text version - Chairman

Visit to the Liverpool Victoria County match between Durham and Yorkshire on Saturday 15 July 2006

Thanks to a grant from the Primary Club 8 blind cricket fans and their escorts went to their first ever county cricket match on Saturday 15 July. The weather was absolutely glorious but we were all rather apprehensive about what to expect from the day.

It was stupendously brilliant! The staff at Durham County Cricket Club could not have been more helpful. The arrangements they made were magnificent. We had our own accommodation in the Lumley Lounge which was superb.

Grateful thanks were expressed by all to Durham County Cricket Club and to the Primary Club whose generosity has made this visit possible.

George Glass, Chairman of BlindVoice UK, is a keen cricket fan. He never misses a ball when Test Matches are on the radio and has an impressive knowledge of the game. But he describes his day at the Riverside as the best cricketing day of his life. He can’t wait to get back there for more and is full of praise for all those who made the whole day so enjoyable.

The Ultimate Gliding Experience...

The ultimate gliding experience eventually took place on Thursday 13th July 2006. Two previous attempts were abandoned due to high winds and a thunderstorm. The 13th was a perfect night for gliding. The sun shone, the thermals were excellent and a skylark could be heard singing high up in the sky. Everybody arrived in good time and had plenty of time to feel a glider and to ask questions.
After feeling the glider George remarked that it was like he remembered sailplanes to be with long slim wings. He likened the glider to an Albatross - aerodynamically sound. He was feeling OK and excited about going up in the glider.
Linda thought the plane was much, much, much bigger than she had expected but the cockpit was much smaller than she had expected. She was feeling worried, nervous and very anxious about the forthcoming flight.
Johnny said the glider was very clean and well looked after. He was excited about the flight - but was there a toilet anywhere?
Dave and Phill felt full of anticipation but slightly apprehensive about flying in the glider especially as it was so thin and made of plastic.
Marylyn was surprised at how sleek and birdlike the plane felt. She was feeling calm and looking forward to having a rough ride!
Audrey and Jim were looking forward to the experience.
We all made our way to the far end of the runway, which was really just a big field on top of a plateau. Two gleaming gliders were waiting attached to little planes by very long thin ropes. As George had heard that the bar was open and Linda was getting so nervous we were worried she might back out, these two brave members of BlindVoice UK went up first.
Getting into the glider was quite tricky but the volunteers were very patient and understanding. Some of the passengers sat in the front of the cockpit and some in the back depending on their size and weight compared to their pilot. Everyone was fitted with a parachute that was strapped over the shoulders and around the legs. Phill had a slight misfortune when the lady tightened both his leg straps at the same time pulling his legs together suddenly at the same time. Ahh!
All the flights went up and landed perfectly.
George landed and when asked what he thought of the flight said, ‘Champion – brilliant. I enjoyed it. It beats power flights. Better than I imagined.’
Linda said, ‘I’d rather go up there than on a big dipper any day.’
Marylyn said, ‘Terrific – everything and more than I expected.’
Audrey said, ‘Wonderful, absolutely wonderful, like a motorbike ride without the noise.’
Jim found the experience very pleasant and gentle.
According to his pilot, Dave had a very interesting reaction to doing a loop the loop, he put his fingers in his ears.
Johnny’s first words on landing were ‘Wey hey!’
Phill was equally thrilled and managed to say, ‘Oh wow! That was amazing.’ as the cockpit was opened.
We all retired to the bar where a new beer called wonky donkey was found very refreshing by some of our party. We were also given a lovely buffet with some home made cake. The volunteers were all friendly and couldn’t have been more helpful making the whole night a wonderful experience that we will never forget.

JUNINHO’S LEFT BOOT

An account of a visit to the Riverside Stadium
The home of Middlesbrough Football Club

On 21st December, the coldest day of the Winter so far, a party of 18 blind and visually impaired people went on a guided tour of the Riverside Stadium – described locally as the home of European football.

Visiting fans. We visited the concourse and were told how the club manages to keep the rival fans apart. The security arrangements were most impressive, which might explain why there is never any trouble at the Riverside.
The trophy room. Middlesbrough AFC has only ever won one trophy – the Carling Cup in 2004. The replica cup was taken out of its locked cabinet and was passed around the group. What a thrill!

But even better was to follow! From the cabinet was produced the left boot that was actually worn by Juninho in that famous cup final. This was again passed around the awe-inspired group. It was amazing – what an honour to actually hold that great player’s boot. It was so small and light – just like a slipper with studs. Such boots offer no protection to the player’s feet and it is hardly surprising that so many footballers today suffer from broken toes.

The Chairman’s suite. The best Chairman in the Premiership is undoubtedly Steve Gibson. We were honoured to be able to enter his suite where we disappeared up to our knees in the thickest, most luxurious carpet we had ever experienced. The cost of such a carpet would surely have bought several international footballers.
Old Balls. Whilst in the Chairman’s suite we were allowed to hold one of those old leather footballs that were in use decades ago. These footballs, which had a bladder inside secured by a lace, became increasingly heavy as the match wore on if conditions were wet or muddy. “It was like trying to kick a cannonball”, our guide informed us. He was a former professional footballer who said he was a centre half who started his career 6ft 4ins tall. After 20 years of heading “cannonballs” he ended up only 5ft 10 ins tall and a bit simple as well.
The Director’s Box. From the Chairman’s suite we made our way to the Director’s Box where, apart from the Directors, celebrities and other important guests view the matches. Undoubtedly the best seats in the house.
The home team’s changing room. We were able to sit in the very same seats as our Boro favourites. Shirts with their names on were hanging on the pegs so we could all imagine for a moment that we were Yakubu, Viduka, Lee Cattermole or captain George Boateng.

The colour scheme was designed to build confidence. There were 6 baths for the players – one would be filled with ice and another with really hot water. Such treatment was to alleviate the effects of bruises and minor knocks. There was a tactics board where our Manager, Gareth Southgate, would stand and give team talks and instruction. There would be loud music to inspire the players and a basket of bananas for energy. Four treatment tables were there to give treatment or massage at half time and after the game.

The psychology of the away team’s changing room. Unlike the home changing room this was very basic. The colour scheme was deliberately chosen to create a feeling of depression. It was dark green and cream. Yuk! There were only 4 baths and no ice or really hot water for the treatment of bruises. There was no tactics board, no music and certainly no bananas and only 2 treatment tables. How could the Boro ever lose a match when such profound psychology is at work?
The tunnel onto the pitch. From the changing rooms we went down the tunnel and entered the playing arena just as the players do. We realised just what it must feel like to be a player at the beginning of a match. We weren’t allowed to walk on the pitch but we stood on the touchline and let our imaginations run wild. It was a wonderful feeling.

That concluded our tour. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and the whole group were unanimous in their praise and gratitude to Middlesbrough Football Club for organising the visit and to the Primary Club, whose generosity made the trip possible.

On 21 September 17 blind and visually impaired people, including 6 youngsters from local schools nervously gathered at the Teesside Watersports Centre for a full day of Powerboating, Sailing and Kayaking. All of this was possible because of a grant from the Primary Club.

The weather was glorious and all participants were kitted out in waterproof clothing, life jackets and crash helmets. Skilled instructors were available to ensure that all went well and that nobody ended up way out in the North Sea half way to Denmark. Word quickly spread the instructors were extremely handsome young men so there was the inevitable flirting from some of our female sailors.

The day was particularly nostalgic for our Chairman George Glass. In his youth whilst still sighted George was an active and enthusiastic Sea Scout. His last trip on the river in a boat was in the late 1940s when his sight was rapidly fading. To go back onto the river after almost 60 years was a most moving and emotional experience for him. George has vividly recounted the emotions of this last trip before he became totally blind. This is attached to this report.

Powerboating was the most popular activity because of the speed of the boats (almost 40 mph) and the fact that the blind sailors could actually drive and steer the boats themselves. An instructor was precariously perched on the side of each boat just to ensure that nothing went wrong. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic experience.

Sailing involved two blind people with an instructor in a small yacht. The blind sailors were actually trained to steer the yacht and to operate the sails. There was some quite tricky manoeuvring required when sailing into the wind. But somehow everybody returned to the starting point quite safely.

Kayaking consisted of one blind sailor with an instructor in a 2-man kayak. This was hard work as the instructor ensured that the blind sailor did most of the paddling. This was probably the most tiring activity.

Our intrepid roving reporter, Jean Ward, went out onto the river with a camera and was able to produce some excellent action photographs. The whole day was thoroughly enjoyed by all participants. To do so many different activities on the river was beyond their most optimistic expectations. The staff of the Watersports Centre were magnificent and our grateful thanks go to them and to the Primary Club who made this wonderful day possible.

It is a grey sky morning in April not long after dawn. The river is dark in the pale light and almost motionless at the peak of a big spring tide. The industrial riverside is silent and almost deserted. The only sign of life is at an old wooden wharf on the North bank where a boat casts off its moorings and moves slowly out into midstream.

The boat is a Merchant Navy Life Boat long retired from active service, old and battered but still proud and seaworthy enough and not without a certain bulldog beauty. At present she is crewed by a man and ten teenage boys all in Sea Scout uniforms. They are setting off on to what seems to all of them except the skipper a voyage of exploration into unknown waters. This is the first time they have ventured down the river to salt water and most of them to a greater or lesser degree feel a sense of adventure.

Of none is it more true than the youngest, a bespectacled bookworm of a lad too much given to daydreaming and introspection. He is in love with the sea and sail or rather he is in love with his own romantic idea of the sea. Of its reality he knows nothing. So as the boat under the heavy fourteen foot oars moves slowly down the river he is filled with suppressed excitement for this long awaited voyage which in cold fact is nothing more than a fifteen mile excursion in sheltered waters but to him a great adventure.

Not only does it offer the opportunity to escape from the narrow confines of the upper river and have a taste of real sailing on broad salt waters but it is an adventure journey to the very fringe of that romantic world of ships and seafaring which has dominated his imagination for so long. Nor is he to be disappointed this day. There are to be fascinating glimpses into maritime life such as the storm battered Swedish Oil Carrier limping over the bar with a heavy list caused by the shifting cargo. An eloquent reminder of the perils of the deep.

There are to be unforgettable experiences. The breeze will rapidly strengthen the red tanned canvas and replace the tedious oars and there will be some fine sailing. The old boat heeling under the weight of the clean salt wind fights her way windward, thrashing through the water at exhilarating speed. There will be foam and spray, seabirds and sunlight, movement and colour, changing skies, bright sun and blue water.

When they reach their destination and tie up at the pilot jetty he will climb ashore with his mind full of vivid images which in years to come will form the memory of a bright, glad day. A day of blue and white and gold which he will take with him to illuminate his mind, to comfort and torment him when he is exiled from the sunlight to that bleak world of everlasting night which is known only to the totally blind.

"Sing me a song of a lad that is gone, say could that lad be I. Merry of soul he sails on a day over the sea to Skye".

The minibus arrived at Sedgefield from Stockton but it was not laden with seasoned race goers. No, it was the first time for most of us and the feeling of doing something different and possibly lining our pockets with gold was evident. BlindVoice had arranged the outing and those taking part were blind persons and helpers.

Suitably attired we were shown to a part of the grandstand reserved for us with bar and betting facilities of which we made full use.

For those who required them BlindVoice prepared copies of the race programme in Braille and for the others the lists of runners were read aloud by the helpers.

At the start of each race the keen ones went to the front to breathe the atmosphere and to follow the horse they had backed. Did we have any luck? George Glass did well to win some £75 and for once I was lucky to win £58.

Win or lose we all thoroughly enjoyed the day and returned to Stockton tired after a hard day’s gambling. For this our thanks are due to BlindVoice and to the owners of Sedgefield Racecourse where we were looked after royally.