New opportunity – World Sight Day 2023 Photo Competition
The IAPB World Sight Day 2023 Photo Competition is an opportunity for amateur and professional photographers to demonstrate their skills and share with the world what they see and what it means to #LoveYourEyes. Closing date: 20 October 2023 Prize: US$750 They are looking for images that capture the range of what it means to have healthy vision. By entering the World Sight Day Photo Competition, your images become an important part of raising awareness and celebrating why everyone counts and no one should be left behind. There are four categories to help guide your [...]
Be inspired. Tune in to Lee’s first radio show!
As part of our #BlindnessAwarenessMonth celebrations, we chatted to Lee Roake about his fantastic achievement, launching his first radio show! Lee is a 17 year old with a rare genetic condition called WAGR Syndrome. Due to his vision impairment, Lee has been involved in VICTA activities from a young age, now taking part in our activities for 14 to 17 years. Lee has just started his very own radio show on Surrey Hills Radio and tells us how his volunteering led to this dream opportunity! Did you miss Lee's [...]
Things that make me feel joyful
A poem by Mahalia Creft The blue-purple hue of an early early morning as I lay twisted up in yellow with my eyes just barely open. The taste of chocolate melding deep into the corners of my taste-buds as I sneak a stray biscuit before mum brings in a “proper” breakfast. The feel of a warm plate on my lap when the sun is at its highest point and my belly is at its largest. The scent of something sweet, ringing melodically in my nostrils and my throat. The sound of music that I hear, caressing the innards [...]
New opportunity – BBC Young Reporter 2023
BBC Young Reporter Competition 2023 The BBC Young Reporter Competition is open until Friday 31 March 2023 for ages 11-18. Share your story for the chance to have it produced with the help of BBC journalists, producers and programme makers for broadcast on TV, radio, online or on social media. The theme is ‘Me and My World’ - entries can be written or recorded as a short video or audio clip. You can enter as an individual or as a group. Find out all about the competition and how to enter here: bbc.co.uk/teach/young-reporter/competition/zghcydm You'll find all of [...]
Be inspired. Dayzie’s writing journey
Congratulations to Dayzie Simpson whose Peace Essay entitled 'Lead with Compassion' won the MK and District Final and then the National Final in The Lions Clubs' essay writing competition. Dayzie tells us all about her experience writing her winning entry. I’ve never been very ‘creative’ or ‘imaginative’ and that’s what I struggled with when I first discovered my passion for essay writing. Being blind and not being able to see anything, I can’t do the ‘writing’ part, but as technology has advanced and I’ve learnt the skills I need. I have learnt how to touch type on a QWERTY [...]
Previous Braille Art winners on why you should get involved!
VICTA's annual Braille Art competition is open and we think you should get involved! We chatted to winners from previous years about their entries and why they loved getting creative with Braille. In 2021 Joseph was the winner in our over 10s category with his chocolate braille creation! The image features a rocket launching into space made from chocolate buttons. Joseph tells us why he thinks Braille is so important to recognise and celebrate: "I think that Braille is an important skill for people of all different levels of vision impairment to learn. Although [...]
Short film ‘Picturesque’ aims to represent visually impaired LGBT+ people on screen
Ellie standing with here cane smiling in a field Written by Ellie Wallwork My name’s Ellie Wallwork, I’m 22 and I’m a visually impaired actor. I’ve known I wasn’t straight since I was about 14 and my sexuality, along with my disability, make up a huge part of who I am. I know I wouldn’t be the same person without these key parts of my identity. However, despite the fact that there are loads of queer blind people in the UK and all over the world, we don’t see that represented on-screen nearly enough. It’s [...]
Our hair workshops continue with Anna Cofone
Written by Monique Richards, VICTA Intern Tuesday 2nd of August was the second hair and care workshop with Anna Cofone, an international session hairstylist working on big name editorials, advertising and film with stars such as Dua Lipa and Lana Del Ray. The workshop was held in the same location as before in East London which made it easy to navigate to. In the workshop Anna briefly went over the topics we covered in the last workshop for the benefit of the new participants who did not attend the previous session. We all had our brushes and combs laid [...]
Monique’s art gallery
My name is Monique. Here is some of my art work I have created over the years. I’ve always been an artistic individual from a very young age. I started really honing in on my art more seriously when I took the subject for GCSE in school. In these classes I learnt different techniques and mediums of art I could work in. I don’t think that having a visual impairment restricts my ability to do art. I believe that having differences encourages individuality that makes someone’s art unique and stand out. Left: Pencil drawing [...]
Success – A poem by Mahalia Creft
By Mahalia Creft Success The tedious wait for the payoff of hard work to finally fall through. Accessed only from a path of constant failure, winding round and round on itself. This path is long, with rocks and stones that jut from the earth, Digging their teeth into the soles of your feet. You stumble, then you fall onto the dirty, dusty floor, Hands above your head, legs sprawled out on the ground. You get up, even though the constant fear of rejection and failure hangs over you like a cloak, dragging you down, wanting you to settle [...]
