Our Annual Coffee Morning will take place on Saturday, 12 July, from 10 am to 1 pm, in the Lena Anderton Meeting Room on 31 Scott Street.
The Daily Living Shop will be open, and you can place orders on the day for products designed to make living with sight loss easier. This year, we have several new products: a talking air fryer and induction hob, a talking mobile phone, a simple voice recorder and more.
See Page 5 for more details on our new products.
Welcome to the May 2025 edition of seefact. Our annual open day will take place on Saturday, 12 July from 10 am to 1 pm. We'll have our new 2 U stall, Second Hand VI Equipment and Raffle.
We have a selection of new products in our daily living shop, including a simple-to-use talking mobile phone and a talking air fryer. For more details, see page 5.
Our longest-serving Director, Joyce Hutchinson, who had been a Trustee since 1971, announced her retirement in January. She was awarded the Charities Mary Arnold Award at a ceremony attended by staff, fellow and former Directors -- Page 3.
The Priority Services Register lets you register with the Utility companies for extra support in the event of service disruptions. Our friends at Inspire Highfield can help you sign up -- Page 4.
Learn about two of the latest scams on page 7.
Registered Office: sight airedale, 1 Albert Street, Keighley, BD21 2AT.
In January, Joyce Hutchinson, our longest-serving Director, retired. Joyce first became involved with the then Keighley and District Association for the Blind in 1971 as part of the Bingley Blind Home.
In December 2024, after 54 years of service, Joyce announced she would step down as a Director. In January, Joyce was presented with the Charities Mary Arnold Award, which recognises the work done by volunteers.
David Ogden, Chairman of sight airedale, said, "During my years with sight airedale, Joyce and Neville have been a great help to me and the other Directors. Thank you for all the time spent at board meetings, fundraising events, etc. Joyce was always willing and available to offer help when needed."
On behalf of everyone at sight airedale, we wish Joyce a happy and well-deserved retirement.
We are looking for volunteers to join our Board of Directors. Being a director means you have a say in how the charity is run. If this interests you, please get in touch with the helpline.
[Photo - A group of 11 people pose behind a large wooden table in an indoor setting. At the centre, a woman sits holding an award titled "Sight Airedale - The Mary Arnold Award". The background includes wall-mounted notices, a portrait, and a sign that reads "Tribute to Lena Anderton." .]
On 13 February 2025, the Steeton Knit, Natter and Craft Group held a Bingo Night in aid of sight airedale. The night raised £345, which was used to purchase a talking mobile phone for our resource centre.
Steeton Knit and Natter Group meets at The Hub -- at Skipton Road in the village -- every Monday and Friday from 1 pm to 4 pm
The priority services register allows utility companies to identify customers who are vulnerable either through age, illness or disability. By signing up to the priority services register.
You can get additional support in the event of service disruptions, such as advance notification of power cuts and extra support whilst the supply is disrupted. Other help includes a password scheme to help you identify callers, the ability to nominate someone else you trust to receive communications from your supplier,
Our friends at Inspire Highfield are offering Carbon Monoxide detectors to vulnerable households,
Carbon Monoxide is a colourless, odourless, deadly gas. Poisoning symptoms include Headache, Dizziness, Weakness, Upset Stomach, Vomiting, Chest Pain and Confusion.
To protect yourself, ensure a gas-safe engineer services your gas appliances annually and install a Carbon Monoxide Detector.
For more information on the priority services register or Carbon Monoxide Detectors, contact Warris Ali at Inspire Highfield on 07889 563347. You can also register for the priority services register at https://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/network-supply/priority-customers/
We're pleased to announce that we have a number of new products for 2025, including a talking air fryer and talking induction hob, new lighting, a simple to use talking mobile phone, Simple to use Voice Recorder and talking Calculator.
An Easy to use talking mobile phone. Ideal for people who don't need a smartphone but just want to make and receive calls and text messages.
(image description: The image shows a white mobile phone with a black screen, sitting in its black charging cradle. The phone features large, tactile black buttons with white lettering and numbers, designed for easy dialing. Above the keypad is a speaker grill and a rectangular screen that is currently dark. The word "Kapsys" is printed in small, dark lettering above the screen on the phone and again in white on the front of the charging cradle. The cradle is a simple, black rectangular base that securely holds the phone upright. The phone and cradle rest on a light brown wooden surface. The background is slightly blurred, showing a room with light-colored cabinets and a blue object on a shelf. The overall impression is of a user-friendly mobile phone with accessibility features.)
A simple to use voice recorder with large tactile buttons and voice prompts. Good for making quick voice memos, the 1GB card supplied can store up to 15 hours of audio.
(Image Description: a small, bright yellow voice recorder with a black speaker grill at the top. On the front, there is a small rectangular screen and several blue buttons for playback control, along with a large red record button. A small blue switch is visible on the side. The recorder rests on a light brown wooden surface. )
A USB Player and Bluetooth speaker. Easy to find play/pause button. rechargeable batteries and a headphone socket.
(Image Description: a compact, cube-shaped black and white device with a speaker grill on one side. On the top surface is a large, round, white button. The word "Communiplayer" is printed in small white letters on the front. A USB memory stick attached to a key ring is visible in the background. The device sits on a light brown wooden surface.)
Big-button corded phone with cordless handset, answer machine, Optional simplified handset with five memory buttons available.
(image description - Picture a set of white telephones designed for ease of use. In the center is a base unit with a large keypad featuring oversized black numbers and letters on white buttons. Above the keypad is a wide screen. To the left and right are two cordless handsets, each sitting in its charging cradle. The handset on the left has four clear picture buttons for quick dialing and a speakerphone option. The handset on the right has a simpler keypad and a screen at the top. All three units have the "Geemarc" logo. They are placed on a light brown wooden surface, with a slightly blurred background showing office equipment. )
Automatically sets itself using the atomic time signals. Speaks time, and date. Available with a expanding bracelet or black leather strap.
(image description - Imagine a stylish wristwatch with a silver, slightly rectangular case and a round white face. Bold black numbers mark the 12, 3, 6, and 9 positions, while simple black lines indicate the other hours. The watch has a wide, silver, expanding metal bracelet. It rests on a soft, light grey cushion, which in turn sits on a light brown wooden surface. The background is slightly out of focus, showing a dark shelf with various items.)
Make sure you always have a torch ready. This 3-in-1 light offers motion-activated nighttime illumination and automatically lights up during power cuts thanks to its rechargeable design.
(Image Description: a compact, white night light plugged into a wall socket. The main body of the light is cylindrical with a rounded top. It has a power button in the centre and a sensor near the bottom. The light sits on a small, white charging base that is plugged into a standard UK wall socket with a red indicator light. The wall behind the socket is textured and painted a bright yellow, with a white dado rail running horizontally.)
Air Fryers have revolutionised how we cook, and now they can talk! Choose from 5 presets or set temperature and time manually. Tactile buttons and all functions are spoken.
(Image Description: black air fryer with a glossy finish. It has a cylindrical shape with a handle extending from the front. A digital display on the front shows "160 °C" in bright blue, along with touch-sensitive buttons for temperature and timer control. The words "COBOLT Speechmaster" are visible above the display. The air fryer sits on a light brown wooden surface, with a slightly blurred background showing a blue wall and a wooden cabinet. )
This single induction hob will announce the selected temperature or preset. Pan Pickles (the banana like objects on the hob) prevent pans moving on induction hobs, or bowls moving on smooth surfaces.
(Image Description: a sleek, black induction hob with a smooth, shiny surface. Two bright yellow, curved guards (pan pickles) are placed on either side of the cooking area, designed to keep pans steady. The hob has a control panel at the front with touch-sensitive buttons indicated by small icons and red lights. The words "COBOLT Speechmaster" are printed in white on the panel. A small information card with the "PANpickle" logo stands upright at the back of the hob. The hob rests on a light brown wooden surface. )
Speaks keys pressed and announces the result of the calculation. Percentage Key, Memory Keys, Square root. Repeat function. Headphone socket
(image description: The image shows a large, silver talking calculator. It features oversized black buttons with white numerals and function symbols, making them easy to see. Above the buttons is a wide, clear digital display. Several smaller, grey buttons are located at the top, including controls for volume, units/digits, repeat, and AC/ON. The calculator has standard arithmetic functions as well as memory keys (M+, M-, MR, MC), percentage, square root, and +/-. It rests on a light brown wooden surface, with the camera positioned at a slight angle to capture the details of the keypad and display.)
These pocket lights are designed to make reading in dimly lit areas easier. They're available in three colour temperatures and you can switch the brightness between 100% and 70%.
(Image description: three small, rectangular, black and white reading lights placed onto the pages of an open book. The book lies flat on a light brown wooden surface. The lights are positioned to illuminate different sections of the text. Each light has a different colour temperature, ranging from yellow, white to blue. The page on the left has dense columns of text, while the page on the right has wider paragraphs. The title "Sands Guide" is visible at the top of the right-hand page. )
This portable rechargeable table lamp features a fully adjustable head allowing you to have light where you need it, and three brightness levels.
(Image Description: A modern, portable lamp designed for reading. It has a white, slender base with a teal accent at the bottom and a matching teal curved handle at the top. Extending from the base is an adjustable arm supporting a long, curved, light beige lampshade. The lamp is positioned on a light brown wooden desk next to an open book with white pages and black text. The background is slightly out of focus, showing a wall and a cabinet. )
You receive a call from someone claiming to be from the NHS offering you a free alarm pendant. However, they need your card details to cover the cost of installation. Other variations of this scam are offering vitamin supplements or saying your GP needs to update your details to avoid being suspended or that they've received your referral and need you to confirm information. The NHS will never cold call you this way and never ask for payment details over the phone.
If you have any concerns about a call you receive claiming to be from the NHS, ask for the person's details and then call the hospital or your GP directly. Don't trust caller ID, as it can be faked.
Scammers also target people with personal alarms (telecare or Safe and Sound), claiming to be a new provider and asking for payment details to set up a new direct debit over the phone. Neither Bradford Council nor Safe and Sound (the provider) will ask you to pay for telecare over the phone.
The Live Well with Sight Loss podcast brings informative and inspiring talks about living with visual impairment. We invite expert guests to share their knowledge, personal experiences, and practical advice each month during our live Zoom sessions, which are later released as audio episodes.
From medical insights on conditions like Charles Bonnet Syndrome, Macular Degeneration, and Glaucoma to practical skills such as cooking without sight and optimising lighting. Past guests have also included inspirational people living with sight loss, such as visually impaired artists, poets, comedians and athletes.
Simply search for Rainbow Group - Live Well with Sight Loss in your favourite podcast app or visit our website at https://livewellwithsightloss.buzzsprout.com/. You can also join our Monthly Zooms 2nd Thursday of the month at 10 am by visiting https://tinyurl.com/rainbowgroup.
Like many charities we have seen a fall in income due to the pandemic
To make a one off or regular donation visit our website at www.sightairedale.org.uk or call our helpline to learn how to set up a standing order
For details on future performances at the playhouse visit
www.keighleyplayhouse.co.uk
To renew you can either:- Renew at our open day on Saturday 26 November Call into the office, Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 12.30pm or Post a cheque made payable to sight airedale Renew via bank transfer - Please call the office for our bank details.
Drawn on the 2nd Monday of the month, winners will be notified.
Small change makes a big difference.
Our Social Centre Keighley, award winning virtual events and Talking book library with over 2,000 titles on MP3/CD and memory stick help alleviate isolation and loneliness.
We provide support to local sight support groups in Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and the Airedale Macular Society
We help people retain their independence through our daily living shop, magnifier assessments and technology information service*.
We give people the opportunity to learn new skills through our one-to-one computer classes and Braille for Beginners course.
We keep sight impaired people informed about important issues, through our free newsletter, available in five different formats.
We want to be sure that there is someone available to give you the best service we can. Please ring our Helpline to make an appointment for the shop, magnifier assessments and technology information service.
Donations can be made in cash, cheque monthly standing order or Online. You can help your donation go further by signing a Gift Aid form.
Take home, a Home Box and fill it with spare loose change.
Join the 100+ club £10 per year and the chance to win a £15 monthly prize and entry into the Christmas draw
Our volunteers provide an invaluable service in allowing us to deliver our services. We are always interested in hearing from people who want to join our team of volunteers.
Be a Bucketeer at our Store collections
Do you know a business that would take a Humpty Dumpty counter box?
Remember us in your will so that future local sight impaired people may benefit or consider a in "memoriam" donation in remembrance of a loved one or friend.
If you would like more information on any of these groups, please call our helpline.