| Description | Interview with Jane Eliot, a mobility teacher at Torquay. She talks about the psychological implications of the use of the long cane and her own feelings against it. She discusses accepted aspects of 'difference' in society and talks about blindness not being accepted as a difference. She talks about her lack of mental stimulation, difficulties in feeling braille and 'moon', and the problems of doing crosswords and playing board games without seeing them. She talks about the different methods of information processing that she has to use since losing her sight, her apprehensions about blindness, missing sports and other leisure activities and making herself do things that she feared. She discusses difficulties for blind people in gaining employment and having to move for work, being read to and listening to the radio, and her feelings about talking books (tracks 1-5).
Interview with Brian Varley, social welfare officer at Torquay. He talks about his job organising leisure activities for people, such as darts, bowling, theatre visits, sea fishing, swimming, and other outings, and what these involve. He discusses the importance of integrating people into a sighted world as far as possible and giving them independence (tracks 6-7).
Brian Varley and Jane Eliot both talk about folk singing and their doubts that many people at the centre would be interested in taking part. Brian talks about the demands on resources of putting on a wider range of activities. He discusses his previous career teaching sports in approved schools and childrens homes and his job at Torquay in resolving social problems between residents at the centre. He discusses the importance of physical and mental exercise and both Brian and Jane talk about the importance of presenting blind people in a positive way to the public, sighted attitudes of fear and ignorance towards blind people, and the capabilities of blind people despite the limitations of their condition (tracks 8-11).
Total: 34.34 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA KF549C0065180 |