September 2013
Registered Charity No. 1075388
www.mertonvision.org.uk
Guardian Gazette
An independent Charity providing services, information and activities
to residents of Merton who have a visual impairment.
Here we are in autumn again with the warm weather gone and the leaves
falling off the trees and Christmas just around the corner. However, we
have had quite a good summer which we hope you all enjoyed.
In this issue of the Gazette you will find items on 100 Club Winners, New
Academic Year, Forthcoming Events, For Sale, News from Calibre,
Christmas Cards, R.I.P., Message from MTN and Dates for your diary.
100 Club Winners
Congratulations to the following winners;
August
1st prize No 4 Queenie Jeyasingham
2nd Prize No 82 Harry Townsend
£27.50
£11.00
September
1st prize No 83 Ken Noon
2nd Prize No 1 Jim Roger
£27.50
£11.00
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.
New Academic Year 2013/14
The new term starts on Monday 23 September for I.T., Art and Craft. If you
would like to attend any of these just give us a call to enrol or turn up on the
day to check availability. Fees are paid termly which cost £30 per term plus
£5 materials for Art and Craft. There is also an annual Registration Fee of
£17.50 for I.T. which is payable to Merton Adult College via ourselves.
A prospectus is enclosed which gives details of all social activities and adult
education classes.
Unfortunately, we have had to increase the price we charge for social
activities from £2.50 to £3 and adult education from £25 per term to £30, but
I am sure you will agree that it is value for money.
Forthcoming Events
MertonVision Community Advisory Group – Tuesday 19 November at
7:30 p.m.
This is your opportunity to express your views about visually impaired
related subjects, make suggestions and share information. Please feel free
to come along, you will be made very welcome.
Social - Friday 18 October at 7:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. - £10 per head
Music will be provided by a band called ‘Los Rialtos’. There will be an
opportunity to dance and supper will be fish and chips or vegetarian spring
roll. Admission will be by ticket only and tickets must be purchased
beforehand. Closing date for sale of tickets is Friday 11 October.
MertonVision Annual General Meeting (AGM) - Thursday 7 November
2:30 pm
It doesn’t seem possible that another year has passed since the last AGM.
Although this is not the most exciting event of the year, it is a good
opportunity to get together to exchange ideas and see what is going on.
Everyone is invited to the AGM so do take this opportunity to come along.
Cheese and wine will be served after the formal proceedings.
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Quiz Night – Friday 15 November from 7:30 until 11 p.m. - £10 per head
Another entertaining evening with a vegetarian curry and rice supper.
Admission is by ticket only and these must be purchased beforehand.
Closing date for purchase of tickets is Friday 8 November.
Macular Society Group (MD) - Monday 18 November - 10 a.m. until
12 p.m.
The guest speaker at this meeting will be Simon Brown from Blind Veterans
UK, a charity who support ex-service personnel. I am sure this will be an
interesting talk and you are welcome to come along, even if you don’t have
MD.
It would be lovely to see lots of you to have a chat over a cup of tea/coffee
and a biscuit.
Thursday 12 December - Christmas Lunch - £10 per head
Enjoy an early Christmas lunch with us and your friends. A 4 course meal
cooked on the premises: soup or melon, turkey dinner or vegetarian
equivalent, Christmas pudding or mince pies, coffee/tee with mints and a
glass of wine or fruit juice to accompany the meal.
Please book early and don’t forget to tell us if you are vegetarian.
For Sale
Kapten Plus Voice Activated Sat Nav (GPS) for sale. This is available
through the RNIB at a cost of £194.99 excluding VAT but you can buy this
from Graham at £90. Hardly used and in good working order.
It has UK and Ireland maps pre-installed with four navigation modes;
pedestrian, bike, motorbike and car. It comes with silicone case, portable
speaker, USB with integrated microphone, earphones, two USB cables and
lanyard.
For further details and to bury the Kapten please contact Graham direct on
020 8646 6626
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News from Calibre Library
Calibre’s Audio Library has launched its streaming service with all 6,700
digital books available online. Streaming is a service where Calibre audio
books are delivered to you live as you listen using the internet, as opposed
to downloads where the complete book is delivered before you start
listening. You can listen to them on internet enabled devices, which
includes computers, tablets and, of course, smart phones. Calibre
continues to offer their popular postal service with MP3 CDs and USB
memory sticks.
There are two membership options. For a single payment of £35 you can
enjoy great books (including streaming) with no annual subscription. Once
you join, it’s free to use for as long as you like!
If you would like a player there are two packages that include the joining
fee, a choice of players posted to you and free books for life. For £65 or
£67 there is a choice of two USB memory stick players: either Laplock
Technology’s Boombox Plus, or the Kings Audio Sovereign.
Alternatively for £70 you can have a Denver CD player.
All the players have a bookmark facility and you also have the option of
purchasing the players individually.
If you enjoy reading, but have never tried audio books before, Calibre offers
a three month free trial period. You can borrow a single book at a time
(and/or listen to multiple titles via streaming) and at the end of the twelve
weeks you can join our library with the membership option that suits you.
For more information call our Membership Services Team on 01296 432
339 or visit www.calibre.org.uk
Christmas Cards and Calendars for sale
Cards are available to purchase now but a leaflet with all items will be sent
to you in October so that you can make your choice. Look out for this
popping through your door in about 3 weeks time.
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R.I.P.
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Irene Brunton, Margaret
Skates, Bill Irwin, Dorothy Carrod, Tom Strang and Rose Cole.
To their family and friends we offer our sincere condolences and thank you
for your donations in lieu of funeral flowers.
Talking Newspaper (MTN)
Merton Talking Newspaper h as ' gon e di gi tal '.
MTN's weekly cassette tape recordings have been circulated free to local
residents since the service started in 1976. Now, recognising the many
benefits of digital technology, MTN launched its first memory stick
edition on 4 April this year. Already half of MTN's former cassette tape
listeners have switched over to the digital version and nearly 50 new
listeners have been added to MTN's listener audience.
Whether you are new to MTN or an existing listener wishing to switch
from cassette to memory stick, if you do not have a computer, a Wireless
for the Blind Concerto2 or other form of USB player you should contact
MTN to arrange for a free lifetime loan of a Sovereign USB memory stick
player.
An MTN volunteer will arrange to deliver and demonstrate the use of the
Sovereign players in your home. Or, if you prefer, arrangements can be
made for demonstrations at the Guardian Centre.
Cassette tape recordings will continue to be distributed but everyone
agrees, the Sovereign players are easier to operate than cassette players,
they provide a better quality sound and can be used to play your favourite
talking books.
For more information please ring the MTN Studio on 020 8544 0551 or
email Peter Walker, one of the MTN Magazine presenters, at
prwobe@yahoo.co.uk.
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Dates for 2013
Monday 23 September
Autumn term commences
Friday 18 October
Monday 28 October
Social Evening
Half term holiday
Thursday 7 November
Friday 15 November
Monday 18 November
Tuesday 19 November
MertonVision AGM
Quiz Night
Macular Society Group
MertonVision Community Advisory Group
Friday 6 December
End of term
Thursday 12 December Christmas Lunch
Dates 2014
Monday 13 January
Spring term commences
Monday 17 February
Half term holiday
Friday 4 April
Friday 18 April
Monday 21 April
Tuesday 22 April
End of term
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Summer term commences
Monday 5 May
Monday 26 May
May Day
Spring Bank Holiday
Friday 11 July
End of term
Low Vision Clinic is held on the first Tuesday of the month by appointment
only.
Our Counselling Service takes place on a Wednesday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
by appointment only. There is a charge for this service depending on
personal circumstances. To make an appointment please contact Beccy
direct on 07984 948 408.
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The Centre will be closed for the Christmas break from midday on
24 December until 9 a.m. on Thursday 2 January 2014.
MertonVision, The Guardian Centre, 67 Clarendon Road, Colliers Wood,
London SW19 2DX Telephone No 020 8540 5446 or visit our website at
www.mertonvision.org.uk
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