I decided that I should leave it alone for a while. One night I was feeling a bit more relaxed so I decided to go on and see if there was anybody new on there. And there was. I saw from his profile that we had quite a few things in common. He said on his profile that he probably sounded boring, but the things that he thought sounded boring were the things that made him perfect for me. I really hoped that I would get to talk to him, and I did. We have talked every day since. He is one of those special people that can see beyond all the issues and he doesn’t let those issues put him off at all. He wants to be there for me and help however he can and I do with him. He understands a lot of things that most guys wouldn’t have the first clue about. 

In the past there’s always been that awkward moment when I have to mention my sight problems, with him it wasn’t awkward at all. He told me a few things and I told him a few things. We got it all out of the way from the very beginning and it was never awkward at all. We both have rubbish that we wish we didn’t have to deal with, but we deal with it together. 

So this year I am actually looking forward to Valentine’s Day. It will be my first one where I won’t be feeling all left out and lonely. And to make it even more special, it will be six months since I first met one of the most lovely guys in the world. 

National Hug Day - Amy

Today is National Hug Day so I thought I would write about that. Some people don’t like hugs or any physical contact with somebody else because of various reasons. Some people find it really uncomfortable. One of my friends is on the autistic spectrum and she doesn’t like any form of physical contact with people who she doesn’t know well and trust.  She only feels comfortable hugging a small number of people. Some people have had bad or even traumatic experiences of physical contact, so they are not able to trust others or cope with the feeling of being touched. Some people also have chronic pain conditions which makes things like hugging very painful. 

Other people are completely at the other end of the scale. Some people are very tactile, they thrive on physical contact with others and feel comfortable walking up to a complete stranger and hugging them at New Year. 

For me, I wouldn’t walk up to a complete stranger and hug them, but if they seem trustworthy I feel fine if they come and give me a quick hug and some kind of celebration, or if somebody saw me upset.  Hugging people is an important part of my life. I always hug my close friends as we are saying goodbye. There are quite a few of us in the group, so this takes a while! But I always feel really guilty if one person accidentally gets missed. Which does happen occasionally. I find hugging is a symbol of caring. Even the strangers at New Year, in that moment, everybody cares that we are all happy and having fun. Friends and family hug because they care. If somebody hugs me because I’m down or upset, it’s because they care. And I hug people when I care. 

I would absolutely hate a world where there was no hugging. 

Then there’s cuddles. Is a hug the same as a cuddle? Or is it different? To me a hug is fairly quick, and a cuddle is when you are sat next to each other and lasts quite a while. To me a proper cuddle is tight, strong and it makes you feel safe and protected. Every so often I really need a proper cuddle. Even if there is nothing wrong with me, every so often I just need that big tight cuddle and the feeling of being protected. I have recently found somebody who is perfect for that job and I absolutely love it. As well as me being the one feeling protected I do like to be the one who makes somebody else feel that way. 

For me cuddles and hugs are one of the best things in the world.