17

organisations which provide support to this approach, such as Spice (http://www.justaddspice.org/) which operates in Wales. Case Study: Visual Impairment Merthyr In 2007 we had a grant from the ‘Grants for All’ scheme to promote reading by VI people. The money was used to purchase 50 CD players which bookmarked where one had left off listening, so that it was easy to pick up the theme in the right place. This was part of an initiative to stimulate more activity by VI folk. Five years ago we had a grant of £2,200 for equipment for VI and for hard of hearing people to be demonstrated in our Rehab centre. This was a joint initiative with the local deaf group. Five years ago we also had a grant from the Development Fund, to provide the Finding Your Feet course. This was an amount of £9,200 that funded fifty participants. We taxied them in, hired the venue as necessary, and provided refreshments and lunch. The lunch gave them a chance to discuss what they had learnt. We have visited Sight Village twice and also two resource centres, providing buses each time.