Monthly Archives: September 2017

Scythians – Audio Described Museum Tour!

British Museum Audio Described Tour
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Scythians: warriors of ancient Siberia

The BP exhibition

14 September 2017 – 14 January 2018

Live audio described tours with handling session (dates below)

Saturday 7 October 16.00-18.15 

Thursday 16 November 16.00-18.15 

2,500 years ago groups of formidable warriors roamed the vast open plains of Siberia. Feared, loathed, admired – but over time forgotten… Until now.

This major exhibition explores the story of the Scythians – nomadic tribes and masters of mounted warfare, who flourished between 800 and 200 BC. Their encounters with the Greeks, Assyrians and Persians were written into history but for centuries all trace of their culture was lost – buried beneath the ice. Many of the objects in this stunning exhibition are on loan from the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

If you would like to know more about who the Scythians were – listen to this introduction by exhibition curator St John Simpson: https://soundcloud.com/britishmuseum/who-were-the-scythians

Events for blind and partially sighted people

 Live audio described tours with handling session (dates below)

Led by exhibition curator Chloe Leighton and VocalEyes audio describer Lonny Evans, these tours will explore highlights of the exhibition. Tours are accompanied by a handling session.

£13 exhibition entry. Members free. A disabled person’s assistant is free.

Tickets are limited and booking is essential, please email access@britishmuseum.org or phone +44 (0)20 7323 8971.

Saturday 7 October 16.00-18.15 

Thursday 16 November 16.00-18.15 

Please note, there will be no recorded audio description for this exhibition.

Resources for blind and partially sighted people

–      Large print descriptions with images

A book containing a self-led descriptive tour for partially sighted visitors is available at the start of the exhibiton. It contains descriptions of ten objects selected from the exhibition, each with a simplified black and white diagram. Key features in the diagrams are labelled. A tactile version of the images with labels in Braille is also available. Objects that are described in the book have an eye symbol on the object label.

–      Hands on desk

Visitors can handle objects connected to the exhibition on the Hands on desk open daily from 11.00-16.00 in the exhibition foyer.

–      Large print exhibition text

Exhibition text is available in 22 point, split across two books – one at the start and one two thirds of the way through the exhibition.

–      PDF or HTML exhibition text

Once the exhibition opens, you will be able to access exhibition text as a PDF or HTML on the website. If you use HTML you can save the webpage to your device before your visit and, using your device’s accessibility settings, adapt the font size and colour contrast to your requirements or use with a screen reader.

Do get in touch to make a booking for one of the live audio described tours, or if you have any further questions.

Best wishes. Selene

 

Selene Burn

Access and Equality Manager

Learning and National Partnerships

T (UK +44) 0207 323 8971

sburn@britishmuseum.org

 The British Museum

Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG

britishmuseum.org

Please note, I work here on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

 

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VI Tennis Championships 6-8 Oct!

National VI Tennis Championship 2017
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National Vision Impaired Tennis Championships 2017!

The National Visually Impaired Tennis Championships are taking place from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 October at the Loughborough University Tennis Centre.  We have moved venues due to the rapid increase in the number of players playing VI tennis as well as some new developments in the tournament including a junior draw.

The players have been competing all year in the regional tournaments with another two due to take place before the Nationals.  We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make this year’s tournament a great success!  The volunteers are a key part of this tournament’s success & last year helped in many ways including finding players before matches so they were ready to go on, helping players on

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make this year’s tournament a great success! 

The volunteers are a key part of this tournament’s success & last year helped in many ways including finding players before matches so they were ready to go on, helping players on court by gathering balls, assisting B1 players, distributing packed lunches and gathering feedback towards the end of the tournament.

Lunch & a volunteer t-shirt will be provided. 

If you are free and would be willing to volunteer again this year please click here to complete the online form.  If you are only free for one day that is absolutely fine please complete the form accordingly.  If you have any trouble completing this form just let me know.  I will be in touch nearer the time to confirm arrangements.

Please feel free to ask any friends or family if they are interested in helping out too.  The more helpers we have the smoother the tournament will run.

Junior Visually Impaired Tennis Festival

We are also looking for volunteers for our Junior Visually Impaired Tennis Festival.  It is being held on Saturday 23 September at Loughborough University Tennis Centre.  We will require volunteers from 10.30am – 4 pm.  It’s main aim is to get more blind and partially sighted young people playing tennis.  If you are free to help us out please click here to complete the form.

Thank you & if you have any questions regarding the tournament or the festival please let me know.

Kirsty Thomson
Disability Tournament Director

084587 20522 D: +442084877068     M: +447432732202

Tennis Foundation, The National Tennis Centre, 100 Priory Lane, Roehampton, London, SW15 5JQ

www.tennisfoundation.org.uk

 

Wendy Glasper – VI Tennis Star Selected to attend Women of the Year Awards!

 

 

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BBS: Newcastle – Have a Go Day! Cancelled

Have a go Day - Newcastle
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Due to circumstances out of our control, we have had to cancel the upcoming British Blind Sport Newcastle Have a Go Day planned for the 27th October 2017. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

The hope is to reschedule an event in the region in the not too distant future, but please in the meantime keep an eye on our BBS events page for other events taking place across the country: http://www.britishblindsport.org.uk/events/

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We are delighted to announce registration is now open for British Blind Sport’s Newcastle Have a Go Day!  Working in partnership with Henshaw’s Newcastle, come along and take part in an entirely free day of activities! Open to anyone with a visual impairment aged 5 and up, including their friends, family or siblings.

When and where
Date: 27th October 2017
Time: 10:30-3pm
Venue: Walker Activity Dome, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 3BR.

Get Involved!
Register online please click here
For further details please telephone: 07917 388 172 or email participation@britishblindsport.org.uk

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British success at the World Blind Sailing Championship

B1 Sailing Team
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British success at the World Blind Sailing Championships, Sheboygan, USA, 12-17 September

Our GBR team of VI and sighted sailors have returned from the World Blind Sailing Championships in the US with silver medals in the B1 category, gold medals in the B2 and B3 categories and the Squadron Trophy for the highest ranked country overall. Another brilliant result for GBR sailing. Sharon Grennan, A Metro member, competed as the helm in the B1 boat and sums the event up below….

“I headed out to the world blind sailing championships 2017 in US on 9 September with the other members of the GBR team and our coach. I was sailing with two sighted sailors and a new B1  mainsheet trimmer, Catherine,  who has been sailing with Blind Sailing since January.

“We went expecting a range of weather and weren’t disappointed. It was generally hot and sunny, with the risk of sun stroke and dehydration on the water but we had to race in a range of challenging wind conditions throughout the week – light wind where unbroken concentration was vital; strong wind and waves; and finally a last racing day of extreme shifts in wind direction. Racing was also delayed for fog, which I would have been happy to sail in but the sighted crew claimed that they couldn’t see more than 20 metres!

“We started the regatta with reasonably consistent third and fourth places and were lying in third place until the fourth racing day. We had a few very close encounters and tactical battles with other boats, leading to a protest hearing and the need for us to put in some 360 degree spins during the races. We sailed well in the stronger wind and wave conditions with a reasonably heavy crew and the confidence to sail in those conditions. With five first places and a second in the next two days, we drew level with the US crew lying in first place and went into the final day of racing with all to play for. Unfortunately, the US crew had the edge on us in shifty wind conditions and, although we fought hard with them down to the last leg of the last race, they won the day and the regatta.

“Overall a very exciting experience. Incredibly close rivalry on the water and yet close camraderie with sailors from around the world on shore. It was a tough regatta but I got a special buzz from participating and a lot of fun, adrenalin and some learning points for the future.

“Having trained hard since last Autumn and with a finalised team from May this year, we gave the competition everything we had. I’m delighted with the result. Of course, I would have liked to win gold, but that will have to wait until the next fleet racing championship in two years! I’m looking forward to the nationals in October and any other sailing challenges that come my way.”

Report by Sharon Grennan

 

Blind Sailing UK is looking for more VI sailors to join in training weekends going forward and the Blind Nationals in Cowes 13-15 October. No prior experience needed for a taster or training weekend; some prior sailing experience preferred for the nationals. Contact Blind Sailing for more information:

Email: blind.sailing@yahoo.co.uk

Mobile: 07796 687914

Website: https://www.gbrblindsailing.co.uk/

 

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