Monthly Archives: February 2012

Henshaws Receives £30k from Heritage Lottery Fund!

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Heritage Lottery Fund logoAfter a nail biting wait, Henshaws are pleased to announce that we have been successful in securing £30,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to hold a heritage exhibition ‘Thomas Henshaw: One Man’s Vision.’

After the discovery of a tea chest with artefacts and objects pertaining to the legacy of the charity, the team at Henshaws knew that we had to share share the history and interesting stories found in an all-sensory exhibition. The display will trace the story surrounding Thomas Henshaw’s legacy and the rich history of Henshaws. It will explore the charity’s history and the history of visual impairment as well as commissioning new contemporary artworks. It will feature the fascinating stories from people who have been part of Henshaws throughout the years.

The exhibition is planned to open at Gallery Oldham later this year and will then tour regionally. By touring the exhibition we will be engaging with a much wider audience in the legacy, sharing our history and fostering a greater understanding amongst sighted people of the challenges faced by those with visual impairment.

You can read more on some of the interesting stories and history about Thomas Henshaw and Henshaws here. We will be keeping you all up to date with our progress, but do keep an eye out in the press and media!

Anniversary Ball with The Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular!

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Picture of the Rat Pack performing on stage with dancers

This spring on 24th March, we are hosting a Henshaws’ Anniversary Ball, featuring a fabulous stage show performance from The Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular!

For one night only, you are invited to enjoy an evening of live swing music performed in the intimate dining room at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Manchester where, in the company of no more than 200 guests you will help us celebrate our 175th Birthday.

Picture of tables set up for a ballOn arrival you will be greeted with champagne and canapés followed by a three course dinner served in the Radisson’s elegant ballroom. After dinner our celebrity compere will host an auction featuring a wide selection of exclusive lots. The evening’s celebrations will climax with a stunning Vegas Spectacular performance from The Rat Pack, certain to get you all on the dance floor!

Established in 1837 by Oldham businessman Thomas Henshaw, we thought it only fitting to celebrate our 175th Birthday in style by hosting this celebration in the city where we were founded.

The Rat Pack performing on stage

 

Tickets are available at just £75 per head, giving you the chance to join us on what promises to be a glorious night of entertainment and celebration.

We also have other packages and sponsorship opportunities available. For tickets and further information please contact Faye.wilson@henshaws.org.uk or call 0161 786 3693.

You can help Henshaws raise £3000 by Shopping Online

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Give as you Live logoDid you know that you can support Henshaws by shopping online – at no extra cost to you! The Give as you Live techonology is currently used by more than 1,300 leading retailers including John Lewis, M&S and British Airways.

Powered by Everyclick, which since 2005 has raised over £2 million for charities, Give as you Live gives online shoppers the opportunity to donate to Henshaws when they check out, a percentage of the price will then go straight to Henshaws paid for by the retailer. The site also allows you to make wish lists for yourself as well as friends and family.

And this month Give as you Live have launched a new scheme in order to help Henshaws and other charities earn at least £3,000 this year!  If you sign up by 31st March 2012, Give as you Live will donate an additional £5 to us after you spend £10 or more through Give as you Live. This means that if we get at least 100 new shoppers, we could raise £3000 towards our services! But we need to get at least 25 shoppers before 31st March 2012, so to help Henshaws be in with a chance of raising £3000 please visit our page here on Give as you Live.

Henshaws Volunteer Set to Retire After 16 Years of Service

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Ann UrmstonDedicated Henshaws volunteer, Ann Urmston is retiring from her role as leader of one of our social groups after 16 years of service. Ann, who worked for the Health Service for over 40 years came to Henshaws in 1996 after seeing an advert for volunteer drivers for social groups meeting at Henshaws.

Ann’s commitment didn’t stop there, after deciding that she wanted to get more involved with the groups she was helping to transport to Henshaws, she was asked if she would like to take over the lead role in organising the groups and the activities.

“After working for the Health Service for most of my career, I knew that I would need something to not only occupy my time but which would also be helping others too, that’s why when I saw the advert in the local paper for Henshaws Volunteer Drivers I decided to apply.”

The group, which gives members an opportunity to meet and find out more information about the kinds of support they can access for their visual impairments, it is also a great opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences peer to peer.

Ann will be sad to leave her post, but retiring will mean that she has more time to dedicate to her family and endure less of a commute to Henshaws every week from Sefton. This won’t however, stop her from visiting the group, “It’s the members of the group that keep you coming, I’ve made some great friendships over the years and will be sure to pop in every now and again to see how they are getting on. Some of the group members only venture out once a week for this opportunity and really look forward to it, an