20/04/2016 - Permalink

See and Hear Shropshire exhibition back for 9th successful year

Related topics: Adult social care / Health
See and Hear logo

See and Hear logo

Shropshire’s See and Hear Exhibition, will again be hosting a fantastic range of events and activities at Shrewsbury Sports Village, Sundorne Road, on Wednesday 11 May 2016.

The annual event, now in its 9th successful year, will run from 10am until 4pm. The event is free and open to everyone to try equipment and learn more about the support on offer to help improve the quality of life for those with sensory impairment, such as hearing or sight loss.

With a vast range of local and national exhibitors, services and charities offering advice and information, the See and Hear Shropshire Exhibition will include:

  • over 60 exhibitors
  • eye screening by the Local Optical Committee
  • hearing aid maintenance clinic, run by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital’s Audiology department
  • ‘Let’s Talk Local’ Drop-in, by People2People
  • Boccia tournament, delivered by Shropshire Disability Network
  • sports taster sessions, including a climbing wall and gym, to promote health and wellbeing
  • all-ability cycling on the cycle track, by Quest88
  • See and Hear information van
  • eye condition simulation
  • a practical and immersive guide dog demonstration by Andy Guiel and demonstration dog Natalie. Learn more about our wonderful partnerships and the challenges that people with visual impairment face on a daily basis

See and Hear Shropshire will also showcase a wide range of demonstrations and sessions throughout the day. Featuring:

  • Update on the Five most Common Causes of Loss of Vision in Shropshire: from 10.30am to 11.30am – presented by Mr Prasad Rao, MB, BS, MS, FRCS, FRCOphth, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals
  • Lip reading session: from 10.30am to 11.30am– hosted by Shropshire Deaf and Hard of Hearing Forum
  • Guide dog demonstration: from 11.45am to 12.45pm – presented by Andy Guiel and demonstration dog Natalie.
  • Dementia Friends information session: from 11.45am to 12.45pm – presented by the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends initiative
  • Supporting Independence: Adult Social Care in Shropshire: from 1.00pm to 2.00pm – presented by Abigail Butters and Sarah Dillon of People2People
  • Dementia and sensory impairment: from 1.00pm to 2.15pm – presented by Matt Broom of VISION 2020, Gemma Jolly of the Alzheimer’s Society, and Vicky Sadler of NHS Audiology.
  • Friends & Family Sighted Guide Training Workshop: from 2.15pm to 3.15pm – presented by The Guide Dogs Association.
  • Focus on Staying Steady, Staying Active: from 2.30pm to 3.30pm – presented by Tracy Fone of the Shropshire Falls Prevention Service

The exhibition will also share information and advice on the preventative role around health issues that could lead to avoidable sight or hearing loss and other health conditions.

Councillor Lee Chapman, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Shropshire Council said;

“It’s fantastic to see that over the years the See and Hear Exhibition has grown to both in size and variety and has proved extremely popular with residents, services and exhibitors alike, both locally and nationally.

“This important and informative event is also a great opportunity for peer support, networking, gaining knowledge and sharing information with others. So do please come along and find out what support is available, we look forward to seeing you.”

Pauline Rose, member of the See and Hear Shropshire Partnership added;

“Our See and Hear Shropshire exhibition provides a great opportunity to showcase many services and the great range of support on offer to help people remain as independent as possible, for longer.

“We’d like to thank everybody who is supporting this event. The feedback we have had over the past 9 years tells us that this is a really important event for many people.

“We’re really pleased and thank Salop Leisure, Go Explore! for sponsoring the Hearing Aid Maintenance Clinic again this year, as well as People2People’s ‘Let’s Talk Local’ drop in.”

Refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the day, and there will be sighted guides, BSL and deafblind interpreters available.

There will be also be a free shuttle bus every half an hour from Shrewsbury train station to the Sports Village, starting at 9.30am.

For more information about the See and Hear Shropshire Exhibition visit https://shropshire.gov.uk/disability-information/sensory-impairment/see-and-hear-exhibition-2016/, email Pauline.rose@shropshire.gov.uk or call 01743 257746.

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Further information

The exhibition is organised by the See and Hear Shropshire Partnership, which includes Shropshire Council’s Vision Technology and Training and the Sensory Impairment Team, Sight Loss Shropshire and the Guide Dogs Association.