Membership
We would like to say a big thank you to all those who have renewed their membership for the coming year, don’t forget it’s not too late to renew!
100 Club Winners
Congratulations to the following winners:
February
1st prize no. 53, Michelle Morrell, £25.75
2nd prize no. 111, Joyce Hawkins, £10.30
March
1st prize no. 40, James Anderson, £25.75
2nd prize no. 37, Michael Rexstrew-Berry £10.30
Easter bonus no. 30, Allen Richardson, £50
The cost is £12 per year, there is a draw every month and the more members we have the bigger the prizes. There is also a chance of winning a bonus prize of £50 twice a year, and a Christmas bonus of £100. If you would like to join, just give us a ring on 020 8540 5446. This is an easy way to help support your charity.
New Activities
We are planning some new activities which will start in April, come along and give them a try!
Smart Accessible Technology Peer Support Group 13 April 2018, 11 a.m.
Communication technology continues to evolve at a fantastic rate making it difficult to keep up with on your own. We have received an increase in the requests for accessible technology support around the Smart accessibility area and feel one way of delivering support is to create a peer support group. The group will meet at the Guardian Centre on every second Friday in the month at 11 a.m. to help you to investigate and learn new tips and tricks to make the most of your smart phone or tablet. We will invite guests to come and talk about specific areas of technology such as, apps, magnification and speech, navigating and gestures and voice activated devices. If you would like to know more about the group please contact Kevin on 020 8540 5446 or just come along to the Guardian Centre for the first meeting on Friday 13 April at 11 a.m. There may be a possibility of transport if required.
Talking Book Peer Support Group 27 April 2018 at 11 a.m.
To all the book worms out there who love talking books, this group is for you. The group will meet on the 4th Friday of each month at the Guardian Centre at 11 a.m. We will be looking at every aspect of talking books, what books to read, discussing genres, narrators. Also, where and how to get them, what devices are available to play them on and much much more. We will be inviting local Merton Libraries to get involved with suggestions and topics such as looking at how to use the Overdrive for accessing on-line books from the library. If you want to know more about the group please call Kevin on 020 8540 5446 or come along to the first group meeting on Friday 27 April 2018 at 11 a.m. Transport may be available.
Yoga Classes
Don’t forget our new Yoga class every Monday from 11 to 12.
£4 for members of MertonVision, £5 non-members.
Come and give it a go, improve your health whilst you relax! Group led by Rachel who has experience of working with people with a visual impairment.
(You will be requested to complete a short health questionnaire before you sign up).
Yoga mats provided.
Forthcoming events
South London Employment Project –12th and 24th April 2018 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Guardian Centre
The Works for Me programme in partnership with MertonVision, provides expert employment advice for blind and partially sighted people. We can help with getting work or retaining your existing job.
Works for Me is open to all visually impaired people who live, work or study in London between the ages of 18 and 65.
- One to one advice from our employment expert. Available by phone/email/face to face.
- Groups led by people sharing their experiences of working with sight loss.
- Putting you in contact with other experts that can help. I.T. trainers, counsellors and self-employment advisors.
- Our networking events put you in touch with other blind and partially sighted people who are in work or looking for work.
These are drop-in sessions at the Guardian Centre on 12th and 24th of April but it may be wise to pre-book your session. If you are Interested please contact: Amardeep Tokhi, email: Amardeep.tokhi@pocklington-trust.org.uk, 07773 584028 or call the MertonVision Office on 020 8540 5446.
My Guide Friends and Family Session Thursday 26 April 2018 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
We have arranged with Guide Dogs to host a My Guide – Families and Friends presentation here at the Guardian Centre.
We will facilitate conversations with you and your friends, family or colleagues about living with sight loss, and offer practical sighted guiding training to those who support you regularly. It’s also an opportunity to meet other visually impaired people and their families or friends for peer support. The My Guide service can provide a trained volunteer to assist you with; learning a route; improving fitness; building confidence; accessing events in the community. If you would like to know more about the presentation or the scheme please contact Francesca Vela; Francesca.vela@guidedogs.org.uk Mobile: 07785433251. Or call the MertonVision Office on 020 8540 5446.
Fun Disco – Knights Fantastic! Friday 27 April 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
An evening not to miss! Come along and enjoy yourselves whilst helping us to raise funds. Tickets are £5.
Music of all kinds, do you like to dance to music such as Jive, Jitterbug, Northern Soul, Tamla, Reggae, Stomp, Grunge, Grime, Calypso?
You name it! Our live DJ, Neil Long, from Radio Jackie can play it!
Throw in a few games, Photo Booth and an auction and this will be our biggest event of the year.
Brilliant items for auction such as a tour of the radio Jackie studio.
Get out your platforms, stiletto’s, trainers or pumps ready to strut your stuff.
If you don’t like dancing, you can still watch the fun whilst you enjoy a drink from our very reasonably priced bar.
To book please contact the office on 020 8540 5446.
Spring Coffee Morning Tuesday 8 May 10:30 a.m. to 12:30
Come along to our special Spring Coffee Morning. Be entertained by singer/guitarist Donal Rogers, refreshments provided.
Please let us know if you are coming for catering purposes, telephone the office on 020 8540 5446.
Macular Society Group Monday 21 May from 10 a.m.
This group is for you if you have Macular Degeneration (MD). It is good to meet other people who have the same eye condition, have a cup of tea/coffee and a chat. This month’s guest speaker is John Hawks from the Wandle Industrial Museum, talking about ‘the Ghost Trains in Merton’.
No need to book just turn up on the day.
For Sale
Barely used portable ‘i-loview 7 Full HD Magnifier’ full working condition. £400 ono (£1000 new). Collect or pay extra for postage. Contact MertonVision and we will pass your details on to the seller.
2 x Floor Standing Lamps, these are second hand items, sensible offers. Contact MertonVision office on 020 8540 5446.
Demonstration Equipment
We now have a smart reader talking scanner on loan from Enhanced Vision.
A full page reader that makes reading enjoyable again! Easy to use, Smart Reader boasts a lightweight portable sleek design with a user friendly console. Position your document and press a button, in seconds Smart Reader begins reading aloud. Connect Smart Reader to a TV or monitor and enlarge the captured image to follow along as it reads. For a true portable experience, attach Smart Reader to our new 13.3″ Portable Battery Operated Monitor and enjoy up to 3.5 hours of reading anywhere! Perfect for work, home, school, holidays and on the go. (screen needed)
To book a home demo or come to Mertonvision for a demonstration please phone the office to book an appointment.
R.I.P.
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Stuart Hoskins, Desai Chitteranjan, Reg Raff, Kathleen Adams, Vera Mist, Joseph Robinson.
To their family and friends we offer our sincere condolences and thank you for donations to MertonVision in lieu of funeral flowers. (Just a reminder that we are MertonVision, your local charity – NOT any other national sight loss charity………!)
Low Vision Clinic
When spectacles no longer help you to see properly, a low vision aid or magnifier may help. The aim is to maximize the remaining vision that you have, using a range of magnifiers, telescopes or other equipment which are prescribed and dispensed by an Optometrist.
Using a suitable magnifier could help you read print and not have to wait to ask someone to read it for you! It may help you to check ‘sell by’ dates, cooking instructions, read correspondence and also labels when you go shopping.
If you would like to attend this clinic, the only criteria is that your sight is sufficiently poor that you need to use a magnifier for reading etc., and you have had a sight test at a high street opticians within the last year (even if you have been told that you are sight impaired and nothing can be done). Our Low Vision Clinic is usually held on the first Tuesday of the month, just give us a call to make an appointment.
Wimbledon Guild Counselling Service
We’ll help you if you’re feeling down, or anxious, or perhaps doing things that you know are not good for you. You might be having difficulties in your relationships with friends, or family, or experienced an upsetting change, or have more longstanding issues you’d like help with.
It can be helpful to talk to someone professional about your experiences and feelings. If you would like more information, please contact Wimbledon Guild Counselling Service on 020 8296 0030
Merton Sports and Social Club
MSSC is an integrated sports and leisure club, founded in the 1970’s, with both vision impaired and sighted members from within Merton and surrounding areas. All ages and abilities are welcome.
What does the MSSC have to offer?
Weekly Socials, Tandem Cycling, Fitness Sessions, Walking, Swimming, Canoeing, Theatre Trips, Bowls, Darts, Quizzes
For details, please phone MSSC President Richard James on 07500 913 223 or email rjames.sensory@gmail.com
Merton Talking Newspaper
MTN produce a recording of the local news and a magazine once a week which is posted out on Fridays to all who request it. If you would like to receive this on memory stick or by email please contact the MTN Studio direct on 020 8544 0551.
If you would like to receive the talking news on memory stick but do not have anything to play it on a Sovereign player can be provided, free of charge, on a permanent loan basis. Again, either contact the Studio on the number above or Mertonvision on 020 8540 5446.
Volunteers needed for Merton Talking Newspaper
Merton Talking Newspaper provides a weekly audio recording of the local Guardian, which is sent to blind and partially sighted people locally by post.
They are looking for people with a clear speaking voice to help with the recording. There is a Rota, so usually you would be asked to help on one Thursday evening per month.
Please contact the MTN Studio directly on 020 8544 0551 and leave a message.
Dates for your Diary 2018
Thursday 12 April South London Employment Project
Saturday 14 April EyeCanDoIt
Tuesday 24 April South London Employment Project
Thursday 26 April My Guide Friends and Family Session
Friday 27 April MV Social, Fun Disco – Knights Fantastic
Tuesday 8 May Spring Coffee Morning
Saturday 12 May EyeCanDoIt
Monday 21 May Macular Degeneration Group
Saturday 9 June EyeCanDoIt
Saturday 14 July EyeCanDoIt
Monday 16 July Macular Degeneration Group
Tuesday 11 September Technology Day
Monday 17 September Macular Degeneration Group
Saturday 12 October EyeCanDoIt
Thursday 8 November MertonVision AGM
Saturday 10 November EyeCanDoIt
Monday 19 November Macular Degeneration Group
Saturday 8 December EyeCanDoIt
Thursday 13 December Christmas Lunch
Friday 21 December Centre Closes for Christmas
