Message from Jacquie Winning MBE

Welcome to the winter edition of Forth Valley Sensory Centre’s regular newsletter.
We hope you enjoy reading about all the exciting things that are going on at the Centre, and
how we’ve been supporting people with sensory loss all around Forth Valley.
Since our last update, our groups have been involved in various outings including to an
accessible pantomime performance and to RNIB in Edinburgh. Our Winter Fayre and tree
planting events were both a huge success, and we received generous donations from
wonderful supporters in our local community. Read on to find out what’s been going on,
and how you can get involved…

Tree planting success

We were thrilled to join a fantastic group of pupils from Windsor Park School for a day of
tree planting at the Falkirk Wheel in November.
The event was organised in conjunction with Scottish Canals as part of the Queen’s Green
Canopy initiative. This was originally launched to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in
2022, with millions of trees already planted across the UK.
However, the project was extended to March this year to build on the Queen’s legacy and
will act as a lasting tribute to her service to the country.
The school pupils planted 30 trees and a commemorative plaque was unveiled by Colonel
Alastair Campbell DL, Vice Lord Lieutenant for Stirling and Falkirk.
It is translated into Braille and includes a QR code that links to a video where the pupils
describe their hopes for the future of the planet and climate change, using British Sign
Language. If you are visiting the Falkirk Wheel make sure you take a look!

Parliamentary exhibition stand

Later this month, members of the FVSC team will visit the Scottish Parliament to host an
exhibition for MSPs and parliamentary staff.
Our Garden Lobby stand, sponsored by Michael Matheson, will be an excellent opportunity
for us to speak directly with MSPs, and inform them of how we are supporting D/deaf, hard
of hearing, blind and partially sighted people of all ages across Clackmannanshire, Falkirk
and Stirling.
Politicians will also be able to find out how, through the Making Sense of Climate Change
Project, we are offering free advice to people across Forth Valley who have sight or hearing
loss on to reduce their energy use, food waste and carbon emissions.
We look forward to meeting and speaking to lots of MSPs during the event and encourage
anyone in the building between February 21-23 to stop for a chat.

Donation appreciation
Everyone at the Centre would like to extend a huge thank you to our supporters Gordon and
Pamela Miller for their generous donation of almost £700.
The Millers raised the incredible amount thanks to a glittering Christmas lights display at
their home in Falkirk.
They spent weeks setting up the display, which covered their whole house and included a
festive unicorn, a collection of Santa’s elves, snowmen, candy canes and a stall for people to
put donations in. It is the second year that Gordon and Pamela have chosen to donate the
proceeds to the Centre, raising over £800 last winter.
Separately, we would also like to express our sincere gratitude to Camelon Lodge for their
incredible donation of £600. This will go towards the cost of running the Centre’s groups
and activities.

Winter Fayre
An amazing £1,648.42 was raised for the Centre at our Winter Fayre in December.
We had stalls selling teddy bears, hand-knitted items, candles, and crafts, and the Centre’s
staff got into the Christmas spirit by dressing up as elves.
The success of the day was only possible because of the fantastic support we received from
Centre users, supporters, businesses and the local community.
Tunnock’s donated snowballs for the event and Larbert-based company Lightways lit up the
Sensory Garden with sparkling Christmas Lights.
At the Fayre, there was also a performance by FVSC’s Sensory Singers choir.
The group, for those who are blind or are visually impaired, also sang at Forth Valley Royal
Hospital and elsewhere around Falkirk in the run-up to Christmas.

Special outings for our Centre users

In December we were delighted to organise a festive trip to an accessible Christmas
pantomime for members of our sight loss group and volunteers.
The performance of Maw Goose at Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling was audio-described,
allowing those with sight loss to enjoy the theatre experience.
Having sight loss can be incredibly isolating, so having opportunities like this to get together
and do something that many people take for granted was a great experience and really
kicked off the countdown to Christmas. Thanks to our Sight Loss Ambassador Laura for
supporting with the organisation of this trip which will hopefully be the first of several
Theatre visits.
A few weeks earlier, seven members of our blind and partially sighted group enjoyed an
outing to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) HQ at Hillside in Edinburgh.
As well as enjoying a St Andrew’s Day lunch at the RNIB Café, the group were given the
opportunity to learn about new technology designed to help those who are visually
impaired, and to try out some of the devices.
Companies such as Humanware, Triple Tap Tech and RNIB’s own tech gurus had stalls with a
range of items that people could interact with.
FVSC Sight Loss Ambassador Laura Cluxton said: “Our day out in Edinburgh went brilliantly
and everyone who took part thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
“It was great to be out with everyone to learn and try the different technology on display.”
Thanks to local charity Kiran’s Trust for sponsoring the transport for this event.

 Volunteer spotlight: Laura Stewart, Talk and Sign group leader, or Chrislyn

Safer Streets Open Doors event

FVSC recently acted as a community hub for a local Safer Streets Open Doors event involving
Our Place Camelon and Tamfourhill, Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service,
Falkirk Council, Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and other partners.
It was an opportunity for people to come along and chat through issues that are concerning
them with the relevant organisations, and to get safety advice.
An advice team from Home Energy Scotland was there to offer people expert energy
support, and we spent some time trialling the new ODIN (Orientation, Distance and Internal
Navigation) device which has been designed by entrepreneur Chris Brown @ProjectODIN.
The system is still under development, but is designed to make point-to-point guidance
systems for indoor locations in a similar way to GPS outdoors.

 Languages Week – raising awareness of BSL with local businesses (through Chamber
of Commerce)

Voting test event

We will soon take part in a new tactile voting test event which has been designed to
improve the experience for those with sight loss.
Twenty registered blind participants will be invited to test the new tactile ballot paper and
provide feed back. It is hoped the new paper will help increase accessibility.
The trial event has been organised in partnership with RNIB Scotland and Scottish
Government, and will take place on February 23.

Parent Carers Legal Support

Forth Valley law firm, Caesar & Howie, have launched a new initiative aimed at helping
parent carers through the process of Guardianship.
Parent Carers Legal Support (PCLS) has been developed through many years of experience
working in the field of adults with incapacity.
After listening to feedback from parent carers and professionals who support them, it is the
aim of PCLS to fill the gap in the lack of collective information relating to the legal process of
applying for Guardianship for a child who is approaching the age of 16.
In addition, collaboratively with many carers’ centres in Scotland and national disability
charities, they provide free, online, information sessions for parent carers regarding
Guardianship and Planning for the Future – Wills, Trusts etc. They also provide free training
sessions for staff groups working with parent carers in the third or public sector.
For more information, please visit the website www.pcls.org.uk, follow on Facebook or
Instagram, contact info@pcls.org.uk or call on 0800 151 2866.