Hazel Kelly from Corstorphine went on a ‘wee wander’ on Monday. Hazel walked a six-mile circuit of Inverleith Park and the Botanic Gardens to raise funds for a local charity drive very close to her heart, Corstorphine Community Talking Books. Continue reading Hazel takes ‘a wee wander’ in aid of Talking Books for the blind
A woman who woke up to sudden sight loss is to take on Edinburgh Kiltwalk for RNIB. Elizabeth O’Hara is urging people to join her for the Edinburgh Kiltwalk on Sunday, September 15th, to raise money for sight loss charity RNIB. Continue reading Woman who woke up to sudden sight loss to take on Edinburgh Kiltwalk for RNIB
Two Edinburgh residents with sight loss received awards from Edinburgh Lord Provost Frank Ross at a ceremony to mark Volunteer Week in the City Chambers on Wednesday. Continue reading Two Edinburgh residents with sight loss receive Inspiring Volunteer awards
An exhibition of photography and painting by two artists with sight loss opens in Edinburgh on Saturday [August 4th]. ‘Kaleidoscope: a blind vision of colour and light’ will express Rosita McKenzie and Fiona Powell’s ways of seeing through abstract depictions of the landscape and world around them. Continue reading Edinburgh art/photography exhibition expresses work of artists with sight loss
It wasn’t so much a run on the bank as by the bank! Staff at Barclays Bank’s branch on Princes Street have raised £2,500 to transcribe a new ‘talking’ audio-book for blind and partially sighted people. Continue reading Barclays Bank’s Princes Street branch raises £2,500 for books for the blind
An East Lothian man has embarked on the first leg of a marathon 750-mile cycle journey in a bid to raise funds for audio books for people who are blind or partially sighted. Continue reading Five capital challenge for blind cyclist Ken
Good morning,
In the next 15 minutes, someone in the UK will be told: “you are losing your sight.” RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) is here for everyone affected by sight loss, for practical and emotional support, and to help more blind and partially sighted people to face the future with confidence.
I’m a volunteer with RNIB and I’m really hoping you can help me to promote this fun event, on your website, social media or in print.
RNIB is holding the Glow Neon 3km Fun Run on 31 October at 7pm at Meadowbank Sports Centre.
Participants can run, dance, hop, skip or walk their way around a 3km track covered in glowing neon paint to raise money for RNIB. Live DJs and cannons filled with luminous glow water create the party feeling at our Glow Neon Fun Run. Glow is open to everyone aged ten and above and is fully accessible to people with sight loss.
Help us raise money to make every day better for everyone affected by sight loss.
For more information and tickets, go to rnib.org.uk/glow or see https://www.facebook.com/
If you’d like posters or flyers sent to you, or to talk to someone about the event or the work of RNIB in this area, contact Emma the local fundraising manager on the number below or emma.baldry@rnib.org.uk
Janet McFarlane (Volunteer, East Scotland RNIB
(Royal National Institute of Blind People)
A unique exhibition of art and photography by groups whose members are blind or partially sighted opens in Stockbridge this Saturday [August 31]. The ‘Hidden Art’ exhibition can be seen at the Patriothall Gallery off Hamilton Place until 8 September.
“We aim to show people that art is possible for all to enjoy even if they are visually impaired,” said Mark Andrew Powell of the city’s Patriothall Gallery. “We are delighted to give these two groups the chance to display their creative talents to a wider audience.
“The theme of the exhibition, ‘Hidden Art’, has been interpreted by the participants in different ways. The photographic group has documented unseen or overlooked artworks around Edinburgh, things that are tucked away where nobody sees them or overlooked because they are so familiar. Beside each photograph we will have a tactile image of it on raised paper so that everybody, whether they have sight or not, can enjoy the photos.
“The art group’s members have a different take on the theme. Each has made a tile containing both tactile and visual elements which have been compiled into a single larger composition. In addition, their individual paintings and sculptures, seen from their own unique perception of a hidden world, will be displayed around the walls of the main gallery.”
Both groups regularly meet at the Edinburgh headquarters of sight loss charity RNIB Scotland to create and discuss their work, with some members participating in both.
Local artist Fiona Powell from Stockbridge, who has the sight loss condition retinitis pigmentosa, said: “As we all have sight loss of varying degrees, we rely on our weekly meetings to pursue our love of art with help from dedicated volunteers. We work with paint, clay, ‘sticky strings’, felt, silk, swell paper and photography. Though both groups are supported by RNIB Scotland, we are self-funded and it is up to us to raise money for any exhibitions that we put on.
“We want to promote awareness and confidence among visually impaired people that they have the ability to produce art. This exhibition gives an opportunity for the wider community to realise how much visually impaired people are capable of achieving.”
Alan McIntyre from Gorgie, who also has retinitis pigmentosa, said: “The photographic group has given me many hours of fun within a supportive and creative environment. It has enabled me to really learn more about how to take photographs. For me, being visually impaired means that I don’t need to follow the convention of having perfectly focused images.
I can have the freedom to experiment because what I see is far from perfect.”
The ‘Hidden Art’ exhibition is being sponsored by Capital Credit Union, which is also based in Stockbridge. A spokesperson said: “This is such a worthy cause showcasing the work of these very talented groups. We are hoping to attract visitors from all over to witness the creative gift and artistic flair projected in their art.”
To complement the ‘Hidden Art’ exhibition, Dr David Feeney, manager of Visual Impairment Scotland at Edinburgh University, and Seattle-based filmmaker Daniel Thornton have produced a short video following the photographic group around the city as they took photos, and the twelve-minute film will run throughout the exhibition.
As well as this, Dr Feeney has used computer software called Sight-Sim which filters the photos by mimicking different sight loss conditions to show how they appear to the blind and partially sighted photographers who took them.
The exhibition is being held in Patriothall Gallery in Hamilton Place,
Stockbridge, Edinburgh from 12 noon to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, and
then at the same times from next Thursday until Sunday [September 8].
