Summer 2017 NewsletterSummer is here already! Some may be concerned it has already past given the week of actual sunlight which has blessed Falkirk towards the start of June but we remain ever optimistic!

As a result we have lots going on over the rest of the year. We hope the newsletter contains a few items of interest for you and as always, if there is anything you want to know about in the newsletter, get in touch. We are always happy to hear from you. sensory@forthvalleysensorycentre.org

Sensory Garden on trackOur Sensory Garden has been the subject of many stories in the past few months. Now, you will be glad to know, we are nearing the end of the journey. We have a final design for the new look garden and funding in place from Tesco and a number of private donors.

At the time of writing we are awaiting confirmation from Falkirk Environment Trust that we are receiving a final installation of funding to make all our plans a reality.

A big part of the new design is a large welcoming mosaic at the entrance and we are going to be

asking Centre Users to get involved with the design. We are working with Brendan Gallagher a local artist who has been teaching a number of our Blind and Partially Sighted

At present, work is hoped to start in August with an opening in September. It has been a long road but thank you for making the journey with us!

Fundraising UpdateWe have had an amazing start to the year for fundraising with lots of events and individual donations from people and companies.

We haven't just had money too. Morrisons in Falkirk amazed us with a fantastic donation of end of line but brand new toys! We have shared these with the Forth Valley Deaf Children's Association and our friends at PLUS Stirling who run the popular Play & Chat group on Thursday mornings.

We would also like to thank Tesco who donated £1000 and are also looking to work more closely with us in the future to

help spread the word about our Centre.

Photocopier supplier Leemic, based in Grangemouth have given us £400 to help with our IT costs, and we were delighted to get £500 from The Robert Murphy Foundation which has been put towards equipment for the new Personal Safety Class run by David Black.

We received £50 from St Francis Xaviers Church in memory of Kathleen Henderson and are grateful for her generosity.

Nancy Aitken, who attends our IT classes has donated £150 raised through her card sales whileJim Casey, another BPD IT class attendee has donated a further £50.

Rose Clark, had a whip round at her work, Kerr Stirling which raised £25 for our 'Round Pound' tin Remember, you can continue to donate these at reception. Remember, you have until October to get rid of them before they are no longer legal

tender!

Café visitors will no doubt recognise the delicious creations of Linda and Erin who come in each Monday to do some delicious home baking. Our oven wasn't quite up to the skills of the ladies so they raised the money for a new one! A wonderful effort and do try the results  when you visit the Centre. Be quick though! That is our advice!

Fundraising GroupThe Centre also has a dedicated group of Centre Users who are actively involved in fundraising. Our Fundraising Committee meets monthly to plan and organise a wide variety of different events.

Importantly, the Committee is drawn from across our various sensory groups, including; Blind and Partially Sighted, Deaf, BSL speakers and hard of hearing people. This means that each person can bring something different to the table and fundraising can be focused on delivering against specific needs for each part of our community.

 We are on the look out for potential new members to generate ideas and funds for all our different Centre User groups. There is no need to have a sensory impairment so if you would like to get involved, please contact Lynne Frail lynnefrail@forthvalleysensorycentre.org

The group recently organised their first event, a 'Dine in the Dark' at the Park Hotel in Falkirk, raising £400 in the process! A great effort and a lot more to come we hope. It just goes to show how innovative we can ben when we need to.

Members are: Lynne Frail (Fundraising Co-ordinator), Kim Mitchell (NC Student), Nan Hamilton, Gordon McNeill, Walter Ramage, Pamela Simpson (Chair), Janette G. Scott, Denise Silcock and Stephen Quigley. Could your name be added?

Finally, a massive thanks to Hannah Pickford our tennis coach, who ran the Stirling marathon recently and raised a whopping £450 in the process. We are always on the lookout for individuals or companies who want to raise money for us so if you feel inspired this summer, get in touch!

Dates for the Diary17th - 22nd July - The return of our Charity Shop!Yes, after the great success of last year, if

you are anything like us you are once again wondering what to do with all those clothes that don't fit or the dubious looking lamp great aunt Edna sent at Christmas. Well, one person's dodgy lamp is another person's art deco masterpiece so here is your chance to get clutter free and help the Centre!

Items can be dropped at the shop on 17th July or, for those with mobility issues, we may be able to arrange collection of a few bagged items. Contact the Centre in advance if you would need this service.

We need clean (please) clothes, small items of furniture and we can also take small electrical items if they are working. There will be a tombola this year and if anyone has any spare hangers, they would be welcome! If possible, please bag clothes according to age (children's or adults) and sex (male/female) as this will be a huge help to us as we try to get the shop laid out and clothes grouped together.

We are also looking for volunteers to help staff the shop through the week as well as helping with the set up and closing of the store. If you can lend us even a few hours of your time, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact Caroline at the Centre to let her know what days and times you could support us.

Sunday August 6th - Malvina's GardenWe are absolutely delighted to announce that once again, one of the best private gardens in Scotland is to be opened up to the public in support of the Sensory Centre.

Malvina Dwyer's garden has been the subject of TV and books and is a regular winner of the Falkirk and District Garden Competition. Once a year Malvina opens up her home and welcomes guests with delightful home baking and allows people to come and look around her own private paradise.

This is the second time Malvina, who attends the Centre to help manage her own hearing loss, has supported the Centre. Funds will go directly to providing a lip reading tutor within the Centre to help those who are losing their hearing but want to develop a great life skill to help them maintain their independence.

The garden will be open from 1pm to 5pm and admission is just £3 for adults or £2 for concessions. An absolute bargain for a wonderful, family afternoon out.

30th September and 1st October Great Scottish Run10k or half marathon? Need a bit of motivation to get the best out of the summer? Why not train for one of Scotland's best known amateur runs and raise money for the Centre at the same time?

We'll support your fundraising efforts through our website and social media, plus we'll give you a branded t-shirt to run in. All we ask is you do your best and raise a few quid!

If you are wanting something to help motivate your fitness or kick start your couch to 10k dreams, then this is it! Contact Lynne for more information or to sign up. lynnefrail@forthvalleysensorycentre.org

Are you Online Today?

Millions now rely on the internet for everyday tasks such as shopping, banking and staying in touch with friends and family. However, getting online and using new technology can present many challenges for someone who is blind or partially sighted. RNIB Scotland is working with Forth Valley Sensory Centre to offer people across Forth Valley the chance to learn how to get online using the accessibility features that are built in to tablet computers and smartphones. 

These features, which come built in to iOS and android devices, mean that you don't need to learn how to touch type or learn any special keyboard shortcuts in order to access the internet.  You can get started on a standard device straight out of the box.  All you need is a little knowledge and the motivation to learn. That's our aim - to supply the knowledge and help you to find out what the devices can do for you.

Online Today is a three year project, funded by the big lottery and delivered in partnership with local organisations and initiatives. We offer drop-ins, demonstrations and one to one sessions.  If you'd like to learn more about Online Today then you can contact us direct on onlinetodayscotland@rnib.org.uk, phone 0131 657 8204 or attend our monthly drop-in session any time between 10.00am and 1.00pm on the last Wednesday of every month at the Forth Valley Sensory Centre.

RNIB Services at the Centre

Did you know that apart from our Resource Centre at Forth Valley Sensory Centre, RNIB offer numerous other services?  The "Online Today" team can help you get the most out of your smart phones and tablets, our "Looking to the Future" team can help young people to overcome barriers and achieve their goals and we have recently introduced a new counselling service.  RNIB also delivers a programme called Work First that supports blind and partially sighted people to gain, retain and sustain employment. The only eligibility criterion is your willingness to

work, or, if you find yourself in a situation where you are in danger of losing your job due to deterioration in your sight we can be of assistance too. We can help you to apply to Access to Work which provides financial support to purchase equipment, adaptations and services and we can help your employer to support you too.  If you would like to know more about these programmes as well as any other services RNIB offer please call us on 0131 657 8200 or email us at ELC.Mailbox@rnib.org.uk  or visit our website http://www.rnib.org.uk/scotland

A Letter from Kinloch Hournby Jim McLean

Where I here you ask?, this is wee hamlet is right on the west coast between Mallaig and Kyle of Lochalsh and a more remote place off the beaten track you'd be hard pressed to find.

My mate Billy Fulton and I set of for a couple of days camping in march, up through

Tyndrum then crossing Rannoch moor through Glencoe, always spectacular we stopped off at Kinlochleven for a cuppa and to give belle, Billy’s dog, a leg stretch, there you will find the indoor ice wall to climb which looks brill but we passed up on the chance as we had not a few more miles to go.

Fort William next and past the commando monument at Spean Bridge, then towards Invergarry and taking the a87 road heading west, now a bit along here is a sign for Tomdoun, more on that later, and for Kinloch Hourn. You turn off to the left for a 22 mile long single track road in wonderful scenery...well when the rain went off, more on the rain later too.

Dotted along the road are houses old and new, ones abandoned many many decades ago that could tell stories of lives past, I look at ruins like those we saw and wonder what the folks lives were like living in such remote places. This area was cleared of many of its people during the highland clearances. Read John Prebble's the highland clearances to learn more about this shameful episode in Scotland’s history.

The last mile or so you are driving down a steep, winding, B road with hairpin bends and I was glad billy knew how to handle this as he'd been here before. The road levels out and right next to the road were 4 huge wild feral goats with massive horns and great beards, great to see. 

We found the "campsite" more a grass verge to be honest, and planned our 6 mile walk to Barisdale in the morning as that was the main reason for being here. It was really cold though and occasionally near horizontal rain with snow on the mountain tops roundabout us may have been braw but...

We dandered around the place, the gamekeeper’s cottage was really nice with carved wooden figures in his garden and believe it or not there's a tea room so it was cuppas and cake all round.

Back to the car for something more substantial and out came a huge pot of stovies Billy had packed and over the gas flame it went and tasted fantastic…and Belle got some too... More rain...then more rain. Along came two sets of young folk who'd been walking across remote moorland and were drenched, one set pitched their tent, crawled inside and we never saw them

again not even in the morning they must've been bolloxed. 

Hailstones and more rain and we were trying to pitch our tents, stuff this Jim we'll sleep in the car tonight. We sat having a few beers and Glayvas and the rain was battering down but billy's car is an estate so we climbed in the back and settled down, well I did! Later on billy told me he was woken up by my snoring, two solid hours of it, the man resorted to stuffing his ears with paper, which I howked out later, and wrapping a towel round his head trying to lessen it poor lad.

Eventually morning came along with yet more rain a freezing cauld wind, we looked at each other and the six mile walk and planned overnight stay at the Barisdale bothy was abandoned, c’est la vie. We had some breakfast and another wander about this time a little way along the loch side path to Barisdale but the storm clouds were gathering. We packed up the car and headed back. A few miles along the road the clouds cleared and the scenery was brilliant and every few miles we'd come across small herds of deer, mostly stags which we fed with Billy's corned beef and tomato on plain bread sandwiches which I occasionally I partook of meself! They'd come right up to the car and were not looking their best.

On way back we stopped at Tomdoun, a few scattered houses, a big house that used to be a hotel that billy and his mates frequented many's a time in the past and a church on a wee hillock surrounded by daffodils, really lovely place. Back onto the main road, through Fort William with billy looking for somewhere to stop for another cuppa, now I knew a ripper wee cafe at Onich so we stopped there for bacon rolls and steaming pots of tea, it has great views way down Loch Linnhe towards Oban so if you're ever thereabouts give that wee place your business.

Chatting to some motor bikers I told them the old story and pointed to the mountains opposite and said, "the locals have a saying here, if you can't see the hills that means it's

raining, and if you can see the hills that means it's gonna rain!" so true this trip.

Volunteer UpdateMeet... Alan Anderson!

  Alan Anderson is one of our minibus drivers and one of the most well-known volunteers, but how well do you know him? Here’s your chance to find out a bit more…

Alan is a bus driver by trade so his volunteer exploits really are the clichéd ‘bus man’s holiday’! He works for First Bus as a ‘spare’ driver in the Larbert Depot, just down the road from the Centre.

“A spare driver is one without a dedicated route” explains Alan. “We step in when someone is ill or on holiday so I could be covering any route out of Larbert. It keeps me on my toes and at least means I really know my way around!”

However, Alan wasn’t always a driver, he began work at the bingo in Grangemouth but left to pursue a career in passenger transport 17 years ago after seeing an advert in the paper. Since then he hasn’t looked back. As well as driving the main bus routes and our

minibus, he also does coaches and other private bus driving. “This might be special charters for events or for things like rail replacement services” said Alan.

This has come in useful in his personal life too though; Alan took up accordion playing four years ago after being invited to a meeting by the band leader. Having originally attended with his son Stephen, both were immediately hooked and now his other son and his wife also play in the band! Alan is now often asked to drive the band around to different events to perform.

So how is Alan finding driving for the Centre? “Well there are certainly some great characters,” he says with a smile. “Some of the routes out in Stirlingshire can be a bit lairy, single track roads with a bus are, let’s say, fun, but I really enjoy it. I’ve met some great people, it is really rewarding when people tell you what a great day they have had and are genuinely grateful for your help. Plus, I’ve been to more venues across Scotland, restaurants, theatres and, frustratingly for a driver, a whisky distillery, than I have ever been to before.

“I’m really glad I signed up and I would urge anyone with a few spare hours or who just want to get out more to volunteer with the Centre. It’s a great place and you won’t regret it.”

There are a wide range of volunteer opportunities available within the Centre and for all ages and abilities from weekly spots to ad hoc support. All our volunteers get any necessary training and

we can help young people gain a CV boosting Saltire Award too. Contact Caroline for more information carolinestorey@forthvallysensorycentre.com 

On the Road with Laura CluxtonLaura is our own elite paracyclist who competed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Here she gives us the latest on her training for Melbourne!

After a turbulent 2016 I've had a very exciting 2017 with regard to my cycling career. Last year nothing seemed to be going to plan no matter how hard I trained or how much I improved but I'm so happy to say 2017 has brought some amazing opportunities. After doing some power testing with British Cycling I was invited to an International Paracycling World Cup which was to be held in Belgium, how excited was I!  I was delighted to be asked and grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

This competition included two races for me a 22.5km Time Trial and a 80km road race, this type of racing was slightly outside my comfort zone as I've been training for short Sprint events ( 1km and 200m! ) as these are in next year’s Commonwealth games which I'm aiming to qualify for.  Anyway I was going to commit 100% and give it everything I had. My pilot (another Laura) and I arrived at the "Race hotel" and were given a lovely  big one bedroomed apartment with a beautiful sea view and an all-inclusive food wristband, amazing! There was a group of 12 out there all with different disabilities all helping each other out and supporting each other, it was such a great group of people.

As race day approached I was starting to feel the nerves, this was a massive opportunity for me and I wanted to do well and show the coaches what I was made of! The competition was stiff including the current world champs and Paralympic champs, all we could do was focus on ourselves and give it our all. Both races were the hardest races I've ever done but on reflection I enjoyed doing them. In both races Laura and I came 6th, we were very pleased with the results it felt like a good place to start the other exciting thing was that these results have ranked me 9th in the world, I'm well proud of that!

I'm continuing to train hard to make the qualification times to get to the Gold Coast 2018 by training six days a week with a mixture of velodrome, gym, Watt bike and road sessions. This takes up most of my week and I have to ensure I get enough rest and recovery time and the correct nutrition to fuel my body. The life of an athlete involves making the correct choices, hard work, commitment and dedication.  If I follow the process I should get the outcome I desire.

Welcomes, Goodbyes and Congratulations! 

First off we have to say hello to Caroline Storey our new Volunteer Co-ordinator. A former diversity officer, Caroline is a level Two BSL speaker which has already proven popular with the deaf community who use the Centre. She has a great deal of experience in working with people who have a range of different needs, not only managing sensory conditions, but looking to be independent, learn, try new things and live as independently as possible.

Commenting on her appointment, Caroline said:“I wanted to work for the Sensory Centre because I know the Centre is a vibrant place that provides much needed support and services to the community.  I have been a volunteer for many different organisations and was keen to take on the role of Volunteer Co-ordinator.

"I have already been made very welcome by the team and by service users and am very excited about developing the volunteer role.  I am very much looking forward to recruiting new volunteers and supporting existing ones to help deliver the wide range of activities that the Centre provides.” The Centre has a number of volunteer opportunities available from driving, to event support, sighted guiding and BSL support for those wanting to improve their skills.

Of course with the arrival of Caroline that means we have had to say goodbye to Vicki who has

moved on to pastures new. In her year at the Centre, Vicki made a big difference to the way the

volunteering aspect was run, making some big changes and helping to bring on many more

people. We'd like to thank Vicki for her work here at the Centre and wish her all the best for the

future.

Another "well kent face" who moved on recently was Jamie Stanway from the Sensory Services

team. Jamie has taken up a new position all the way over in Dunoon! Again, we wish Jamie all

the best in his career. For the time being Jamie's position will be covered by Mairi Howat,

welcome to the Centre Mairi!

We have a new Café Assistant, Tish Swanson. Tish has been with us as a volunteer in the past

so she is well known to Centre Users and we are glad to have her here in an official capacity

once again.

Last but not least happy 25th wedding anniversary to Lynne our fundraising Co-ordinator and her

husband Steven. They are a lovely couple who do a lot of work for the Centre, not only as part of

Lynne's job but also in their own time along with their beautiful daughters. Happy silver

anniversary!

Next IssueThe next issue will be September 2017. We are always looking for article suggestions and ideas so if you have a story you want to share or something you would like to know more about, do get in touch! Contact Martin at the Centre martinallen@forthvalleysensorycentre.org

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