Intouch_Spring_web

in touch
Spring 2017
Image courtesy of Virgin Money London Marathon
In this issue:
Letter from
Liz – our CEO
shares her
thoughts
Our urgent
appeal update
Meet our
marathon
runners

in touch Spring 2017
Welcome
from our Chief Executive
T
Dear Supporter
Welcome to the Spring edition of In Touch 2017.
February 2017 has been a momentous month in the history of Deafblind UK as we reached
the proud milestone of growing our membership to three thousand. This is clearly due to our
reputation for the work that we do and the difference we make to those who are deafblind
and this fills me with pride as I see first hand, the impact and true personal value of our work.
In fact, I like to think this issue of In Touch is all about pride. I am so proud of the work of
Deafblind UK and the difference we make. I am proud of our wonderful dedicated volunteers
and our amazing staff. And as you will see in a moment, I am humbled and proud of those
who support us through kind generous donations, those who take on extreme sponsored
challenges and of course, our amazing Virgin London Marathon runners.
It has been a privilege to hear about their personal reasons for embarking on such a
daunting challenge and to understand what has led them to take on the Virgin London
Marathon to raise sponsorship for Deafblind UK. Their training regimes, how they get up
early so they can go for runs before work and how they train every weekend, is testimony
to their belief in our cause and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for what
they are doing for Deafblind UK. I am sure you will want to join me in wishing them well
for a safe, successful marathon run on 23rd April.
If you can’t get to the event and are watching the marathon on your TV at home, still look
out for our six intrepid runners and at the risk of embarrassing yourself in front of anyone
else, give a little shout of encouragement. We all need a little of that sometimes.
So please keep that feeling of pride – whether you are watching on TV, in the cheering
crowd or reading about our wonderful supporters, please feel proud, because here at
Deafblind UK we want to share this moment with you.
We hope to bring you some amazing photos after the event and will share them with you
in the next issue but just for now, enjoy the runner’s stories on pages 4 and 5 along with our
other inspirational news and updates.
With my sincere thanks for your continued support
Liz Bates
Chief Executive
Letters in the deafblind Manual Alphabet
H A N K Y O U
As many of you know, earlier this year
we launched an emergency appeal due
to the bad weather which, combined
with the long dark evenings, had such
an impact on many of our members
who couldn’t get out and about safely.
We know from experience that many
of our members are at a much higher
risk of loneliness and depression at this
critical time of year.
This increased need, as well as the rise
in new referrals, means we need to act
now, so we can rise to the challenge
and be there to support our members.
So I want to say a personal thank you
to those who have taken the time and
trouble to support us and donate to
this unexpected but urgent appeal.
Your support has been so kind and
thoughtful and it warms our hearts.
Please be assured that your donation
will be making a significant difference
to the many deafblind people we will
be supporting this winter.
Rod Cullen, Director of Finance and
Community Services
Deafblind
Awareness Week 2017
Emergency
appeal update
In memory of the life and birthday of Helen Keller, this year we
will be celebrating Deafblind Awareness Week from Monday 26th
June to Sunday 2nd July.
We are already making plans for events that will raise both funds and awareness to help us
further our work and of course, raise our profile in the community so that we can encourage
and support new members.
If you would like to get involved and support or organise an event in your area, please contact
us by email on marcoms@deafblind.org.uk or by phone on 01733 358100.

in touch Spring 2017
Name: Annabelle, Age: 27,
Occupation: Public Relations Manager
Name: Wouter, Age: 25,
Occupation: Senior Marketing Executive
This will be my first marathon and I’m already
seriously excited. To run the London Marathon and
raise funds for such a great cause as Deafblind UK will
make my first marathon very special and something
I’ll never forget. I really wanted to run for a charity
as I had seen the positive impact that had on other
runners. I had heard of Deafblind UK before and of the
great support it offers to deafblind people so it was an
easy choice - and truly inspiring!
Name: Patrick, Age: 25,
Occupation: Banker
My uncle is deafblind so I know the difference
Deafblind UK has made to his life. It is such a good
cause and I know my uncle is so proud that I am
running the marathon for Deafblind UK. It’s going to
make his day.
I’m hoping and praying that my new baby doesn’t
decide to arrive on marathon day – otherwise I’ll have
to run the marathon extra fast to get to the hospital!
Other than that my main challenge will be trying to
keep to my own pace whilst surrounded by fancy dress
crocodiles and Rhinos.
Patrick’s fundraising web page
www.virginmoneygiving.com/
patrickcoughlan
My grandad has been my inspiration and my reason
to take on my first marathon. He was deafblind
and I’m running in his memory. I think my biggest
challenge on the day will be keeping my mind off
the mileage and my aching legs but I know the
atmosphere will be electric so I am really looking
forward to it.
It really helps to know folk are rooting for us so
please shout my name if you see me running past,
I’ll give you a wave!
Annabelle’s fundraising web page
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
Annabelle-Bould
Name: Paul, Age: 36,
Occupation: Engineer
My grandfather is deafblind so my decision to
support Deafblind UK was easy. It had to be
Deafblind UK. This is my fifth marathon and my
training is going fairly well. It’s a struggle to squeeze
the training into my working day which starts at
5am so I often get up at 3am to go for a run first.
I have received a few odd looks from passing police
cars but I haven’t been stopped for speeding as yet…
Wouter’s fundraising web page:
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
Wouter-VanRijn
Paul’s fundraising web page
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
london2017baby
Meet our 2017
Virgin Money London
Marathon runners
Name: Matt, Age: 27,
Occupation: Journalist
I’ve seen the impact of Deafblind UK’s work first
hand because I’ve been a volunteer there for over a
year now, supporting a deafblind member with his
technology needs. I can see the difference Deafblind
UK makes to its members so choosing to support
Deafblind UK was an easy decision. My training is
going well at the moment. It’s tough going but so
rewarding because I know I’m doing this for the right
reason – to raise funds for Deafblind UK.
Matt’s fundraising web page
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
mattburgess100
We are proud to introduce our six Golden Bond runners for the
2017 Virgin Money London Marathon, who are all training hard in
preparation for Sunday 23rd April – marathon day.
But their challenge isn’t just the marathon itself, as they each have
a golden fundraising goal to reach and it has been said that the
fundraising element is as big a challenge as running the marathon.
So please read on and discover what makes our intrepid runners go
that extra mile for us and give them all the support you can.
If you would like to go that extra mile for Deafblind UK in next
year’s event, please email barbara.burnett@deafblind.org.uk for
further detail and information.
Name: Claire, Age: 43,
Occupation: Personal Training
& Spin Instructor
This is my first marathon and I want to do it for
a charity I feel passionate about so it was easy to
choose Deafblind UK. I can’t think of a more vital
cause. Training’s going well at the moment – I’m at an
advantage being a personal trainer as my colleagues
have been really supportive and have helped me with
training and tips. Everyone needs extra motivation on
the day and it’s so good to know people are rooting for
you so don’t forget to cheer!
Claire’s fundraising web page
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
Claire-Roberts-dbuk

in touch Spring 2017
Meet
the team
A moment with Daniel Webster,
Community Engagement Officer
(Essex)
What does your role at Deafblind
UK involve?
My role is to deliver services to our
Deafblind UK members in Essex
so they can access support, avoid
isolation and meet other members.
This involves going out into the
community to set up small regional
support groups for our deafblind
members and also to make sure
our existing support groups are all
running smoothly. It’s key that I
ask our members what they would
like to do rather than assume what
activities they would like. I then try
my very best to facilitate that. This
could be their only opportunity to
socialise independent of family or
carers and have that sense of choice
and control. I find quizzes, games and
outings are among the most popular
activities although our digital inclusion
scheme has to take the title. I have
seen the effect and impact that our
digital inclusion support can make
to someone – it can literally open up
their world.
So I facilitate the needs of the groups,
perhaps organise guest speakers and
generally support their needs, whilst
ensuring that our deafblind members
have access to all the different services
available to them.
In a nutshell, I ensure no one is isolated
and that we improve the quality of life
for our members.
How long have you been involved
with the charity and what made
you want to be a part of the
organisation?
As a Deaf person myself, I have spent
the past 10 years working with other
Deaf people in an advisory capacity
but I had started to feel I needed a
bigger challenge. I bring with me the
skills of being able to quickly adjust
to facilitate communication and can
empathise with the barriers that
deafblind people face so I feel I have a
good understanding of the effects that
isolation can have on people. I am also
passionate about raising awareness
and educating people to remove these
barriers and improve access.
I felt very attracted to Deafblind
UK as the support and service they
give is so vital and I recognise that it
would be so easy for someone who
is deafblind to find their quality of
life slowly slipping. When I saw the
opportunity at Deafblind UK I jumped
at the chance.
I’m only one month into my role but
I’ve always wanted to be a part of an
organisation that supports disability
and is close to my heart. Deafblind UK
certainly ticks the boxes on both counts.
What are the main challenges?
It’s early days, but so far it’s just been
making sure I have an interpreter to
support me where and when I need
it, so I can give my absolute best to
support our members.
I haven’t faced any other challenges yet,
but watch this space.
What do you enjoy the most about
your role?
I find it extremely rewarding being
able to support the people I do
and watching the changes occur,
especially when things are changing
for the better. I also enjoy meeting
new faces; getting to know them,
listening and understanding. No two
days are the same. I find it both a
privilege and a pleasure to help.
What is your most memorable
moment in your role as Community
Engagement Officer for Essex?
There are many conversations with
our members which I find inspiring
and humbling but there was one
conversation in particular which struck
me as particularly memorable.
The gentleman was talking to me
about his experience when he
volunteered as a guinea pig for
ground breaking surgery. It involved
having a miniature camera implanted
in his eye and he was explaining that
after only a short time, he could
already make out shapes. It struck
me as both fascinating and incredibly
brave. I remember he said he wasn’t
doing it for himself, he was doing it
for future generations. He’d gone
through all the surgery which can’t
have been pleasant and he was
doing it for others. It struck me as
incredibly brave and selfless.
Tips on guiding
a deafblind person
As a supporter of Deafblind UK you may
already be familiar with guiding a deafblind
person but this whistle stop tour on the dos
and don’ts of guiding may be helpful for our
new readers and perhaps be something that
you can share with others.
There are a few important things to bear in mind if you are in the
company of a deafblind person who may need to be helped with
getting around.
Not all deafblind people need to be guided
Respect the guiding preferences of the deafblind person
When guiding you should stand next to the deafblind person on
their preferred side and be half a step to a step ahead of them
Use the grip the deafblind person prefers, there are three generally
accepted grips
- Linked arm grip; the deafblind person links their arm through
yours
- Holding elbow grip; the deafblind person holds your arm just
above the elbow
- Hand on shoulder grip; the deafblind person places their hand on
your shoulder
Walk at the speed of the deafblind person, not yours. Consider the
person’s age and whether they have any other disabilities
You may have to indicate obstacles that the deafblind person
wouldn’t see, think ahead, be considerate and really, just use your
common sense
Canes
If you see a person with a
completely white cane, this will
usually mean they are blind, or
visually impaired. Pedestrians with a
red and white striped cane however,
are deafblind (with both sight and
hearing impairments).
Many deafblind people choose to
use a cane to help them navigate
obstacles while out and about, as
well as to let other people know that
they are deafblind and may need a
bit more time to make decisions and
movements, particularly if they are
not familiar with their surroundings.
Some older deafblind people
who have additional mobility
complications will use a standard
walking cane that they have adapted
with red and white tape because it
fits their additional needs.
For further information
on guiding, please contact
01733 852100 or email
info@deafblind.org.uk

in touch Spring 2017
Deafblind UK relies on the support and generosity of people throughout the UK. Without
people like you, we would not be able to offer services, volunteers, information or advice to
deafblind people. These services are vital in enabling deafblind people to live independently
and reducing the harrowing isolation they often experience.
How is your donation spent?
You make our work possible, our promise to you is that we will always…
• Spend your donations wisely, in the way that will have the most
impact in helping deafblind people
• Be open, honest, clear and transparent about what we do
• Listen to you about how you want us to communicate with you
and how often you want to hear from us
• Provide you with updates about our work, demonstrating how your
support has made a difference to the lives of deafblind people
• Handle your details confidentially, not selling them to other
organisations
17p
Every
£1
you donate
83p
83p is spent directly on the services
we provide to deafblind people.
17p is spent on keeping the charity
working efficiently and effectively.
Thank you for you generous support to date. If you are interested
in helping Deafblind UK further, then why not…
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Volunteer with us
Give a regular monthly donation
Leave a gift in your Will
Donate in memory of a loved one
Organise or take part in an event
Find out more about our services and spread the word!
If you would like to find out more please get in touch with us on 01733 358100
or email supportus@deafblind.org.uk. Alternatively, you can write to us at:
Deafblind UK, National Centre for Deafblindness, John & Lucille van Geest Place,
Cygnet Road, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8FD
Volunteer and member on a trip
to the garden centre
Support us:
Three easy ways to support
a deafblind person:
Send back the donation form enclosed
Call 01733 358100
Visit deafblind.org.uk/donate
As a valued supporter of Deafblind UK we would like to keep you updated on our
activities and ways that you can get involved. You can change the way we contact you
at any time by writing to us using the freepost envelope enclosed. Alternatively, you can
let us know by calling us on 01733 358100 or emailing supportus@deafblind.org.uk.
www.deafblind.org.uk
DBUKCharity
DeafblindUK
Deafblind UK, Registered Charity no. 802976 I Company Reg no. 2426281 I Chair: David Evans
Information and Advice Line: 0800 132 320 I For deafblind people and those who support them