Over the past year or so I’ve had the pleasure of visiting and interacting with Birmingham’s Queen Alexandra College which provides training for people with limited or no vision along with other disabilities. The College does absolutely outstanding work and I recently had the pleasure of attending the QAC family day held at the college and at which qualifications were announced and awards made.
The first photograph is of the audience at the ceremony. I cannot overstate the value of this work and the dedication of the staff and volunteers and the determination, commitment and success of the students. Yesterday I paid a follow-up visit to the ‘Sight Village’ which was held at the New Bingley Hall in Hockley.
This is an exhibition of the very latest aids, adaptations, devices, software and support for blind people and those with limited vision. I met exhibitors from the UK and Europe and from as far afield as Oregon in the United States. There has been amazing progress in recent years and research and development continues apace. This international event is organised by QAC and is a credit to the college – and indeed to Birmingham.
On a personal note I had the great pleasure of meeting again someone I had not seen for 48 years since we were both at University together. Roger Hinds now runs a very successful social enterprise making available, free of charge, software that makes it much easier to read on screen material. While attempting the impossible of catching up on almost five decades, Roger and I were also thinking of ways that we can make the software more easily accessible to people in Birmingham.
I also had a chance to have my picture taken at a photography project – again for people with very limited sight. I am shown here with Vicky from the ‘Look’ team - and optional snakes!
Good luck to all concerned and thank you to Queen Alexandra College for all that it does.
The first photograph is of the audience at the ceremony. I cannot overstate the value of this work and the dedication of the staff and volunteers and the determination, commitment and success of the students. Yesterday I paid a follow-up visit to the ‘Sight Village’ which was held at the New Bingley Hall in Hockley.
This is an exhibition of the very latest aids, adaptations, devices, software and support for blind people and those with limited vision. I met exhibitors from the UK and Europe and from as far afield as Oregon in the United States. There has been amazing progress in recent years and research and development continues apace. This international event is organised by QAC and is a credit to the college – and indeed to Birmingham.
On a personal note I had the great pleasure of meeting again someone I had not seen for 48 years since we were both at University together. Roger Hinds now runs a very successful social enterprise making available, free of charge, software that makes it much easier to read on screen material. While attempting the impossible of catching up on almost five decades, Roger and I were also thinking of ways that we can make the software more easily accessible to people in Birmingham.
I also had a chance to have my picture taken at a photography project – again for people with very limited sight. I am shown here with Vicky from the ‘Look’ team - and optional snakes!
Good luck to all concerned and thank you to Queen Alexandra College for all that it does.
No comments:
Post a Comment