Welcome to Eye Matter Matters issue number three. 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:
RIP Our Friend, Davinder Kaur Marway.
The coloured arches of Elysian art and 50 floors up!
Too Good To Go.
Update on Social Media.
Future events
- Celebrate with Suzie – noodles and comedy
- Spirited Away- An audio described performance.
- We still have tickets available for.
Future on-line events
External Activities
- Sailing Vision Week 2024
- dance performance ‘Attuning’.
RIP Our Friend, Davinder Kaur Marway.
By Rachel Bowden Waterson, Eye Matter Trustee.
The Eye Matter community was devastated to learn of the sudden and unexpected death of our much-Loved friend and member Davinder Kaur Marway in early March.
Along with several members and trustees Suzie was honoured to attend Davinder’s funeral to say a final farewell to a brilliant and courageous young woman. The funeral was held on 21st march at Davinder’s Gurdwara, near East Ham. A huge congregation gathered to pay their respects. Due to the Gurdwara and crematorium being over capacity, the service was also broadcast through loudspeakers to mourners outside. Despite the palpable grief of Davinder’s family and friends Eye Matter was humbled by the care and welcome we were shown across the day.
Eye Matter sends its heartfelt thanks and deepest condolences to The Marway family. We are so grateful of their decision to encourage mourners to donate to Eye Matter in Davinder’s memory, thank you to everyone for their overwhelming generosity.
JustGiving Page: In Memory of Davinder Kaur Marway
Eye Matter Spotlight
Great news, Eye Matter will be hosting our second annual Sports Day on Saturday 22nd June in Islington in partnership with Metro Blind Sport and Illuminate Freedom Health and Well-Being. Activities will include cricket, tennis and football plus a fantastic food truck for our picnic lunch. Tickets will be £10.
For information about this event please email Eye Matter with the subject ‘Sports Day’.
The coloured arches of Elysian art and 50 floors up!
This was written by an Eye Matter member.
On Thursday, 7th March 2024, a group of twelve Eye Matter members and volunteers, met Suzie at Bank Station before walking to the Leadenhall building (Bishopsgate). Here we were introduced to Kat Gill, Access Producer, Safeguarding Lead at festival.org, who invited us to the event and helped to assist us.
We then proceeded to the Leadenhall building, where we also, met Tony, who was our audio describer. He provided us with headsets so, we could hear Tony’s commentary.
The group then walked through large rainbow-coloured arches into the Elysian Arcs Installation. Whilst listening to the peaceful music broadcast from within the large bubbles we were encouraged to feel the wrinkled plastic texture of the installation. We were immersed into a colour changing experience which was created by natural light bouncing off all the various shapes contrasting to the subtle LED lights arranged within the structure.
After completing the tour, we went to “The Corner Cafe” for refreshments. Here we discussed whether being able to touch art is as important as having it audio described.
Whilst in the cafe, Suzie arranged, as an additional treat, for us to go up to the 50th floor of No.8 Bishopsgate. From here, one can see a panoramic view of London dwarfing many of its neighbouring skyscrapers. This view was described to us by our guide.
It was a fantastic day.
Too Good To Go.
By Fiona Musgrove.
In this worrying time of balancing the increasing costs of food against the disparity of living costs, why not try this money saving idea of food distribution; Too Good To Go is an app where shops and cafes near you offer end of shelf life products, at discount prices. This could include a ‘surprise bag’ or a range of cakes and sandwiches.
For helpful advice about the app click here.
If you try this, after reading this article, please let us know about your experience. Alternatively, if you have any more tips on saving the pennies please email us.
Update on Social Media.
Social media is becoming increasingly more accessible so, please keep in touch with us through the following platforms:
X (formerly Twitter): @Eyematter1.
Thank you to Sarah for running our amazing Facebook page, please use this link to join us:
https://www.facebook.com/eyematterofficial
Coming soon……Instagram.
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) Suzie wishes to invite you to celebrate her birthday with noodles and a night of laughter.
Contact suzie@eyematter.org.uk
Spirited Away- An audio described performance
Where: London Coliseum St Martin’s Lane WC2N 4ES
When: Thursday 23rd May 2024
Performance starts at 7:30pm. Touch Tour TBC. Meet and Greet at Charing Cross Station exit 12 inside the station at approximately 5pm, to be confirmed.
Cost: All tickets, VI and guides will be £45, reduced from £210
For more information or to book your place contact Suzie
suzie@eyematter.org.uk with subject ‘Spirited Away’
Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning Spirited Away, created by legendary animator and director Hayao Miyazaki is re-imagined for the stage by Olivier and Tony award-winning director of Les Misérables, John Caird.
The original Japanese cast perform this extraordinary production with wildly imaginative puppets, dazzling set and costume designs and a live orchestra playing the magnificent original film score by Joe Hisaishi.
A masterpiece of storytelling and stunning visuals Spirited Away tells the enchanting tale of Chihiro who while traveling to a new home with her family, stumbles into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba.
When her parents are turned into pigs and she is put to work in a magical bathhouse, Chihiro must use her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents, and return to the normal world.
Audiences in the UK now have the chance to be spirited away and delight in the mystery of this genre-defining animation classic.
MJ The Musical – An audio described performance
Where: Prince Edward Theatre, London W1D 4HS
When: Tuesday 18th June 2024
Performance starts at 7:30pm. Touch Tour TBC. Meet and Greet at Tottenham Court Road at approximately 5pm, to be confirmed.
Cost: All tickets, VI and guides will be £22.75
For more information or to book your place contact Suzie
suzie@eyematter.org.uk with subject ‘MJ’
He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to the West End stage direct from Broadway in the multiple Tony Award-winning new musical MJ.
Centred around the making of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star to offer a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Jackson to legendary status.
Created by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, MJ delivers a theatrical experience like no other, electrifying audiences with dozens of the most iconic songs in music history, including Billie Jean, Beat It, Man in the Mirror, Thriller and Smooth Criminal.
The Constituent – An audio described performance
Where: The Old Vic, 103 The Cut, London SE1 8NB
When: Wednesday 31st July
Performance starts at 7:30pm. Touch Tour at 5:30pm. Meet and Greet at Waterloo Station under the clock at 4:50pm
Cost: All tickets, VI and guides will be £22
For more information or to book your place contact Suzie
suzie@eyematter.org.uk with subject ‘Constituent’
‘I am not your punch bag! I am a Member of Parliament!’
An MP with an instinct for compassion.
An ex-serviceman with a life in free fall.
And a parliamentary protection officer who’s having none of it.
This volatile new play stars BAFTA Award winner Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, Line of Duty) as a hard-working opposition backbencher whose ideals of public office are tested by the demands of a man in crisis, played by Tony, BAFTA and Emmy Award winner James Corden (One Man, Two Guvnors, The History Boys).
Directed by Olivier and Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus (A Christmas Carol, Matilda The Musical) and written by Olivier Award winner Joe Penhall (Blue/Orange, Mood Music), The Constituent deconstructs politics, panic alarms and the conflict between public service and personal safety.
We still have tickets available for:
Saturday 4th May – Suzie’s Birthday Bash Noodles and Comedy £10
Saturday 18th May – Planetarium Show – Audio Universe £5
Thursday 23rd May – Spirited Away £45
Saturday 25th May – Eye Matter Singers Concert £5
Tuesday 18th June – MJ the Musical £22.75
Saturday 22nd June – Eye Matter Sports Day £10
Wednesday 26th June – Sailing £5
Wednesday 17th July – Sailing £5
Wednesday 31st July – The Constituent £22
Wednesday 4th September – Sailing £5
Wednesday 2nd October – Sailing £5
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.
External Activities
Sailing Vision Week 2024
29 June – 06 July 2024 – Lymington
“Applications have been coming in steadily from VI sailors and we are delighted to report that we have had a particularly good response from those who have never sailed or participated in Sailing Vision Week before, as well as applications from many of our regulars.”
With the deadline for VI applications being 31 March there are now only a few weeks left to apply for a VI crew place on Sailing Vision Week. If you have yet to apply, or if you are aware of any other VI crew ‘teetering on the brink’ of applying, then now would be a really good time to get your application submitted as it will help us greatly with planning.
For more information please contact:
Rosie Shorman
administrator at Sailing Vision Week
Sailing Vision Trust (Charity No 1197634/ www.sailingvision.org)
dance performance Attuning’.
Date: Friday 22nd March 2024
Time: 3.30pm
Venue: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London, E1 6LA
If you’d like to attend, please email meerapateldance@gmail.com
Dance performance Access:
The performance space has step-free access. Venue accessibility information can be found on Rich Mix website here.
There will be integrated audio description. There will be a BSL interpreter.
This unique production offers new experiences of Indian classical dance by shifting the focus from the visual to a rich multisensory exploration of an alternative world called Tanmaatra. This performance serves as an invitation to attune to the non-visual senses and embrace the depth of Indian classical dance and music in a whole new light.