Large print books
Large print books are available for loan from all the local libraries. While few bookshops stock large print books, most will be glad to order titles you wish to buy.
Books on tape
Adult books on standard cassette are available for loan from all local libraries. A stock of children's books on cassette is available at Bury and Whitefield Libraries. They are free to people with sight problems. Requests can be made for books that are not in stock. Contact your local library or the visual impairment service on 0161 253 7512.
Calibre is a free postal service providing a library of children's and adult books on standard cassette. A doctor's certificate stating inability to read printed books is required. Membership is free but donations are welcome and a small charge is made for the catalogue.
Calibre,
Aylesbury,
Buckinghamshire, HP2 5XQ.
Telephone 0129 643 2339.
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) talking book service has a wide range of titles that are recorded on non-standard cassettes played on a specialised machine supplied by the service. It is available to anyone providing proof of inability to read print. An annual subscription is payable. This may be paid for you by Bury Adult care department. Contact Bury Adult Care - Disability Services (telephone 0161 253 6858).
RNIB Talking Book Service,
Mount Pleasant,
Wembley,
Middlesex, HA0 1RR.
Telephone 020 8903 6666.
RNIB cassette library has a wide range of mainly non-fiction material on standard cassette. Membership and loans are free to visually impaired people.
RNIB Customer Services,
PO Box 173,
Peterborough, PE2 6WS.
Telephone 0345 023 153.
Braille and moon
Braille and moon are ways of 'touch' reading. The National Library for the Blind and the RNIB have good collections of books in both formats. Membership and loans are free, or you can request braille or moon books through your local library.
The provision of classes to teach braille and moon can change, for the latest information contact Bury Society for Blind and partially sighted people or the visual impairment service. Details of these organisations can be found on useful contacts page.
National Library for the Blind,
Cromwell Road,
Bredbury,
Stockport, SK6 2SG.
Telephone 0161 355 2000.
RNIB Customer Services,
PO Box 173,
Peterborough, PE2 6WS.
Telephone 0345 023153.
Newspapers
Big print is a weekly digest of news, crosswords, recipes etc. in large type. A subscription is payable.
Big Print,
PO Box 308,
Warrington, WA1 1JE.
Telephone 0800 124 007.
Talking newspapers
Pipeline is Bury's local talking newspaper. It is produced weekly on standard cassette and contains a selection of articles from the local newspapers. Also available are women's realm and Lancashire life.
Pipeline,
Seedfield Resource Centre,
Parkinson Street,
Bury, BL9 6NY.
Telephone 0161 253 6858 (or Mrs. Chadwick 0161 761 3438).
The Northern Jewish talking news is also published weekly and contains extracts from the Jewish telegraph and the Manchester pages of the Jewish chronicle.
Manchester Jewish Community Care,
85 Middleton Road,
Manchester, M8 4JY.
Tel: 0161 740 0111.
TNAUK (Talking Newspaper Association United Kingdom) produce a wide range of magazines and newspapers on standard cassette, CD-Rom and computer disk. An annual membership fee is payable.
TNAUK,
National Recording Centre,
Heathfield,
East Sussex, TN21 8DB.
Tel: 01435 866102.
Fax: 01435 865542.
Other sources of reading materials
Torch Trust for the Blind produce Christian literature in giant print, Braille and on standard cassette. Proof of visual impairment is required and a small initial charge is made for use of the tape library.
Torch Trust for the Blind,
Torch House,
Hallaton,
Leicestershire, LE16 8UJ.
Telephone 01858 555 301.
Scottish braille press produces books and magazines in braille.
Scottish Braille Press,
Craigmillar Park,
Edinburgh,
Midlothian, EH16 5NB.
Telephone 0131 662 4445.
Cue and review recording service publish magazines on tape including some specifically for young people such as Kerrang, Just Seventeen, NME and Star Trek.
Cue and Review Recording Service,
18a Crowhill Road,
Bishopbriggs,
Glasgow,
Strathclyde, G64 1QY.
Telephone 0141 563 0306.
Many theatres and concert venues have price concessions available to visually impaired people and/or a companion and make provision for guide dogs. Some may offer seats near the front of the auditorium. Enquire when booking.
Don't Miss The Show! is an organisation that provides a companion to accompany you to the theatre or concert of your choice. Contact Hazel Roy (telephone 0161 228 6255 extension 304).
Theatre
Many local theatres have an audio described performance where a professional describer gives additional information, via headphones, about the scenery, costumes, gestures of the actors etc. Some theatres also offer a pre-performance tour to look at costumes, stage sets and occasionally, to meet the cast.
Film
A range of audio described videos are available free from local libraries or can be bought or hired for a small charge from RNIB.
Contact your local library or the Visual impairment Service on 0161 253 7512 or RNIB customer services, telephone 0345 023 153.
Museums and Art Galleries
Some local museums and art galleries make provision for visually impaired people to access the main collections and some visiting collections by means of large print guides, 'hands on' collections etc. Please enquire at individual locations.
The Living Paintings Trust loan out albums of ten works of art produced in thermoform (raised tactile representations) with accompanying taped guides and colour reproductions.
Living Paintings Trust,
Unit 8, Kingsclere Park,
Kingsclere,
Newbury,
Berkshire, RG20 4SW.
Telephone 01635 299 771.
Social groups
Local libraries have a local contacts file listing groups and societies in the Borough catering for a wide range of interests.
Bury Society for Blind and Partially Sighted People have social meetings at the Grundy Centre, Wellington Road, Bury and at Walshaw Road Sports Club. A summer trip and Christmas dinner are organised annually. Contact Mrs. Entwistle (telephone 0161 761 7684) or Mr. Lindsay (telephone 07977 974521).
Whitefield Blind Society meet twice monthly at the New Jerusalem Church, Whitefield and also organise day trips to various locations. Contact Joan Stearman (telephone 0161 766 3909).
Jigsaw is an integrated social group of young people (18-30) with a physical disability or sensory impairment and able bodied volunteers. They also run a drama group for ages 13+. Contact:
Jigsaw,
Seedfield Resource Centre,
Parkinson Street,
Bury, BL9 6NY.
Telephone 0161 253 6853.
Castle Knights meet every week at Castle Leisure Centre for both wet and dry sports.
Peter Carney,
Castle Knights,
C/o Seedfield Resource Centre,
Parkinson Street,
Bury, BL9 6NY.
Telephone 0161 253 6850.
Bury tandem club have bike rides out every Sunday starting at 9.30a.m.
Michael Bland,
(Bury Tandem Club),
9 Hornsea Close,
Bury, BL8 2UA.
Telephone 0161 761 1716.
Horse Riding for the Disabled.
Birtle and Rochdale Riding for the Disabled,
Barbara Hedley,
267 Bamford Road,
Heywood, OL10 4AH.
Telephone 01706 366282.
British blind sport is recognised as the national representative body for sport for visually impaired people and provides information on a range of sporting and recreational activities.
British Blind Sport,
67 Albert Street,
Rugby,
Warwickshire, CV21 2SN.
Telephone 01788 536142.
Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) Adventure Group arrange activity holidays for guide dog owners. Contact GDBA Holidays (telephone 01539 735080).
Bury Bravehearts
For young people with disabilities and special needs. Everything from Basketball to Boccia is played and there are occasional day trips out. Meetings are at Coney Green Sports Centre, Spring Lane, Radcliffe, on Sunday 2-4p.m. Contact Bury Sports Development (telephone 0161 253 5893).
