Tag: visual impairment

Showing 1-129 of 129 for tag: visual impairment

Five people sitting round a table with Braille equipment, looking at the camera and smiling

Loneliness and sight loss

We discuss what loneliness is, and some tips to improve feelings of loneliness.

Alice sat at a desk with a Perkins Brailler in front of her. In front of the Perkins Brailler, from left to right, are the Hable One, a refreshable Braille display and an iPhone. To the left of the image is the text "My Braille Kit" on a pink background.

Alice’s Braille kit: Useful Braille devices

Discover some of the ways you can read and write using Braille, by going on a journey with Alice, who talks through the Braille devices she has used.

Top tips for spring for people with a visual impairment

Read our top tips for getting out and about safely in spring if you are visually impaired.

Accessible microwaves: What’s on the market?

Discover different options for accessible microwaves: low budget microwave with dials and bumpons, talking microwave, and Alexa controlled microwave.

Service user takeover: Meet Hadisa

Meet Hadisa, a Henshaws service user who shares her experience of living with a visual impairment. Learn how Henshaws has supported her.

Welcoming service users back to our Bolton Community Hub

Our Enablement Officer for Bolton, Carlton Milenkovic, discusses what it has been like welcoming back service users to the Bolton Community Hub.

Digital Enablement officer Chris with a phone and laptop

Introducing version 8 of the Synapptic software

This blog gives an introduction to Synapptic, and introduces some of the features of Version 8.

Simon sitting in his home looking off screen, talking about his 10 rules of engagement

A descent into darkness: 10 rules of engagement

Simon Mahoney, a totally blind military veteran, talks through is 10 rules of engagement, his top tips for anybody coming to terms with sight loss.

Coffee Afternoon group taking part in a quiz with a speaker from Be Well Tameside.

Welcoming service users back to our Tameside community hub

Our Enablement Officer for Tameside, Kathryn Riding, discusses what it has been like welcoming back service users to the Tameside community hub.

Noodles with spooky eyeballs in an orange bowl

Halloween activities for children with a visual impairment

In this blog, our Children and Young People's service offer their suggestions for activities to do with your visually impaired child or young person during Halloween.

Mattie Screenshot from Insights smiling with artwork in background. The artwork is made from mixed media and in her Insights video she discusses what inspired her. The colours in the art are mixed light pastel colour swirls with dark blues and black in the background.

Meet Matilda-Henshaws service user takeover

Meet Matilda, a Henshaws service user who shares her experiences of living with a visual impairment. Learn about her work as an artist.

Super Lidar: An app for exploring your environment

Find out about Super Lidar, an app that uses the Lidar scanner to enable you to find people and objects around you.

Meet Geoff-Henshaws service user takeover

Meet Geoff, a Henshaws service user who shares his experience of living with a visual impairment.

Nina’s Day-A day in the life of a Henshaws service user

Meet Nina, a Henshaws service user, who shares her experiences of visual impairment through a life in her day.

Henshaws Digital Enablement Service: Impact of Covid-19

Find out how Covid-19 has impacted on our Digital Enablement Service, and the need for technology during the pandemic.

Children viewing the football mural at National Football Museum

Henshaws and MADE: Museum accessibility top tips

Read about a project our children and young people were involved in, in partnership with MADE, in which they shared their top accessibility tips for museums and galleries. Find out

AirTags: Helping you find your items

Find out about AirTag, Apple's answer to item tracking. Find out how it compares with Tile, another item tracking solution.

Accessible TV guide on screen, showing white text on black background

Accessible TV Guide on Freeview Play

Find out all you need to know about Freeview Play's accessible TV guide, designed for people with all levels of vision.

Introducing the AngelEye Smart Reader

AngelEye is a new wearable smart reader produced by a company called NextVPU, who have developed their Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for people with low or no vision.

Diagnosing autism in a child with a visual impairment

A child born with congenital blindness is 30 times more likely to meet the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our blog discusses the issues with its diagnosis.

Box containing Envision glasses with the frames visible

Envision Glasses: AI for your eye

Learn about the features of the Envision Glasses, AI-enabled smart glasses designed specifically for visually impaired people.

Three children pose for a photo, laughing and smiling

Mindfulness activities for children with a visual impairment

Mindfulness is a practice where you use your senses to physically engage in the world around you. We've put together some useful activities to support visually impaired children.

Supporting mobility with a Sunu Band

We took the Sunu Band, a wearable assistive device, on a test drive to see how it can support people with sight loss with their mobility and independence.

Henshaws staff meet with HRH The Earl of Wessex

Henshaws were invited to meet with Prince Edward via a Zoom meeting to discuss how our charity has been continuing to support people living with sight loss during the pandemic.

Introducing the RealSAM smart speaker

RealSAM, the people behind the 'In Your Pocket' accessible phone, have developed a smart speaker skill so that you can access audiobooks and podcasts on a Google smart speaker.

Our guide to the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI)

Read our handy guide to find out everything you need to know about the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI).

Supporting a visually impaired child after a diagnosis of autism

When a child with a visual impairment is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it may be necessary to alter accordingly the resources and strategies for supporting them.

A screenshot of the Jumpy Cat Create Screen, showing the six adjustable workout options

Fitness Coach by Jumpy Cat: An accessible workout app

Find out about Fitness Coach by Jumpy Cat, an accessible app for creating personalised workouts.

The benefits of baby massage for infants with a visual impairment

Baby massage is beneficial for both infants and their parents, but it is particularly valuable for children who have a visual impairment as it promotes communication through touch.

The story of my first COVID vaccine as a person living with sight loss

Our Senior Rehabilitation Officer, Simon, tells us about his experience of receiving his COVID-19 vaccine as a person with low vision.

Screenshot of the ITV Hub app showing Audio Described category

TV catch-up services: how accessible are they?

Find out how accessible the TV catch-up services BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and My5 are to visually impaired people.

New Sight Loss Sector Charter launched

A new Sight Loss Sector Charter was launched in November 2020 which puts blind and partially sighted people at the heart of the work of charities in the sector.

Pregnancy test re-designed for people with sight loss

The RNIB have launched a prototype pregnancy test for visually impaired people, making it possible for the first time to find out results independently.

The story of our Optelec digital magnifier giveaway!

Support from the Manchester High Sheriff's Fund enabled us to distribute Optelec digital magnifiers to the most vulnerable visually impaired people across Greater Manchester.

Mark and Alice facing the camera, with money visible on the table

Recognising money if you have a visual impairment

Find out how to recognise money if you are visually impaired, and learn how the process has become easier since the introduction of polymer banknotes.

Sensory gift ideas for children and young people with a visual impairment

Our Children and Young People's team have put together some great suggestions for sensory gift ideas for young people who have a visual impairment.

Photo of a child hiding behind a crystal structure

Sensory activity ideas for Christmas

Our Children and Young People's team have put together some sensory activity ideas to try out at home over the Christmas period with blind or visually impaired young people.

Tech Talk’s Top Tech of 2020

Find out what our Trafford and Oldham Tech Talk members voted as their favourite piece of technology in 2020.

10 Gift Ideas for people with a Visual Impairment

Find out 10 of our gift ideas for somebody with a visual impairment.

Our guide to Electronic Signatures

In this digital age, the need to validate documents quickly is becoming more evident, so we are likely to be asked to provide electronic signatures - but what are they?

A screenshot of the scanner screen, with the text 'Find a care label to scan, point the camera and keep it steady' and the 'See instructions' button

Laundry Lens: An app to help with clothes washing

Find out about Laundry Lens, an app that can help you to interpret laundry labels when washing your clothes.

Henshaws helps university students with ‘The Future of Work’ project

Henshaws staff were asked to support undergraduate students from Manchester Metropolitan University on a project focussing on workplaces of the future for disabled employees.

A screenshot of the Pingit app home screen, which includes an indication that there is £6.17 in the Pingit account, as well as options including 'create a new jar', and options for 'home', 'spend', 'pay and request', 'giving' and 'help'

Using Pingit if you have a visual impairment

Find out about Pingit, an accessible solution for managing your money.

Image shows a member of Henshaws staff demonstrating some digital tech to an elderly gentleman.

Top tips for making websites and apps accessible for people with sight loss

Top tips for making websites and apps accessible to people living with sight loss and other disabilities, providing equal access and equal opportunity for all.

Using the Wetherspoons app with a visual impairment

Richard from our Digital Team visited his local Wetherspoons pub to try out their food and drink ordering app and assess how it would work for a person living with sight loss.

Visiting Manchester Central Library post-lockdown

We offer digital technology assessments at Manchester Central Library, so we went along to check out what's changed at the building since the COVID-19 lockdown.

Using the NHS Test and Trace COVID-19 app if you are blind or visually impaired

The new NHS COVID-19 app for Apple and Android devices launched yesterday. Our Digital Team checked it out to see how blind and visually impaired people will be able to use it.

Top tips for visiting an eye clinic with your child

Appointments of any kind can cause worry and stress, especially when the appointment is for your child. Our top tips will hopefully help when you visit the eye clinic.

A screenshot of a travel apps folder. Along the top row are the apps Arriva Bus UK, Moovit and What3words. Along the bottom are Lazarillo and Soundscape.

Getting out and about: Using a smartphone to navigate independently

Hear from Lynne Nicholson, who is visually impaired and uses her smartphone and navigation apps to travel independently.

Guide to COVID-19 scams

Commonly during crisis situations, fraudsters create lots of new ways to defraud their unsuspecting victims. We've put together a guide to current COVID-19 scams.

Track and Trace: An example of how it works

From 14 September, venues such as pubs and restaurants will be legally required to request contact details of customers as part of the Track and Trace initiative.

Image shows a young woman wearing a pink Henshaws tshirt, holding up a sign that says 'support.'

A day in the life of a sight loss Enablement Officer

Our Enablement Officer for the borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, talks about her day-to-day duties supporting people living with sight loss in the local area.

Image shows a member of the Digital Enablement Team sat at a desk with several laptops on.

Dictation solutions put to the test

There are a number of dictation solutions available, but which one is the best? We thought we would try some of the most common versions side by side to see how they performed.

Out and about on the high street after lockdown

Mark discusses how shops and services have changed since lockdown restrictions eased, in order to help better inform visually impaired people of what to expect when they go out.

COVID InSights: Nina’s story

'COVID InSights' is a new series from Henshaws in which blind and visually impaired individuals share their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic through videos and blogs.

Introducing the Orcam Read

The Orcam Read is a handheld smart device that identifies, captures and reads text aloud. Richard from our Digital Team puts it to the test with some visually impaired people.

Simon holding long cane at Piccadilly station

Coming out of lockdown if you are visually impaired (Part 2)

As the pandemic lockdown restrictions across the UK are eased, we discuss tips for how people with sight loss can prepare themselves for the 'new normal' in our towns and cities.

Life as an Enablement Officer at Henshaws

Kate, our Enablement Officer based in Oldham, explains her role in supporting the local sight loss community and the services that she delivers on a daily basis.

Coming out of lockdown if you are visually impaired (Part 1)

As lockdown restrictions across the UK are eased as part of the roadmap to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, we discuss how people with a visual impairment may need support.

Online workshop delivered to optometry students at the University of Manchester

We were asked by The University of Manchester to deliver an online workshop to final year optometry students on the technology that exists to support visually impaired people.

“The Synapptic phone is a life-changer for me!”

Stories from two visually impaired people who purchased the Synapptic phone package, and our trained staff showed them how to use it to help with their sight loss.

Sign on the pavement with instructions for social distancing

Top tips for helping a visually impaired person when they visit your venue

Top tips to businesses and venues that are re-opening after the Covid-19 lockdown on how to support visitors who are visually impaired in our new socially-distanced world.

Blind and partially sighted COVID-19 survey report published

A survey of 955 blind and visually impaired people from the first 10 weeks of the lockdown evidences the unique issues they are facing; a final report highlights key concerns.

Image shows a member of Henshaws staff demonstrating a smartphone to a visually impaired man.

Our Digital Enablement Service helps visually impaired people get connected with tech

Our Digital Enablement Service is helping people living with sight loss to get connected through tech, and offers training with a wide variety of products and skills.

Man stood in front of a house holding a long cane.

Henshaws feature on BBC North West Tonight

Henshaws were featured in a report by BBC North West discussing the issues facing blind and visually impaired people during the Covid-19 pandemic, including social distancing.

Boy walking down stairs with a white cane.

Back to school after lockdown: A guide for teachers of children with a vision impairment

Teachers are preparing for children to return to classrooms during Covid-19 - our guide should help you consider how you can better support children with a vision impairment.

Student working at a computer with support staff

Back to school after lockdown: A guide for parents of children with a vision impairment

Parents of children with a vision impairment may have concerns over the return to school during Covid-19; this guide is designed to give peace of mind during uncertain times.

Image shows a young boy wearing headphones and listening to music.

Help your visually impaired child learn at home

Some children may need to be motivated to learn at home, but there is so much learning to be done through play, crafts and games! Here are some ideas to try.

Image shows a woman sitting in a chair smiling at the camera.

A counsellor’s guide to the stages of grief associated with sight loss

Our counsellor discusses how primarily, working with blind and partially sighted clients is rooted in supporting the issues connected to bereavement and its stages of grief.

Image shows a young woman holding a bird on her arm in an aviary.

A young person’s guide to visually impaired bloggers and YouTubers

Orla, 17, talks about some of the fab influential bloggers and YouTubers out there who she follows, and who she thinks other young people with sight loss might also enjoy.

Image shows a woman holding a long cane and holding the arm of a man whilst crossing the road.

Top tips for social distancing if you are blind or visually impaired

Our Senior Rehabilitation Officer, Simon, shares his top tips for social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic if you are blind or visually impaired.

How an Amazon Echo Show and a Wifi Hub connected a family during lockdown

Mark discusses how his first thought on the announcement of the Covid-19 lockdown was getting his elderly relatives some connectivity with an Amazon Echo Show.

Mindfulness for children with a visual impairment or additional support needs

Mindfulness can foster wellbeing, improve self-confidence and self-esteem, and provide coping mechanisms, which has proved to be beneficial to children with a visual impairment.

Image shows a laptop screen with 5 different sections each showing a different member of staff looking at the camera.

Our response to Covid-19 in Greater Manchester and changes to our service delivery model

The response by charity staff in Greater Manchester to the Covid-19 pandemic and changes to the service delivery model to meet the needs of the sight loss community.

Image shows a young boy wearing dark glasses, kneeling on the floor as a ball rolls towards him.

Keeping children with sight loss active at home

Tips to keep children with sight loss active at home, through sports and activities that can be done in the house or garden.

Image shows a male member of staff smiling at the camera. He is wearing a dark checked shirt.

12 top tips for shopping for a visually impaired person

Our Senior Rehabilitation Officer, Simon Merrills, shares his top tips for helping a visually impaired person with their shopping, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

Image shows a man wearing a pink Henshaws t-shirt. He is cupping his hand to his ear.

Getting connected and keeping informed using technology

Getting connected with family and keeping informed has never been as important as it is during the Covid-19 lockdown. Read our blog about the technology that can help.

Using Zoom virtual meetings if you are visually impaired

Zoom is an app allowing people to have virtual meetings and stay connected. We tested it to see how well it can be used if you have a visual impairment.

Image shows young girl with eyes closed, holding a lamb in her hands

Engaging the other senses in children with sight loss

Most info we gain about the world is through vision. This blog explores sensory learning and ways to encourage children to engage their senses and understand their world better.

12 tips for keeping your visually impaired child entertained and educated at home

Most children will now be learning from home during this period. Follow our tips to find out what is right for you and your visually impaired child during this time.

Managing Social Isolation with Technology

We outline our top tips for using technology to manage social isolation if you have a visual impairment.

Head and shoulders of Esme who had Charles Bonnet Syndrome

The Theatre of the Mind – living with Charles Bonnet Syndrome

Hear from the founder of Esme's Umbrella, a charity who support people living with Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) - a condition in which people with sight loss have hallucinations.

Image shows a member of Henshaws staff wearing a pink t-shirt and hoodie. He is holding a mobile phone, showing the Talking Newspaper app on the screen.

Henshaws joins the Talking Newspaper app

Read about the new Talking Newspaper app developed by British Wireless for the Blind and the Talking News Federation, and how you can access Henshaws news through it.

7 gift ideas for people with sight loss

Knowing what to get your loved one for Christmas can be a struggle at the best of times. Here's some ideas from us at Henshaws for anyone with sight loss.

6 ‘Accidentally’ accessible products for people with sight loss

We review six products, three high-tech and three low-tech, which were not designed for someone with sight loss but are fully accessible and could increase independence.

Abstract image of someone ripping open their t shirt to reveal a host of butterflies

Alfie’s “Ways of seeing” art exhibition

What does the world look like if you have a visual impairment or disability? Let Alfie, a student at our Specialist College, show you through his award winning art.

Screenshot of iPhone screen showing Eye-D and the features Where Am I? and Around Me

Eye-D: An app that can act as your eyes

We review Eye-D, an app for iOS and Android that enables people with a visual impairment to be more independent.

Visiually impaired ride on a tandem with guide riding on a country road

Double challenge for visually-impaired students

Two visually-impaired students from Henshaws Bradford Centre have set themselves a major challenge this month.

Hands using a high contrast keyboard with yellow keys

Access to Work – making employment possible

If you’re disabled or have a physical or mental health condition that makes it hard for you to do your job, Access to Work is there to support you.

replica tomb of Thutmose II including the mummy in a glass case

Tactile time travel? Reviewing the accessibility of Bolton Museum

We take a trip to Bolton Museum and it's new Egyptian Gallery. How accessible is it to visually impaired visitors?

Fran running down a path with a lake and mountains in the background

Blind Ultra Running… “Don’t believe in other people’s assumptions about what is possible”.

Francesca started losing her sight 12 years ago but that hasn't stopped her taking on new challenges like 'Lakes in a Day', a 50 mile ultra run through the fells.

Cockapoo dog running across a grassy area

Volunteer Rex helps Art Makers relax

When Rex visits our Arts & Crafts Centre he likes to get his tummy tickled! He's a special visitor - a PAT dog. We talk to his owner Carol about how she and Rex support Henshaws.

Henshaws award winners holding their awards

A fantastic afternoon at the Henshaws Awards 2018

We held our awards afternoon at the Midland Hotel last Thursday, celebrating all the amazing achievements across our Community Services from the past year.

“The problems diabetes could cause were never really drilled into me; either that or I didn’t want to hear them.”

We spoke to Richard recently about the dangers that diabetes can bring in terms of sight loss, his personal experience and how coming to Henshaws has helped him.

Frank-playing-domino's-at-Henshaws-Tuesday-Group

“I can even read the telephone directory with the magnifier, which is magic! How many people can read the telephone directory?”

Frank has attended Henshaws' Living with Sight Loss course and is a regular at our Tuesday group. He explains how Henshaws has helped him keep in touch with old friends!

Art Maker Dolly’s fundraiser for friendship!

Dolly used her creative skills to raise money for a bench in memory of some of her friends at the Arts & Crafts centre in Knaresborough.

Sharing expertise

Henshaws Specialist College in Harrogate has been sharing its expertise in working with disabled people with a leading national charity.

Group photo of Henshaws staff and Manchester Libraries staff sitting together in rows, smiling at the camera.

We’ve teamed up with Manchester Libraries to make technology more accessible

We're pleased to announce that we're partnered with Manchester Libraries to extend the support, advice and resources available for people with a visual impairment.

Henshaws Group Member, MaiLing Wong exploring the 3D print of “The Kiss” by Klimt with audio information and description.

Museum Digital Touch Project wins Jodi Award

Our Museums and Galleries Group has supported Manchester Museum in the development of award winning 3D technologies.

Carols by Candlelight gets the festive season started

Mulled wine, mice pies and many wonderful performances, Carols by Candlelight was the perfect way to start the run up to Christmas

Top 10 sight loss gadgets for under £50

Check out our top 10 everyday gadgets for under £50 and see how each piece of tech can help those with a visual impairment

HenshawsGifts online shop open for business

We meet some of the people behind HenshawsGifts online shop, which sells unique items designed, handmade and packaged by disabled artists at our Arts & Crafts Centre in Yorkshire.

How Henshaws athletes train for triathlon success

How does an athlete with a disability complete a triathlon? We convinced the inspirational Henshaws Tri Team to take a break from training to explain all.

Check before you download

Downloading a new app to your smartphone or tablet device? Here are 7 things you may want to check before you do.

How I play video games with a visual impairment

We spoke to Kyle, a graduate from Henshaws Skillstep course who is an avid gamer about how his visual impairment affects the way he plays video games.

10 things you don’t know about Henshaws

Read our 10 things you don't know about Henshaws to discover more about the support we offer as well as how you can help us through fundraising and more.

Student Mary using her assistive technology in her music class

How assistive technology is helping Mary find her voice

Read how our specialist staff have enabled College student Mary to use assistive technology to find her voice.

Picture of children at a trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach

(Even more) fun activities and ideas to keep your VI child entertained during the holidays

Getting stuck for ideas on what activities to do with your children over the summer holidays? We've got you covered!

Student Tom standing next to Motomed machine in the college gym

Visually impaired Henshaws student takes on 10km fundraising run

Henshaws Specialist College student Tom is taking part in the Melmerby 10km run this May to raise money for new gym equipment at College

Al walking during travel training with Disability Support watching

Travelling independently; another string to Alisdair’s bow

"I’ve learnt so much with Henshaws, but I’m really excited to share with you one of the biggest achievements I’ve made – travelling on my own from Yorkshire to Scotland!"

Visually impaired Archery open day – free transportation from Henshaws

Join us for our visually impaired archery open day in Manchester, with free transportation from Henshaws.

TapTapSee is Free (again!)

The app TapTapSee has now been made available for free - Community Services Development Manager Mark talks us through some of its features.

Image of Alicia and Beth - fundraiser and volunteer

Inspirational 10 year old Alicia, raised over £2500 for Henshaws by walking 60 miles, blind-folded

10 year old Alicia Wright walked from Blackpool to Manchester, and amazingly raised over £2500 for Henshaws. Alicia's mother Lisa Wright tells us more.

5 of the best apps for people with sight loss

MacLife has compiled a list of the best Apps for people with sight loss, and we have chosen our top five from them.

When not helping is best!

Support worker Bill shared with me his approach to supporting Andrew, and how sometimes it can be best not to help…

Image of Steve sitting at a table with a cup of tea.

“My visual impairment hasn’t stopped me from becoming a Radio DJ!”

Steve is a Henshaws service user and volunteers once a week with North Manchester FM where he runs his own radio show - he shares with us his story.

“A visual impairment doesn’t hinder your experience; it enhances it”

Beth Arnold tells us about her recent visit to go see 'Wicked' at The Lowry.

Photo of our college student using an iPad

Top 10 tips on using Windows 10’s accessibility options

Tom is our very own IT Technician at Henshaws in Manchester, and we’ve adapted his blog entry on the accessibility of Windows 10 into our ‘Top 10 Tips’.

Photo of Karen training in her garden for the Great North Run

“Training for the Great North Run has given me more confidence”

Karen, a service user in Newcastle, talks to us about her preparation for the Great North Run.

Image of the full triathlon team wearing their Henshaws t-shirts

“It’s about stretching yourself beyond your disabilities”

Alastair, a Henshaws volunteer who runs a triathlon club to support our service users to get involved in sport, reflects on their challenges so far.

VI Talk – ‘Sharing ideas, information and support’

Jo Fishwick, the creator of VI Talk - a popular online podcast for blind and visually impaired people - shares with us an insight into the person behind the podcast.

Volunteer Week 2015: “Volunteering for Henshaws gave me back my feeling of self-worth and provided me with a very good reason to live for”

To celebrate Volunteer Week, I wanted to make a blog post dedicated to all of our wonderful volunteers here at Henshaws as a thank you for all of their inspiring and hard work.

Tag: visual impairment

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