Welcome to Eye Matter Matters issue number ten. 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
- This edition includes:
- Hurrah! Eye Matter conquered the O2 Arena.
- Let’s go to the hop with Lesta and our social chat.
- Sharing experiences about loss with Eye Matter.
- “Too darn hot” with Kiss Me Kate.
- Eye Matter makes a persuasive argument for change.
- Jackie encourages us to be “human beings not human doings” with chair yoga.
Eye matter spotlight special
- Eye Matter balances the world of See Saw.
Future events
- We still have tickets available for.
Future on-line events
Hurrah! Eye Matter conquered the O2 Arena.
By Fiona Musgrove.
So they did it! Twenty-seven members conquered the O2 Arenas 52 metre high (reflecting the number of weeks in a year) and 365metre wide (representing the number of days in a year), roof-top walk. A huge thanks to the incredible team of volunteers and staff who assisted this fantastic achievement. One member said, “It’s been ages since I’ve done something like this, and it has really helped in lifting my spirits and makes me realise there’s so much more that I can do, but just don’t know it. We enjoyed it so much that we are going to take the kids and climb it again.”
Suzie (Eye Matter’s Founder) was delighted at the response from those who attended, “Two of our gorgeous members had prosecco up there at 10:30 in the morning, very grand. It was a brilliant day. 27 people joined us for the climb and 20 joined us for lunch afterwards. It was a wonderful community event, as we sat in the beer garden of Wetherspoons.”
Not only was this event designed to boost confidence and provide a sense of achievement but, also, to give members a chance to help raise funds for the charity. Each climber could be sponsored, or a donation given to reward their personal accomplishment. Bakul explained, “I really enjoyed climbing the O2 Arena with Eye Matter, who I met at the North Greenwich tube station. My allocated sighted guide was brilliant. He alerted me on obstacles as we made our way up the O2 Arena and describe the views from the top. It is quite steep as you start the climb and then as you get to the top, it gets flatter. We wore security harnesses for safety. Thankfully, the weather was excellent 😎 This was a great experience, and I am glad that I did it.”
Suzie added, “Eye Matter is so proud and grateful that our members, friends and families have raised a whopping £2,264 in sponsorship for the brilliant members and sighted guides who climbed the o2 on the 11th of July.”
There is still time to make a contribution to show your appreciation of our brave blind and partially sighted members who valiantly conquered the O2 Arena. This JustGiving page will close on the 14th of August.
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/eyematterclimbstheo2
Click to our Facebook Page for a video compilation of their magical day in the skies above Greenwich.
Let’s go to the hop with Lesta and our social chat.
By Fiona Musgrove.
On Tuesday 23rd July 2024 (at 6pm) 14 members joined Lesta Woo, from Illuminate Freedom Health and Well-Being, to take part in a Lindy Hop dance taster session. Lesta (who is also visually impaired) is a professional jazz dancer. She has taught, performed and competed both nationally and internationally. With 15 years’ experience of dancing Lindy-Hop she certainly delivered a well-structured and fun session. Accompanied by an ecliptic range of music from the 1940’s featuring Ray Charles to Olly Murs, we were guided through a succession of dance routines.
Lesta provided clear descriptions over the rhythmic beat of each track and explained the importance of recognising the “pulse” (the heartbeat) of every piece of music. It is this basic concept that denotes this type of jazz known as “Skat” which differs to “Swing” Jazz which lands on the 8th beat.
The tempo increased as new steps and routines were introduced culminating in us kicking in a style synonymous to the Charleston. After the energetic session finished Lesta joined us in a relaxed social chat. Conversations ranged from the new Blind Barbie doll to reviewing the audio description of the Euros. One member said that the audio description was sometimes too detailed and because it was out of time with the television commentary it was hard to follow within a group of sighted friends. She said “I heard the goal scored before my friends and had to keep a straight face as not to spoil it for them!”
Warren on the topic of Barbie with a white cane quipped “The reason Barbie doesn’t have a Guide Dog is that it takes two years to be made” (referring to the excessive time it takes from an application to be granted a Guide Dog.
If you would like to find out more about these sessions or, join us, please email: suzie@eyematter.org.uk with the subject “Lindy Hop”.
Sharing experiences about loss with Eye Matter.
By Fiona Musgrove.
On Monday 21st July 2024, at 1.30pm, ten Eye Matter members attended
Our “Surviving to Thriving” course, facilitated by Joanna Williams, writer, workshop leader and therapist. On the second and fourth Monday of every month at 1:30pm, they explore various topics or concepts around the subject of grief and loss.
This week they discussed Robert Neimeyer’s constructivism, or ‘meaning making’ model. His work suggests that one way of working through and making sense of a loss is to actively engage with what it means for your life and to actively construct a new narrative for yourself. Members were encouraged to share their experiences in a safe space.
These twice a month session have been kindly funded by the Marway family and Natasha Cazin to allow blind and partially sighted people a chance to explore a range of different topics related to sight-loss.
If you would like to find out more about these sessions or, join us, please email: suzie@eyematter.org.uk with the subject “thriving”.
“Too darn hot” with Kiss Me Kate.
By Fiona Musgrove.
On a warm Wednesday evening (17th July 2024), twenty-four members and volunteers, gathered at the Barbican tube station before a short walk to the magnificent Barbican complex. On the stage of Kiss Me, Kate we met the Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager Stevie, who introduced us to the Barbican and the staff assisting with the touch tour. We were shown various props, including fake food, the heavy tankard Kate throws across stage and an array of costumes. Suzie tried on the donkey’s head, much to the laughter of everyone, before pretending to speak with an American drawl into an old-fashioned telephone. The group were shown around the circular stage which represents three scenes of the show.
A unique feature of this Barbican Theatre is that its orchestra pit (which has an 18-piece ensemble) is sunk within the actual stage rather than down in front of it. Actors perform their parts around the music pit moving carefully to the front apron towards the audience. The stage manager admitted that he sometimes holds his breath as the dancers occasionally dance precariously close to the pit! The Barbican Theatre can hold up to 1200 people and is tiered to provide maximum viewing opportunities. This production has a 15-week run and was completely full when we visited.
Vicky said, “Kiss me Kate with Adrian Dunbar, that guy can sing! Excellent performance with great audio description. Good to see friends from Eye Matter. It has an amazing large set with revolve and orchestra Pit within the stage!”
Adrian Dunbar takes the lead role but many of us would recognise him from the gritty BBC detective drama “Line of Duty”. For me, I liked the gangster duo who broke into “Brush up your Shakespeare”. Using their canes, during the dance routine, they seemed to pay homage to us when our audio describer said “as if using them to sense their positions” (I imagined them to be curving on the floor in front of them).
Audio description was accessed through specialised headsets and performed by Ellie and Ruth, who are “in house” describers. Ellie explained she had been part of the Royal Shakespeare Company for over 15 years which was now housed at the Barbican. Their enthusiastic, yet detailed commentary, was worthy of an on-stage curtain call of appreciation.
Charlie wrote to the Barbican and Eye Matter, to thank you for the great night at the audio described performance of Kiss Me, Kate last night (Weds 17 Jul):
Barbican team, I was one of the Eye Matter charity group of blind and visually impaired people who attended. Being totally blind, audio description is essential to me being able to follow theatre productions properly. Without attending the touch tour beforehand and listening to the audio commentary during the show, it would have been impossible for me to know what was happening, particularly during Act 1 which was especially fast paced. I hope you’ll continue offering audio described performances when possible.
Suzie, thanks again for organising another great event, and to the volunteers for their help.”
One of our members hasn’t visited the theatre for nineteen years but was encouraged at our sports day to attend. “I was in awe and admiration at the actors’ zest, enthusiasm, powerful, energetic, professional performances. They seemed to make the whole stage vibrate! wow…amazing, could quite easily become a Theatre addict: Going backstage, feeling the props gave a visualisation of the drama production. The audio descriptors were spot on, so accurate for each scene/ act.”
Thanks to our lovely photographers Joanne and Vicky for these memories of our visit to Kiss Me Kate.
Please click to our Facebook Page to view the video:
If you would like to participate in a future show with us, please email Eye Matter: suzie@eyematter.org.uk
Eye Matter members make a persuasive argument for change.
By Fiona Musgrove.
On Friday, 19th July, ten members joined a unique Speech writing workshop led by Alan Finlayson, renowned professor of political and social theory from the University of East Anglia.
During the session members learnt how to make a powerful and persuasive speech. professor Finlayson, (Alan), outlined what a political speech was and helped attendees decide what to make their speeches about. He remarked how it was always interesting to hear everyone’s ideas.
Karen, a member (from Bournemouth), spoke about the difficulties with shared spaces. She felt that as a visually impaired pedestrian having to share space with a multitude of cyclists and E-scooters often caused her to feel anxious. On a recent visit to London she noticed how the pavements were largely the domain of pedestrians as the cycle paths were on the road.
Another member, Natalie, felt passionately about providing young children access to mindfulness and a safe emotional space, to discuss their anxieties. She drew from her personal experiences suggesting that her life may have taken a different path if she’d had such opportunities available.
Suzie wanted to highlight the many benefits of volunteering. She explained how receiving the RNIB Volunteer of the year award after 15 years of volunteering was a torch she wanted other people to take into their lives and communities.
Mo discussed his concerns regarding the wastefulness of supermarket packaging. He spoke about how the UK compared to other countries and the effort some supermarkets were making.
Gheorghe was conscious of the high cost of childcare during school holidays. This was particularly problematic in the South East but equally for those on low incomes across the country.
Warren wanted to speak about having subsidised meat for dogs, which might encourage manufacturers and providers to improve the percentage in their products.
Irena would like to encourage a focus on free childcare provision for parents to enable them to return to work. She compared the UK’s lack of support to Polish amenities for families.
After trekking hundreds of miles from Southwark, London to Luca, Italy, I wanted to raise the idea of citizens taking care of their environment. This would entail addressing the blight of fly-tipping, littering and keeping our overhanging gardens and trees in order.
From these basic ideas, participants discussed a five-point outline that they would use to write a unique speech. Alan said that to create an effective speech it was important to know the end result that was being aimed for. He invited us to think about how we’d like our audience to feel, remember or learn from our speeches? The next session with Alan has been planned for 16th August and he has kindly circulated an information booklet to accompany this workshop.
If you would like to find out more about this workshop or would be interested in future opportunities in Creative Writing please email Suzie: suzie@eyematter.org.uk with the subject “Creative Writing”.
Jackie encourages us to be “human beings not human doings” with chair yoga.
By Fiona Musgrove.
Jackie Turner, from My Chair Yoga, lead ten Eye Matter members through a rigorous, yet empathetic journey into Chair Yoga this evening (Tuesday 16th July,2024 at 6pm) live on Zoom. This was the first of a seven-week programme which has been kindly funded by The Boost Charitable Trust to promote healthy living and wellbeing for blind and partially sighted people who may feel isolated or unable to access local sessions.
Members sitting on their chairs were encouraged to stretch and move their bodies into different yoga positions, under clear directions given by Jackie. With our legs outstretched and raised in the air, we were asked to write the word “breathe” with first our right-side large toe and then the left. For Jess being left-handed this was a doddle! At the end the sound of the gentle lapping waves guided our breathing as the session came to a close.
Suzie (Eye Matter’s Founder) said,” We are delighted to announce that the Boost Charitable trust is going to fund Audio Described chair yoga with Jackie Turner from My Chair Yoga from June 2024 to June 2025. Boost provides funding and support to inspiring programmes which help improve the lives of the disadvantaged and disabled through the power of sport.”
There was a good mixture of genders in the group and Jackie gave positive feedback to those who had their cameras switched on. One member commented that she felt “invigorated”, whilst another admitted that despite just being diagnosed positive with Covid and self-isolating, she felt better after the session.
If you would like to take part in our next session, please email Eye Matter with the subject title “Chair Yoga”.
Future events
Eye matter spotlight special
Eye Matter balances the world of “See Saw”.
By Fiona Musgrove.
The See Saw Podcast is a weekly half hour podcast focussed on all areas of disability and sight loss including news, sport and entertainment. See Saw Podcast aims to keep things light, balanced and bring a smile to those dealing with a visual impairment. The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms (see below for more details), or simply search ‘See Saw Podcast’. Last week I caught up with Eric (AKA Cleaves), from See Saw and asked him why this show was created?
“Tony and myself (whose podcast names are T and Cleaves) felt that other podcasts that focussed on sight loss, usually focussed on educating people or telling the stories of those with a condition. While there is a place for these, we felt they could often be too long, too niche and sometimes quite dull.”
Eric admitted they were more influenced by the lack of engaging podcasts which drove them to create See Saw Podcast. “We listen to a number of sports, music and gaming podcasts such as FF1S, Chris Demakes a Podcast and Remember the Game, but they all have a lighter edge to them and we wanted to offer something similar, but within the sphere of disability and sight loss.”
Consequently, Tony and Eric, created See Saw Podcast four years ago, as a fun alternative. They aimed to provide a platform to cover “all aspects of sight loss and disability: news, sport, leisure, social issues etc. that could provide both light entertainment, yet take an uncompromising look at the big issues, all wrapped up in a weekly 30-minute episode.”, explained Eric.
The See Saw podcast has showcased a number of sports and activities specific to sight loss, “we’ve promoted blind cricket, football and baseball among others, but we also promote business that are either run by visually impaired people or offer a service that may interest them such as Two Blind Brothers, All Things Dotty and Wel-co.me as well as spotlighting disabled people in creative industries such as author Macy Lewis, musician Chris Hendricks and photographer Robyn Lindeman. We’re always looking for guests that want to promote themselves, so we urge them to get in touch!”
In the early days of See Saw there were just the two guys. I wanted to know how bringing on a third person into the dynamics changed the show.
“Selina P joined after an episode aired about a documentary, she featured in called ‘Blind Young Things’ (available on All 4) about her life at the time of attending R.N.C. We reached out and she came on a different episode to discuss the documentary and we got on so well that she became a regular guest and eventually permanent co-host. Selina P is what she describes as ‘proper blind’ whereas myself and T are partially sighted so she has that perspective and is also heavily involved in sport, being a former Commonwealth athlete and current member of England’s women’s blind football team, so it was great to have her knowledge on those subjects. By her own admission she also ‘ticks a lot of diversity boxes’ which gives us a much more rounded approach to things we talk about and she can also give as good as she gets where the banter’s concerned so having her permanently on the show seemed like a natural fit.”
He described some of the recording process and time spent producing each show: “We record our episodes live on Twitch which usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the comments and questions asked by the listeners during the record. I’ll then create an unedited episode with the See Saw credits tacked on the end for YouTube and the website, and then I’ll edit the audio file down to create the main podcast that goes out to all streaming platforms. All in all, it usually takes around three times as long as the episode length to edit and upload the final productions.”
I then asked Eric if he has a favourite show or moment during his time with See Saw, which he would like to share with Eye Matter? “I don’t have a specific favourite, but any episode where a guest comes on and speaks passionately about what it is they do because their enthusiasm always transfers to us as hosts. I also love some of our mini-series such as ‘Price is Blind’ where we each describe a product and have to guess the cost. Episodes like these where the three of us just have a relaxed chat about something always turn out hilarious.”
The latest See Saw Podcast featured their visit to the Sight Village in Birmingham. Apart from meeting our founder Suzie he wasn’t enamoured with the event: “I think Sight Village is great for a person that hasn’t been before, and I’d definitely recommend it. For me personally, I’d like to see more stands outside of the product and tech space that have active demos that visually impaired people can take part in. I’d also love to see more from an entertainment standpoint, such as a live radio stand during the day that could get eventgoers involved while giving out information about Sight Village itself and lastly, I’d like to see a few more stands offering help and advice for those trying to find work.”
Eye Matter would like to thank Eric for his honest contributions to this article. Outside of See Saw he works is a Wholesale Manager for a large food company but admits, “I spend my evenings and weekends out with friends, playing guitar and going to gigs as I’m still a punk at heart. I also travel as much as I can with a trip to Vietnam and Hong Kong planned for later this year.”
If you would like to listen to their latest podcast, please click here:
Connect with See Saw Podcast through social media:
If you would like to know more about Eye Matter, please email: suzie@eyematter.org.uk
All our events are accessed here
Here are a few highlights:
We still have tickets available for:
31st August Fiddler on the Roof Saturday £15
1st September Outdoor Performance – Five parkour performers take an unforgettable journey through Greenwich Peninsula’s stunning architectural landscapes. Featuring a jaw-dropping integration of movement and climbing skills, this breathtaking performance receives its UK premiere at GDIF. Live Audio Description available. – £5 voluntary contribution
4th September £5 Sailing Wednesday
7th September Dancing City – London’s much-loved, annual, celebration of free outdoor dance showcases a host of exceptional homegrown and international talent in amazing outdoor spaces across Stratford – in the new East Bank and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Live Audio Description Assisted Route with EyeMatter. – £5 voluntary contribution
21st September £5 Confidence Building Workshop with Vic Hogg and Steve Reed
28th September Visually impaired group grief workshop session to be held in Kings cross Sommers Town Hall 2pm to 5pm with refreshments £5
16th October TINA The Tina Turner Musical £39.50
For more information or to book your place contact Suzie
Suzie@eyematter.org.uk with subject [Name of event].
Future on-line events
Keep up to date with our activities here.
No matter where you are located in the UK, come and join our growing on-line group of friends.
Tuesday 30th July, 6pm:
Fun and friendly social followed by a concert by Jorgen Hansson, Live on stage from Sweden by the magic of Zoom
Wednesday 31st July, 11am:
Bookworms, our monthly book club, discussing An Angel Called My Name: Incredible True Stories from the Other Side by Theresa Cheung, hosted by Sarah
Friday 2nd August 11am:
Fun and friendly social followed by a general knowledge quiz with Steve Reed
If you want more information about any of the above events, please email us: suzie@eyematter.org.uk.