The Bristol Hippodrome – The Magic of Motown – Friday 10th October 2014

Well this was a special day for one of our members of EnergEyes; it was Ernest’s 60th Birthday.

A group of us got together to travel to Bristol at about 4 O’clock in the afternoon. Well who was on the bus from Weston-super-Mare to Bristol? Matthew, Ann, Ernest, Sue, Aileen & Spud. Jean & Phillip made their own way to @Bristol. We got off opposite @Bristol where Jean & Phillip were at the bus stop waiting for us.

We found our way across the road to the V-Shed, a Wetherspoon pub on The Waterfront. When we arrived at the V-Shed Kym, Russ, Eileen & John were sat at a table outside.

The V-Shed was extremely busy. We all wanted to sit inside so we had to make our way up the stairs to the first floor. Talk about the blind leading the blind; the lighting was so bad that when we found a table it was so dark, even the people with good sight would have had difficulty reading the menu. But then we were advised that the next floor up had better lighting so we all followed each other up the next flight of stairs where the lighting was much better. Also there was a bar & toilets on this floor which made it very easy for people to get around, especially Kym as she finds the stairs hard to climb at the best of times.

Well, Su Camper had a very hard choice to make when Aileen placed not one but two glasses of wine in front of her. One being white and the other being red. Su certainly had a hard choice to make. (See Photo)

We all had a very enjoyable meal after which Spud presented a cake with candles to Ernest whilst we all sang happy birthday to him on his special day. (See Photo)

Once we had finished our drinks and had a piece of Ernest’s birthday cake, we made our way to the Hippodrome to see The Magic of Motown.

Well what to say about this fantastic and amazing show – absolutely brilliant!

Posted By Matthew Stevens

Well, who went on this fantastic trip on Saturday 20th September 2014?

Aileen, Ernest, James, Kym, Matthew, Paul & Spud did.

Apart from Kym, who had to make her own way from Nailsea to @Bristol, we all met up on the Seafront, Weston-super-Mare to catch the X1 bus to Bristol. At one stage the bus left without taking any passengers. But another one turned up shortly afterwards.

We got off the bus just opposite @Bristol, where Kym was waiting for us.

Once Aileen had sorted out the tickets we went through to place our bags into lockers. This was fun. We kept losing the key for the locker at one stage and we also had problems trying to open one of the lockers – it seemed to have a dodgy lock.

Our first point of call was with water with moving parts. We had handles to turn and pull which moved water from one place to another through tubes and buckets. At one stage Aileen & Kym got wet thinking it was Spud or James playing about but, in fact, it was a little boy playing with the handles turning them around really fast which was causing water to go everywhere. We all took turns going onto a wheel where we had to hold onto two handles and run to turn the wheel which then caused water to go through pipes going across the ceiling. (see photos)

We then looked at a machine which told us about DNA and showed computerised enhanced images at different stages of DNA construction from a cell – this was very interesting.

Time to look at hearing and this was amazing. We all had to get a straw and place it onto a machine and place our fingers into our ears and then bite onto the straw. Not sure how this worked but you actually heard music playing.

Taking it in turns to have our height taken and, together with our ages, Kym entered the details into the console which then informed us who was the tallest person so far that day visiting @Bristol.

After lunch we took the lift up to the first floor and we felt the different sizes of the human brain, starting from a foetus up to an 80 year old person. We could hold and feel each brain and also put them on to weighing scales to see how much they weigh.

Now a look at taste; we had a pair of headphones and 2 bottles of different liquids. We had to put the headphones on and then place a drop of the first liquid on a teaspoon and place it on our tongues and afterwards we had to do the same with the second liquid to see if we could tell the difference.

Onto the sensory area where we stood on a platform, pressed a button, which played music, and at the same time the floor vibrated to the sound of the music. This was great fun; we had about 5 different buttons to go through which made the floor vibrate in different ways. (see photos)

And now a fantastic game of volleyball: well, poor old Ernest was getting hit by the ball when Kym was trying to get it over the net. Every time she failed the screen would say – too many goes!

Well, what can I say about the next event? Kym gave a very interesting talk whilst in the womb. Yes, a womb! Aileen, Philip, James, Kym and myself were inside this huge womb and Kym explained in great detail about the different stages of the foetus whilst in the womb. Astounding!!!

As we walked in to the sound area Ernest sat down at the pipes to give everyone a nice tune – it sounded like we were in the Caribbean. After the performance by Ernest we all went to the animation room where we all had a go making an animated movie using our fingers and posting on the @Bristol website. Aileen, Spud, Ernest & Orla’s pictures were taken with their faces showing through cutouts of a row of sheep. (see photos)

We finished our day by making bubbles. This was great. Spud was the best person making long tube shaped bubbles and everyone enjoyed making different shaped bubbles. (see photos)

Posted By Matthew Stevens

Aileen and Spud

Today’s the day 3 years ago
To Aileen and Spud who got us together
The sun, the rain no matter the weather
Their idea was born to form a group
A variety of people all make 1 troop
Day’s out, days in sports as well
What they will do next, we just can’t tell
We’ve grown in strength with all your support
Your nerves sometimes I’m sure were fraught
Our days are filled with fun and frolics
Picnics are great they are such a tonic
A boat trip, the zoo or even some ducks
It started to pour down that’s just our luck
A trip to blow glass a bauble or two
Why am I smiling? If only you knew
Some people ride horses, that isn’t for me
Let’s stop for a minute, and have a cream tea
A hair raising night to shave off the beard
It wasn’t as bad as Phillip first feared
Kym on four wheels around Tyntesfield House
With a horn that size she is no way a mouse
We all wear our shirts with so much pride
The bee was designed I bet Russ cried
The volunteer helpers are always at hand
With Aileen and Spud, a right merry band
So may we continue for a good many years
I know when you read this you’ll end up in tears
Heartfelt thanks from all of your friends
May EnergEyes continue and never end

A NEWLY formed Weston charity, which helps blind and partially sighted people, enjoyed its first group outing in North Somerset.

EnergEyes was established this year, after working with Vision North Somerset for 18 months. The organisation has now branched out on its own, with the driving force of Aileen Milsom, to become an independent charity and members celebrated with a trip to a country house in Tyntesfield, near Wraxall.

The group welcomes all visually impaired people who want to lead a more active social life. It also runs various activities, including skittles and gym sessions, and is currently looking for more volunteers.

Blog compiled by EnergEyes’s

famous Blog Reporter, Mark Ball

“Oliver” Bristol Hippodrome

Kym = “The evening was brilliant great fun and we were singing along! Badly!!!

It  was good that some members had audio visual sets.

As usual Aileen organised a  wonderful evening.”

Phillip = “We had a brilliant time, I had an audio link so I could hear everything that was going on. Aileen always organises everything really  well.

“I am  looking forward to going again”.

Phillip also says he really enjoys the walks and that Aileen is good at  leading him through muddy puddles!!

Andrew = “It was a lovely evening. I liked it when they started to sing “I’d do anything for you………” All the singing was good.”

Bristol Blue Glass visit:

Sally = “ I thought  the visit was very good, the talk was excellent and very informative, the process and equipment used in glassmaking  were described well, as I believe this was the first time a talk had been given to a group of visually impaired people”.

Jean = ” Excellent event, the talk was very interesting , finished up with a nice meal, a good day out.”

Warren = ” I found the experience fascinating, and would  love to go back sometime and have a go at glass blowing ”.

Jayne = “ Really enjoyed the visit , found the talk very interesting .I have ordered a new glass eye. The only negative thing I thought it was a bit expensive for a B… J..”.

Martyn = ” We were made to feel very welcome by all the staff , the audio presentation was very good, generally a good experience although had to wait over an hour for food when ordered in the pub. I feel that a better choice of venue for lunch could have been sought, as I thought it was not very accessible for visually impaired persons “.

Ernest = ” Very enjoyable day out , I thought the presentation was very good and was adapted well for the  visually impaired. We all get on well as a group and always  have a good time”.

EnergEyes offering a ray of light in a world of darkness

Bethan Evans, Reporter Friday, December 21, 2012
12:00 PM

ONE of the best parts of Christmas can be watching your town or village light up and bask in the glow of all those colourful decorations – putting you right into the festive mood.

But how would you feel if you were permanently surrounded by just darkness?

Weston resident Georgina Pinkerton was born without sight and says sometimes ‘one of the loneliest things in the world is being blind’.

Although she is supported by her husband and kept busy with her two grandchildren, she said it is being part of the social group EnergEyes that has made a great impact on her life.

EnergEyes is a sports and social club for the visually impaired and helps those who are partially sighted or registered blind to get out of the house and enjoy life.

Georgina, aged 54, of Wyvern Close, became a member soon after the club was set up in June last year.

She said: “The club has helped tremendously. It’s got me out of the house. When they started a lot of the members did not have any confidence, now we are just one big happy family.

“Our club leader Aileen has been an inspiration.”

Aileen Milsom, aged 64, of Milton, decided to form the group after volunteering with Vision North Somerset and admitted the group is close to her heart as her son is also registered blind.

But despite his disability, 34-year-old Tony has travelled to South America and Aileen has made it her mission to spread this can-do attitude.

She said: “Tony has really pushed boundaries and I think this helps inspire members, and shows I’m not just talking a lot of hot air.

“They know what he has achieved and I tell them to go do it, and it seems to have paid off.

“I think for people who are partially or completely blind it’s easier to stay in than go out, which can make them become very isolated and depressed.

“But this club gives people the chance to be with like-minded people. They do not have to explain there is a problem, as volunteers are there to help out, and they are all in the same boat.

“It’s got them out and feeling normal and it’s changed people’s lives.”

Aileen organises activities and events for members, as well as transport, which includes history trips, pub quizzes, visits to the zoo and aquarium as well as even more adventurous activities such as rock climbing and 4×4 driving, with the help of the club’s volunteers.

She said: “The club aims to get people out there, so they can have a go at anything they want.

“It lets people feel normal and part of a society, and it’s such humbling work.”

Georgina added: “The biggest thing we need to do is spread the word. The club has made a tremendous difference.”

For more details or to join EnergEyes visit www.energeyesvips.co.uk, call Aileen on 07758839466 or email aileenotty@gmail.com

EnergEyes has been given a generous donation again this year from Weston’s Mayor’s Charity Ball. This donation is much appreciated.

Aileen Milsom

Club Leader

A big Thank You to all members who volunteered their time and  assistance at the above Fayre, held at The Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare. We managed to raise in excess of £185. Well done. This money will go a long way towards helping all our members

Aileen Milsom

Club Leader

I wish to say a big THANK YOU to The Lions Club of Weston-super-Mare for their generous donation, given earlier this month, to EnergEyes.

Aileen Milsom

EnergEyes Co-ordinator

Hi everyone, thought I would update you with our final total for this, our first fundraising event.

The final total of monies raised is £750!  Yes, isn’t it fantastic!! A big THANK YOU to you all and well done everyone.

Aileen

Club Leader