News

Deafblind UK member, Mark, will entertain commuters by playing the Elton John piano at St Pancras station on Tuesday 25th June between 4pm and 6pm. Mark Pampel from London has Usher Syndrome which has left him with no sight and very little hearing. But this hasn’t stopped him becoming a hugely successful pianist and composer. … Read more

Rajeswari (Raji) and her daughter Chandrika, both from Enfield, London, will be parachute jumping out of a plane during Deafblind Awareness Week! Raji has Usher Syndrome and was born Deaf. She now has very little vision and uses tactile British Sign Language – using her hands to feel the signs – to communicate. “I rely … Read more

Free TV licences were first introduced in 2000 for license holders over 75, at the same time as half-price licences for the visually impaired. It was announced this week that from June 2020, license holders over the age of 75 who do not receive Pension Credit will need to pay for a license. However we have been told that … Read more

Understanding your healthcare and rights can be difficult. Keeping on top of appointments, prescriptions, medical letters and much more may be overwhelming, which is why the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) was introduced. What is the Accessible Information Standard? The government first introduced AIS in August 2016. Its aims are to ensure that those with sensory … Read more

What does your role as a befriender involve? I visit a lady who is deafblind and I read her books, usually about famous people, we read about where they have been and what they have achieved. We both like to watch Saturday Kitchen and learn about the places that chef Rick Stein visits, and the … Read more

What does your role as an admin volunteer involve? I work on the database and contact Deafblind UK members through text and email, to see how they are. Why did you choose to become an admin volunteer? I wanted to learn about admin roles and tasks and understand about the office environment. Why Deafblind UK? … Read more

What does your role as a befriender involve? As a home befriender I go to the persons home to provide some regular company and a chat over many cups of tea. Why did you choose to become a befriender? I think there are a lot of people who for whatever reason are lonely or isolated … Read more

Margaret from South Wales has volunteered for Deafblind UK for the past 10 years. She has since developed Macular Degeneration herself and so has more empathy than ever for the people she helps. She said: “I used to bring a friend of mine to the Deafblind UK social groups because she didn’t have transport. I … Read more

Helen who is deafblind, will be running the 10km Great Manchester Run on 19th May, raising money for Deafblind UK and showing that sight and hearing loss doesn’t have to stop you achieving your ambitions. Although Helen regularly runs at her local Parkrun, she has not tackled a longer distance before. She said: “I am … Read more