KAB Connect newsletter from Kent Association for the Blind, Autumn 2025. This issue is sponsored by Vision Aid. Call freephone on 0800 002 5555. Please note that this newsletter contains advertising from suppliers of assistive technology products. They are adverts and not a KAB recommendation. KAB is not able to advise on the suitability of a product, without discussing your individual needs with you. If you would like independent advice before making a purchase, please contact your local Rehab Team. * From 'getting by' to moving forward When Tony was registered blind in 1999, he did what many people in his position do, he simply got on with life. Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa and macular scarring, he quietly made adjustments at home and at work, without seeking help. “I didn’t want to wear a badge that said I was visually impaired,” he recalls. “Even as a lay minister, my congregation had no idea how bad my sight was. I just found other ways to manage.” For years, Tony managed with limited vision; avoiding bright days, relying on taxis, or staying indoors. Then, earlier this year, something shifted. “I attended a Church of England course where a visually impaired speaker shared his story. As he spoke, I felt like he was describing my life - his experiences, his reluctance to get help, even his decision to try a cane. That planted a seed in my mind.” That seed took root a few months later. “I couldn’t go outside because of the light. That’s when I realised how isolated I’d become. So I called KAB again.” What followed, Tony describes as life-changing. A visit from a KAB staff member introduced him to tools and support he’d never explored. “They gave me overspecs to reduce glare, a liquid level indicator for pouring drinks, talking scales to help manage my diabetes, and the Seeing AI app, which reads text aloud,” he says. But the real turning point was mobility training. Equipped with a long cane and new skills to navigate safely, Tony now goes out independently. “I learned safer routes into town, how to identify hazards, and how to move with confidence. It’s given me back control of my life.” Now, with the right tools and support, he’s not just more open about his sight loss - he’s embracing life in new ways. Looking ahead, Tony is filled with hope. “The future starts now. I feel liberated. I don’t have to plan my day around the weather or rely on someone to take me out. There are still challenges, but there are so many more possibilities.” * The following is an advert from our headline sponsor VisionAid. We’re proud to be the UK’s largest independent provider of low vision and blindness solutions. Our passion is to help every person find the best solution for their individual needs. Do you have difficulty seeing your mobile phone or tablet? The MirrorPad is a 17.3inches tablet that mirrors your smartphone, tablet or computer, once plugged in, so that everything is magnified. You'll be able to: Connect & control your devices on a larger screen Reply to messages, video call friends & family Watch videos, shop online & read the news Magnify your post, books & newspapers Close-up, distance & mirror view Easy-to-use & transportable Compact, lightweight & battery powered Please call us for our free catalogue.Try our solutions at home with our knowledgeable specialist, Ben Ross - completely free with no obligation! Freephone 0800 002 5555 or visit visionaid.co.uk or email info@visionaid.co.uk *Managing and preventing Diabetes [Source: NHS website] Diabetes is a condition that causes your blood glucose (sugar) level to become too high. Knowing the signs and symptoms The most common symptoms are increased thirst, going for a wee a lot, feeling very tired and losing weight without trying. These symptoms can affect anyone - adult or child. If you have any diabetes symptoms, it’s important to contact your GP and ask for a blood test for diabetes. Prevention It's not possible to prevent type 1 diabetes because it's usually caused by a problem with your immune system (autoimmune condition). You may be more likely to get type 2 or gestational diabetes because of your weight, age, ethnicity, or if other people in your family have it. You can sometimes reduce your risk of getting type 2 and gestational diabetes by making lifestyle changes such as: - eating a balanced diet - exercising regularly - maintaining a healthy weight Eye screening If you have diabetes, it's extremely important to attend your annual diabetic eye screening appointment, so that changes with your eyes can be identified. * White Horse, Bearsted, Christmas Carols event Join us on Saturday 13th December at the White Horse in Bearsted for a wonderful evening of Christmas Carols in aid of KAB. Enjoy a mince pie and mulled wine whilst listening to music by the Boughton Monchelsea Community Choir. Take part in the sing-a-long and Christmas jumper competition, and win exciting prizes in the raffle! Arrive any time from 5.30pm with singing to start at 6pm. The venue is accessible with disabled toilets and a large car park including disabled spaces. Tickets: - Adults £5 - Visually impaired clients £3 - Young people (under 18) FREE Call 01622 691357 (3 for fundraising), email fundraising@kab.org.uk or visit www.kab.org.uk/events/christmas-carols * The following is an advert from Optelec. Traveller HD. Would you like to read in multiple locations? Are you looking for a more natural and fluent reading experience? The Traveller HD sale price is £1195, RRP: £1495, allows you to comfortable read printed text wherever you are, at home home, in the office, at school or any other place. It magnifies up to 30 times and conveniently folds for easy transport. Slide and Read: Improve your reading fluency with the Traveller H D. Its unique Slide and Read mechanism provides you with a more natural reading experience, especially for those people that find it difficult to keep their hands steady. Simply slide the screen across a line of text and view the content on-screen. It has never been easier to follow the line or sentence. Superior image quality: In high definition, enjoy stepless and variable zoom, with adjustable magnification starting at 2.4 times, the Traveller HD allows you to view text and smaller details of photos on the high brightness 13.3-inch widescreen. Call Freephone: 0800 145 6115 for a free home demonstration or for more information. * A handful of helpful hacks Matching socks When you take your socks off, before putting in the laundry basket, attach a safety pin to the pair. When you take them out of the washing machine, you'll know they are a pair! Slicing evenly and safely Use a vegetable holder with stainless steel prongs to hold the vegetable firmly in place. Simply slice between the prongs. You can get these from Amazon - search for 'onion slicer'. Identifying colours The Talking Colour Detector from Cobolt Systems can help you to check the colour of clothes. Alternatively you can use the Seeing AI app to describe colours. * The following is an advert from headline sponsor Vision Aid. Brighten your space and your day with the Travel Bright 3 - a travel light that is stylish, compact, and has a fold-flat design, which is also tilt and height adjustable. You can: Read menus in dimly lit restaurants Brighten up your desk area Enjoy close-up hobbies - even when daylight fades Write cards or fill in forms without straining your eyes Wind down with a bedtime read - soft & focused lighting where you need it Pocket, desk & floor standing options Magnification at your fingertips with the Clover 6 portable, handheld video magnifier, with a 5.5-inch IPS anti-glare touchscreen display. You can: Magnify your post, eg hospital appointments, catalogues and more. Read books and newspapers. Check medication labels. See prices and signage in the shops. Use in the kitchen for recipes, shopping lists and ingredients. Enjoy looking at your family photos. Sign documents or write notes. Colour and contrast enhancement. Keep your independence and access information anywhere with the Voxi Vision 2, a standalone portable text-to-speech reading machine and handheld video magnifier. You can: Listen to books, magazines and newspapers. Have your recipes read aloud whilst cooking. Check medication instructions. Listen to your TV guide to find out what time your programme is on. Access menus in cafés, signs in public spaces or notices on doors. Read handwritten birthday cards or letters from friends. Scan labels on food, clothes or household items - get instant feedback. Reduce cognitive load - hearing information can be easier to process than reading for some users with dyslexia or fatigue. Reconnect with the world around you with the Maggie iVR, a wearable magnifier powered by iPhone 16 Pro, delivering crisp, high-quality magnification with simple, familiar controls. You can: See your loved ones' faces again. Relax and watch TV with comfort and amazing clarity. Enjoy bird watching and gardening. Use AI-powered assistants - get help reading signs, find objects and recognise people, identify products and colours. Enjoy hobbies again - whether it’s sewing, DIY, board games or puzzles. Enjoy social events - see clearly during family dinners, Christmas parties, or community events. Call Vision Aid for your free catalogue. Call freephone on 0800 002 5555 or visit visionaid.co.uk * Charles Bonnet Syndrome Champion, Scott Jones Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a condition that affects people with sight loss, causing vivid, visual hallucinations. While these hallucinations are silent and not linked to any mental health condition, they can be deeply upsetting. The eye is the camera and the brain interprets what is being seen, but as sight is lost, the brain is left with nothing to interpret, so creates images. People may see anything from colours, insects or animals, to figures from the past or whole scenes. These images will vary from person to person and can happen just once or much more frequently. Scott became a CBS Champion through his work as an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer. "I found this eye condition fascinating and wanted to learn more so that I could better support people," says Scott. "I provide advice to my KAB colleagues and collaborate with the UK charity Esme’s Umbrella, which raises awareness and offers support for people with CBS." Not everyone living with sight loss experiences CBS, but due to fear or stigma, many don’t report their symptoms. “People can be frightened to leave the house or even look out the window,” he says. “It’s emotionally distressing, but understanding it can make a real difference.” Scott supports KAB clients by identifying triggers, offering coping strategies such as distraction techniques, and signposting to counselling or medication reviews where needed. If you need support or advice, please contact KAB. * Meet KAB at an event near you Chat to our team aboard our mobile vehicle about support you need or get advice about equipment or technology. 10am - 3pm unless otherwise stated. No need to book. Tues 14th October - St Edmunds Church, Dartford Tues 21st October - East Malling Centre Wed 22nd October - Romney Marsh Community Hub Thurs 23rd October - Ashford Council Wellbeing Event, Singleton (10am - 2pm) Fri 24th October - Age UK Margate Tues 28th October - Masonic Hall Sittingbourne Thurs 30th October - Practice Plus Surgical Centre, Gillingham Fri 31st October - St Andrew's Church, Paddock Wod Sun 2nd November - Herne Bay Ophthalmology Clinic Tues 4th November - Staplehurst Free Church Tues 11th November - Orpington Hospital Thurs 20th November - Chatham Eye Clinic (in partnership with VisionAid) * Identify anything with TapTapSee The TapTapSee app uses your device's camera and VoiceOver functions to take a picture or video of anything and identify it out loud for you. Your picture is sent to the CloudSight API where it is identified and sent back to TapTapSee. Download from Google Play or the App Store and ensure your accessibility settings are set to VoiceOver. Another great app: Seeing AI. This app does the same thing, and more, but doesn't require VoiceOver activated. * Sign up to the KAB Lottery, run by Unity. We've got you covered this Christmas! Win up to £25,000 with our lottery gift vouchers. Go to our website and search lottery for more information. £25,000 Jackpot by matching 6 numbers. £1,000 by matching 5 numbers. £15 by matching 4 numbers. Players must be 18 years old and over to enter. Gamble Aware. * Join a KAB Social Group Whether you're interested in arts and crafts, doing activities or meeting up regularly for a tea and chat, we have a social group for you! Here's just some of our groups that are looking for new members: Ethelbert Road Coffee Morning, Bromley (Wednesdays) The Dengate Ladies Club, Barnehurst (monthly on a Tuesday) Sidcup VIP Club (monthly on a Tuesday) Deal coffee morning (monthly on a Saturday) Sevenoaks Club (monthly on a Monday) Active Social Group (monthly on a Friday) at locations near Maidstone. Members take part in a variety of activities, like axe throwing and ten pin bowling. Contact your local team to find out more (see the back page for contact numbers). * Bearsted Golf Day Our Golf Day was another huge success, raising over £12,000. Thank you to all the golfers who attended, our headline sponsor Turkey Mill, our other kind sponsors and Keith and his team from Bearsted Golf Club. * Taking on incredible fundraising challenges Owen's Triple Challenge Owen, who was registered as partially sighted last year, took part in three challenges in aid of KAB. This included 60km in his wheelchair, a 5K and a Superhero Series Triathlon at Windsor, where he met up with our Vice Chair of Trustees, Hazel Groves. "I really enjoyed doing my triple challenge for KAB. I like that I can show people that just because you have a disability, it doesn't mean you can't do anything you put your mind to. I like changing people's perceptions, and I do it with pride and a smile." Richard's Tandem Skydive In August, Richard took on a tandem skydive from over 10,000ft and raised over £2,000 for KAB. After losing his sight in 2024, life changed dramatically, but thanks to KAB’s support, Richard says he now feels hopeful for the future and that anything is possible. * Now on sale - Christmas cards Our multi-packs are £3.50 with 5 cards of each design. The message inside each card reads: With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year. Multi-pack Noel and Robin. One design shows a plump robin perched on a snowy branch. The other design shows a red background with a gold border and gold lettering spelling out Noel, with Christmas foliage and gold sprinkles in the background. Multi-pack Candles and Christmas Scene. One design shows three red candles right next to a Christmas tree adorned with red berries, pine cones and red baubles. In the background is a church stained glass window. The other design shows Santa flying over a snowy village with children toboganning and ice-skating. Multi-pack 12 Days of Christmas and Rainbow Trees. One design shows images representing the 12 days of Christmas in sections around a circle in the middle that reads Twelve Days of Christmas. The card is purple, blue, red and green, with a gold trim. The other design shows three rainbow coloured trees with gold stars and gold sprinkles in the background. In silver lettering at the top reads Merry Christmas and there are brightly coloured presents under the trees. Each design is also sold individually in a 10-pack. Visit www.kab.org.uk/christmas or scan the QR code or call us on 01622 691357 (select 3 for fundraising). There are even more designs available on our website. * Kent Association for the Blind - Contact details If you need support, please contact your local team: Bromley Sight Centre 020 8464 8406 rehab.bromley@kab.org.uk West Kent Sight Centre 01622 358995 rehab.maidstone@kab.org.uk Medway team 01634 332929 (leave a message) or call the West Kent team on 01622 358995 rehab.medway@kab.org.uk East Kent Sight Centre 01227 763366 rehab.canterbury@kab.org.uk