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TfGM staff undertaking visual impairment awareness training on an escalator

Travel tech innovation

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.

Chromebook with Henshaws user sat behind it

Google Chromebook – Is it accessible?

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.

An elderly gentleman having his eyes examined at home, with a female optician guiding his test on an tablet.

Sight Loss and Dementia

Sight loss can mask as dementia, and go undetected for years. We’ll guide you on how to spot the signs, and what to do next if you suspect that someone has sight loss.

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.

I Can Do It

Our course is a great way to learn about friendships, doing things for yourself & cooking - all through fun activities!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Social distancing when you have a visual impairment

As a sight loss charity we thought it would be useful to share some top tips for social distancing when you have a visual impairment.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Image shows an elderly gentleman looking at the camera and smiling.

Meet Fred the centenarian with sight loss

I was very fortunate to be invited to meet one of our visually impaired service users from Oldham last month, just a few days after he celebrated his 100th birthday!

All Community Services staff stood together in a group

The Soundtrack to Henshaws: Community Services Top Tunes

Find out the songs that our Community Services staff put forward as the songs that represent what we're all about at Henshaws!

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.

Students on a walk as part of a Duke of Edinburgh silver award

Henshaws students strike silver

Students from our Specialist College in Harrogate recently celebrated completion of their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award.

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.

Get Out-and-About For Fun and Health

Don't let worries about accessibility put you off getting into the countryside. There are all sorts of resources out there to help.

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?

Henshaws support for autistic people

Our Yorkshire services offer opportunities for autistic people to create a pathway to independence.

Volunteering to be the man behind the music

Ally happens to be registered severely sight impaired. He loves music and loves to take on new challenges. Find out how he found the opportunity to combine the two.

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.

A professional woman talking to a mother and her son who is in a wheelchair at a work conference

First careers event at Specialist College

Our Specialist College welcomed local employers and support organisations onto campus for our first Careers Information, Advice & Guidance day for students and their families.

Mark wearing a Henshaws t-shirt in front of his computer at home, holding up an Echo device to the camera.

How can you use Amazon Echo as a digital solution in day-to-day life?

Smart devices can help to make everyday living that bit easier. Mark runs us through some ways that the Amazon Echo can be used by people with sight loss and other health problems.

Diana leaning to the side with her arm raised over her head during a yoga session.

The life-changing impact of yoga for visually impaired people; Diane’s Story

Yoga has amazing health benefits. Diane shares her story of how yoga changed her life, and teacher Rosanna provides advice for anyone feeling nervous about giving it a go.

‘Football at your fingertips’: reviewing the accessibility of the National Football Museum

The National Football Museum claims a number of accessible features, but what is it really like to visit as a disabled guest? Alice puts it to the test!

Henshaws Seven Steps is launching nationwide this World Sight Day!

We're pleased to announce that we're launching Henshaws Seven Steps; a much needed national roadmap for sight loss support, in conjunction with World Sight Day 2018.

“I lost my sight as a young child but not being able to see hasn’t stopped me getting fully involved in all aspects of life.”

Andrew attends Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre workshops, and has been an Art Maker for over 20 years! He shares his arts and crafts journey.

Amy during the freefall against a bright blue sky, and her tandem instructor behind her.

Dave and Amy Steele Flying High for Henshaws

In April this year Henshaws ambassador Dave Steele and his wife Amy took a Fifteen Thousand Ft plunge from an airplane, all in the name of raising funds for Henshaws!

Shot of Mark walking on the pavement on a sunny day, holding his phone in front of him to use the Soundscape app.

How Microsoft are raising the bar with their visual impairment technology

Technology has been rapidly developing, with lots of new potential digital solutions for visually impaired people. Mark shares an update on the latest from tech giants Microsoft.

Tips for managing your money when you’re visually impaired

For visually impaired people, managing and identifying money can be challenging. Follow our top four tips to help you handle your finances with confidence.

Be My Eyes and BeSpecular: the apps bringing volunteering into the digital world

We explore two apps that connect a visually impaired user with a sighted volunteer, and Community Services Development Manager Mark shares with us his experience as a volunteer.

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!

“So look out world for here you come!” – Kate Simpson’s poem for daughter Tess

Henshaws fundraiser and mother to Tess, Kate Simpson, wrote a beautiful poem last year in celebration of the Henshaws College Graduation ceremony in July 2017.

“We have had the joy of knowing Max loves going to College and taking part as a key player, rather than a mere spectator.”

Max is a student at our specialist college and is based in The Starting Point, a dedicated setting for students on the autistic spectrum. Max's mum, Brigitte, shares her story.

Katie’s happy in her own home, even if that does make me feel guilty!

It’s hard to give your child to someone else – it’s a guilty feeling, but I don’t know what I would have done without Henshaws.

Henshaws supporting disabled people with autism

Our Yorkshire services offer opportunities for disabled people with autism to create a pathway to independence.

Dave holding a copy of two of his books, smiling at the camera.

Henshaws gets Poetic

Visually impaired poet Dave Steele has joined Henshaws' team of ambassadors and tells us about his excitement about this recent opportunity.

“Constantly adjusting” – what life is like with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

Manchester based poet and Henshaws ambassador Dave Steele shares with us his experience on living with sight loss.

Man walking down a road with a cane with a support worker

Mobility Canes: The Definitive Guide

There are many varieties of canes, but what is the real difference between them? We give you the breakdown of mobility canes.

Carrie demonstrating an app to a service user

Digital assessments & training

Henshaws digital enablement team are here to find the digital solution that works for you.

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.

5 tips for communicating with someone with sight loss

Debbie talks to Kevin, who has Retinitis Pigmentosa, about his experience of good and bad communication.

Jake helps Team GB to European swimming success

Jake swims with the Downs Syndrome Swimming - Great Britain team. We find out how he and the squad got on at the 2017 European Championships.

Preparing young people with learning disabilities for work

The supported internship programme at our Specialist College helps prepare students with learning disabilities for employment. We find out more.

Travelling with sight loss (and children!)

Francesca is a single parent to two teenagers and has Stargardts Macular Dystrophy. Has this stopped her love of travel and adventure? No chance!

Henshaws staff at the Leisure Lifestyle and Work fair talk to a visitor.

Visitors find their future at 4th Leisure, Lifestyle & Work Fair

Henshaws Specialist College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, recently hosted its 4th annual Leisure, Lifestyle and Work Fair, a free transitions event for young disabled people.

Art Makers with a fireman in front of a fire engine.

Art Maker Safety Day in Knaresborough

We welcomed our local police and fire services to the Arts & Crafts Centre in Knaresborough to find out ways to help us all stay safe.

3 bPay devices in front of a white background; with a key fob, wristband and phone with bPay sticker on.

Five accessible banking features you (probably) didn’t know existed

Most banks offer a range of services to make everyday banking more accessible for VI people. Our Tech Talk group share the best features that can help you bank independently.

intu shopping centres and Henshaws team up to make shopping more accessible

Last week, our Newcastle centre trained staff at intu Metrocentre and Eldon Square to be VI friendly and improve the experience for blind and visually impaired customers.

My Makaton Mission

Carl works at Henshaws College and is on a Makaton mission to make communication more accessible for those with special needs.

Juggling work, kids and sight loss

Francesca Scott started to lose her sight at aged 39, with two young children, a full-time job and living in a remote area... how did she cope?

Tips for communicating and providing services for visually impaired people

We teamed up with Manchester CCGs to understand how visually impaired people access health services, and how they can engage the group better. We share our findings and top tips.

One year on from Henshaws College

It is now almost a year since Tessa graduated from Henshaws College. We caught up with her mum, Kate, to find out how she's doing.

There when you need us most: volunteering at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

Henshaws volunteer and Trustee Helen Brazier is back to share with us a typical morning on Henshaws’ information desk at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

Five signs that someone may have sight loss and dementia

Sight loss can mask as dementia, and go undetected for years. We’ll guide you on how to spot the signs, and what to do next if you suspect that someone has sight loss.

Image of a Kindle, in a case that's opened up like a book, being held in someone's hands.

How can you read books when you have a visual impairment?

Having a visual impairment doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy books! We’ve rounded up the best ways to access books when you’re blind or visually impaired.

Three children pose for a photo, laughing and smiling

I Can Do It’s fun-filled week at Children’s Adventure Farm

Last week, our independence course 'I Can Do It' spent the week at the Children's Adventure Farm in Altrincham, for a fun-filled week of cooking, animals and adventure!

A record breaking day at Skipton Triathlon!

Team Henshaws returned to Skipton Triathlon last week for the fifth year in a row, for a record breaking day of exercise and sun.

What do tactile pavements tell us?

Ever wondered what those different bumps and lumps on the pavement mean? Watch and learn.

5 ways my phone overcomes the fact I’m blind

Find out how 22 year old Rhys uses his iPhone to overcome the challenges his sight loss brings.

Jo sat at her desk in the Liverpool resource centre, working at the computer

7 tips to make your business more accessible

Read our top tips for making your business accessible. By following our 7 tips, your place of work can be accessible for all.

A group of children and Henshaws' workers smiling at the camera

I Can Do It goes to Children’s Adventure Farm

We have a fantastic opportunity for children and young people to take part in a four-night residential holiday at the Children’s Adventure Farm as part of our I Can Do It course.

Supported Internship success for student Jake

Our new Supported Internship scheme prepares young people with disabilities for the world of work. Here we share Jake’s success story.

What does Henshaws offer in Wigan and Leigh?

Meet Claire, our Community Enablement Officer for Wigan and Leigh, who shares shares with us what's going on in the area.

A couple creating sensory 'memory boxes' in a Memory Lane group session.

Take a trip down ‘Memory Lane’ with Henshaws

Liverpool's 'Memory Lane' group is returning in February 2017, with different sensory activities designed for both dementia and sight loss.

Living Well with Sight Loss course

These short courses are free to attend and aim to give you information and advice about living with your sight loss.

How accessible is social media if you have a visual impairment?

Social media is important for all facets of life, work and play, but how does it work if you have little or no vision?

New children and families services in Oldham

Our new Children & Families Enablement Officer Sara will be working in Oldham - find out about the services she will be offering around the local area.

I Can Do It Course for Children & Young People

Our course is a great way to learn about friendships, doing things for yourself & cooking - all through fun activities!

John wearing a Santa hat, smiling at the camera and decorating his house with Christmas decorations.

John’s top tips for supporting people with visual impairments over Christmas

We've adapted last year's blog from volunteer and service user John, where he runs us through his top tips for hosting someone with visual impairments the Christmas season.

I Can Do It! Natalie’s diary – cooking tips

Natalie shares with us her top tips for chopping and using a hob safely from our ongoing I Can Do It course in Tameside.

How our Henshaws homes are different

Henshaws housing is specially adapted for people with a range of disabilities. We cover some of the ways that homes can be adapted so they’re person-centred and accessible for all.

Cashier hands over receipt to student shopping in asda

I Can Do It! Natalie’s diary – shopping tips

Natalie shares with us her top shopping tips from our ongoing I Can Do It course in Tameside.

Tessa and Kate opening presents in Tessa's room

Tessa’s big move: 10 tips for parents whose disabled child is leaving home

Kate, mum of Henshaws graduate Tessa, gives an honest account of her daughter's move to supported living and her top survival tips for parents whose disabled child is leaving home

I Can Do It! Natalie’s diary – independence in the home tips

Natalie shares with us her top tips to develop independence within the home from our ongoing I Can Do It course in Tameside.

10 ways you can adapt your home if you have a visual impairment

Your home is where you should feel most comfortable and relaxed, but it may need some adaptations to make it safe to live in if you’re visually impaired.

Image of blogger Emily Davison, sitting on steps by the seaside with her chin on her hand.

“You don’t look blind”

Many people presume someone who has little or no vision no longer appreciates the visual world, and may no longer care about what they wear or how they look. How wrong they are...

Jack and Sam in the Arts & Crafts garden

“I don’t have any sight so Jack describes what all the plants look like”

Henshaws volunteer Jack, tells us about his 10 years of volunteering at Henshaws, and why our unique Arts & Crafts Centre garden needs your support.

Student Tessa with her family on graduation day

One more step: life after specialist college

A parent's experience of life after graduation from Kate Simpson, mum to Tessa who graduated from Henshaws Specialist College in July 2016.

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!

It’s a second triumphant year for Henshaws at Vision UK

On Tuesday 14th June, our community team took part in the Vision UK 2016 conference, with 2 poster entries for projects from our Community Services.

How travel training can change lives

Nic, Disability Support Officer shares her top tips for promoting independent travel for people with disabilities.

We’ve teamed up with Transport for Greater Manchester

We're excited to announce that Henshaws and Transport for Greater Manchester have launched a new initiative to help make bus travel easier in Greater Manchester.

Autism shopping strategies – should more shops adopt the quiet hour?

Advice on shopping strategies for people with autism from Aimee Jackson, Autism Programme Leader at Henshaws Specialist College in Harrogate.

Portrait shot in Enablement Officer Gail

Five steps to dealing with your sight loss

Henshaws Enablement Officer, Gail, shares the top five ways in which she can help to support people living with sight loss to live a more independent and fulfilled life.

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!"

Artists impression of The Starting Point sensory garden

Creating an edible sensory garden for our students

For World Autism Awareness week, we explore how our new edible sensory garden is making a difference to students in our specialist autism centre

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.

How an iPad helped Anita’s independence

The novelty of being able to make calls on her own helped Anita gain an incredible skill...

It’s IMCYP’s First Birthday!

What a year! We are pleased to say that we have just completed the first year of our new BBC Children in Need funded project.

An image of Kate at our SSO launch event

Meet Kate, our new Enablement Officer in Oldham

Kate Nattrass, our new Enablement Officer based in Oldham tells us more about herself and the work she'll be doing in Oldham.

Karina sitting on the sofa at her grandma's house

Sharing the sofa with grandma for the first time – Karina’s story

Henshaws College graduate Karina learnt to stand and walk so she could step into her grandma's house and enjoy spending time together as a family. Her Mum Amanda tells her story.

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.

Henshaws exercise classes

Our classes will get you moving, at your own pace and ability, to improve your range of movement, strength & fitness.

“I love meeting different people and finding out what makes them dance”.

Meet Lee from our supported living service who simply loves his music and is now our resident DJ at our Arts & Crafts centre in Knaresborough!

“I’ve conquered not only my fear of water but also a fear of being defined by my visual impairment”

Philippa Young, a Henshaws service user in the North-East tells us her inspiring story of how Henshaws has turned her life around since she joined us 18 months ago.

“He has never looked back since going to Henshaws”

Henshaws Specialist College graduate Edward left College in 2012. We were delighted when his mum Carole and dad Alec shared Edward’s story.

Top tips for supporting people with visual impairments at Christmas

John, service user at Henshaws Liverpool Resource Centre, runs us through his top tips for hosting someone with visual impairments this Christmas.

Image of the OrCam glasses sitting on top of the box.

ORCAM a potential technology game changer for those with a visual impairment

Our Community Services Development Manager Mark Belcher reviews what he thinks is a potentially game changing piece of wearable technology for those with visual impairments.

Photo of the sign outside 'Wallwork Opticians' displaying its name

“I’m here to help low vision patients to improve the quality of their lives.”

Tony McGrail, Dispensing Optician and Low Vision Practitioner at Wallwork Opticians in Swinton, tells us about the benefits and outcomes of having a Low Vision Assessment.

Road to Rio (pt 2) – Hannah Russell

Paralympic swimmer and Henshaws ambassador Hannah Russell continues to share her road to the Rio Olympics.

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…

Widening horizons and stretching boundaries – our first round of IMCYP courses have been a resounding success!

Our Children and Young People’s Enablement Officer, Natalie Thompson, tells us about the success of our first round of IMCYP courses which took place in Manchester this Summer.

Join us at Tatton Park for Christmas Carols and get into the festive spirit!

Visit the beautiful mansion for a walk round the staterooms and watch decorating/baking demonstrations, along with live classical music and a choir. You can also visit Tatton’s awa

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’.

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.

A student being shown a Makaton symbol by an instructor.

How you can use Makaton to support communication

Henshaws College Speech and Language therapist Ellie runs through how Makaton works, and her top tips for using it as a communication tool.

Henshaws green-fingered graduates create floral display with local charity

We were visited last week by two of our former students who delivered these beautiful flower troughs which they’ve created for this year’s graduation ceremony.

Mountains of fun learning to ski at Chill Factore!

During the Spring Bank half term we took a group of children and young people to Chill Factore for a beginner’s taster ski-ing session: Fiona tells us more about their fab day out.

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.