Welcome to Eye Matter Matters issue number two. This is a fortnightly publication for you to share experiences, engage with our extensive range of activities and learn more about Eye Matter’s objectives for its members. If you would like to contribute an article to a future edition, please contact: fiona@eyematter.org.uk , our amazing new trustee.
This edition includes:
Eye Matter Spotlight.
- Stephen, Seagull, and his life with an invisible dog.
Ahoy there, Sailors.
New look social media.
Bounce with Eye Matter.
Future events
- Celebrate with Suzie – noodles and comedy.
- Be a ‘Dancing Queen’ with Abba Voyage.
- Eye Matter Choir is coming back.
- More dates for your diary (including Sailing).
Future on-line events
- Neurobics with Steve Wax, aerobics for your brain.
- Audio Described Zumba with Louise from Illuminate Freedom.
- VI Cookery.
- Monthly book club – Bookworm.
External activities
- Dance classes for people living with sight loss.
Eye Matter Spotlight
This is a new idea to allow our members and friends, to shine and introduce themselves. If you would be willing to be interviewed, please email: fiona@eyematter.org.uk
Spotlight on Stephen Portlock
Stephen, Seagull and his life with an invisible dog.
By Fiona Musgrove.
If he were an animal, what would he be and why? Initially Stephen proposed being a sexy black panther but felt it would be too conspicuous in town-life, whereas being a common dog or cat would make him dependent on” those things with long legs.”
“In fact,,” he finally admitted,” I really would like to have the freedom of a bird. Not an exotic eagle, as they are highly prized by hunters, but a squawking seagull. When I hear them, it always reminds me of the seaside and makes me smile.”
Stephen Portlock, in his early 50’s is a widower and now lives alone. His first degree was in languages and then he gained a further qualification in Journalism. In 2017 he began his stand-up career. Most of his content is over 15 rated but he gives a warning when it becomes more explicit. “I discuss my sight-loss alongside my OCD and how they impact on my everyday life,” Stephen explains. He always opens his sets holding a lead, as if blissfully unaware that his dog has scarpered. The dog in question, Hamlet, is a “Great Dane” he chuckles referencing the name of his show ‘Stephen and Hamlet, Blind and Mad.’
Stephen has been involved in a number of projects including a farce called Arsenic and Old Lace, along with an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, written by Kate Lovell.
As well as a scattering of on-screen extra roles, he also starred in an Indie video Leave It by Bombay Bicycle Club.
“The video was actually a surprisingly nerve wracking experience, definitely more so than acting on stage. As I recall it featured a long tracking shot with different quite distinctively dressed men and women and I’m right at the end of the shot, which is to say at the end of the video. I was given the lines to learn which as I recall (and I still remember them over a decade later) were:
Don’t you go evade me now
Come see what you’ve done
I keep thinking lately how
All these feelings won.”
Stephen continues, “As the camera tracked along the sound of the guitars started getting louder and louder around me and at the appropriate prompt the (I think) man to my right tapped my foot with his. At that point I yowled out those lines as loudly as possible. Thankfully, people have said over the years that I have a pleasant singing voice so hopefully the experience wasn’t too painful for the other folks present. Even so it took a few takes getting it right as it’s hard to concentrate when the sound of crashing guitars are playing behind you. Obviously, it’s not my voice in the actual video. My support worker at work to whom I showed the video told me that my lips don’t quite sync with the overlaid lyrics but that’s not my problem – that’s the job of the editor!”
To give his career more context, Stephen was previously involved with The Venturers Drama Group of the Visually Impaired for many years and now Extant.
More recently, he has embarked on another acting role, in a ten-minute film by a group of students from the University of the Arts, based in Elephant and Castle. Filming was done over four days he explains. Stephen plays a blind, middle-aged father, also facing hearing -loss, who strengthens his relationship with his grown-up daughter through their love of painting. He appreciated the students allowing him to offer his input into the narrative of the project with its cast of three people and is looking forward to viewing the final result. Although this is not the first time Stephen has appeared on screen, he relishes each opportunity to use his skills developed at these specialised drama groups, as well as at the regular improv workshops run by Extant.
Many actors collect embarrassing stories and Stephen shared how he accidentally declared his love to another actor using her real name rather than that of her character during an intense scene. “I am also surely the only blind comedian to have ever caused a 100% audience walk out”, he muses, “I won’t say too much as I talk about it in my solo show but suffice to say that provided the audience are forewarned beforehand, which I always do now, then the offending joke in question has on many occasions brought the house down”.
Stephen has been a member of Eye Matter since 2020 when the majority of activities were online, due to the Pandemic. Over the past year he has enjoyed their in-person events such as the flamboyant Rocky Horror Show and, a few months ago, their Noodles and Comedy evening in Greenwich. He admits he has wanted to participate in more of the Zoom sessions, but they often clash with other activities.
Stephen is appearing in the following venues with his solo show Stephen and Hamlet: Blind and Mad:
Performing as part of Fest-Able
Wanstead Library, Spratt Hall Road, Wanstead E11 2RQ on the 8th of July at 6:15pm.
Performing as part of Camden Fringe Festival
The Etcetera Theatre Club at the Oxford Arms, 265 Camden High Street London NW1 7BU on the 2nd and 11th August at 9pm.
Ahoy there, Sailors.
By Fiona Musgrove.
Eye Matter, in conjunction with Tideway Sailability, are offering members a chance to discover their sailing legs. These will take place from April in the Docklands with a group of Sailability volunteers. To understand how sailing feels for a blind person I recently spoke to Nathalie Wright, who was registered blind since birth due to her mother contracting an unknown virus during pregnancy. Since 2016 Nathalie has sailed all over the country and even into the Mediterranean Sea, as part of a sighted and non -sighted crew. I was curious to understand how a girl from London could become so enamoured in sailing and what makes this such an inclusive activity?
Nathalie’s initial intention of sailing had been to go on a chartered cruise but, on realising the exorbitant costs, began looking for an alternative adventure. This she found within the pages of Metro Blind Sports magazine for a week’s sailing along the South Coast. A fleet of around seven craft, which includes yachts of varying sizes, support several sighted and non-sighted crew. With no prior experience of sailing, Nathalie’s first task was to be able to board a boat successfully.
She admitted, “At one stage with the sea spraying my face, jeans feeling like stiff cardboard and rolling over the waves I could not think of anywhere else I would rather be”!
I explained that many members of Eye Matter may feel dubious attempting sailing for the first time. Unlike Nathalie’s high-sea antics, Eye Matter will be piloting around a lock in the River Thames, with volunteers. Whether a person is with one volunteer or, working as part of a crew, the sense of empowerment, raised confidence and enjoyment, is exhilarating explains Nathalie.
Her exploits have seen her tethered to a yacht during a weather Gail 9 alert in the Mediterranean Sea, learning to perform ‘Man overboard’ operations and meeting so many people.
If you would like to take your first steps into sailing with us, email Eye Matter giving the subject ‘Sailing.”
For Nathalie, being a full-time carer for her mother, these opportunities are very much appreciated. She will be working in a few months to train volunteers to support more VI sailors and would like, one day, to obtain some professional sailing qualifications.
Once you have tried sailing with us check out these other opportunities:
Bounce with Eye Matter
Bounce is a space for you to share experiences of living with sight loss and learn from. Others. Bounce covers a wide range of interests from technology to gaining knowledge about the different white canes now available. It aims to provide recommendations to the wide variety of questions posed by members. Each session is facilitated by Suzie and comprehensive notes are taken by Rachel.
Please click here to access these notes:
New look social media.
Over the following weeks, Eye Matter will be updating their social media platforms. We would love you to post your photos and comments, from events you attend with Eye Matter. Please remember to ask permission if showing identifiable faces and include alt descriptions for those of us who can’t see the images.
Check us out on X(formerly known as Twitter), as Eye Matter1 and Facebook, as the Official Eye Matter page.
Future events
All our events are accessed here
Here are a few highlights:
Celebrate with Suzie – noodles and comedy
Saturday 4th May £10 entry to Up The Creek comedy club.
Following the success of the first trip to Greenwich) see issue number one of Eye Matter Matters for a review) Susie wishes to invite you to celebrate her birthday with noodles and a night of laughter.
Contact suzie@eyematter.org.uk
Be a ‘Dancing Queen’ with Abba Voyage
Thursday 7th November 2024 and Thursday 28th November 2024
7.45pm
Blending innovative technology, spectacular lighting, and some of the most beloved songs ever written, ABBA take to the stage in a whole new way. In a stunning, purpose-built arena, one of the most popular groups in history appear as digital avatars in a ground-breaking concert that really needs to be seen to be believed.
Meet and greet at 6:30pm at Stratford Station
All tickets, VI and guides will be £27.50 each
These tickets are all half price, and we can’t wait to dance the night away. Tickets are limited, they will be on a first come, first serve basis.
Please do not forget to put which date you would prefer.
If you are visually impaired and want these tickets, please attach one of the following:
- PIP (Personal Independence Payment)
- DLA
- Letter from a medical professional (e.g. a doctor’s note or a letter from an occupational therapist)
- Carers Allowance
- A Nimbus Access Card with the +1 symbol
- Social Services letter – Confirmation in writing from Social Services that the individual is included on their Deaf Register, or a letter or report from an aural specialist confirming that hearing loss has been recorded at 70 – 95 dBHL or worse
- War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- Blind or partially sighted registration certificate (BD8 or CVI certificate)
- A personal letter from the GP, community nurse or social worker
- Benefit award letters
- Copy of a blue badge (we would need to see both sides)
For more information or to book your place contact Suzie
suzie@eyematter.org.uk with subject ‘Abba’
Eye Matter Choir is coming back
Eye Matter is delighted to announce- The Eye Matter singers is coming back.
Choir will be commencing on Wednesday 20th March
Further choir sessions will be on:
Monday 25th March 1st April 8th April15th April 22nd April 29th April 6th May 13th May, Wednesday 15th May, Monday 20th May and Wednesday 22nd May.
Performance: TBC
Venue: St Pancras & Somers Town Living Centre
If you have any song recommendations, please send them to suzie@eyematter.org.uk
With subject ‘song’
More dates for your diary:
- Sailing Wednesday 17th April £5
- Tate Britain Tuesday 23rd April Free
- Planetarium Show – Audio Universe Saturday 18th May £5
- Sailing Wednesday 22nd May £5
- Sailing Wednesday 26th June £5
- Climb the o2 (2 spaces left) Thursday 11th July at 9am. £25
- Sailing Wednesday 17th July £5
- Sailing Wednesday 4th September £5
- Sailing Wednesday 2nd October £5
For more information or to book your place contact Suzie
Suzie@eyematter.org.uk with subject [Name of event].
Future on-line events for March and beyond:
Keep up to date with our activities here.
Highlights for March and beyond include:
- 12th: Fun and Friendly social followed by confidence building with Steve Reed.
- 19th: Fun and friendly social followed by Neurobics with Steve Wax, aerobics for your brain.
- 26th: Audio Described Zumba with Louise from Illuminate Freedom.
- VI Cookery, easy and delicious recipes: First and third Wednesday of every month 11am.
- Bounce: Second Wednesday of every month 11am. Come and discuss and bounce ideas off each other including, survival hacks for living with a visual impairment.
- Bookworms, our monthly book club: Held on the last Wednesday of each month at 11am.
If you would like to participate in any of these events, please email Eye Matter.
External activities
Dance classes for people living with sight loss.
Learn contemporary dance through improvisation and self-expression at Rambert, in partnership with EYES 4 POSITIVITY. This term finishes Saturday 23rd March, 2024.
Where: Rambert 99 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PP.
When: Saturdays, 12.30pm – 2.30pm
You can book on our website, over the phone or in person.
rambert.org.uk/eyes-4-positivity or call: 0208 630 0600
Cost: £7 per class.
For any questions or more information:
Email us on dance@rambert.org.uk
To find more about EYES 4 POSITIVITY please call 07730410788, email info@eyes4positivity.org or visit http://eyes4positivity.org