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To stay up to date with VICTA’s latest activities and services to support you and your child, sign up here to receive email updates.
Contact VICTA
VICTA
5 Douglas House
32-34 Simpson Road
Fenny Stratford
Milton Keynes
MK1 1BA
T 01908 240831
admin@victa.org.uk
victa.org.uk
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Add your information
We are always happy to share knowledge and point people in the right direction. If you are a charity or organisation that would like to be added to our resources, please get in touch at online@victa.org.uk
The VICTA Parent Network
VICTA started over 30 years ago as a local parent support network. Our reach has since spread over the entire country, but our original vision of bringing parents together for friendship and support hasn’t changed.
Here at VICTA, we have heard time and time again how the best advice has come from another parent, or how the Family Weekends we host give parents a chance to discuss issues and create solutions. It is vital in many aspects, not only for the child but also the parents, to be able to access the best possible information and we believe that parents are key to this.
We have therefore started our ‘Parent Network’. The aim of this project is to empower parents to support and advise one another, and run local events and groups to create networks of parents across the country. Our Parent Ambassadors that are part of this new scheme have first-hand experience living with and raising children who have a visual impairment. We believe that these are the people best placed to provide help and advice if you do have any concerns or encounter any problems.
To this end, we have a VICTA Parent Network Facebook group. This is a safe space for you as a parent to ask any questions or seek advice on any topic related to parenting a visually impaired child. Other parents and young adults in the group will provide answers, support and encouragement.
We currently have 8 Parent Ambassadors as part of the VICTA Parent Network. These Ambassadors are charged with being active members on the Facebook group, arranging local events for parents, and visiting schools and organisations as requested to promote the work of VICTA.
To become a Parent Ambassador, or for more information, please email parents@victa.org.uk
Live from the VICTA Facebook page…
Join VICTA on Monday 6 April with your little ones age 0 to 4 years for our Early Years Day at St Vincent's School in Liverpool!
There will be lots of fun, inclusive activities, plus helpful information from organisations including The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (UK), Sense - connecting sight, sound and life, Henshaws, OXSIGHT, ABDO and New College Worcester.
We hope you can join us! Places must be pre-booked, find out more and apply for your family to attend here:
www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/early-years-stvincents/
Early Years Family Day with St Vincent’s School
www.victa.org.uk
When: 6 April 2020 Who: 0 to 4 years and immediate family Location: St Vincent’s School, Liverpool Cost: £5 per adult, £5 per child Closing Date: 6 March 2020 Join VICTA for an Early Years Day at ...Ruqaiya's article hopes to inspire others with a vision impairment and a passion for the arts to pursue a career in the field and writes how determination and perseverance has helped her succeed in what she loves. The article also includes information on how art therapy can help if you are struggling with your mental health.
There is a wonderful video featured of Ruqaiya describing some of her favourite pieces of art. An excellent read!
www.victa.org.uk/conquering-visual-industry/
My journey conquering the visual industry!
www.victa.org.uk
By Ruqaiya Asim Ever since I was little, I've had a passion to be creative. From an early age I knew I wanted to go into art, however I didn’t realise how challenging this would be. Being a young pe...Owais' article for #strive is about how visually impaired cricket can go from being a fun hobby into something that opens up incredible opportunities! It details the many amazing achievements that can be gained from playing this type of cricket and the impact it has on others. A fantastic read! www.victa.org.uk/owais-blind-cricket/
My experiences playing blind cricket
www.victa.org.uk
By Owais Niaz I started off playing cricket for fun during my break and lunch times at Joseph Clarke School. After some time playing, I started to improve which caught the attention of the teacher in ...George's article for #strive is an examination of how walking can positively effect wellbeing and improve your mental health in general. It is a great example of how much difference a short, brisk walk can make to your daily life if you choose to incorporate it into your routine. A brilliant read! www.victa.org.uk/walking-for-wellbeing/
www.victa.org.uk
By George Upfield My name is George Upfield, I am 23 years old, and I’m a new ambassador for VICTA. I have been asked to write a short article on the subject of wellbeing. I am visually impaired as ...This #strive article shares Sonal's gifted green world! Along her journey into studying horticulture, as a young person with visual and hearing impairment, she found some barriers were put in her way, but these were overcome by sheer determination and hard work. A truly inspiring read!
www.victa.org.uk/gifted-green-world/
www.victa.org.uk
By Sonal Sumaria Sea green, olive, dark green, forest green, lime, mint, pear, shamrock, emerald, seaweed, parakeet, sage, jade and viridian are a few of many of shades of green – the colour of natu...In her article for #strive Harriet explores the importance of eating a healthy diet and the subtle changes you can make in order to improve your wellbeing and overall mental health.
Harriet investigates the science behind the food and the various ways in which certain aspects of what we feed ourselves can effect everything from the gut to the brain, and reveals the surprising connection between the two.
So read on to discover hidden secrets you may not have learnt about the food you eat until now!
www.victa.org.uk/healthy-eating-wellbeing/
The importance of healthy eating to improve wellbeing
www.victa.org.uk
The photo shows Harriet smiling with her talking scales. My name is Harriet and this is my first article for Strive. I am 29 years old, and have an interest in cooking and healthy eating. With this in...Hi Everyone, just a reminder that applications for both the Spring and Summer VICTA Family Weekends close today!
Please make sure you get any applications in today to avoid disappointment. Here are the links you need:
Spring Family Weekend: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/spring-family-weekend/
Summer Family Weekend: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/summer-family-weekend/
Shakespeare's Globe have kindly offered us some free tickets to an audio described performance of the following play:
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank Macbeth
Who: 11 – 17 years old
When: 24 March 2020 (Touch tour is 5pm, Performance at 7pm)
Location: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT
If you are interested in a pair of tickets, please email activities@victa.org.uk or call John on 01908 240 831.
You can find out more about the performance here: www.shakespearesglobe.com/learn/secondary-schools/playing-shakespeare-with-deutsche-bank/
Thank you!
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank | Shakespeare's Globe
www.shakespearesglobe.com
Our flagship project for secondary and post-16 Further Education students.The entries from the VICTA Braille Art competition are now live on our website for you to enjoy!
A huge thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners: www.victa.org.uk/braille-competition-winners/
VICTA Braille Art Competition Winners!
www.victa.org.uk
Thank you to everyone who entered the VICTA Braille Art competition, we were truly inspired by the imagination and creativity displayed in the entries. Due to the number of entries we unfortunately wo...We are excited to announce the winners of the VICTA Braille Art Competition. We have been so inspired by all of the entries, your creativity has been outstanding!
And the winners are...
🏅
Category 1 – Braille your name (Age: 0 to 10 years)
1st place: Emily whose school friends helped her to recreate her name in braille
2nd place: Alma who used hand prints and different coloured paint to depict her name in braille
🏅
Category 2 – Braille in pictures! (Age: 11 to 29 years)
1st place: Grace who recreated Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting The Mona Lisa in braille
2nd place: Rosie who created an intricately layered image using brailled paper in different colours, patterns and shapes
The full gallery of all the entries will be on display on the website very soon we can't wait to share them with you!
The new edition of STRiVE, written by our VICTA Young Ambassadors is out now! We will be sharing the stories of the next few days so please make sure you have a read.
First up we'd like to share this article written by Ibraheem Iqbal - How health and fitness helped me manage my mental health when I became blind
In this moving and emotional article Ibz talks about how sport helped him, as a young visually impaired person, regain confidence after losing his sight. It also describes how extreme exercise can sometimes cause difficulties if it goes too far, and how to overcome these. A thought-provoking read: www.victa.org.uk/health-fitness-mental-health-blind/
How health and fitness helped me manage my mental health when I became blind
www.victa.org.uk
By Ibraheem Iqbal Hi everyone, my name is Ibraheem, but you can call me Ibz. I am proud to be one of VICTA’s Young Ambassadors. I have been given the opportunity to write an article about mental hea...Issue three of the STRiVE e-magazine is here!
For this issue, we have decided to focus on the theme of wellbeing. Our new group of Young Ambassadors Ruqaiya, Ibraheem, Sonal, Owais, George and myself, Harriet, have each written an article we hope will inspire you to think about your mental health and maybe try something new. Inside you will find articles to suit all tastes: from how art therapy could help if you’re struggling with your mental health to tips on why it’s important to eat a healthy diet.
Check your inboxes, or read the articles here:
www.victa.org.uk/young-adults/strive/strive-issue-three-wellbeing/
We'd love to hear your comments!
STRiVE Issue Three - Wellbeing
www.victa.org.uk
Welcome to the third edition of STRiVE - the VICTA Newsletter designed, written and published by our team of Young Ambassadors For this issue, we have decided to focus on the theme of wellbeing. Ou...Join VICTA with your family and get hands-on with history at Bentley Priory!
We will be exploring the former headquarters of the Allied Air Forces Command, situated in Stanmore, on the London Underground’s Jubilee Line on Saturday 2 May.
With 2020 marking the 75th year since VE Day, Bentley Priory Museum is the perfect location to step into the past and discover the secrets of the command centre from where the Battle of Britain was won.
Find out more about the day and apply for your place here: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/bentley-priory/
VICTA Family Day at Bentley Priory Museum
www.victa.org.uk
When: 2 May 2020 Who: 0 to 17 years plus immediate family (please note: some of the activities may not be suitable for children under 5 years old) Location: Bentley Priory Museum, Mansion House Drive,...The latest edition of STRiVE - the e-newsletter created by the VICTA Young Ambassadors - goes live this Friday!
The team has chosen to write around the theme of wellbeing and we are really looking forward to sharing their articles with you all.
There is still time to sign up to receive the newsletter here: mailchi.mp/victa/strive
Want to find out more about the Ambassadors? You can meet Harriet, Ibz, Sonal and Ruqaiya on the video below!
We are even more excited about our Nature Arts Week in Somerset after today's site visit!
If you are aged 14 to 17, you can join us in April on the coast to get creative with the arts, hands-on with the animals, enjoy social activities round the campfire and even try your hand at some junkyard music!
If you have exams coming up, don't worry, we will have revision sessions built into the evenings for those who need it.
Find out more and apply here: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/nature-art/
Continuing our support of Children's Mental Health Week on the VICTA Parent Portal, Charlotte talks about considering the impact on siblings and their own wellbeing: www.victaparents.org.uk/siblings-mental-health/
#ChildrensMentalHealthWeek #FindYourBrave
A big thank you to everyone who shared their feedback across 2019. It is so important to us a charity and helps us to plan for the future. As many of you will know we ran an incentive across three of our activity categories - Family Weekends, Family Days and Young Adult Activities - for those who supported us and shared their views.
We have selected a winner at random from each of the three categories and can now announce the lucky winners are the Loison Family (free family place on a Family Weekend), the Ward Family (Amazon voucher) and Jade Sharp (Amazon voucher). Well done everyone!
Don't forget to share your feedback with us over 2020 for your chance to win at the end of the year. Details will be sent out by the activities team with the activity feedback forms.
Thank you!
Last chance to support VICTA in the Vitality Big Half!
🙌🌈
www.victa.org.uk
Event: The Vitality Big Half Location: London Date: Sunday 1 March 2020 Minimum Sponsorship: £100 (excluding Gift Aid) Registration Fee: £10 (non-refundable) Minimum Age: 17 years Sign up Clos...Lots of exciting things happening in Yorkshire through the Wilberforce Trust, see their post below:
To stay up to date with VICTA’s latest activities and services to support you and your child, sign up here to receive email updates.
Contact VICTA
VICTA
5 Douglas House
32-34 Simpson Road
Fenny Stratford
Milton Keynes
MK1 1BA
T 01908 240831
admin@victa.org.uk
Follow us online!
Live from Facebook
Join VICTA on Monday 6 April with your little ones age 0 to 4 years for our Early Years Day at St Vincent's School in Liverpool!
There will be lots of fun, inclusive activities, plus helpful information from organisations including The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (UK), Sense - connecting sight, sound and life, Henshaws, OXSIGHT, ABDO and New College Worcester.
We hope you can join us! Places must be pre-booked, find out more and apply for your family to attend here:
www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/early-years-stvincents/
Early Years Family Day with St Vincent’s School
www.victa.org.uk
When: 6 April 2020 Who: 0 to 4 years and immediate family Location: St Vincent’s School, Liverpool Cost: £5 per adult, £5 per child Closing Date: 6 March 2020 Join VICTA for an Early Years Day at ...Ruqaiya's article hopes to inspire others with a vision impairment and a passion for the arts to pursue a career in the field and writes how determination and perseverance has helped her succeed in what she loves. The article also includes information on how art therapy can help if you are struggling with your mental health.
There is a wonderful video featured of Ruqaiya describing some of her favourite pieces of art. An excellent read!
www.victa.org.uk/conquering-visual-industry/
My journey conquering the visual industry!
www.victa.org.uk
By Ruqaiya Asim Ever since I was little, I've had a passion to be creative. From an early age I knew I wanted to go into art, however I didn’t realise how challenging this would be. Being a young pe...Owais' article for #strive is about how visually impaired cricket can go from being a fun hobby into something that opens up incredible opportunities! It details the many amazing achievements that can be gained from playing this type of cricket and the impact it has on others. A fantastic read! www.victa.org.uk/owais-blind-cricket/
My experiences playing blind cricket
www.victa.org.uk
By Owais Niaz I started off playing cricket for fun during my break and lunch times at Joseph Clarke School. After some time playing, I started to improve which caught the attention of the teacher in ...George's article for #strive is an examination of how walking can positively effect wellbeing and improve your mental health in general. It is a great example of how much difference a short, brisk walk can make to your daily life if you choose to incorporate it into your routine. A brilliant read! www.victa.org.uk/walking-for-wellbeing/
www.victa.org.uk
By George Upfield My name is George Upfield, I am 23 years old, and I’m a new ambassador for VICTA. I have been asked to write a short article on the subject of wellbeing. I am visually impaired as ...This #strive article shares Sonal's gifted green world! Along her journey into studying horticulture, as a young person with visual and hearing impairment, she found some barriers were put in her way, but these were overcome by sheer determination and hard work. A truly inspiring read!
www.victa.org.uk/gifted-green-world/
www.victa.org.uk
By Sonal Sumaria Sea green, olive, dark green, forest green, lime, mint, pear, shamrock, emerald, seaweed, parakeet, sage, jade and viridian are a few of many of shades of green – the colour of natu...In her article for #strive Harriet explores the importance of eating a healthy diet and the subtle changes you can make in order to improve your wellbeing and overall mental health.
Harriet investigates the science behind the food and the various ways in which certain aspects of what we feed ourselves can effect everything from the gut to the brain, and reveals the surprising connection between the two.
So read on to discover hidden secrets you may not have learnt about the food you eat until now!
www.victa.org.uk/healthy-eating-wellbeing/
The importance of healthy eating to improve wellbeing
www.victa.org.uk
The photo shows Harriet smiling with her talking scales. My name is Harriet and this is my first article for Strive. I am 29 years old, and have an interest in cooking and healthy eating. With this in...Hi Everyone, just a reminder that applications for both the Spring and Summer VICTA Family Weekends close today!
Please make sure you get any applications in today to avoid disappointment. Here are the links you need:
Spring Family Weekend: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/spring-family-weekend/
Summer Family Weekend: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/summer-family-weekend/
Shakespeare's Globe have kindly offered us some free tickets to an audio described performance of the following play:
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank Macbeth
Who: 11 – 17 years old
When: 24 March 2020 (Touch tour is 5pm, Performance at 7pm)
Location: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT
If you are interested in a pair of tickets, please email activities@victa.org.uk or call John on 01908 240 831.
You can find out more about the performance here: www.shakespearesglobe.com/learn/secondary-schools/playing-shakespeare-with-deutsche-bank/
Thank you!
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank | Shakespeare's Globe
www.shakespearesglobe.com
Our flagship project for secondary and post-16 Further Education students.The entries from the VICTA Braille Art competition are now live on our website for you to enjoy!
A huge thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners: www.victa.org.uk/braille-competition-winners/
VICTA Braille Art Competition Winners!
www.victa.org.uk
Thank you to everyone who entered the VICTA Braille Art competition, we were truly inspired by the imagination and creativity displayed in the entries. Due to the number of entries we unfortunately wo...We are excited to announce the winners of the VICTA Braille Art Competition. We have been so inspired by all of the entries, your creativity has been outstanding!
And the winners are...
🏅
Category 1 – Braille your name (Age: 0 to 10 years)
1st place: Emily whose school friends helped her to recreate her name in braille
2nd place: Alma who used hand prints and different coloured paint to depict her name in braille
🏅
Category 2 – Braille in pictures! (Age: 11 to 29 years)
1st place: Grace who recreated Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting The Mona Lisa in braille
2nd place: Rosie who created an intricately layered image using brailled paper in different colours, patterns and shapes
The full gallery of all the entries will be on display on the website very soon we can't wait to share them with you!
The new edition of STRiVE, written by our VICTA Young Ambassadors is out now! We will be sharing the stories of the next few days so please make sure you have a read.
First up we'd like to share this article written by Ibraheem Iqbal - How health and fitness helped me manage my mental health when I became blind
In this moving and emotional article Ibz talks about how sport helped him, as a young visually impaired person, regain confidence after losing his sight. It also describes how extreme exercise can sometimes cause difficulties if it goes too far, and how to overcome these. A thought-provoking read: www.victa.org.uk/health-fitness-mental-health-blind/
How health and fitness helped me manage my mental health when I became blind
www.victa.org.uk
By Ibraheem Iqbal Hi everyone, my name is Ibraheem, but you can call me Ibz. I am proud to be one of VICTA’s Young Ambassadors. I have been given the opportunity to write an article about mental hea...Issue three of the STRiVE e-magazine is here!
For this issue, we have decided to focus on the theme of wellbeing. Our new group of Young Ambassadors Ruqaiya, Ibraheem, Sonal, Owais, George and myself, Harriet, have each written an article we hope will inspire you to think about your mental health and maybe try something new. Inside you will find articles to suit all tastes: from how art therapy could help if you’re struggling with your mental health to tips on why it’s important to eat a healthy diet.
Check your inboxes, or read the articles here:
www.victa.org.uk/young-adults/strive/strive-issue-three-wellbeing/
We'd love to hear your comments!
STRiVE Issue Three - Wellbeing
www.victa.org.uk
Welcome to the third edition of STRiVE - the VICTA Newsletter designed, written and published by our team of Young Ambassadors For this issue, we have decided to focus on the theme of wellbeing. Ou...Join VICTA with your family and get hands-on with history at Bentley Priory!
We will be exploring the former headquarters of the Allied Air Forces Command, situated in Stanmore, on the London Underground’s Jubilee Line on Saturday 2 May.
With 2020 marking the 75th year since VE Day, Bentley Priory Museum is the perfect location to step into the past and discover the secrets of the command centre from where the Battle of Britain was won.
Find out more about the day and apply for your place here: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/bentley-priory/
VICTA Family Day at Bentley Priory Museum
www.victa.org.uk
When: 2 May 2020 Who: 0 to 17 years plus immediate family (please note: some of the activities may not be suitable for children under 5 years old) Location: Bentley Priory Museum, Mansion House Drive,...The latest edition of STRiVE - the e-newsletter created by the VICTA Young Ambassadors - goes live this Friday!
The team has chosen to write around the theme of wellbeing and we are really looking forward to sharing their articles with you all.
There is still time to sign up to receive the newsletter here: mailchi.mp/victa/strive
Want to find out more about the Ambassadors? You can meet Harriet, Ibz, Sonal and Ruqaiya on the video below!
We are even more excited about our Nature Arts Week in Somerset after today's site visit!
If you are aged 14 to 17, you can join us in April on the coast to get creative with the arts, hands-on with the animals, enjoy social activities round the campfire and even try your hand at some junkyard music!
If you have exams coming up, don't worry, we will have revision sessions built into the evenings for those who need it.
Find out more and apply here: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/nature-art/
Continuing our support of Children's Mental Health Week on the VICTA Parent Portal, Charlotte talks about considering the impact on siblings and their own wellbeing: www.victaparents.org.uk/siblings-mental-health/
#ChildrensMentalHealthWeek #FindYourBrave
A big thank you to everyone who shared their feedback across 2019. It is so important to us a charity and helps us to plan for the future. As many of you will know we ran an incentive across three of our activity categories - Family Weekends, Family Days and Young Adult Activities - for those who supported us and shared their views.
We have selected a winner at random from each of the three categories and can now announce the lucky winners are the Loison Family (free family place on a Family Weekend), the Ward Family (Amazon voucher) and Jade Sharp (Amazon voucher). Well done everyone!
Don't forget to share your feedback with us over 2020 for your chance to win at the end of the year. Details will be sent out by the activities team with the activity feedback forms.
Thank you!
Last chance to support VICTA in the Vitality Big Half!
🙌🌈
www.victa.org.uk
Event: The Vitality Big Half Location: London Date: Sunday 1 March 2020 Minimum Sponsorship: £100 (excluding Gift Aid) Registration Fee: £10 (non-refundable) Minimum Age: 17 years Sign up Clos...Lots of exciting things happening in Yorkshire through the Wilberforce Trust, see their post below:
The VICTA Parent Network
VICTA started over 30 years ago as a local parent support network. Our reach has since spread over the entire country, but our original vision of connecting parents for friendship and support hasn’t changed.
Here at VICTA, we have heard time and time again how the best advice has come from another parent, or how the Family Weekends we host give parents a chance to discuss issues and create solutions. It is vital in many aspects, not only for the child but also the parents, to be able to access the best possible information and we believe that parents are key to this.
We have therefore started our ‘Parent Network’. The aim of this project is to empower parents to support and advise one another, and run local events and groups to create networks of parents across the country. Our Parent Ambassadors that are part of this new scheme have first-hand experience living with and raising children who have a visual impairment. We believe that these are the people best placed to provide help and advice if you do have any concerns or encounter any problems.
To this end, we have a VICTA Parent Network Facebook group. This is a safe space for you as a parent to ask any questions or seek advice on any topic related to parenting a visually impaired child. Other parents and young adults in the group will provide answers, support and encouragement.
To join the group, visit: facebook.com/groups/VICTAParentNetwork
We currently have 8 Parent Ambassadors as part of the VICTA Parent Network. These Ambassadors are charged with being active members on the Facebook group, arranging local events for parents, and visiting schools and organisations as requested to promote the work of VICTA.
To become a Parent Ambassador, or for more information, please email parents@victa.org.uk
Live from the VICTA Facebook Page…
Join VICTA on Monday 6 April with your little ones age 0 to 4 years for our Early Years Day at St Vincent's School in Liverpool!
There will be lots of fun, inclusive activities, plus helpful information from organisations including The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (UK), Sense - connecting sight, sound and life, Henshaws, OXSIGHT, ABDO and New College Worcester.
We hope you can join us! Places must be pre-booked, find out more and apply for your family to attend here:
www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/early-years-stvincents/
Early Years Family Day with St Vincent’s School
www.victa.org.uk
When: 6 April 2020 Who: 0 to 4 years and immediate family Location: St Vincent’s School, Liverpool Cost: £5 per adult, £5 per child Closing Date: 6 March 2020 Join VICTA for an Early Years Day at ...Ruqaiya's article hopes to inspire others with a vision impairment and a passion for the arts to pursue a career in the field and writes how determination and perseverance has helped her succeed in what she loves. The article also includes information on how art therapy can help if you are struggling with your mental health.
There is a wonderful video featured of Ruqaiya describing some of her favourite pieces of art. An excellent read!
www.victa.org.uk/conquering-visual-industry/
My journey conquering the visual industry!
www.victa.org.uk
By Ruqaiya Asim Ever since I was little, I've had a passion to be creative. From an early age I knew I wanted to go into art, however I didn’t realise how challenging this would be. Being a young pe...Owais' article for #strive is about how visually impaired cricket can go from being a fun hobby into something that opens up incredible opportunities! It details the many amazing achievements that can be gained from playing this type of cricket and the impact it has on others. A fantastic read! www.victa.org.uk/owais-blind-cricket/
My experiences playing blind cricket
www.victa.org.uk
By Owais Niaz I started off playing cricket for fun during my break and lunch times at Joseph Clarke School. After some time playing, I started to improve which caught the attention of the teacher in ...George's article for #strive is an examination of how walking can positively effect wellbeing and improve your mental health in general. It is a great example of how much difference a short, brisk walk can make to your daily life if you choose to incorporate it into your routine. A brilliant read! www.victa.org.uk/walking-for-wellbeing/
www.victa.org.uk
By George Upfield My name is George Upfield, I am 23 years old, and I’m a new ambassador for VICTA. I have been asked to write a short article on the subject of wellbeing. I am visually impaired as ...This #strive article shares Sonal's gifted green world! Along her journey into studying horticulture, as a young person with visual and hearing impairment, she found some barriers were put in her way, but these were overcome by sheer determination and hard work. A truly inspiring read!
www.victa.org.uk/gifted-green-world/
www.victa.org.uk
By Sonal Sumaria Sea green, olive, dark green, forest green, lime, mint, pear, shamrock, emerald, seaweed, parakeet, sage, jade and viridian are a few of many of shades of green – the colour of natu...In her article for #strive Harriet explores the importance of eating a healthy diet and the subtle changes you can make in order to improve your wellbeing and overall mental health.
Harriet investigates the science behind the food and the various ways in which certain aspects of what we feed ourselves can effect everything from the gut to the brain, and reveals the surprising connection between the two.
So read on to discover hidden secrets you may not have learnt about the food you eat until now!
www.victa.org.uk/healthy-eating-wellbeing/
The importance of healthy eating to improve wellbeing
www.victa.org.uk
The photo shows Harriet smiling with her talking scales. My name is Harriet and this is my first article for Strive. I am 29 years old, and have an interest in cooking and healthy eating. With this in...Hi Everyone, just a reminder that applications for both the Spring and Summer VICTA Family Weekends close today!
Please make sure you get any applications in today to avoid disappointment. Here are the links you need:
Spring Family Weekend: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/spring-family-weekend/
Summer Family Weekend: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/summer-family-weekend/
Shakespeare's Globe have kindly offered us some free tickets to an audio described performance of the following play:
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank Macbeth
Who: 11 – 17 years old
When: 24 March 2020 (Touch tour is 5pm, Performance at 7pm)
Location: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT
If you are interested in a pair of tickets, please email activities@victa.org.uk or call John on 01908 240 831.
You can find out more about the performance here: www.shakespearesglobe.com/learn/secondary-schools/playing-shakespeare-with-deutsche-bank/
Thank you!
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank | Shakespeare's Globe
www.shakespearesglobe.com
Our flagship project for secondary and post-16 Further Education students.The entries from the VICTA Braille Art competition are now live on our website for you to enjoy!
A huge thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners: www.victa.org.uk/braille-competition-winners/
VICTA Braille Art Competition Winners!
www.victa.org.uk
Thank you to everyone who entered the VICTA Braille Art competition, we were truly inspired by the imagination and creativity displayed in the entries. Due to the number of entries we unfortunately wo...We are excited to announce the winners of the VICTA Braille Art Competition. We have been so inspired by all of the entries, your creativity has been outstanding!
And the winners are...
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Category 1 – Braille your name (Age: 0 to 10 years)
1st place: Emily whose school friends helped her to recreate her name in braille
2nd place: Alma who used hand prints and different coloured paint to depict her name in braille
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Category 2 – Braille in pictures! (Age: 11 to 29 years)
1st place: Grace who recreated Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting The Mona Lisa in braille
2nd place: Rosie who created an intricately layered image using brailled paper in different colours, patterns and shapes
The full gallery of all the entries will be on display on the website very soon we can't wait to share them with you!
The new edition of STRiVE, written by our VICTA Young Ambassadors is out now! We will be sharing the stories of the next few days so please make sure you have a read.
First up we'd like to share this article written by Ibraheem Iqbal - How health and fitness helped me manage my mental health when I became blind
In this moving and emotional article Ibz talks about how sport helped him, as a young visually impaired person, regain confidence after losing his sight. It also describes how extreme exercise can sometimes cause difficulties if it goes too far, and how to overcome these. A thought-provoking read: www.victa.org.uk/health-fitness-mental-health-blind/
How health and fitness helped me manage my mental health when I became blind
www.victa.org.uk
By Ibraheem Iqbal Hi everyone, my name is Ibraheem, but you can call me Ibz. I am proud to be one of VICTA’s Young Ambassadors. I have been given the opportunity to write an article about mental hea...Issue three of the STRiVE e-magazine is here!
For this issue, we have decided to focus on the theme of wellbeing. Our new group of Young Ambassadors Ruqaiya, Ibraheem, Sonal, Owais, George and myself, Harriet, have each written an article we hope will inspire you to think about your mental health and maybe try something new. Inside you will find articles to suit all tastes: from how art therapy could help if you’re struggling with your mental health to tips on why it’s important to eat a healthy diet.
Check your inboxes, or read the articles here:
www.victa.org.uk/young-adults/strive/strive-issue-three-wellbeing/
We'd love to hear your comments!
STRiVE Issue Three - Wellbeing
www.victa.org.uk
Welcome to the third edition of STRiVE - the VICTA Newsletter designed, written and published by our team of Young Ambassadors For this issue, we have decided to focus on the theme of wellbeing. Ou...Join VICTA with your family and get hands-on with history at Bentley Priory!
We will be exploring the former headquarters of the Allied Air Forces Command, situated in Stanmore, on the London Underground’s Jubilee Line on Saturday 2 May.
With 2020 marking the 75th year since VE Day, Bentley Priory Museum is the perfect location to step into the past and discover the secrets of the command centre from where the Battle of Britain was won.
Find out more about the day and apply for your place here: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/bentley-priory/
VICTA Family Day at Bentley Priory Museum
www.victa.org.uk
When: 2 May 2020 Who: 0 to 17 years plus immediate family (please note: some of the activities may not be suitable for children under 5 years old) Location: Bentley Priory Museum, Mansion House Drive,...The latest edition of STRiVE - the e-newsletter created by the VICTA Young Ambassadors - goes live this Friday!
The team has chosen to write around the theme of wellbeing and we are really looking forward to sharing their articles with you all.
There is still time to sign up to receive the newsletter here: mailchi.mp/victa/strive
Want to find out more about the Ambassadors? You can meet Harriet, Ibz, Sonal and Ruqaiya on the video below!
We are even more excited about our Nature Arts Week in Somerset after today's site visit!
If you are aged 14 to 17, you can join us in April on the coast to get creative with the arts, hands-on with the animals, enjoy social activities round the campfire and even try your hand at some junkyard music!
If you have exams coming up, don't worry, we will have revision sessions built into the evenings for those who need it.
Find out more and apply here: www.victa.org.uk/victa-calendar/nature-art/
Continuing our support of Children's Mental Health Week on the VICTA Parent Portal, Charlotte talks about considering the impact on siblings and their own wellbeing: www.victaparents.org.uk/siblings-mental-health/
#ChildrensMentalHealthWeek #FindYourBrave
A big thank you to everyone who shared their feedback across 2019. It is so important to us a charity and helps us to plan for the future. As many of you will know we ran an incentive across three of our activity categories - Family Weekends, Family Days and Young Adult Activities - for those who supported us and shared their views.
We have selected a winner at random from each of the three categories and can now announce the lucky winners are the Loison Family (free family place on a Family Weekend), the Ward Family (Amazon voucher) and Jade Sharp (Amazon voucher). Well done everyone!
Don't forget to share your feedback with us over 2020 for your chance to win at the end of the year. Details will be sent out by the activities team with the activity feedback forms.
Thank you!
Last chance to support VICTA in the Vitality Big Half!
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www.victa.org.uk
Event: The Vitality Big Half Location: London Date: Sunday 1 March 2020 Minimum Sponsorship: £100 (excluding Gift Aid) Registration Fee: £10 (non-refundable) Minimum Age: 17 years Sign up Clos...Lots of exciting things happening in Yorkshire through the Wilberforce Trust, see their post below:
This Children’s Mental Health Week, we’re thrilled to share information from RSBC about their Families First services. RSBC Families First…
This story truly demonstrates how just by ‘having a go’, something magical can happen… Submitted by Louise Gough about her…
By Charlotte Mellor and mummy Susannah We at the VICTA Parent Portal want to use the website as a positive…