Moving house – tips for home buyers with a vision impairment
By Jack Tomlin After living in a small village for six years I finally decided it was time to move on, I was seeking more space, a bigger garden and a more central location. I had been wanting to move for a while, but it never quite felt like the right time. In December 2022 I started looking and viewed a few places to see what was on offer. Eventually I found the perfect cottage in a nearby village. It had a few drawbacks but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. I signed all the paperwork and within a [...]
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 [...]
So, how long do you think it will take to get the book finished?
By Mahalia Creft “So, how long do you think it will take to get the book finished?” I tried my very best not to freeze as the realisation dawned on me… ooooohhhh they actually want me to write a book. This was the reaction I had after attending an information evening targeted at helping individuals start their own business. I had made the mistake of thinking this information evening was like most others I had attended, in which you sit for an hour, maybe an hour and a half while some guy whose internet connection keeps dropping out [...]
Advice to my past self: lessons I have learnt over the last year
By Grace Hill I remember it clear as a bell. The date was 16 March 2022. The time was around 3pm. I was on my bed going about a normal day with KISS FM on. Or at least that was what I thought until one particular artist came on. That might not sound like a big thing to most people... often when we have music on it is just to keep us entertained while we do something else like cleaning our rooms or studying. And that day I was no different. But when this particular artist came on [...]
Creating the life you want
By Natalia Foster “…things don’t have to be perfect to be strong.” ~ Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid The idea of perfection; something that is seen to bring bliss like no other. I’m unsure about you, dear reader, but a portion of my day can be spent daydreaming about what I wish my life looked like. Whether that be the routine I have, the friends I know, or how I choose to spend my time. And recently, I’ve grown to realise that I can in fact, have that life, or at least a part of [...]
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 [...]
I Can and I Will – A poem by Grace Hill
By Grace Hill I Can and I Will I can and I willClimb that hillI might be scaredBut I will get thereWith my courage and prideAnd a guide by my sideI can and I will. I can and I willClimb that hillI fear the heightBut I'll be alrightGripping onto my caneI will push through the rainBecause I can and I will. I can and I willClimb that hillI'm frightened to fallBut I can still have it allWe all can flyIf we spread our wings and tryI can and I will. About Grace... [...]
Kissing the sky: How Kiss FM makes me feel like anything is possible
By Grace Hill What does 'no limits' mean to you? For me, it means finding something special in amongst the challenges you face. A piece of magic that makes you feel like you can achieve anything, whether that's in reality or in your dreams. If you're expecting the story of a blind girl who has climbed Mount Everest or won the Paralympics, get ready to be disappointed. Because, if I'm being brutally honest, I find it very hard to pair the concept of 'no limits' with my vision impairment because I'm scared of becoming a cliché. I don't [...]
Pushing through your limits – my return to goalball
By Jack Tomlin I recently joined Winchester Goalball team. I have loved goalball since I was 11 and was a passionate member of my school team, but when I left school, I also left goalball. I missed the sport and the friendships that came with it and this year, I knew I wanted to join a team. I got in touch with Winchester and decided to attend their next training session. My excitement soon turned to apprehension when I realised that I would have to get the train by myself, with a change at a busy station. Like [...]
Flying above the limits: My first solo trip!
By Natalia Foster If you had told 14-year-old Natalia, that in six years’ time she would be flying 3,500 miles to meet an internet friend, I think she would have stared at you with fear in her eyes and shaken her head as if to say, ‘No way.’ But, in those six years so much has changed, and I have (somehow) found myself on a transatlantic flight heading towards Toronto. As it is, this isn’t an easy thing to do; but doing something this big with a lack of sight creates a whole array of things to consider [...]
