Sight loss can effect all the family. Olive Rogers from RBNI advices dealing with sight loss and the Community Connections programme that is hosted around community centres. The programme involves interactive workshops designed to give confidence and help to come to terms with sight loss. Aidan Best from the Belfast Health and Social Care trust talks about his teams support and shares extensive knowledge on the subject. Contact: RNIB Northern Ireland, 
40 Linenhall Street, 
Belfast BT2 8BA. 

Tel: 028 9032 9373 In the 'gripe' corner Pat McCann voices his critism of public transportation and the difficulties that older person experience. We learn the problems of what happened when a chair lift breaks down and the thorny proposal of older people downsizing their houses. Shelia Hughe's father, Gerard Morrison, was manager of the Belfast Empire, a theatre of entertainment, now sadly domolished, Shelia recalls his career and her own fascinating life. She recounts her parents meeting and marrying within three weeks and his eventually becoming manager of the Empire. Her parents evacuated Shelia, for safety, during the Second World War to the Irish Republic to Fossetts circus. There she picked up the skills to assist magicians, tighrope walking, ride a horse bearback and tap dancing. By the age of 15, she was a dancer. Sheila would regularly play to packed Empire houses. Thanks to May Q, Helen Wilson, Seán McCaffrey, Aidan Best, Olive Rogers, Pat McCann, Shelia Hughes and to Volunteer Now

Supported under the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Arts and Older People Programme