Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Page 1
Volume 19 No. 1. Spring, 2016.
Follow us on:
NCBI NewsIncorporating The Blind Citizen (1923)
In this Issue:
MayFest Dynamics coming to you on Friday 20th May.
NCBI Is Open for Businesses!
NCBI’s Cavan Fundraisers with seasonal colours.
NCBI Wexford service userstaste sweet success.
NCBI’s Rachel Sheridan is part of the NCBI’s ‘Open for Businesses’ clothes donation idea which provides a temporary Blue Bin, collected by NCBI once they “Bag IT for Blindness!”
Page 2
Publisher: NCBINCBI NEWS (Incorporating The Blind Citizen 1923) is published four times a year by: NCBI,Whitworth Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Tel: 01 830 7033 Fax: 01 8307 787email: [email protected] website: www.ncbi.ieEditor: Frank Callery, Mobile: 087 6724097 email: [email protected] by: PB Print SolutionsTel: 353 86 2511640.
NCBI is a registered Charity,registered in Ireland No. 26293 Charity No. CHY 4626
IN THIS ISSUE:
Page 5:NCBI is “Open for Business”!
Page 6:Sweet success at Lochrann Centre.
Pages 8-9:Personal Profile: Ena Kavanagh, service user, Navan.
Pages 10-11:The Royal County! We meet Jean Kiernan, CRW, Navan.
Pages 12-13:Hands On! Feel the Music — Braille and Boole at Cork.
Page 14:Iona Centre at your service!. Pages 16-24:NCBI Fundraising and a round-up of all our sporting, social and fundraising activities.
The environment for charities like NCBI to operate in 2016 continues to disimprove, staff are having to work harder to keep our services open with the backdrop of ongoing controversy around how charities fund themselves. The stream of stories starting in 2013 with the Central Remedial Clinic and Rehab and continuing recently with the Irish Cancer Society undermines the trust that the general public has had in Charities.
Highest standards NCBI has always held the highest standards when it comes to the delivery of services and our fundraising to support those services. Despite our exemplary record in this regard we are sharing in the impact of the general disappointment and lack of confidence in charities.
NCBI has adopted and continues to adhere to the highest standards of Governance. We were of the first adopters of the Code of Governance of Voluntary Organisations. We are also signatories of the Fundraising Standards and finally we have applied the Statement on Recommended Practice (SORP) for our accounts. The SORP requires
Sight Lines
that we publish salaries of staff in bands and that information is available in our last two annual reports. Not all charities have taken this step but we see it as best practice and gives assurance to our service users and donors that NCBI is committed to the highest standard possible of accountability.
International best practice NCBI as a large national charity is continually being approached by media outlets to disclose information on salaries and cost of fundraising etc. We comply with every request and indeed we already have all the information we are asked for in our annual report. The information we disclose is sometimes misrepresented which then leads to inaccurate comparisons. This can be attributed to NCBI having adopted international best practice around our reporting and other large charities have not.
In NCBI we continue to be open and transparent about what we do and how we do it and we will ensure that our reputation for best practice, excellent governance and honesty is safeguarded.
SIGHTLINES
n
Good Governance, Transparency and Best Practice in NCBI
Page 3#
Please fill in the form overleaf and return as directed.
Good Governance, Transparency and Best Practice in NCBI
Page 4
Page 5
NCBI News
n
n
This year we are asking more Irish businesses to join in the NCBI fun! We’ve a great range of impact activities, which have been designed to make it as easy as possible to support us and give back to the community. If you know a local business that would like to get involved, let us know! Some of our most popular activities this year include;
Bag it for Blindness (Clothes donation): We provide organisations with a temporary blue bin and we will collect the bin once they bag it for blindness.
Wear Dots, Raise Lots This is a dress down day with a difference. Everyone participating donates €2 on the day to NCBI and sends us in a picture. The organisation to wear the most dots
to raise lots will be in with a chance of winning our inaugural “Dotty Award”.
There is a huge selection of activities on our website, under the
fundraising tab. If you have any ideas or would like to host one of our activities you can contact; Amie Hynes Fitzpatrick Email: [email protected]
NCBI Is Open for Businesses!
Well done to Netta Edgerton, one of our service users who raised an amazing €1,340.68 through her annual pancake fundraiser. Another resounding success in its 6th year!
To raise additional funds this year, Netta very kindly made some of her homemade apple tarts too which went down a real treat. We are very grateful for her wonderful and continuous support to our charity.
Thank you very much, Netta!
RIGHT Netta Edgerton and Chris White, CEO, NCBI.
Page 6
Wexford Icing on the Top!
n
Sweet Success at Lochrann Centre
The final programme of the year at Lochrann demonstrates, it would seem, that participants clearly enjoy the sweet smell of success!
The Big RevealThis was clearly evident during our Christmas activities. Service users who attended busied themselves feverishly decorating Christmas cakes in preparation for the big reveal to family in their homes across the county, over the Christmas period.
Guided by the cake creating and decorating genius of facilitator Niamh Radford, the end product clearly speaks for itself.
Factoring in all that is quintessentially traditional and representative of the festive season, from snow to candy canes and presents to elves, the cakes produced
contained this in abundance.While there is truth in the saying that the proof of the pudding is in the eating, these cakes were almost too good to cut!
Well decorated Wexford Service users and staff at Lochrann.
TJ Hearne, Lochrann Centre service user, nails it.
Page 7
n
n
The NCBI Library was delighted to host readers from New Ireland Assurance to record Frank O’Connor’s short stories in the studios at its Finglas Library and Media Centre.
30 New Ireland employees recorded one story each, culminating in an audio collection that is available to our Library members. This is part of the social responsibility initiative which allows NCBI to grow its collection for its library members.
Braille and Audio launch of Frank O’Connor’s Collected Stories
ABOVE: Lina Kouzi, NCBI Library and Media Services Manager presenting Sean Casey, Chief Executive of New Ireland Assurance with a CD plaque at the launch of the audio and Braille stories.
NCBI Library brings back the joy of reading to its members
The Library produces and distributes books in accessible formats to over 4,100 clients nationally. Annually, we process over 40,000 Library transactions and hold a collection of over 16,000 accessible titles.
The accessible collection includes: Braille books, audio books, Large Print and downloadable books, as well as DAISY books and audio magazines and newspapers.
The Library specialises in the production of Irish
interest titles; There are a number of books that are read by the authors in our studios, and are available for loan through our audio downloadable and CD collections.
In recent weeks, we have recorded in audio and produced in Braille, copies
of Fallen by Lia Mills which is the “Two Cities, One book” choice for 2016. The two Cities being Dublin and Belfast.
For more information on the Belfast-Dublin, Two Cities One Book 2016, please go to: http://www.dublinonecityonebook.ie .
Page 8
Personal Profile
The ‘West’ may be Awake, but Ena’s heart is in the Royal County
Ena Kavanagh used the Looky hand-held magnifier and finds it extremely useful for her needs.
Ena Kavanagh is an NCBI service user in Navan Co. Meath. She has been involved with NCBI for some time and her sister Lucy (O’Flaherty) was active with the NCBI branch in the Trim area for many years.
Ena has Macular Degeneration (though not age-related) and uses a Looky magnifier to read. “I used to use a CCTV unit, for about 15 years, until it gave up the ghost, and so I approached Jean Kiernan, our community resource worker in Meath, for advice. I was also attending the ophthalmic Department at the Mater as well at the time; and it was at the Mater that I discovered the Looky magnifier and I can get by with it”.
The “Manchester” DepartmentIt was by a circuitous route that Ena came to live and marry in Navan. When she first started work it was in the ‘Manchester’ department of Cullen’s, a large drapery store in her native Ballinasloe. Working in this mini ‘Arnotts’ was not for her and so, following in her sister Lucy’s footsteps she went to England to train as a nurse.
She found herself working as a trainee nurse at the Mayday hospital in Croydon, Surrey. She then went on to do midwifery at St Alfred’s Hospital, Greenwich and then on to Hertford. “I did first grad in Kingsbury Hospital and that was my first paid job, I
was living in Harrow at the time. I spent six years in total in England.”
When Ena returned to Ireland she went to work at a Cottage Hospital in Athlone, but couldn’t settle. Being near to her native Ballinasloe did not cure that. Nor the fond memories of her mother’s home place (the Caseys) at Partry, Mayo, where she had spent many happy summers beside Lough Carra. Not even her father the Garda’s beloved Roscommon where the Smyths originated, attracted her. No, the West could not hold her.
“In 1965 my sister Lucy was a patient in Our Lady’s hospital in Navan and the matron asked her had she any sisters who were nursing. They contacted me and I came. “I remember the day I came to Navan with my big cases and I said, ‘well I am not moving out of Navan’ and I didn’t! I had had enough of moving!”
Long time supporter and NCBI service user, Ena Kavanagh from Dunmoe, Navan Co. Meath, talks to Frank Callery about her life and her macular degeneration condition. Ena spoke to NCBI News in the new offices at the NCBI Retail complex at Navan.
Page 9
n
The ‘West’ may be Awake, but Ena’s heart is in the Royal CountyEna settled in to life in the Royal county and loved it. “I had a great time with all my colleagues and I met my husband Micháel Kavanagh, a Meath man who was farming at Dunmoe, Navan, and got married in 1970.
Ena always had high Myopia and wore the obligatory big thick glasses.
Myopia“When I finished my training as a nurse, I got a lump sum of £40 — now that was a lot of money at the time and I purchased lens and loved wearing them. But about 1969 I started to get retinal haemorrhages and that was a bit of a blow. I consulted a specialist and he said that it was because of my Myopia and the work I was doing. Nursing then could be hard work, lifting heavy patients in the orthopaedic unit and so on. And that strain was a contributing factor to the haemorrhages. I had a few minors ones after that episode, but really, I managed.
“I had two children and worked on and in 1979 I was pregnant with my third child and I discovered that I wasn’t seeing properly. Faces were blank and I realised that my vision, which had never been good had changed drastically. So that was the onset of macular degeneration. It is not age-related but to do with the type of eyes I have.”
The Looky is a great help, the CCTV was great for use at home but this is really handy and quite portable. I did have a computer that I got from NCBI but it just wasn’t for me and I found it hard to cope with it.
Ena has had a long involvement with NCBI, initially through her sister Lucy O’Flaherty, who was involved with secretary Ann Cassidy in the old NCBI branch in the Trim area. She was later involved with Kathleen Farrelly, Jean’s predecessor.
“The services are great and Jean is fantastic and I can call her for anything; but I don’t have a lot of issues. I have lived with my condition. I never had great sight and without the glasses or the lens it was always very poor”.
Ena Kavanagh, NCBI Service user, Navan.
Page 10
At Your Service in Meath
A Worker in the field — of the Royal County
Jean Kiernan has welcomed the improved accessibility and the common sense in having the NCBI Retail shops, which support the provision of services, collocated with the offices and consulting and training rooms.
“People find it just so much easier”, says Jean. “Prior to this our office was located in the old St. Ann’s complex, which was attached to St. Mary’s, the main church in Navan. It was in a central location but the building itself was very inaccessible, with no parking as such and people had to walk quite a distance to get to appointments as well. This is infinitely a much better location.
“While I still do regular visits to service users, we are moving towards being a more office-based service, and the facilities and the access here accommodates that. It is amazing still that a lot of people just don’t know about NCBI, so the shop is a great promotion for our presence and our services. It kind of makes us more approachable. Yes, now we get people coming in themselves or to make subtle enquires for relatives, whereas, before, they thought that they would have to be referred to a specialist; but here it is more direct. Of course, the main avenue of referrals are still through the ophthalmologists and opticians and the public health nurses, but here people can call directly to us”.
Jean has worked with NCBI for 12 years now and before joining NCBI she worked for The National Association of the Deaf, who are now Deaf-Hear.
I began working for NCBI, covering the South-East as a rehabilitation worker, before moving back to the Midlands. I was delighted to be able to continue working for NCBI as a community resource worker in Meath”.
Jean is also a qualified mobility trainer and provides that service to people in her area. Roisin Mulligan, the IT trainer for the North East region uses the office facilities for training service users. She has delivered some IT training and the BenefIT course here. The BenefIT course gives trainees an overview on all aspects of the internet.
Since NCBI opened its new retail shop and service user offices in the one complex at Unit 1&2 Kennedy Road, Navan, last year, it has been a changed environment for Community Resource Worker (CRW) Jean Kiernan. Frank Callery visited her in the new offices to talk about the changes.
Jean Kiernan, NCBI Community Resource Worker, Meath.
Page 11
While Jean advises service users on magnification devices and requirements Roisin does the main computer training. It has been a busy time in the Meath area, with the redrawing of areas of responsibility and a change in work practices since October 2014, Jean, who used to work part-time, formerly covered only a portion of Meath while her colleague in the Cavan area Helena McDonald, covered North Meath.
She is getting to know the North Meath service users now, looking after the needs of approximately 560 people in the Royal County. The age profile is varied, but half of them are over 75; and a good portion over 65. There are about 55 children ranging in age from 0 to 18 years.
“Thanks to advances in the accessibility of technology, many of our service users are now able to use a variety of aids such as Apple iPad and Kindle. The fact that they have built-in accessibility features makes them so handy, and they are widely used. With the Kindle HDFire X, for example, (there are demo models in the office for service users to have a hands-on experience) the user can enlarge the font size as much as they like, and there is no glare coming off the screen. There is also the option of text to speech on it, so the user can change features if their eyes get tired and they can continue to read away.
“The iPad has provided phenomenal access and many service users, with moderate to severe loss, love the Samsung Galaxy phones. I have people with total loss of vision using Apple iPhones. They use them for email, in fact, for most tasks”.
Jean shows me a demo iPad. “This is so user-cute and the fact that you don’t have to buy additional software to magnify or read the screen is a huge bonus”.
Support from ColleaguesJean praises the great support from colleagues at head office, from training Centre Manager Stuart Lawlor, to the IT team Collyn Kenny, Paul Traynor, Miriam Kelly and Roisin Mulligan.
“They are only a call away to help our service users with any technical queries they might have; and that is all part of the services we provide for them”.
Apart from the new improved environment and accessibility for service users there is the other side of that equation that is sometimes forgotten in service provision: the facilities for the service providers.
Audio Book Club“We have a training/meeting room in addition to the office. It is used for group IT lessons and as the venue for our recently formed audio book club. Retired librarian, Geraldine Donnelly, popped into the shop recent to enquire about reading aloud to vision impaired people. She is a regular visitor at the Book Club and has been reading some very interesting articles to the delight of the members.
“I am delighted to be in this off-the-street office, for two reasons: the accessibility is foremost, but also there is some life here with the shop staff as colleagues as well. It was very isolated where I was formerly —practically a ghost building! I am quite a social creature and this has been a great bonus”.
A Worker in the field — of the Royal County
n
Page 12
Hands on: Feel the Music — Braille and Boole at UCC
College Support
The beautiful music of blind harper Turlough O’Carolan might have been lost forever had it not been for collectors such as John and William Neal, Edward Bunting and George Petrie who recorded it; and the work of Edward Bunting who transcribed the music of the harpers at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792. That music is still being played and enjoyed by musicians all over the world, thanks to the endeavours of these men.
A new handbook Hands on: Feel the Music devised by UCC music lecturer Dr. Eva McMullan-Glossop sets out to help today’s generation of blind musicians read Braille music so that they can further their music education at second and third level. O’Carolan and the other 94 recorded blind harpers came from an oral tradition but today, music notation is a critical element in the development of the music education of blind and visually impaired musicians. Both the aural and written elements are important — the more that vision impaired musicians develop their aural skills the more they can integrate into a social setting which can have huge impact on their musical development as well as their social integration and confidence.
Special challenges for blind music studentsDr. McMullan-Glossop recognised the special challenges for blind music students and the handbook contains a collection of interviews, articles and resources to help teachers at second and third level. She highlights the importance of forethought, preparation and planning on the part of both the school and the student before course work begins. “I believe that Braille is the way forward for
blind students. “A Braille music system will allow blind musicians to read and write music more quickly and more easily than other systems,” says Dr. Eva McMullan-Glossop.
One person who has benefitted from this is UCC music graduate, Robert Creed, from Kildare. Robert, who is vision impaired, recently received a first class Honours Bmus degree and is now pursuing his Masters degree in performance at the Department of Music at UCC. Robert has written a poem about the experience of being a blind musician. Inspired by the commemorations taking place in UCC for George Boole’s bicentenary he also composed a piece in Boole’s honour.
“The Boole bicentenary certainly was an occasion
UCC has one of the most progressive Disability Support Services in the country and it also has the largest number of visually impaired students registered at third level in Europe, But it doesn’t stop there… Frank Callery reports.
LEFT-RIGHT: Robert Creed, UCC Music graduate, Dr. Eva McMullan-Glossop, School of Music and Theatre, UCC and Linda Doran, Disability Support Service, UCC.
Page 13
Hands on: Feel the Music — Braille and Boole at UCC
nn
to celebrate. I heard a poem The Communion of Saints which he had written — it was published at the back of the Choral Evensong booklet. It triggered something inside that compelled me to compose the air, ‘George Boole’s Prayer Remembered’ and I thought it was apt, George Boole having been a keen musician. I wanted, in a sense, to communicate with this historical figure, just as, conversely, the music of our tradition communicates the emotions of the past to our generation”, says Robert.
UCC has one of the most progressive Disability Support Services in the country and it also has the largest number of visually impaired students registered at third level in Europe. Students coming to UCC can be assured of great support services; and vision impaired students intending to pursue a music degree can be assured of the expertise of Dr. Eva McMullan-Glossop and her colleagues.
Poem by Robert Creed
Now We Are Talking!
You come to me and smile at me, but I do not respond,For my eyes gaze into a world far beyond,With my fingers tapping the rhythm of my leaping heart,On an accordion attached to me. You come to me, and play my tune,Our feet beat a steady rhythm,Our bodies sway in sequenceYou play a variation,I copy,Now we are talking! As we play our instruments,Colour escapes and darts between us,Like a dazzling fireworks display,Which isn’t seen by the naked eye,But exists in the heart of a passionate musician in full flight,Whose brain impulses could power a city,Now we are talking! And as the tune dies down,And the final note is played,And the final beat is tapped,I say,Hello!
George Boole’s Prayer Remembered —Composed by Robert Creed. Performed by Robert Creed (tin whistle) and Fiachra Ó Corragáin (harp). Recorded and mixed by Donncha Moynihan at The Rise Studio, Cork. Produced by Mel MercierYou can hear it at: https://soundcloud.com/user735764439/george-booles-prayer-remembered .
Page 14
Iona Centre At Your Service
Rugged Good Fun and Crafts at Iona
Joe Lonergan our computer teacher here at the Iona centre and his wife Michelle celebrated the birth of their baby boy Luke. Congratulations to them both and we wish them all the happiness for the future.
Sharon Byrne is a service user who attends our centre twice a week and takes part in our crochet classes. Recently Sharon completed her crochet blanket and the attention to detail is fantastic. All the work completed in our crochet and knitting classes will be on full display at our annual craft and bake sale later in the year.
Margaret and Emily who attend our Friday service had a great day out when the group recently visited the new Charlestown leisure complex. Needless to say, it was a fun time for all.
Guest speakers to the centreOver the coming weeks we have lots of guest speakers coming to the centre. Dr. Anne O’Reilly will be coming along to introduce and practice mindfulness with the gang.
Historian Pat Clarke will give talks to our senior citizens group on Tuesdays. He will be discussing the Lead up to the 1916 Rising. We will also have the Gardai coming to the centre to give a talk on safety and awareness to all our service users.
Day tripsOur Wednesday group had a lovely tour of Farmleigh estate where they enjoyed a beautiful lunch at the Boathouse Restaurant in the grounds of Farmleigh estate.
Iona Fun RunThe Iona Centre recently purchased a new treadmill and cross trainer for our Iona gym. The equipment was purchased with the funds raised doing the Iona Fun Run in November. The total amount raised was €3,300.
Sharon Byrne with her beautiful blanket.
Margaret and Emily at Leisure Complex.n
Page 15
MayFest Dynamics a Must Do!Rugged Good Fun and Crafts at Iona
So you thrive on working with blind and vision impaired people and would love to discover what’s hot in the ever-changing world of disability sport and leisure?
You absolutely must attend the MayFest Dynamics Conference at ChildVision on Friday 20th May. It’s a unique event where you can engage in LIVE sport and network with the experts from local sports partnerships, sports and other disability governing bodies as well as meet Paralympic stars past, present and future.
MayFest Dynamics is being organised by Vision Sports Ireland in association with ChildVision. The invited speakers on the day will represent Sport Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, CARA, Local Sports Network as well as representatives of NCBI, ChildVision and Vision Sports itself. The LIVE activities will include Blind Football, SNAG Golf, Table Cricket and Judo.
MayFest Dynamics kicks off an exciting weekend of sport for people with low vision as we celebrate 35 years of May Games. On Saturday 21st. we move to ALSAA for a sports multi-pack. Come and try athletics, indoor rowing, tandems (leisure cycle or tour/time trial over 10 or 20 miles), tenpin bowling, adaptive tennis, swimming and Goalball. Beginning on Saturday there will be a two-day, four-countries futsal tournament with teams from Austria, England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The social highlight of the weekend will be “MayFest Mayhem” at the Maples in Glasnevin on the Saturday evening, a not to be missed friendly evening of good food, crack and LIVE entertainment.
After all the exertion a Sunday stroll from the Phoenix Monument to the grounds of the NCBI at Whitworth Road seems the sensible solution.
To register for MayFest Dynamics, the day at ALSAA, the Sunday Stroll or the Maples MayFest Mayhem evening email Sarah at [email protected] details on the Vision Sports website at www.visionsports.ie.
Pure variety and all to play for at MayFest Dynamics!
n
Page 16
Recent Fundraising Events
n
n
NCBI would like to acknowledge the tremendous support we continue to receive from people throughout the country who raise funds on our behalf. They enable us to continue to deliver our essential services to people in Ireland who are living with Sight Loss. Thank you all for your generous efforts and contributions.
In October and to coincide with the Cork Jazz Festival, Sharon Kerr held a Jazz coffee morning in aid of NCBI at her home in Cork. Sharon thoughtfully organised the day in memory of her late sister Diane and late father Bruce. She remarked how her sister Diane was always happy working with NCBI and passionate about the services provided to those with sight loss and how her father Bruce was one of the founding members of the Jazz festival in Cork which is now one of the biggest festivals of its kind in Europe.
Jazz Coffee Morning in Cork for NCBI
On the morning, which of course featured plenty of jazz music, there was a wide selection of memorabilia on display from some of the great stars of Jazz who played at the festival in the early days. It was a huge success attracting close to 70
people in total and raising a fantastic €1,000 for NCBI. Sharon is already making plans for next year’s Jazz Coffee Morning for NCBI and looks forward to welcoming everyone back next year along with plenty of new faces!
Front, L-R: Anne Maria Hennessy (CRW), Sharon Kerr (organiser of Jazz Coffee morning and sister of the late Diane Kenny). Back, L-R : Maureen Quinlan, Brian Manning, Neil Ashworth, Angela Brennan. Remembering Diane – The photograph on the back wall is of NCBI’s dear friend Diane Kenny.
Collection BoxesWe have received some incredibly generous contributions from Groarke’s Centra in Drumcondra and Spar in Cabra from the funds raised through counter top boxes located in their shops over the last year. Huge thanks to the staff and customers for supporting NCBI.
RIGHT: Shop Manager of Groarke’s Centra in Drumcondra, Amit, presenting Head of Community and Retail Fundraising for NCBI Finbarr Roche with a cheque for €3,639. (See bottom of page 19 for the Spar picture.)
Page 17
n
n
Leitrim Icebreakers Christmas Swim
On 30th January, our service user Anthony McDonald from Shankill, Co. Dublin, organised a fantastic night of music in the DCI Social Club in Dun Laoghaire raising over €1,000 for NCBI on the night.
RIGHT: Guests taking to the dance floor.BELOW: Anthony McDonald.
25 years and still going strong! The Leitrim Icebreaker this year raised a fantastic €2,500 for NCBI at their annual Christmas morning plunge into the icy waters of Garadice Lake in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. NCBI would like to thank everyone who participated in and helped organise the day, in particular Paddy O’Connor and Mary O’Brien from Ballinamore.
RIGHT and ABOVE RIGHT Leitrim Icebreakers who plunged into the freezing waters of Garadice Lake on Christmas Day!
Rock Gig for NCBI’s Early Learning Centre On 28th January, Conor Maguire organised a rock gig in aid of NCBI’s Early Learning Centre at Áras Chrónáin in Clondalkin. Conor is a former IT Trainer volunteer in Clondalkin and plays drums with The Ed Seiler Band who performed on the night. Altogether €1,200 was raised for the Early Learning Centre.
Music Night in Dun Laoghaire
Page 18
A Question of Fundraisers
NCBI launched its inaugural National Table Quiz in September 2015 in association with IPB Insurance. The quiz consisted of 5 separate regional heats throughout the month of November followed by a Grand Final in Dublin’s Historic Mansion House on Saturday 5th December which was attended by the Lord Mayor of Dublin Críona Ní Dhálaigh.
A total of 77 teams consisting of 462 contestants took part in the National Quiz with a cash prize of €500 awarded to each of the five heat winners.
E=MC Hammer, the inaugural winners of the NCBI National Table Quiz, were awarded a cash price of €2,500 by NCBI’s Group CEO Chris White and Lord Mayor of Dublin Críona Ní Dhálaigh. Their team name was inscribed on the NCBI National Table Quiz Trophy.
In total the table quiz successfully raised €11,082 for NCBI. We would like to thank everyone who participated in the quiz and congratulate our 5 finalists and overall winning team. We hope to see you all back this year!
NCBI National Retail Table Quiz
BELOW: Overall winning team “E=MC Hammer” with the Lord Major of Dublin Críona Ní Dhálaigh.
ABOVE: Chris White, CEO of NCBI, kicking off the first quiz heat at the Arches Hotel in Galway.
LEFT: Heat 2 Winners “Brace Yourselves” in Bunclody, Wexford with NCBI Staff.
BELOW: Ruairí McGinley, Chief Financial Controller of NCBI, marking the answer sheets
LEFT: Ann Kelly, captain of the 5th Heat Winners “Lily’s Gambitt” with Paddy Byrne from NCBI.
LEFT: The stunning Oak Room in the Mansion House - the venue for the grand final.
Page 19
n
n
Aidan Dunne and Kevin Coffey from Spar in Cabra presenting NCBI’s Finbarr Roche with the cheque for €2,720.09.
It is with sadness we report the death, after a short illness, of Hugh McGuire of Athlone, Co. Westmeath.Hugh had a long-time commitment to NCBI, starting with the Westmeath Branch. He was a member of the central council from 1984 to 1996, and served several terms as a member of the Executive Committee and as a director under the changing structures. He had recently been returned as a director of NCBI Group until his passing on the 12th of February. Hugh was a champion of the employment rights of persons with vision impairments. He had worked as a telephonist in the tax office, Athlone. He was active in CPSU trade union which successfully lobbied for the raising of the entry grade of “blind telephonist” to that of “clerical officer”, which facilitated blind telephonists graduate to senior
roles as computer programmers and further career advancement. Hugh was a tenacious advocate for the rights of all persons with disabilities. NCBI was privileged to have had the commitment and support from this most loyal of supporters. Hugh was also actively involved with PWDI: People With Disabilities in Ireland) as a branch leader and as a member of the board of the organisation until its cessation some years ago. — Des Kenny, retired CEO of NCBI Group.
The Late Hugh McGuire — Westmeath (1940 - 2016) IN MEMORIAMMaureen Kennedy
SPAR Collection Rings the Sweet Ching of Change!
It was with sadness that I learnt recently of the passing of Maureen Kennedy (Butler). Maureen Commenced working with NCBI in 1964. She trained as a home teacher for the blind — which was then NCBI’s frontline grade. She left NCBI to be married in July 1964. She returned to work with NCBI in County Kilkenny where she was supported by a vibrant Kilkenny county branch, holding Handicraft classes on alternate Wednesdays in Kilkenny and once a month in Graiguenamanagh, and supporting service users in Thomastown, The Rower, Graiguenamanagh, Freshford, Urlingford, Johnstown, Callan and Kilkenny city.
She worked closely with Lady Pamela Blunden, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer of the Kilkenny branch until 2003, when the formal committee structure ceased to exist and the members were then constituted as a volunteer group. — Desmond Kenny.
Page 20
NCBI FundRaising Events
Upcoming Fundraising Events
St Patrick’s Day Badges17th March Go Green this St.
Patrick’s Day for NCBI by purchasing one of our special St. Patrick’s Day badges. You can purchase your St. Patrick’s Day badge for just €1 in any of our 77 NCBI Retail Shops throughout the country as well as from our Head Office Shop on Whitworth Road, and other selected
locations. To find out the most convenient place to purchase your badge, please contact Finbarr Roche on 01 8821917 or email [email protected].
Wine and Cheese Fundraiser19th MarchCome along to our Wine and Cheese fundraiser in The Old School in Kerrykeel, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal on Saturday 19th March! The event takes place at 7pm.
Call JP in the NCBI Fundrasing department on 01 8307033 for more details about this tasty FUNdraising event.
Easter HampersHelp support NCBI by raffling this delicious Lily O’Brien’s Easter Hamper. Each hamper comes with an instant raffle card and entry is €2 per line. Once the card is completed you reveal the hidden number on the card to reveal who has won! All proceeds go directly to NCBI. If you would like to raffle a hamper among your work colleagues, friends & family please contact Allison Harvey on 01 8821939 or email [email protected].
Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon6th JuneWe are looking for ladies to run, jog or walk the 2016 Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon for NCBI on Bank Holiday Monday 6th June. Last year our fantastic group of ladies raised over €15,000 for NCBI. Well done everyone! This year we have brand new running tops for all our participants, training programmes for walkers, joggers and runners and goody bags on the day filled with lots of treats! We have booked our usual spot in Doheny and Nesbitt’s on Baggot Street as our meeting point and for refreshments after the race. To register and receive your sponsorship pack, please call JP n
n
n
Page 21
on 01 8307033 or email [email protected].
Trip to Tipp Weekend of Cycling – Dedicated to the Memory of Lorraine Shanahan
16th and 17th July Over the weekend of 16th and 17th July we are asking everyone to hop on their bike and join Billy Shanahan and the rest of the gang for what will be the 21st Annual Trip to Tipp Weekend of Cycling in aid of NCBI. As always, there will be a selection of routes on offer over the two days to suit all levels of cyclists. All cycles depart from Sarsfields GAA Club, Thurles, Co Tipperary. This year we are dedicating the Trip to Tipp to the memory of Billy’s daughter Lorraine Shanahan who tragically past away last November. Lorraine was always a huge supporter of NCBI and is greatly missed by everyone who knew her. For more information on the Trip to Tipp please call JP Corcoran on 01 8821970 or email [email protected].
Granard Cup FinalTuesday 16th August For a small entry fee of only €5 per person, your golf club has the opportunity to play in this highly prestigious national ladies golf competition. This year, all funds from this event will go directly towards NCBI’s Early Learning Centre, which provides specialised education service for children from birth to six years, experiencing sight loss. Many thanks to all of the Golf Clubs who took part last year. Together you helped us raise just over €25,000, which we truly appreciate. Please contact Roisin Walsh at NCBI on 01 8821984 for an information pack or further details.
NCBI National Skydive DaySaturday September 10th NCBI will be hosting its first ever Sky Dive Day on 10thSeptember. Jump from 10,000 ft. (approximately 2 miles high!) while strapped to an instructor. To book your Skydive call JP Corcoran on 01 8821970.
n
n
n
n
Page 22
NCBI Fundraising Events
participants from Ireland and around the world. As always, all NCBI runners will receive a fundraising pack and support. For more information, please call us today on 01 8307033 or email [email protected].
NCBI National Table QuizNovember & DecemberGet your thinking caps on and enter a team for NCBI’s National Table Quiz this November and December. Teams are made up of up to six players and will participate in regional heats throughout the country over the month of November. Heat winners will progress to the Grand Final in Dublin’s Historic Mansion House on Saturday 3rd December and great cash prizes are up for grabs for heat and final winners. To register your team, please call JP Corcoran on 018821970.
Scented CandlesAll yearNCBI has a fabulous selection of scented candles for sale with profits going to develop our services for people with sight loss around the country. These candles are available in four different aromas. Candles are available at head office, through our website and through NCBI Retail. The price is €2 each or four for €7.50.
Majorca Cycle Challenge with Stephen Roche
September (7 day trip – dates to be confirmed)Back due to popular demand! Entry is now open for NCBI’s Majorca Cycle Challenge this September. Over seven days, participants will have the opportunity to cycle on the sunny island of Majorca while supporting a great cause. What’s more, you will be able to cycle with Tour de France winner and cycling legend Stephen Roche! This trip is open to cyclists of all levels with routes taking in the very best that Majorca has to offer.
HolmPatrick CupOctober 10th -12thFor only €7.50 per person or €15 per team, you could compete for a chance to play in the final of the Holmpatrick Cup at the home of golf, St. Andrews this October. The All Ireland Final will include a 2-Night / 3-Day All Expenses Paid trip of a life time to St. Andrews, Two rounds of golf (on the Old and New Course) and a stay at the world famous Old Course Hotel. Club qualifiers for this year’s Tournament are currently taking place. If you would like to enter your club, please contact Allison Harvey on 01 8821939.
Airtricity Dublin City Marathon30th October Support NCBI by taking part in what will be the 36th annual Dublin City Marathon. The ultimate endurance challenge, you will run through the historic Georgian streets of Ireland’s capital city alongside 14,000 other
Participants in the 2015 Majorca Cycle.
n
n
n
n
Page 23
JewelleryNCBI is selling a fabulous selection of costume jewellery from Fields Jewellers including pearls, necklaces, pendants and earrings. The items were kindly donated to NCBI by Robert Smith, a former student at NCBI’s Training Centre in Drumcondra, and his partner Caroline. Selected items will be available to purchase on NCBI Retail’s eBay site soon.
How can you support NCBI?There are lots of ways to get involved with NCBI:• Fundraise• Take on a challenge• Make a donation• Leave a legacy• Become a corporate sponsor• Volunteer your time.
If you or anyone you know is interested in helping to raise funds for NCBI in any way, either by registering for an existing event or planning a new one, please be sure to get in touch with us. Our phone number is 01 8821970, or you can e-mail [email protected].
We can provide you with all the help and advice you need to ensure you raise the most amount of money and have the greatest amount of fun on the day. T-shirts, posters, collection buckets, sponsorship cards and advice on promoting your event are all part of the service.
Robert Smith, with a selection of the Jewellery he is donating to NCBI.
L-R: Veronica Roe, NCBI volunteer, and Anne Hora making it ring for NCBI.
Rory and Anne in full voice at Baileborough TESCO.
Sing it for NCBI!NCBI’s Retail Shop manager in Virginia, Co. Cavan Anne Hora and her partner Rory O’Neill sing and play keyboards. They put on a show in the Tesco shop in Baileborough, Cavan in December and raised nearly €800. It was their 2nd year in a row to do this and they are booked in for 2016 too!
n
n
n
Page 24
Crossing the line for NCBI!
From March to November 2015 and with 1670kms of training under his belt, Robert Queen from Southport in the UK took on a marathon challenge by competing in 5 half marathons in aid of NCBI and Diabetes UK. Over the 9 month period, Robert ran the Rock and Road Marathon in Kinvara, Galway, the Mull of Kintyre Marathon in Scotland, the Southport Marathon in Lancashire, England, the Letterkenny Marathon in Donegal and finally the Conwy Marathon in North Wales. In doing so he raised an impressive €420 for NCBI. We would like to congratulate Robert on his accomplishment and thank him kindly for supporting the work of the NCBI. Robert recently told NCBI News why he chose to run for us:
“As to why I picked NCBI, my mother was legally blind for the last 5 or so years of her life, due to diabetic retinopathy. She was in the UK, and
Robert Queen’s 5 Half Marathons for NCBI
received a lot of help and advice from Blind Aid. I saw how much her life was improved with this assistance. Most importantly, she was able to stay independent for much longer than may otherwise have been the case. I was looking for an Irish charity who do similar work, since I am living in Ireland, and it seems to me that NCBI are very much along the same lines. Another reason for
picking NCBI is that I am diabetic myself, with ongoing retinopathy issues, so although I have no problems with vision yet, I am very conscious that my sight might well be impaired one day as well, and the existence of organisations such as NCBI give me confidence that if the eyesight does get impaired someday, then there WILL be ways to cope!”
Robert Queen crossing the finish line at the Mull of Kintyre marathon in Scotland.
In November Laurence Mullins and his partner Jenny Hollingsworth, a former student at NCBI’s Training Centre in Drumcondra, called into NCBI to present a cheque to CEO Chris White and the Manager of NCBI’s Training Centre Stuart Lawlor with the proceeds of the Citywest Golf Classic, which they organised last August.
Chris and Jenny raised a fantastic €3,570 for NCBI in total.
Citywest Golf Classic Citywest Golf Classic
L-R: Chris White, NCBI Group CEO and Stuart Lawlor, Manager, NCBI Training Centre, being present with a cheque for €3,570 by Laurence Mullins.
n
n
