Welcome to Eye Matter Matters issue number five. 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:
Eye Matter Spotlight.
The Running Man.
Frameless with Eye Matter.
Future events
- Eye Matter’s Second Annual Sports Taster Day and Social
- An audio described performance of Fiddler on the Roof
- A 2-hour audio described tour of London Zoo
- We still have tickets available for.
Future on-line events
External Activities
- Last chance to enjoy a tour with Guide Dogs around Canary Wharf.
- Boat trip with the Barnet Borough Sight Impaired group.
- Sight Loss Council for North London.
- Sound Without Sight.
Eye Matter Spotlight.
The Running Man.
By Fiona Musgrove.
Dave Williams (aged 47), RNIB’s Inclusive Design Ambassador for Consumer and Business Services along with being Chair of the Braillist Foundation, agreed to an interview about his sight-loss journey. He has Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis LCA, which is a rare inherited genetic eye condition.
“As a kid, I mistakenly believed that my blindness meant I wouldn’t have much of a life. I refused to use my cane and braille because I felt like those things labelled me in a very negative way. In my teenage years, I spent a lot of time in bed not really caring about my future.” Through volunteering, he met other blind people who lifted him up and ultimately provided a route into employment. His career has also taken him to several US blindness consumer conventions including the American Council of the Blind and National Federation of the Blind. “I actually worked for ACB between 2003 and 2006 coordinating their internet radio service.” Both the ACB and NFB, in the US, represent tens of thousands of blind and partially sighted consumers and advocate on a wide range of social issues.
Whilst attending the California State University of Northridge Assistive Technology Conference (March 2024), Dave was honoured to meet one of his hero’s, Stevie Wonder. “He’s quite tall you know. Stevie was really fun. He was interested in my Zoom audio recording device. He tried impersonating a British accent! At one point we had to move because of the crowds. He took my arm in his and started sighted guiding. That really was a pinch yourself moment.”
Dave was there to deliver a number of presentations, meet with other world blindness organisations and to record content for RNIB Connect Radio. He spoke to the legendary singer/songwriter about the importance of accessibility, how Stevie uses braille to write store and edit his songs and how he’d like to collaborate with Ed Sheeran. He told Dave that he would not have the career he enjoys without braille. Dave commented, ”Stevie’s words convey a massively important message about leaning into our blindness skills. As chair of the Braillists Foundation, I am acutely aware of the power of braille to transform lives. But, the same is true for using a cane, a screen reader, and all the other things we need to learn as blind people.”
Click here to hear the full interview RNIB Tech Talk episode 505
As host on Tech Talk on RNIB Connect radio, one of the funniest incidents occurred whilst attending RNIB’s Inclusive Design for Sustainability conference. “We got an interview with the Japanese consumer tech giant Sony. I was excited to be recording with them. I asked the company representative to introduce himself. It only turned out that his name was also David Williams!”
Recently, Dave was involved with RNIB’s the ‘Unseen World sponsored by Cannon. This three day exhibition showcased the work of 15 photographers pioneering a new technique to allow touch to be used within images. It also incorporated the use of codes (to provide information) by Navilens, amongst other more traditional options.
In his spare time, Dave plays the piano in a Blues Band and has recently taken up running. “From weighing 16 stone (2018) and not being able to run a bath, within a year I had completed the New York City Marathon. I then found out about the Abbott World Marathon Majors. This is six of the world’s biggest city marathons. I was hooked. As well as New York, I’ve completed London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and hopefully next year I’ll complete the set in Tokyo.” In the meantime, this month, ‘The Running Man’, will be attempting two Marathons (London and Manchester) within one week!
Tune in for Tech Talk on RNIB Connect Radio:
www.rnib.org.uk/connect-radio/rnib-connect-radio-shows/tech-talk/
If you have a tech query please email: techtalk@rnib.org.u
If you are interested in running and would like to enquire about a sighted guide please contact British Blind Sport.
Share my Marathon running efforts for a stronger RNIB:
www.justgiving.com/pages/davewilliams366
Frameless with Eye Matter.
On Tuesday 2nd April, 32 blind and partially sighted members, alongside volunteers, attended the ‘Frameless Exhibition’, the largest permanent multi- sensory exhibition near London’s Marble Arch. It has 42 Masterpieces and spans four galleries. It provides a unique immersive experience where visitors engage with art like never before!
Many members expressed their appreciation at being able to access all the galleries and the support of the staff.
One member said, “Wonderful visit today, organised by the fabulous Suzie from Eye Matter Four different galleries wow!”
In the first gallery they explored ‘Beyond Reality’ where the group were encouraged to “TRAVEL BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF REALITY AND DISCOVER ICONIC ARTWORKS THAT EXPLORE OTHER WORLDS, DREAMS, AND THE SURREAL. ”The most famous group of artists to produce such works were the Surrealists. Inspired by Sigmund Freud’s writings on the unconscious mind, artists such as Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí, created surprising, and often challenging imagery with deep symbolic meaning.”
This attention to detail continued throughout. The other galleries where they examined brushstrokes and textures used by different artists to convey their messages.
Another participants told us that In one gallery, being able to kick projected leaves on the floor onto the walls was a magical touch.
This was a hugely successful event with everybody leaving on a high as they stepped out into the sunshine.
Future events
All our events are accessed here
Here are a few highlights:
Eye Matter Singers proudly present our spring concert in loving memory of Davinder Marway.
When: Saturday 25th May, 3:30pm to 6pm.
Meet and Greet at St Pancras International Station Midland Road Exit by the Thameslink barrier at 2:50pm
Where: St Pancras & Somers Town Living Centre, 150 Ossulston Street, London NW1 1DF
please come and join us for this fun afternoon featuring popular and contemporary songs.
Free tickets
Eye Matter’s Second Annual Sports Taster Day and Social
In collaboration with Metro Blind Sport and Illuminate Freedom Health and Well-Being
Over 18s only
When: Saturday 22nd June 2024, 10am to 3:30pm
Meet and greet at 9:30am at Caledonian Road Underground Station
Where: Islington Tennis Centre and Gym, Market Rd, London N7 9PL
For a taster of VI tennis, VI football, VI cricket, an introduction to Showdown and an audio described warm-up and cool-down with Illuminate Freedom Health and Well-Being.
Tickets will be £10, including a halal lunch
An audio described performance of Fiddler on the Roof
When: Saturday 31st of August at 2:15pm
Touch tour approx. 12:30pm tbc
Meet and greet at 11:30am at Baker Street Underground Station
Please bring a picnic
Where: The Open-Air Theatre – The Regent’s Park, Inner Circle, London NW1 4NU
Cost: Tickets are £15 per person
A 2-hour audio described tour of London Zoo
When: Wednesday 21st of August
Meet-and-greet at Baker Street Station at 10:00am
Where: London Zoo
Knowledgeable presenters will guide a group of up to 20 VIs plus sighted guides around the Zoo, on a route that includes some tactile models of the animals and, when available, an animal experience.
Cost: Tickets are reduced to £3.
After the tour, we will have a picnic, please bring your lunch.
We still have tickets available for:
Confidence Building Workshop 8th May 2024
1 VI and 1 guide ticket left for Spirited Away Thursday 23rd May 2024 £45
Sailing Wednesday 26th June 2024 £5
Sailing Wednesday 17th July 2024 £5
Henry Moore Studios and Gardens Thursday 25th July £27
The Constituent Wednesday 31st July 2024 £22
Sailing Wednesday 4th September 2024 £5
Sailing Wednesday 2nd October 2024 £5
For more information on any of these events 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
Last chance to enjoy a tour with Guide Dogs around Canary Wharf.
There are only a few dates left until this novel exhibition (Paws on the Wharf) highlighting 25 Guide Dog sculptures custom designed by a range of artists from primary schoolchildren to international artists finishes on May 17th. Volunteers from Guide Dogs are there to provide assistance and share explanations about each piece related to the artist through a range of sensory accessories.
Boat trip with the Barnet Borough Sight Impaired group.
The BBSI Outings Committee is in the process of organising a boat trip on the River Lea including a Fish and Chip lunch on Tuesday 25th June. The boat trip lasts 3 ½ hours.
They will arrange a coach to take you to and from the boat from St Mary’s Church Hall, Hendon Lane N3 1TR at around 10am. The cost will be £36 per head. To organise this event, they need to know how many people are interested in coming.
If you are interested, please contact Nigel:
nigel.v@sky.com
Sight Loss Council for North London.
Sight Loss Councils would like to enrol more visually impaired and blind people from ALL boroughs in the north of London.
For more information please contact: Liam O’Carroll on:
07970231583
or email:
liam.ocarroll@pocklington.org.uk
Sound Without Sight.
‘Sound Without Sight’ is a hub for blind and partially sighted musicians, VoiceOver artists, audio engineers, and other creatives to come together to share and contribute their knowledge, and learn from one another; (people can get involved via our discussion forums and our knowledge hub).
If you know of anyone who may be interested, please encourage them to register for this month’s meet-up. Please note that registering only signs you up for this month‘s session, future sessions will require registering again. To keep up with our sessions and the other great things that we’re doing, sign up to our mailing list
We would, of course, also like to invite members to learn from and contribute to our knowledge hub and discussion forums , where they can interact with other blind and partially sighted creatives.