[dogsbody70]

Re working with blind or visually impaired people.

I used to visit elderly who had recently lost their sight-- Awful thing to deal with. I had been trained to help them learn how to have home skills such as coping with making tea-- there is a vibrator one can use to measure liquids, spreading butter etc..

Mostly I escorted them out and befriended them but I had many stay here for holidays. The majority of those had been either born blind or visually impaired.

Some had stayed in specific Schools for the Blind--such as Hereford or Worcester.


I loved to go to the literary events-- classical literature-- where an expert would discuss books such as Thomas Hardy's Return of the Native. One person I escorted to YORK for several years-- the Early Music Festival.

These people were such fun-- and because many had been taught piano at RNIB schools they were brilliant musicians. Many of them were very clever also and knew how to have a good time. They have a very close culture rather like deaf culture where brought up in specific schools for either deaf or blind. Now with integration-- good in some ways but not in others.


sometimes I looked after the Guide dogs. Those dogs are wonderful I think and so very patient. usually I took them for walks onthe nearby downland.


I loved sitting in the evening listening to the banter of the friends. Most of them had known each other for many years

I could tell you a lot about various adventures but maybe another time.