Zoomers

Visit to Platt Hall Gallery - 19/01/12

2012-01-23T11:47:00.003Z

Intervention: 62 group review of fabric and textiles.

The learning and education curator Kate Day had helped put together the items we were to look at during our visit to the gallery but was unfortunately unable to join us because she was attending a conference in India.
However, we were shown various displays and given an audio description of each one by Naomi, and then Rosie gave us the artists explanation and interpretation of what had inspired the artist during their research of items held in the gallery.
One of the displays was of what appeared to be thigh length boots or stockings in a cobwebby material displayed by being hung from the ceiling. These were free moving and their shadow also create a part of the display. Another item was a parasol, again suspended and free moving with various texts added to it and indicating a modern take on young people and their activities in the 21st century. We were able to handle some items of the most intricate stitching which created what appeared to be a checkers board and draughts. It must have taken hours to create such perfection.
After looking at a couple of other displays we had the opportunity of handling some items of the early 20th century in the education suite. There were corsets with the most decorative lace creations and of the very tiniest waist size which must have been torture to wear. Also, two pairs of ladies boots which were tiny in size, probably a today's size 3, and very narrow.
Adam who was helping us with this handling session showed us a card with shoe buttons, sets of up to as many as 40 being used on a pair of ladies boots. We also had a look at some hats; one looked like what could have been a school hat but was defined by some feathers and a ribbon. Also, a most delicate lace child's bonnet which could have been a part of a party outfit. A fun hat probably used for dressing up had a face and ears and a hole at the back for a ponytail.
We were able to hold a dainty parasol which was intricately embroidered, and a piece of fabric with different textiles stitched onto it in various patterns which displayed the various arts of stitching and embroidery.
The gallery furnished us with hot drinks and biscuits at the end of our visit which were most enjoyable and we thanks Mary and her volunteer drivers for taking us to this exhibition and guiding us during our tour.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-22T17:34:00.002Z

To any one who happens to tune in to this zoomers site!
I wish you well this Christmas time.
And wish you new year greeting for 2012.
Bye for now with Christian greeting. Bu-cket.

Visit to Manchester Gallery - 01/12/11

2011-12-04T21:00:00.003Z

Ford Maddox Brown
Pre-Raphaelite Pioneer

This artist is renowned in Manchester for the murials he painted in Manchester Town Hall and only just managed to complete this particular work before he died. There is also a huge murial painted by him which was exhibited extensively but which is now owned by New South Wales and is one of their permanent exhibitions.
Although he and his parents were English, he did grow up in France and started his career as a painter in Paris and other European cities before returning to England and coming to Manchester because he had found it difficult to exhibit and sell work on the Continent.
The curator of this particular collection of paintings, ............... , took over 2 years to gather together many wonderful paintings, obtaining them from private collections and also many art galleries throughout the world.
Meg Parnell gave her usual unstinting support to Mary Gifford and Henshaws to enable our group to enjoy a smooth and very pleasant visit to the gallery. We looked at 6 different paintings, all of which showed the greatest detail that an artist can portray on a canvas. One of the paintings was of his wife and baby standing outside in a landscape with sheep and lambs. He was one of the very first painters to depict people in natural environments and landscapes.
Ann Hornsby enhanced our visit with her vivid and detailed audio descriptions of all of the paintings we looked at and enabled us to visualise what the artist had portrayed. The curator also had some postcard replicas of some of the paintings we looked at which was a great assistance to those of us with some vision to see in greater detail the painting itself.
At the end of the tour we adjourned to the gallery cafe and enjoyed being waited upon by the gallery staff, giving us a choice of tea or coffee, and Mary had provided mince pies all round as a parting gift from her group budget to celebrate our Christmas break.

Many thanks to Mary and her volunteer drivers for once again ensuring that we were safely taken to and from the venue which we might not otherwise have been able to visit.

Our thanks to Elaine

2011-11-28T10:35:00.003Z

Well once again we owe Elaine a big thanks for her report on the latest visit to the Lowry a little while ago.
If this piece of nonsence gets through the system it will a laugh as I could not get through on the comments section!
So here goes bye Don.

Visit to Lowry Galler - 10/11/11

2011-11-19T18:26:00.003Z

Adolphe Valetee: A Pioneer of Impressionism in Manchester

The gallery had put on a very extensive display of Valette's paintings and drawings together with those of his student L.S. Lowry. Valette worked in France as both a teacher and a commercial artist for a number of years before moving to Manchester where he met Lowry. He considered Lowry to be a talented artist and begged Lowry's father to allow him to become a professional. However, this request was denied.
Valette married one of his students, Gabriella, who unfortunately died at a fairly early age. In the exhibition there is a beautiful portrait of his son who also sadly died at the early age of 14.
Brian Dunk, the curator of the exhibition, has displayed the same subject painted by both the master and student side by side and it is intriguing to see the development of talents as time went by. There are examples of Valette's undefined impressions of landscape and industrial scenes and we see that Lowry's impressions interpreted figures of people as stick people. The portraits and drawings show industrial, rural scenes together with self portraits, family portraits, still life, nude figures, and every interpretation that an artist could imagine.
The film archives in Manchester supplied us with a 3 minute film showing a busy Manchester junction. There were horse-drawn carriages, automobiles, and trams. Also many very busy pedestrians scurrying about their business in the 1930s. Also very interesting it showed very large burly policemen blowing their whistles, directing traffic, and shooing traffic away from the tram lines.
Valette married for the second time and his wife was a teacher at London University and he eventually returned to France where he enjoyed a comfortable and accommodating relationship with his housekeeper for a number of years.
We had the opportunity to spend an extra half an hour looking back over the portraits that we most enjoyed and then went to the restaurant bar for drinks and biscuits, the cost of which has caused quite a large dent in Mary's group budget.
Ann Hornsby gave us some wonderful descriptions of the artwork as we enjoyed the visit and we would like to thank her for her dedication.
Mary as usual gathered together her volunteer drivers who took us too and from the gallery and we would like to thank them all for their help in guiding us around the exhibition.
A most enjoyable visit

Visit to Gallery Oldham 6th October 2011

2011-10-12T21:32:00.002+01:00

Urban Traces - Ceramics and the City

Senior curator Dinah Winch introduced us to the various exhibits and gave us detailed information about the artists who had created them. One of the artists had trained as an architect and created items found in the construction of buildings and urban towns. Rachel Grimshaw, as an architect, created sculptures utilising a combination of materials in order to construct shapes and art forms which did in fact relate to an industrial setting.
Ann Hornsby had her work cut out describing the various sculptures for us because so far as i could see, with my limited vision, they just appeared to be blocks and columns.. Another of the items on display was a fortress by Stephen Dixon, this consisted of a number of houses in segments joined together to form a circular compound which was indicative of a place of safety during a time of war. The outside of the fortress does bear pictures of arms and wounded soldiers and seems to have been created at the time of the Kosovo War. We had in fact seen this exhibit before during a previous exhibition relating to war caused by the endeavors of nations to secure oil supplies.
After a very interesting tour of the various sculptures we adjourned to the Education Suite. After being fortified by drinks and biscuits we were given the opportunity to play with a lump of clay. We had a rolling pin, a template which was a guide to the shape we were trying to achieve, and various tools with which to cut the shape we needed. I ended up with a slightly dodgy, almost round receptacle which could by described as a slightly wobbly pen holder, a distinctive toothbrush holder inscribed with my brand new great granddaughters name 'Bella', or alternatively could be used as a leaky vase.
It was all great fun and I know have a pot sitting on the top of my wardrobe which will hopefully become hard as it air-dries.
Our sincere thanks to Glynis Walsh for all of her hard work in assisting Dinah and setting up and guiding us in our pottery endeavours. Ann Hornsby must be applauded for her innovative descriptions of what could otherwise have been very difficult to interpret. Many many thanks to Mary and her wonderful volunteer drivers who collected us and safely returned us between our homes and the gallery, and to Gallery Oldham for the extra mile they go in order to accommodate our group of visually impaired visitors.

Frustration

2011-10-03T18:12:00.003+01:00

Just spent ages replying to Elaines latest report! only to be denied entryinto the system.
Thanks for your report Elaine

Visit to the peoples history museum 08/09/2011

2011-09-12T10:53:00.002+01:00

Exhibition of banners by Ed Hall
The artist who created these banners started work as a qualified architect, but by chance fell into making banners after creating one for a college and was then recommended on by word of mouth. He taught himself how to use a sewing machine and used appliqued materials for letters as well as painting. He made a workshop in his garage and worked closely with the people requesting the banner to include the important points they wished to make for a procession or a protest march and also a Trade Union. He has become the main maker of banners in the UK and was approached by the well known artist George Durrel to make a special banner for one of his art exhibitions. The two men have become great friends and work closely together. Kate Chatfield the curator of this particular exhibition gave us a very detailed tour and information about Ed Hall. Because of the height of the building, which was originally a pump house, the acoustics made it difficult at the beginning when we were gathered in the entrance lobby for a number of our group to hear what was being said. When we moved further into the building we didn't have this problem. We finished our visit in the restaurant where a charming young man served us tea, coffee and biscuits.
Our thanks to Ann Horton who gave her usual vivid descriptions of everything we saw and also to Mary and her willing volunteers who collect us from and deliver us to our homes so that we are able to enjoy these visits to the museum. The number in our group exceeded the 20 people that the museum accept on one tour and so we would like to thank them for making us an exeption. Also we appreciate the extra lighting turned on for us to enable us to enjoy the beautiful banners.
Posted by Elaine

Here we go again

2011-08-11T17:56:00.002+01:00

Well this is my third attempt at typing this piece. To be quite honest I have lost the train of my thoughts since my last attempts. any way I know that I could not match our Elaine and her grapic accounts of the various visits the groups go on, I am slowly (very) coming to terms with this new computer! one reason being that everything on the computer dissapeared. so it is a case of back to the drawing board,
So folks keep smiling God bless .
Bucket

Things lost

2011-08-08T18:51:00.002+01:00

We have had to have a new computer ! but we have lost all the imfo on it. Such as email addresses. plus quite a lot of other imfo, well it brings home to me how I have forgotten how to do a number of progammes. So it is back to the drawing board( with a rubber).
So by for now take care. Bucket

Gallery Oldham 9th June 2011

2011-06-13T12:21:00.002+01:00

The Language of Flowers
We were introduced to the new Natural History Curator Patricia Francis who presented the exhibition to us. Thw audio description was given byChris Berry and Jennifer Vickers helped us as well during the talk.
There was a wax sculpture of a red poppy in a glass case together with a pressed flower and a book opened at an illustration of apoppy.
Another exhibit was of Honeysuckle and a platter in percelain decorated with the flower , again together with a pressed flower and ab ilustration.
Chris described a model of daisies which had bees pinned to thepetals and looked quite real from a distance.
When we adjourned to the education suite where we enjoyed drinks and biscuits. Patricia passed around an orange poppy for us to handle and also a poppy seed.
There was also an illustrated book but unfortunately I was unable to see it well enough to appreciate it.
Our thabnks to Patricia, Chris and Jennifer for organising a visit and to Mary and her volunteers for collecting us from home and making our viit possible
posted by Elaine

Visit to RNIB Library - 19th May 2011

2011-05-23T11:44:00.002+01:00

History of Braille

This was our second visit to the RNIB library in Stockport and alchamist Philip James had prepared a full range of artifacts for us to handle which took us through the history of fingertip reading. In 1826 Braille had produced the system of dots which we now read, but this was strenuously denied by other leading powers that be in control of the access to learning aids for the blind. However, by 1840 many of the blind who had continued to use the Braille system won through, and it was accepted as the international system to be used thanks to the endevours of Dr. Armitage.
We had a go at using a writing frame and learned that if you write Braille manually you have to do it backwards which was quite a surprise. We then moved on to the Braille typewriter and learned that people could type more quickly in Braille than a sighted person using a querty typewriter. Phillip handed out some Braille cards showing the alphabet in Braille and explained that the system of dots used for A to J was then used for the next group of letters of the alphabet by adding another dot in front and then the next group of letters had another dot added at the end.
The last 4 symbols are shorthand for 'and', 'for', 'of', and 'the'.
Some older people have less sensitive fingertips and what is called 'The moon system', which is a series of curves, is found to be easier for them to identify although it is not used anything like as much as Braille. Philip discussed with us the huge freedom and quality of like which now the blind were enabled to enjoy because of this wonderful system, but of course we have now moved into the 21st Century and electronics are taking over. Now a blind person can learn to touch type on a comupter and have a system of talking back to enable them to both write and read documents.
We were helped to experience the artifacts made available to us by Philip's volunteers; Astrid, Mike, and Jeff, who we would like to thank. The library kept us sustained during our visit with hot drinks and biscuits which were much appreciated and our thanks to Mary and her volunteer drivers for ferrying us to and from our homes and Stockport. Many thanks to everybody involved.

Anish Kapoor - Flashback Exhibition at Manchester Gallery 14/04/11

2011-04-19T15:36:00.002+01:00

The curator of this exhibition, Natasha Howes, told us a little of the background of this artist; he was born in India and then came to live in the UK in 1973. His sculptures are constructed from widely differing elements. There was one made from stainless steel, a huge sphere with what appeared to be an infinite aperture descending into it's centre. Another was called 'When I am pregnant', and was a fibre glass shape appearing to grow out of the wall and resembled a pregnant stomach. I was unable to see this because the sculpture was more or less the same colour as the wall and there were no contrasts to enable me to define it.
There was a huge rectangle of stone, again with a rectangular aperture towards the top of it, and then there were a series of small sculptures in primary colours red, yellow, blue, and black, each covered in colour pigment. Each item within this sculpture being of varied height and construction. Natasha told us that the technicians and artists working with Anish took up to 2 weeks to install each sculpture having to carefully cover each one with the pigment. Apparently this has to be done whenever the sculptures are moved to a different exhibition venue. There were also sculptures made in wax and another appeared to be growing out of a wall at shoulder height.
Some of the items bore a definite resemblance to a body part and no explanation is given by the artist about such items. He obviously intends the viewer to place his own interpretation on his work. Ann gave us her usual exciting audio description of the sculptures we were lucky enough to see, and I think it must have taxed her imagination considerably in order to be able to come up with the vivid descriptions of the shapes and colours that we saw.
Meg Parnell and Kate, who job share at the gallery, worked hard to make sure that our visit went smoothly and that as a disabled group we were well accommodated.
At the end we went to the education suite and had our usual cup of tea, coffee, of juice and a delightful biscuit, and in all a most delightful morning was spent at this gallery visit.

Our thanks to Mary and her volunteer drivers for making this visit possible and we look forward to our next trip!

Visit to Platt House - Thursday 17th March 2011

2011-03-19T19:42:00.002Z

20th Century Costumes

Our tour of the exhibition started with a description of Platt House, which was originally owned by a Cromwellian soldier named Platt. Over a period of time after having been used as a family home it was occupied as a college and then finally bought by Manchester City Council.
We started a tour of the gallery looking at fashions in the 1920s and 30s; one particular flappers style dress was described to us by Kate Day and Rosie Gnatiuk and had been designed by William Hartnell. He was also responsible for designing our present Queen's wedding dress in 1946. We then moved on to have a look at the 50s and 60s costumes and in particular a two-piece suit which had been designed by Christian Dior and it showed the great changes that had taken place during the 60s, in particular the mini skirt and more brightly coloured clothes.
We had a look at a display of hats made and worn during the 20th century, and also various boots and shoes covering this period. After looking at the items on display in the gallery we returned to the education suite and had a very interesting period of handling certain items with the help of Andrew Hunt and Adam Quinn. There was a top hat from the 1920s and then bowler hat which was worn widely in the 1950s and 60s.
We saw a little felt hat trimmed in ribbon which was reminiscent of a school uniform hat worn in the 1950s. There were a pair of 8 inch platform black leather shoes by Vivienne Westwood which were quite amazing and also a very mini mini skirt. After our handling sesison we were treated to tea and biscuits which we all thouroughly enjoyed.

Our thanks to the museum members who looked after us so well on our visit, and we understand that our group was the first of its kind to visit them and they were all very anxious for our feedback so that they could ensure that future visits would be as successful as ours.
Many thanks to Mary and her team of volunteer drivers who so kindly pick us up from home and deliver to our destinations and thus giving us a unique opertunity to visit a museum.

Visit to Gallery Oldham - 10/02/2011

2011-02-10T13:40:00.002Z

Collections

There was a very wide variety of different types of items collected by Francis Buckley and given to the Oldham Gallery. We were introduced to these items by Shaun Bagguley who described the various interests of this wealthy man. Buckley had a great interest in social history and collected glass items and meticulously investigated the origins and uses of the many items shown.
He was also a JP and was a lay preacher at his local Saddleworth church. He was from a very wealthy family trained as a barrister in London but after the first world war returned to his native Saddleworth and set about his interest in collecting ancient items.
He served in the First World War in the trenches in France and one of his fellow officers introduced him to the art of looking for and finding flint arrow heads and tools which were exposed as a result of the earthworks in making trenches. As well as relics and glass he also collected buckles, Chinese porcelain, watches, 14,000 year old Chinese tomb relics, and there was even a collection of love tokens which we believe were made by a local jeweler.
He was married during the First World War and had two children; one of them died in 1948, a year before his own death, which was a great tragedy to him. Apart from his collections he docketed the area where items has been found and wrote many articles and published some books detailing the social history of many of his collected items. He also wrote a column for the Oldham Chronicle, never owned a motor car and travelled around his local villages in a pony and trap. Sadly his remaining son emigrated to New Zealand and so the family no longer resides in their manor house.
Whilst we had a cup of tea and biscuits in the Education Suite, Shaun handed round some items for us to handle; there were various flint, arrow heads, and axes. A stone glazed green bottle 14,000 years old from a Chinese tomb, the statue of what appeared to be a Chinese traveller with a load on his back, also 14,000 years old, and a vessel with the handle depicting a snake but there is some doubt as to it's authenticity as a number of fakes started to find their way onto the market when there was big financial gain for artifacts.

Our visit was organised by Jennifer and we were helped on our way around the exhibition by Maggie who is a post-graduate helping out at the gallery. Anne Hornsby gave us some vivid descriptions of the items we looked at and we would like to thank everybody for enabling this visit to take place.
Mary did her usual gargantuan organising effort gathering her volunteer drivers together to enable us to enjoy a very interesting morning. A grateful thanks to everybody involved.

Visit to Imperial War Museum 13/01/2011

2011-01-18T13:05:00.002Z

Life at Sea During World War

We had the opportunity to look at the damaged section of a war ship which had obviously been hit by a shell or torpedo and it was amazing to feel the thickness of the steel and jagged edges left behind by what must have been a terrible explosion. The Battle of Jutland was depicted in a very large portrait, and this showed injured seamen lying on the floor with medics attending to them. Some of the injuries appeared to be very severe and was an indication of the terrible dangers our seamen experienced every day whilst we were at war.
There was a mine which had been cut in half so that we could see how it was made up and how it operated. There were horns on the outside and if these came into contact with a vessel the glass file within the horn would break and release acid into the mine, and it would then be detonated. There were many photographs of young men and women seamen together with the medals they had won and at times very sad letter which had been written home by these young people who sadly did not themselves survive the war.
One of our group Ken Seaman is himself an ex Royal Navy man and he was able to explain how the Dicky was worn by the sailors as a part of their traditional uniform and he told us that they were originally designed to protect the rest of the seamen's uniform in the olden days when they had pigtails covered in tar which fell down the back of their shoulders. The curator who was explaining this particular part of the uniform to us had not been aware of this information and she assured us that it would enhance her future talks when showing people around the exhibition.
There was a huge shell on display and also a very large gun which would have been mounted on one of our battleships. The exhibition is very extensive and it would have taken us far longer than the time we had to fully explore it.
After the tour we went to the dining room and were served biscuits and hot drinks and had the opportunity to thank Charlotte, Caroline, and Helen for their vivid descriptions of the sections that they each individually took us through. Thanks to Mary and all of her volunteers we were able to make this visit to the museum and enjoy a lovely morning out.

Visit to Lowry gallery-Thursday 2nd December 2010

2010-12-06T13:57:00.003Z

Welcome to the ballet

When Margaret and I arrived at the gallery with our driver Alan, we were greeted by the gallery manager Ed Daniels who escorted us to the seating area in the bar to wait for the rest of our group to arrive.
We started our tour with Brian Dunk, a gallery assistant, telling us the story of the beginnings of the Royal Ballet which received it's charter in 1956. Ninette DeValoire started the formation of a ballet in 1920; she had joined a ballet school at the age of 12 in County Wicklow and went on to devote her life to the formation of our national ballet. There were many photographs showing the history of the development, and there were many photographs of the ballet touring in Europe. They had to make a hasty retreat from Europe in 1940 at the onset of the Second World War.
In 1950, Lowry submitted some portraits to the Royal Academy, and amongst them was a portrait of a young woman whom he called Ann Hilder. This portrait was so uniform that it could have been the face of a puppet. Possibly Lowry, with tongue in cheek, showed this young woman as his measure of poking fun at the public's unwarranted interest into his personal life and he told various stories about who she might be and what his association with her may have been.
There were three portraits of young women shown in a puppet style with a slightly pornographic edge to them, and I feel that this was Lowry, again, poking fun at the courts of Europe's initial titillation by ballet performances showing young women scantily dressed and male dancers in exceedingly tight trousers.
We moved on to look at the mock up of what Margot Fonteyn dressing room might have looked like; there were a couple of photographs of her and the various paraphernalia you might expect to see in a ballet dancers dressing room: various ballet shoes, shawls, a mannequin dressed in a beautiful tutu and headdresses. In fact, quite a messy looking room. There was a considerable display of costumes from various well known ballets; for example some headdresses from the ballet 'Check Mate'. We were given the opportunity to handle some of these beautiful costumes and I was surprised at the weight of some of these which the stars would have had to perform in.
At the end of the tour we went back to the restaurant area where we had a hot drink and the choice of a selection of biscuits. I had to send for the cavalry to gain access to my very nice banana flavoured crunchy biscuits.
We then braved the icy elements to make the journey back home.
Our thanks to Anne for her usual, very detailed, descriptions of everything that we saw, and her very skilled description of the mildly pornographic portraits by Lowry. Brian Dunk had taken a lot of trouble to sketch and emboss the portrait of Ann Hilder and had given us a very detailed history of the formation of what finally became the Royal Ballet.
Mary, as usual, came up trumps with her dedicated volunteer drivers to take us to this very interesting visit and return us safely home in the very adverse weather conditions.
Our thanks to everybody involved.

If at first

2010-12-01T18:04:00.002Z

Well it seems I have after numerous attempts landed on a blog page .
one of the hiccups was that the modem was not working properly(which as you will know make's a lot of differance). I am pleased that weather permitting we can look forward to another in depth account from our Elaine on tomorrows visit Thursday the 2nd December.

Manchester Gallery Visit 4/11/2010

2010-11-08T13:56:00.002Z

Exhibition by Raphael Lorenzo entitles 'Recorders'

This exhibition reflects a 21st century take on perceptions of art. All of the exhibits are interactive and some of them very complex in the way they respond to various types of interaction. A ceiling of lights pulse at different rates and this is stimulated by multiple participants whose heart beats are recorded by sensors.
Another exhibit was a circle of microphones set at various heights, visitors were able to speak into the microphone which then gave a random response from previous messages left. For instance; one person recorded 'God Bless the Pope' and a random response came back with 'Down with Papacy!'
There was a huge screen shown on a white wall which reflected shadows, and it was possible to place your shadow inside that of another with you, so that one was dwarfed by the other. A lot of the visitors spent a long time playing with the reactions of the cameras and the different sizes and angles of shadows which could be obtained.
Meg Parnell and Kate Day had organised this visit for us, and Fiona Corridon explained each of the exhibits to us in great detail, some of which were very complex and had been created by the artist and his large team of fellow workers. So many electronics were involved that the gallery had had to install a mini sub station in order to provide the considerable increased power required to mount this fascinating exhibition.
Readers of the Hello newsletter might sometimes wonder what the Zoomers group gets up to and they can catch up with our goings on by logging onto our blog at http://zoomers.blogspot.com/
We post a record of our visits to various museums and galleries organised by Mary Gifford and also posts by anybody with new information on the aids to helpful computer tips.
After a most enjoyable visit of interaction and participation in this exhibition we adjourned to the education suite for our usual yummy biscuits and cups of tea and coffee.
Our thanks to Ann Hornsby for her detailed descriptions and to Mary and her volunteers for getting us there.

Manchester Museum 7/10/10

2010-10-08T13:42:00.002+01:00

A Taste Of China

As we entered the exhibition the first thing we saw was a bronze bell presented to Manchester by its sister city in China, Wuhan. The bell was between 18" and 2ft tall, and the Chinese bells tend not to have a clapper but are stuck by a mallet, and the mallet was a beautiful lacquered black.
The curator Peter Brown described the other items in the glass cases as we moved around the exhibition. I found it a little difficult to see all of the detail because of some of the low lighting but Ann Hornsby who gives us our audio descriptions brought the items to life for us with her vivid details of what they looked like. There were even some 2000 year old biscuits shown on the beautiful porcelain plates and dishes, and the ability of the Chinese craftsmen centuries ago to create these wonderful items is absolutely amazing. We saw both ancient and modern examples of dishes and pots, and the most ancient were even more beautiful than the more up-to-date items.
After our tour of the exhibits we had the opportunity to handle various items assisted by Andrea, one of the curators, and volunteers Michelle, Collete, and Neil. Neil, who also helps out at Henshaws, was a young men who passed items to me and he described them to me as we looked at them. There was a Buddha which had been in a private collection in either Tibet or Burma which was made of bronze, and the Buddha was seated in the 'lotus' position. One of the oddest items was a teapot which was quite small, round, almost flat, with a very fine long spout and not handle. We were trying to guess how it would have been poured and can only imagine that it would have stood inside a bamboo holder. There was a most beautiful writing set complete with all of the brushes, ink pot, ink cake, seal, and wax. Peter told us that calligraphy was regarded as the very finest art practiced in China. There was a Chinese calender and I learnt that I was born in the year of the dog.
One of the exhibits in the glass case had been a most beautiful porcelain abacus with symbols on each bead, and amongst the items we handled was a wooden abacus commonly used by the Chinese even today.
A most fascinating item was an ancient Chinese compass; the pointer was in the shape of a small teardrop with a pointer on it, and the compass was divided up into various sections. It worked by allowing the compass to point North as we turned it to the right position. This was invented centuries ago and we learnt that the Chinese had been sailing the Oceans tens of thousands of years before we took to the sea.

After a most enjoyable morning we adjourned for a cup of tea and some yummy shortbread biscuits and would like to thank Peter and Andrea and all of the volunteers for their hard work in making our visit such a success. Thanks to Ann for her usual dynamic descriptions, and to Mary and all of her volunteers for getting us to the Museum and looking after us whilst we were there.

Visit to RNIB National Library in Stockport on Thursday 9th September 2010

2010-09-14T14:59:00.002+01:00

We had a fascinating visit to this museum and were introduced to the history of the RNIB by Philip Jeffs, Archivist and Chief Librarian. It was fascinating to learn that in 1791 in Liverpool the first attempts were made to educate the visually impaired by producing imprinted literature compiled by sighted people. A problem with this was that the alphabet used was difficult to follow and interpret, and a number of different systems were attempted without lasting success.
The Quaker movement in Bristol devoted a great deal of time to producing educational documents in an effort to educate people and it wasn't until 1810 that Thomas Henshaw finally created a charity for the care and welfare of visually impaired people. Unfortunately his widow was very unhappy about his decision to leave his wealth to this charity and it was in chancery for about 25 years until she finally gave up objecting and the remains of his fortune could be used.
After this brief history we had the opportunity of examining various books detailing the different early systems used and also playing around and fiddling with different pieces of equipment introduced for the purpose of enabling visually impaired people to write. Finally braille became the international alphabet used after many stops and starts and it has enabled all visually impaired people to take up careers and fulfill their own personal aspirations.
The RNIB have created a nationwide network within our own library systems and it is possible to obtain very large print books, braille, and talking books. Most of this facility is available with help from our welfare services and it should be possible for the visually impaired to keep in touch with newspapers and current affairs through this essential service.
We were helped during our visit by Wendy, Alex, and Dianne to understand and try out the numerous equipment within the museum, and to try to follow the different methods first attempted in the writing of literature. Throughout our visit we were welcomed by all of the volunteers present, and at the beginning and the end, enjoyed a very nice drink together with a selection of yummy biscuits.

Our thanks to Philip Jeffs and his staff for their preparation to ensure that we experienced the maximum they had to offer and also to Mary and her volunteers for getting us there.

'Fired Up'-Ceramics and Meaning at Gallery Oldham 10/08/10

2010-08-18T13:21:00.004+01:00

We were a small group from Henshaws working as a focal group for the gallery to enable them to present their exhibitions to the visually impaired, specifically to meet their needs.
The morning started with a question and answer session hosted by Dinah Winch, Senior Curator, so that she could ascertain how we felt about art and what was presented to us.
After a short discussion we went upstairs to the 'Fired Up' exhibition. We first looked at pottery by Stephen Dixon. The first item we looked at was a circular fortress constructed with small houses slotted together which were presented on the inside, with the outside portraying figures of men wounded in battle and various items of warfare all indicating the horrors of combat. The inside represented safety offered by the houses prior to conflict.
The next item was an oilcan with numerous symbolic figures and items with the text 'Their Finest Hour' and which was his interpretation of the war for oil in the Middle East.
There were so many illustrations of what you might see in a war zone that it took a long time to try to identify them all. As an aid to our visual impairment; much smaller pieces had been devised for us to handle so that we could get an idea of what this item actually looked like.
We then moved on to exhibits by Claudia Clare who had created huge potbellied coiled vases. These were enormous and we discussed the engineering difficulties she must have in building such items without collapse. The vases depicted scenes from Iran focusing on women's emancipation in this area of the world, and their struggle to live the type of life to which they aspire. There was very complex story-telling on these huge pots and were like something I had never seen before.
After this section we had a look at an item by Paul Scott who is renowned for working with blue and white porcelain. He had taken an existing cup and saucer and carried out his own makeover to what he must have felt was a blank canvas. We know that it was an existing cup and saucer because there was a tiny chip in the rim of the cup which had been gilded over by him during his work. I was unable to see the actual detail myself but from the description given to us by Dinah and Mary we learnt that the base of the cup contained a cockle shell and the blue border on the outside edge of the cup and saucer gave an illusion of water moving. Within the water border there were tiny cockle shells and on the rim of the cup were tiny figures of Negro slave. This cup and saucer was Paul Scott's interpretation of slavery both past and present and reminded us poignantly of the Morecambe Bay disaster, where many Chinese were drowned whilst working for their slave masters in this country.
We all went back downstairs to the Education Suite and had the opportunity to handle some other items of pottery; one of which was a large jug without a handle by Alison Britton. Another, a beautiful coiled Nigerian pot by Ladi Kwali. A jug with a complex tree branch handle by Walter Keeler and a tiny little item about 4 inches tall and quite flat which looked like a jug.
At this stage of the day Dinah and her colleagues cleared the table and served us a most delightful selection of sandwiches and biscuits together with tea, coffee and orange juice.
After lunch we all had the opportunity, under the direction and assistance of Glenys Walsh, to make our own tile using air dried clay so it wasn't too messy. We rolled out a chunk of clay until it was large enough to allow us to cut out a tile using a template and we then used items from the table to create an imprint pattern on our own tile. We had a good laugh, a lot of mishaps, and a scrummage to get the best items to use! A very nice roundup to our superb day at the gallery.

My thanks to Hilary for looking after me and guiding me throughout the visit, and the whole group's thanks to Dinah and Glenys for the extra mile they went to make our trip as enjoyable and memorable as possible. Thanks to Mary for choosing me to join this focus group and we all hope that the feedback we give will help the curators to continue their excellent delivery of special projects for disabled at their gallery.

Pleased to be back

2010-08-16T09:50:00.002+01:00

Hello there, pleaded to be bck in time to remember that yesterday the
15th August was VJ day . The last day of WW2.

Visit to Gallery Oldham 10.6.10

2010-06-14T10:58:00.002+01:00

At the Edge
We started our tour with a description by Ann of a mural depicting a sea scape as seen from the top of a cliff. The dramatic depiction of a ship wallowing and about to sink and passengers struggling to be rescued and to one side people lying on a beach in various stages of recovery, surrounded by helpers. The sea is throwing up rough waves and the ship could have foundered on rocks. Ann's vivid description enabled us to visualise the scene in front of us and Jennifer Vickers took us through the differences taking place in the art world. Instead of the traditional art works normally displayed, we were looking at a radical change in the way people were being painted.
We looked at some other paintings, one of which was a household scene in which we could see sewing machines, a prt filled milk bottle, a baby's bottle and dozens more items. If there has been sound with this painting, it could have been called a cacophaney of painting.
Ann described various pots and sculptures to us and we were able to handle some items outside the glass cases.
Jennifer explained that at this period of changes in our conception of art works, these pots were being designed as works of art rather than containers. One of the bowls appeared to be a different shape when viewed from different angles.
Jennifer told us of the different methods used to fire and also to glaze clay and Mary was able to add her export knowledge of what happens during firing to add a glaze with salt.

we adjourned to the education suite and had a great time plaing with a piece of clay, ably directed and assisted byGlenys Walsh. We all managed, maybe by more luck than judgement, to end up with a small pot which, when fully dried out, we could use as perhaps a pencil holder.
During all of this hard work, we were plied with tea and chocolate biscuits to sustain our strength. All of that rolling out and sticking together was darned hard work.
Many thanks to Jennifer for leading us so happily and comfortably through this interesting exhibition. To Glenys for her dash from table to table, to keep us working in the right direction and for organising the workshop and material.
Ann Hornsby's descriptions were as vivid as ever and our thanks to Mary and her volunteers for making our visit possible.
Sincere thanks to everybody concerned.
posted by Elaine

VE-day 65yeare ago.

2010-05-09T20:23:00.002+01:00

Of course I didn't forget the 8th May 1945, how could I. Most of yesterday was spent recalling what I was doing that day and remembering old friends and wondering how they were or what had happened to them. Some I know have crossed the bar,many I just cannot remember their names now, but I have never really forgot them. I do know that they were all good young men and great comrades.
On that day we sailed to do a job that we had trained for and should have attempted several months earlier, We were destined to take back the Channel Islands. They were the only part of Britain to be occupied by German forces and had been since May 1940. It had been decided that we would cause too much damage to the people that we were attempting to help.When the cancellation was made it was helped has a Swedish ship was arranged to deliver Red Cross food parcels for the population of the islands. There they were occupied by 35,000 troops on the most heavyley fortified islands in the world, cut off and no chance of any rescue.Their defenses were so strong because Hitler thought that he had is hands on apart of Britain. The fleet of ships,Lst's and LCt's arrived in the Rhodes off Guernsney at dawn of this day May9th 1945l
What happened in the next hours is a story for another day.

Beautiful and Extinct Gallery Oldham 15.04.2010

2010-04-20T12:52:00.003+01:00

We had a very enjoyable visit ti this extensive exhibition and were lucky enough to have Alan Price come back to take us through the different aspects of the items displayed. Jennifer the curator who had helped to put it all together introduced us to Alan and Ann Hornsby gave us her usual detailed audio description of the items we looked at.
A corner of the area was set up to represent a curator's office and there was a cupboard with shelves conraining various stuffed creatures. There was a painting of Mr TYaylor at work and also a painting of the Chadderton taxidermist surrounded by work in progress. Apparently they used arsenic and mercury to help preserve specimens which shortened ther life span.
Alan told us about the two golden eagles on display and in another glass case there was a great bustead which is our heaviest bird of flight and was extinct probably due to being low flying and ground nesting. It has been successfuly re-introduced in Somerset and has nested and produced chicks.
In the garden area there is a profusion of stuffed birds and other creatures and Alan explained how we could all help to provide habitat in our gardens and areas to encourage our wildlife.
During a handling session in the education suite, we were treated to a yummy chocolate bar and drink whilst Jennifer and Alan brought around a fox's head and tail, a woolly mamoth huge tooth, the vertebrae of a dynosaur, some antlers and the model of a toad. Fascinaring closeups.
Our thanks to Alan and Jennifer and Ann for bringing the exhibition to life for us and to Mary and her volunteers for making the visit happen.
posted by Elaine

Soccer stop press

2010-04-07T18:06:00.003+01:00

Have you heard ! Barcelona are cutting costs by turning out a one man team! His name is Messi

Sad news about John Smethurst.

2010-02-18T18:17:00.002Z

It is with sadness that I have to report the passing away of our old friend John Smethurst.
Alice sent a message to Henshaws to say that John died last Saturday. She wanted me to let all his friends from the Zoomers class, where he enjoyed many happy hours, the sad news.
I'm sure that you will join me in sending our Deepest Sympathy to Alice.
We shall always remember John with affection, for he was quite a character and has been missed over the past few months.

Seasonal Greeting's

2009-12-31T18:24:00.002Z

Howdy Folk's I wish to send all past and present Zoomer member's greeting's for this season of reflection of what is going on in this world. We are reminded of the birth of a baby in a stable who brought love into the would .
The world is not doing a very good job , is it.
A healthy new year to you all
Bu-cket

Visit to Manchester Gallery 3.12.2009

2009-12-07T10:44:00.002Z

The exhibition was dedicated to an all female group of artists and depicted some extraordinary sculptures , paintings and photographs.
The surealist exhibits were difficult to understand at times and nightmarish at first sight on occasion. The curators had taken four years to mount the exhibition and no doubt considerable time had been taken to obtain many of the paintings form other countries.
As many artists were from privalidged families it was an indication of the rebellious young women in the twenties when the role of women changed during that era after the first world war.
The title of the exhibition is Angels of Anarchy and covers many more artists' work than we had time to see and have described to us by the curators and Ann Hornsby.
The Gallery is having a special public day on the 21st January when they will give us an escort and a described tour of this exhibition by prior arrangement.
One of the exhibits was of a plaster cast of the artist's partners head which was then covered in silk scarves and feathers and other items concealed within the coverings.

The curator of the exhibition was Fiona C
orridan and was assisted by Kate Day who had organised the visit for us and who is filling in or Meg who is on maternity leave.
There are five different sections to the exhibition, which is quite complex and we looked at work byFrida Kahlo and Lee Miller, two of the most influential artists of the 20th Century.
We were only able to look at a few of the works and literally ran out of time after listening to the enthusiastic information given to us by Fiona.
I have never been overly interested if surealistic art in the past but now have a very different take on it. I have been left with the impression of some tortured souls seeking their own freedom of expression after decades of suppresion of the female, who was given one role.
We rounded off the visit in true Chriastmas style with a mince pie and tangerine, followed by a welcome hot drink.
A very interesting exhibition and our thanks to Mary and her volunteers for getting us there and safely guiding us throughout the morning.
posted by Elaine

Manchester Museum 22nd October 2009

2009-10-26T11:50:00.002Z

We visited the Charles Darw[n exhibition which had been produced by Henry McGhie and Peter Brown from the wealth of their Darwin collection.
Yhe story boards show Darwin as a young boy of ten through to later life and records his many adventures and discoveries. Due to their fragility, some specimens are shown in a dim light and it would have been of great help to me if they could have been mounted on a contrasting base and background.
Henry told us about Darwin the man who at age 16 had been sent to Edinburgh University to study medicine and then age 18 to Cambridge to study theology but \ttended few lectures and devoted his time carousing with his friends. His real passion was for collecting and studying items of natural science. We were enthralled by Henry's descriptions of Darwin's life and his amazing ability to understand the progress of evolution.
We had the opportunity to handle some items such as a duckbill platipuss, tawny owl, the shell of an armourdillo, a sponge two very different corals and many more with the help of Alan, Michelle and Vivienne who are Museum volunteers.
Ann gave us her usual vivid and detailed descriptions, when she could get a word in edgeways that is, because of Henry's enthusiasum about Darwin.
We rounded off the morning with a welcome drink and biscuit and thanks to Mary and all of the volunteers who make these visits possible for us.
The Museum has published maby of Darwin's texts in the form of a newspaper in braille and large print as well as the normal format.
posted by Elaine

Gallert Oldham Thursday \st October 2009

2009-10-05T11:48:00.003+01:00

The artist we were all thrilled to meet was Gary James Williams who had worked hard with Jennifer Vickers from the Gallery to put together a hands on selection of pressed flowers, moulds and exhibits for us to enjoy.
Gary explained that he had researched the use of different materials to create sculptures and one of these was the materials used in the manufacture of prosthetics such as false teeth and the re-construction of bones after injury.
Some of the items on display were quite amazing, such as a branch, a cup saucer spoon and sugar lump. A cotton reel complete with thread and needle was fabulous and Ann Hornsby gave us her usua; entertaining and colourful descriptions of everything in the exhibition, including the huge paper planes flying above our heads.
We had all been invited to bring an item from which to make our own mould and sculpture and there was a lot of hilarity as we got to grips with the materials which Gary then filled with plaster and cooked to create our own personal sculpture.
During yhe cooking process, we had a cuppa and chocy biscuit to end the visit, much enjoyed by all.
Thanks to Mary and all of our volunteers for getting us there, to Ann for her descriptions and the Gallery and Artist Gary Williams for a memorable morning.
Posted by Elaine

3.9.09 Vusut to Victoria Baths

2009-09-28T12:15:00.003+01:00

We had a very interesting visit to see all of the re-furbishments taking place an d to learn zome of the history of the baths which opened in 1902.

Many original features have been losr but the most important have been replaced.

When first opened, there were three swimming pools - men's 1st class and 2nd class and another for ladies. In men's 1st, if they wished, the men could have a hot bovril drink brought to their changing cubicle when they finished their swim session. Luxury indeed for the wealthy.

The entrance to the main baths is wonderful, with the original tiles on walls and floors and even on the balustrades on the imposing staircase.

Parts of the baths have been used as settings for some tv and film productions and this has given extra money towards all of the worl srill needing to be completed.

Coincidentally, the driver of the hospital transport I used the following Monday, used the baths when he was a young man up to the age of twenty two.

There are some superb stained glass windows which have been preserved, one in particular which is called an angel, but which experts say is a fairy, as angels have feathered wings.

The staff conducting our tour had gone to great lengths to accommodate visually impaired visitors and we sincerely thank them.

Many thanks also to our drivers and Mary for organising such a good trip and to Ann for her detailed descriptions of each of the sites we visited.

posted by Elaine

Trial and ERROR

2009-08-03T18:03:00.003+01:00

My Good friend Ken has told me that one can alter one's blog. I have been able to change an error that has occured with the comments. So (here) is my error. my errorwas there in the brackets

T.T.F.N.Bu-cket

P,S Thanks Ken for reminding me that one can correct one's post

P.P.S over to the publishers. B

In memory of an old friend

2009-07-24T17:15:00.004+01:00

This is in memory of my dear old friend

Harold James Gulley DSM

Who past away on the 4th July 2009.

PSALM 107

They that go down to sea in ships: and occupy their busimess in great waters;

These men see the works of the Lord : and his wonders in the deep.

For at his word the stormy wind ariseth : which lifteth up the waves thereof .

They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep :

their soul melteth away because of the trouble .

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man : and are at their wits' end .

So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble : he delivereth them out of their distress.

For he maketh the storm to cease : so that the waves thereof are still.

Then they are glad, because they are at rest : and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.

Rest in peace.

Making contact

2009-07-20T18:08:00.002+01:00

It seems as though at the monent the zoomer group is stuck on the ground! If we don't look out we will be becoming the sremooz group.
It was interesting to see Capt Kens piece on operation Neptune.
So I trust that I will not have to wait to long for a report from our Elaine.
Fingers crossed, so keep your chins up. Don B

Operation - Neptune and D-day

2009-06-06T21:23:00.004+01:00

The whole operation was named " OVERLORD" and the last face of the extensive planning took place in Southwick House outside Portsmouth where Admiral Sir Bertram H. Ramsey resided. The Admiral was chosento command the maritimeopation, which was named " Neptune". With his experience from leading the evacuation from Dunkirk and the landing on Sicily, Admiral Ramsey had the best qualifications. Bur the allies also needed the element of surprise - a goal almost impossible to achieveregarding the giganticproportionsof the operation.

Visit to Manchester Gallery 30th April

2009-05-08T12:56:00.002+01:00

We looked at the Holman Hunt and Pre -Raphaelite exhib9tion with curator Melva Croale who gave us a great deal of background information about the artists and their work displayed. There were a number of voluptuous female figures depicting historice scenes and which gave Ann Hornsby plenty of meat for her descriptive powers to flow about pert breasts and rounded bums!! By contrast, we viewed a paintng of The Good Samaritan which clearly depicted a good man helping the frail figure of a man who had been robbed and injured in the roadsude.
We moved to a different Gallery and had a different curatorSandra Martin to continue with us and agan give us a great deal of information about the two Manchester artists Lowry and Valette who had both painted many scenes of Manchester. We also saw a self portrait of Valette which had not been completed.
During our tour of the galleries, the curators and Ann were in competition with various other activities going on with school groups and photographic opportunities. I am quite sure that as a consequence Melva, Sandra and Ann more than rose to the challenge and delivered an even more than dynamic lecture for us. It brought home to us that the gallery has to manage many different group visits to them and just occasionally things can go a little fraught - certainly nothing that Mary should beat herself up about. Also, the gallery is not deserving of too many negative comments after ahe many occasions when visits have gone loke clockwork.
We all enjoyed a welcome cuppa and biscuit or two in the education suite before wending our way home.
Many thanks to the curators and Ann for a memorable morning and to Mary and volunteers for making it all happen.
posted by Elaine

Visit to Manchester Gallery 30th April 2009

2009-05-08T12:47:00.001+01:00

On Safari

2009-04-19T18:07:00.002+01:00

It is possible that if I go on safari! I might come across a Tiger! (obviously ) one that speaks English Or of course any other enlightened plainsman. The query is that a panel comes on the screen saying . (this action is only valid for products that are currently installed . So I can get listen again but not from the desktop icon. So I hope someone can clear the undergrowth away! Bye for now Bu-cket

Visit to Gorton Abbey 27.3.09

2009-03-30T10:46:00.002+01:00

We visited this this building which was originally built as a Friary in 1861 when some Friars cane over from Belgium and a couple of them went to Ireland to learn English, no doubt they returned with a most interesting accent. A young man named Patrick joined them from Ireland and set about helping to build this Parish Church whilst occupying a cottage in the ground.
Tony Hurley, who was our guide, enthralled us with stories from the past on each step of our journey through this beautiful building which is being re-furbished with the help of Lottery Funds and local donations.
When the Friary ceased, the building was bought by a developer, who systematically stripped it of the wonderful valuable artifacts and then went bust, abandoning the Friary to the elements and vandals. Fortunately the Bank which had owned the building had boarded up the three strained glass windows behind the alter, which was reduced to rubble, and the windows were intact when re-furbishing was put in hand.
The crucifix which is life size and is suspended from above in front of the alter was rescued from a Christies' sale at a price and during renovation was found to have the ends of the cross missing. Some years before, a member of the local community had contacted the restorers and handed to them some - bits of metal - and these were found to be the missing parts of the cross.
There were originally six statues on each side of the main body of the church standing on top of the columns and again, these were rescued from auction at a cost and are currently be repaired but hopefully will soon be atop their columns again.
The amount of restoration is quite amazing and there are photos of before and after the rescue showing the vast amount of work already completed.
The acoustics of the building means that it is now used for orchestral concerts and choirs and Tony Hurley played a CD of The Priests singing Ave Maria and announced they were prepared to give a concert in the near future.
We rounded off the visit with a drink and sandwiches, thanks to Mary and during the visit, we all enjoyed Ann's very detailed descriptions of the architecture and restored sections which have been carried out to the highest degree.
Our thanks to our guide and staff and Mary, Ann and all volunteers for a most memorable visit to a truly magnificent building.
posted by Elaine Gallagher

1945 and all that.

2009-03-02T18:27:00.004Z

EIleen&Ken What a wonderfull piece of news! It is marvellous 64yrs and still going stromg
Our very best wishes for the 3rd
Sheila&Don

Advanced thanks!

2009-03-02T11:37:00.002Z

This is a calulated guess that at the rate Elaine is typing their is something of interest coming out on to zoomers ! ( But I Could be wrong) anyway it has got my fingers moving around the pad which is quite a feat, to say the least.

Cheers for now Don B

And it ain't been a day too long.

2009-03-02T11:15:00.005Z

Tomorrow on the 3 rd March 2009 my wife and I will be celebrating our 64th wedding anniversary. I met my wife in Plymouth while we were both serving in the navy, When people ask us where we met, we tell them in the back of a one ton Bedford lorry, and thi is quite true.

It just remains for me to say it's been a wonderful time, thanks ny darling, I love you very much. Ken.

Warm air

2009-02-16T11:24:00.002Z

This morning has been a warm one, and that has not been the heating! There has been all together seven folks in the zoomers slot. It is great to exchange thoughts and views on a wide range of topics. These topics have been from football to politics, plus a few others.
So bye for now. Don B.

I must try Harder.

2009-02-09T11:40:00.003Z

Well hello there friends. I regret that I have not been putting any posts on for a while but I am still about and will try to do better in the near future. I trust that you are all keeping well.

Tjursday 22.01.09 Visit to Chinese Art Centre

2009-01-26T10:34:00.002Z

We were visiting the Centre to have a preview of a new Exhibition by Eric Fong who had enlisted the help of Henshaws to film visually impaired and blind people experiencing a visit to the Whitworth Gallery to look at a visual art work using lights and fabrics. I was quite disappointed to realise I could not see well enough to understand what the artist was portraying. The three people who took part all discussed with Eric what they had garnered from the visit.

Eric fong told us that he had been born in China, then from the age of eight had lived in Canada and grown up to practice as a doctor for twenty years. He had become interested in visual art and studied in London for a Fine Arts Degree. He also explained that he had always been interested in visual impairment.

He had recently travelled to Shanghai to look at how China was embrasing western medicine alongside their traditional chinese products. He had taken photographs of different people working in various jobs together with a display of the brand name tabletsand creams they were using. It appeared to me that there was an emphasis on health care and vitamins. Their homes seemed to be sparse and lacking in the luxury comforts we take for granted. One exception was a young couple who appeared to have a modern and more spacious living space.

There was film showing groups of people exercising in a park in front of a statue of Marx and Lenin. Also that film went on to a scene in a street, where a band was playing, with lots of people enjoying some ballroom dancing.

Whilst we all had a taste of deliscious chinese tea a team of security guards came into the centre with sniffer dogs to sweep the premises. An MP was visiting Manchester that day to meet with various Chinese Groups and Communities, so I am assuming he would have been one of the VIP guests at the official opening of the exhibition later that day.

Our grateful thanks to Ann Hornsby for her vivid descriptions and all of the members of the Art Centre for their warm welcome. Mary worked her usual magic to get us all there safely and ensure that we enjoyed our visit. Many thanks to all volunteers who dedicate their time to us.

Posted by Elaine

A spiders web

2009-01-24T18:14:00.003Z

Hello folks Trust you are full of the coming of spring! If not I do hope it is only a small reason why you are not full of a coiled strip of metal!
To bring a smile to the faces of Chowo&Tiger I am messing about with getting a photo to join a feline and a k9! in the comments area, So watch out for dp space 9! but do not look to hard or you might strain your eyes
I thought I would type this bit of nonsense instead of trying to add a space station to the comments area(this time). Nice to see you nice.
Don B

More belated greeting to all Zoomers

2009-01-04T18:30:00.002Z

So to all of the Zoomers who might! look at this page a very healthy new year.
I do trust that you have come through the Christmas period unscaved. (leaving out money)

God bless and do take care Don Bu-cket

Belated Greetings tozoomers

2008-12-26T18:17:00.002Z

I had every intention of keying in this piece on Wednesday! but *** so I do wish everyone a healthy new year. I look forward to seeing some of you in the newyear.
toodle pip Don Bu-cket

A quick decho

2008-12-16T18:59:00.001Z

Very interesting! had a look at blind behind the camera!
I did find that rather dark

yours Bu-cket

Eco: On Blindness & the Arts

2008-12-12T20:05:00.002Z

I've just come the Eco website. This is a link to the Institutions guide page of the site, which provides some links to some interesting projects:

http://www.blindnessandarts.com/institutions.htm

Happy browsing.

Oh Monday morning

2008-11-24T11:23:00.003Z

We are a quiet foursome each trying hard to get something soughted out on our respective screens, well three of us anyway! It should be mentioned that our Elaine has been burning up the keys! as usual.
BYE for now Bu-cket

Visit to Sow Sew Exhibition at Gallery Oldham Thursday 23rd October 2008

2008-10-27T10:34:00.001Z

We all enjoyed this visit to Gallery Oldham, although a great many of the exhibits lacked definition for us and tended to be quite dark. Ann gave us a description of all of the Felts on show and told us how they had been made. There was a photograph of the old machine which had been used.

After a stroll around the exhibition, we adjourned to the education suite, where we were each given our items in order to make our own felt. We teased out various colours of wool and laid them on a rectangle of bubble wrap and then sprayed it with very hot wat and soap suds. There were many pieces of material, silks and odds and ends we could use to create our own pictorial vision, with a great deal of help from Gallery staff and volunteers. After many soakings with water aand rolling and squeezing, we ended up with the beginnings of a felt. Most enjoyable.

Whilst all of this hard work was being carried out, we were plied with drinks and buscuits and finallymade ourway home. Our sincere thanks to Mary and her drivers for getting us there and to all of the Gallery staff and volunteers who helped us to create our masterpieces.

Loss of an old friend and former Zoomer

2008-10-11T21:41:00.002+01:00

Very sad to inform you that our old friend John R passed away after a short spell in Manchester Royal Hospital.
He will be sadly missed.

New version of BBC Listen Again

2008-09-25T09:25:00.005+01:00

The BBC now use the BBC iPlayer for listening again to radio programmes. Because of this, as Bu-cket has already found out, old versions of the BBC Listen Again program no longer work. However, you can download a new version from the Webbie website at:

www.webbie.org.uk

On this page, simply click on the "download now" button to download the webbie installer program, and then run the downloaded installer.

Science made Simple Fridat 19th Sept 2008 at John Derby House

2008-09-22T10:42:00.002+01:00

David Price gave us a handling session of the items he had set up to demonstrate sound and how it travels.

We had a great lark banging an aluminium bin, sitting on a whooppee cushion , there was a bull whip we coundn't use because of lack of space. We handled a slinky and another item that twanged when you pulled and released it.

The purpose of these items was to demonstrate how sound travels which is by vibration.. David had a screen set up and connected to a music player which showed the decibles of sound on the screen and you could see the difference of the volume of sound.

We listened to different sounds to see what we could hear and it has been shown that modern sould played by younger people isdamaging to their ears.

A sonic boom is created by an object travelling faster than the air can move and the build up of air is released by an explosive bang.

A lot of the research is being used to try to help with deafness and speech defects. Manchester Science and Technology Museum is arranging to give similar demonstrations to schools and the public.

We all enjoyed David's enthusiasm, in particular, his grandpa dansing to the music to entertain us. A most enjoyable demonstration.Our thanks to the Research Council and Museum staff.

A nicecup of tea and biscuit rounded off the morning and our thanks to Mary ans all volunteers for making it all possible.

posted by Ken and Elaine

I wonder why take 2

2008-09-21T18:44:00.002+01:00

I did not have much success with signing in, So I turned left and pushed the red button and got!!
I wonder why the bbc listen again on this computer anyway is not coming up as it should.
I wait to see if any body else has come across this problem .
B.Y.N Don

I wonder why

2008-09-16T21:11:00.002+01:00

I wonder why that on Monday morning I tried for quite a long time to send a zoomer! but with no success as the small red button upper left was no where to be seen! but as you can see it is here at home. Perhaps Chowo or Tiger have it in their possession,

Don

Today is VJ Day

2008-08-15T22:43:00.003+01:00

This date was set to commemorate the day that the Second World War ended.
When you go home, tell them of us, and say, for your tomorrow we gave our todyl

Just spare a moment and remember those young men who gave their lives for your freedom.

Zoomers go back to Monday morning

2008-08-11T22:41:00.002+01:00

From Monday 18th August 2008 we shall be back meeting on Monday mornings.
See you at 10.30am

Steam up

2008-08-09T18:14:00.002+01:00

Last Monday I and around forty overs from the Sinderland M Church went first to Boundery mill, which in it's new location is something to behold. We then went on to Haworth which as you will most likely know is the Bronte country! and the other interesting thing there is the\ railway/
five of us went from Haworth to Keighley then to Oxenhope and back to Haworth.
And then we had a very nice tea at a farmhouse a few miles away, and then home.
A very enjoyable day out.

Cheers A chuffed Don

Visit to Gallery Oldham 25th July 2008

2008-07-28T13:01:00.003+01:00

This exhibition dealt with Life Forms - Ceramics and the Natural World and the artists explored the plant world and geology and landscape.

The potters had used different techniques to enhance their work.
We were able to handle a number of the pots and also the glazed and unglazed enhancements. One shape was resembling a garlic and we also handled a garlic bulb to compare the shapes.

Another artist who exhibited had been the teacher of the first artist and he had created pots which looked like tree branches. When we touched them they were very smooth though looked like bark.

Jennifer Vickers from Gallery Oldham gave us the background history of the artists and Ann Hornsby gave us very detailed descriptions of all of the exhibits.

One of the artists was visually impaired and we were able to handle a number of her pots, one of which closely resembled a clam shell. There was also a real clam shell for us to examine and compare.

Maurice's charming grand daughter showed us anarticle about Mary and the exhibition she had given some time ago and Mary also brought in one of her small pots to show us the different stages in the making and decorating a piece.

We had the luck to handle a lot of items and listen to details of how they were created. A very interesting and informed visit.

Many thanks to Oldham Gallery and staff for providing a welcome cup of tea and biscuit and to Mary for organising the visit. The Gallery provided every facility to us to ensure an interesting and dynamic morning. Many thanks to all concerned

Visit to Gallery Oldham 25th July 2008

2008-07-28T13:00:00.000+01:00

Museum visit (coming)!!

2008-07-09T17:53:00.003+01:00

It seems this will be the only way to move the zoomer blogs forward.

Where were you

2008-06-09T11:46:00.003+01:00

I came in on Monday morning and guess what! there in the room were a group of new folks . But it was interesting talking to them! ( and to have a cup of coffee). What more could a chap ask for.

Don B

Visit to Lindow Man 23rd May 2008

2008-06-02T10:53:00.002+01:00

We had a very interesting tour arranged by Manchester Museum for us and set up with audio interviews by the Museum as well as a description by Ann at each section.
A great deal of consultation took place before the exhibition was arranged and it was decided that an interview with people involved with the discovery of the body would help to tell the story from numerous points of view.

The two brothers who had been excavating the turf and found the body described their reactions and there was also an exhibit of the type of tools they would have used.

A little girl at a local school at the time, who had helped in a project at the time told us as a grown woman what she remembered. She had also kept a tee shirt she had from that time and this was an exhibit.

The archeologists involved with the investigations gave their reactions to this most amazing find and there were various theories put forward as to how Lindow Man met his death. Some thought he had been murdered. Others thought he might have been sacrificed and yet more who wondered if he had just fallen into the bog.

The items on show included various tools relating to the iron age. Some jewelry including a bracelet of similar shape to a large spring, and some beads as well as other small items.

We moved from one small section to another, each one relating to the person who was interviewed. There was an audio to listen to, as well as us having the luxury of Ann's description. The area was deliberately constructed in rough unfinished materials, even the stools were of rough wooden squares with a padding strapped to the top which we could sit on as we went around.

At the end of the tour we had a handling session with lots of stone age items and there were Museum volunteers on hand to help us to examine the items and understand their uses.

A cup of tea rounded off the visit and when asked by the curator what we thought of the way the Museum had catered for visually impaired visitors and I personally did not think they could have improved it at all. A great deal of thought and consultation had been taken and I would like to applaud everything that the Museum has achieved for us.

Many thanks to the Museum and staff and to Ann for her audio descriptions yet again.

Ehandy mail

2008-05-01T18:50:00.003+01:00

The use of the email service came home to me the other day when I contacted a cousin in N/Zealand the other day, for means that lazy folks like me can use one liners. PS did you hear the other day that our keyboards and mouse should be cleaned at the least once a month to combat germs!!

Don Bucket

A hush of expectations

2008-04-21T10:36:00.006+01:00

We are all looking forward to what Elaine is busilly typing out on her keyboard! it really should be something special.
May be it is to do with a visit to a museum, these reports are always of great interest! but I co uld be completely up the shoot!
So only time will tell what Elaine has been doing.

P.s I don't know about a hush of expectation! but there has been a good deal of jaw jaw

Visit to Manchester Art Gallery 17th April 2008

2008-04-21T10:33:00.003+01:00

We started our tour in the entrance hall, where there were two sculptures, one on each side of the staircase.

Facing the stairs, on our left was the figure of a young man and on the left, that of a young woman.

The sculptor had carved them from blocks of plastic foam and we had the opportunity of examining a small piece.

The artist had then used hundreds of photographs of the model and then applied them to the sculpture like papier mache to create a photographic replica. A most amazing new concept of creating art and very attractive to look at. The figures were dressed in very modern clothes and looked as though they could have stepped from their pedestals.

We then moved into the atrium where there were two exhibites hanging from the ceiling. These items were powered by a motor and moved at intervals. When closed one looked like a flower and when it opened out, it looked like layers of an umbrella. The second item was cigar shaped and also opened up in unison with the first.

We were able to examine a small piece of the mechano type piece of polished steel.
It was an extraordinary collaberation of the artist's vision, skilled engineers and computer programmers.

The next exhibit was on the second floor and displayed a number of globes, which had tiny spy holes and maps of various countries could be seen. There were dozens of items hanging from the ceiling - cycles, rickshaws, motors, chairs and many other items.

From here we moved into the cinema and watched a film of young men racing rickshaws underwater. They had no breathing apparatus and had to regularly surface to take in air. they had to work very hard to move over the uneven sea bed and indicated the struggles of populations surviving against extreme odds. A very profound dispolay and an indication of the trauma caused to displaced peoples.

We learned that rickshaws were no longer allowed to be manufactured and those that remained and were maintained, were not allowed on the highways. A considerable change to a country's culture.

Ann gave us very interesting descriptions of the exhibits as we moved around and the gallery staff gave us a brief account of the artists and their origins which were Vietnamese and and Korean.

The tour ended with tea and biscuits very kindly dispensed by the volunteers who always work so hard to get us to the museums and galleries.

Names of artists:

Gwon Osang is Korean and created the statues in the entrance hall.

Choe U-ran is Korean and created the precision engineering pieces in the atium

Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba is a Vietnamese born artist

Gremlins

2008-04-01T18:10:00.004+01:00

With the bother of getting onto the zoomers page I thought that the Monday morning gremlins had followed me home! Four of us were in on Monday! Well the machines were not happy at all! they were most reluctent to cooperate! So we had call in the cavalry.
Well they got us up to a trot! which was better than nothing.
But of course it could be like this every Monday! until a speeding tiger comes into view.
And then to be told we should not be there (well)
But some one else( whose word carries more weight said ) take no notice! we thought the braile class would be in.
Here endith my(roast beef)
We did do well in the cycling championships! are you motivated Dave!!
See you all being well on the 14th

GREETINGS

2008-03-19T18:03:00.002Z

YES. Greeting for this weekend

which is still known as

EASTER.

Have a restfull time

Parliament Live, Dead, or Asleep

2008-03-15T10:22:00.005Z

Missed a crucial debate? Nothing on the TV, and only a repeat of yesterday's shipping forecast on the radio? Then go to the What's on page of the Parliament Live website at:

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Live.aspx

There you can watch either live, or recordings of the last 28 days – there are links for choosing the date immediately after the What's on heading.

On the page there are sections for the House of Common, Lords, Westminster Hall, and Committees. If you click on a link within one of these sections you're taken to a page which displays the video. This works both for broadband or dial-up connections, but the pictures don't move much in the latter case.

What a relief !!! no comments on my -----

2008-03-04T18:01:00.003Z

Who has read the thirty nine steps
Which Elaine and Ken L put together
last week! I could not wait to get to the thirtt nineth step.
Well what a view! Well good looking

Wrapping styles of pictures in Word

2008-02-27T11:31:00.005Z

Following enquiries from bu-cket, here are a few notes about pictures in Microsoft word.

A word document has a text layer, and two graphics layers – one behind the text layer, and the other in front of the text layer. A picture can be formatted:

So that it's a character in the text layer. You can cut, copy and paste it just like a text character, and you can also use the paragraph alignment (left, centre, right) to align it. If you select a picture which is in the text layer, then the resizing handles at the corners are black squares.
So that it's in one of the graphics layers, where it can be dragged around using the mouse. If you select a picture which is in a graphics layer, then the resizing handles at the corners are white circles.

Whether a picture is in the text layer or a graphics layer is determined by its wrapping style, and the possible wrapping styles include:

In line with text. The picture is a character in the text layer.
Square. The picture is in the graphics layer in front of the text, and the text wraps round a rectangle enclosing the picture.
Tight. The picture is in the graphics layer in front of the text, and the text wraps round the outline of the picture, whatever the shape.
Behind text. The picture is in the graphics layer behind the text.
In front of text. The picture is in the graphics layer in front of the text, and obscures any text underneath it.

To change the wrapping style of a picture in a document:

Right click the picture, and choose Format Picture from the shortcut menu.
The Format Picture dialog opens. Move to the Layout page of the dialog, where you can choose a wrapping style.
Click the OK button.

When you insert a picture into a document its initial wrapping style is determined by a setting in Word's Options dialog box. To change this:

Open the Options dialog which is on the Tools menu.
Move to the Edit page of this dialog.
About half way down this page, there's an Insert/paste pictures as drop-down list box, for setting the wrapping style.
Click the OK button.

Chowo has found that Word occasionally forgets this setting, so you may have to reset it from time to time, such as after earthquakes.

A no go situation

2008-02-26T18:37:00.001Z

Hello Chowo and Tiger

Just to say that I have not had any success with the clip art! Should I have selected the picture first then selected the formatting. I thought if I did it this way I would not be catching you out cold on Monday.
Don

Visit to Staircase House 21.2.08

2008-02-25T11:36:00.002Z

We had a very good return visit to the House, this time with excellent new audio descriptions of the entire exhibition.

We went to the Storeroom where the household supplies would have been kept and saw how well organised the running of the house would have been. This ledon to the Cold Store and we heard a conversation of a young boy being given instruction in the preservation of a side of beef. Fish was also preserved and apples stored in layers of straw. Game was hung from the celing and dishes containing herbs and spices.

We then moved into the kitchen with a huge grate, kitchen tableladen with food, hams and fish - fruit -spices which we were able to touch. We were told there would not have been glass in the window, just shutters to keep out the wind and rain.

We went into theparlour where guest would have been entertained with different games including cards and they had wine to drink. Here they would have discussed the days affairs and politics.

The counting room contained quill pens and coins and this is where the masterof the house would have spent a great deal of time. The Shelcross family was very wealthy and owned mines and land and farms producing all they needed to live their pampered lives compared to the commoners. There were heavy carved boxes to contain their recors and money.

The bedroom was dominated by a large four poster beed heavily draped in coarse linen. There was a large cabinet on the wall to house the wine and food that might be needed in the night. The bride's dowery chest would have held the linen brought to the marriage. A women's life was based on marriage, births and deaths.

The dining room was very elegant, with fine china and linen and glasses. The panelson the walls were a bright blue and the historians had found traces of this colour when stripping back the woodwork after the fire. There was a heavy carpet on the floor and a cupboard containing a chamber pot for the men to use once the ladies had left them to their port.

In the music room there was a piano where they intertainws and comfortable chairs and settees for them to rest upon. The next room covered the 1940' with an old valve radio and utility furniture.

We rounded off the visit with a cup of tea and biscuit in the extension to the house which had been added to enable a lift to be installed. The staff were all very helpful and on hand all of the time to answer questions.

As usual our sincere thanks to May for such a highly organised trip and the volunteers for getting us there and guiding us around.

A combined blogg from Ken and Elaine.

Frustration what frustration

2008-01-31T17:36:00.000Z

******** The other day when I wanted to use an asterisk it came in a strange form or shape!

Never mind a computer gent has been and now I can play D V Ds! plus google earth! but the slight down side is I am not to use Magic which is a little tricky for looking for some detail.

It is a challenge (Oh dear)***) Stay in good cheer

Don

Frustration

2008-01-25T18:47:00.000Z

HI you out there I have just spent forever trying to type the letter M in a area of the the screen! but with no success, It would work any where else on the screen and any other letter would work where the M would not.So I will try again tomorrow. Bye Don

Happy New Year 2008

2008-01-14T11:13:00.000Z

Sorry to have missed our first Monday drop in after the Christmas break, but a rather belated happy and healthy New Year to everybody.

With the help of John and Dave let us hope our skills go from strength to strength - or something like that !!

Best wishes to all.

Elaine

scrambled egg

2008-01-14T10:53:00.000Z

The theme of the morning seems to be of a deal of loose ends, I am contibuting to the general uncertaincy of the morning. So I think I will sign off. Take care in 2008. CHEERS bU-CKET

Thanks

2008-01-07T10:28:00.000Z

Many thanks to all my zoomer friends that sent me cards,e=mails and goodwishes for the Festeve season. Thank you very muchl

Greetings from Tiger

2007-12-21T12:46:00.000Z

✡❄✡❄✡❄✡❄✡
❄❄❄❄Happy❄
❄Christmas❄
✡❄✡❄✡❄✡❄✡

Festive Times

2007-12-17T12:30:00.000Z

We have had a very pleasent time this morning with some festive fayre, plus good company. We look forward to the newyear with great expectation!, SO ONCES again seasons greeting to everyone at the Zoomers page. Bye for now see you in the newyear.

Bu-cket

Plans what plans!!!

2007-12-10T11:08:00.000Z

We had hoped for around eight of us to be going for a bite to eat, but for various reasons the numbers are down. Anyway just in case I forget. A HAPPY CHRISMAS TO YOU ALL

Don

Connections If your!!!!

2007-11-26T11:56:00.000Z

Once again the morning is@has gone by very quickly, but not always as one would expect. As usual Elaine is rattling over the keys at an alarming rate. So some one like me feels in awe of her prowess . It is sometimes frustrating how one can keep on making the same mlstake time after time. A question! Are we all happy with our internet connections! ---- A Biker

I'm half crazy all for the love of you

2007-11-24T13:33:00.000Z

I have to admit that it was love at first sight...

The good news is that Microsoft and the DAISY consortium have recently announced a joint project to produce a free plug-in for Microsoft Word, which will enable docouments to be saved in the DAISY format. It should be available early next year. (Photo courtesy of PDPhoto.org.)

Expectations!!

2007-11-19T11:14:00.000Z

I can hear Elaine typing away on her machine so one wonders what is coming out of her busy fingers, which are whizzing over the keys at which to me is an alarming rate. For yours truelly the numbers of words I have done ts perfectic compared with Elaines out put.

A buzzy Monday mornlng

2007-11-12T10:47:00.000Z

Things are happening all over the place! I trust that every one else knows what they are doing! because as usual I am not to confldent, as to what to do plus! this particular key board is not over friendly to some one who cannot whizz over the letters. It looks as though Elaine is golng to be going up a grade! Well done

D J B

Visit to Lowry Gallery 1/10/07

2007-11-05T10:44:00.000Z

Myth of the North
The curator, Brian, told us that this exhibition had been one of the most successful they had launched.

There were various sections built as sets, depicting the many varied aspects of the North and we started by looking at photographs and paintings, showing the heavily industrialised landscapes with chimneys, houses, churches, rivers and bridges. One of the paintings by Isaacs was so detailed, that it could be used as a reference map of the period and area.

We moved on to another set, with the kind help of the gallery staff carrying our seats for us, which depicted a sitting room, decked out with 50's furniture. In one corner an early tiny T.V. set had been rigged up to play a very early recording of Coronation Street, which has influenced the country's conception of life in the North.

There was another corner with a kitchen unit in blue and yellow, which many of our party recognised as having been in their family home. The sitting room area had a leatherette settee and an armchair, which was obviously "father's chair" and a small table with a doily and framed photograph.

The Co-op Shop window contained brands of items I had never heard of. About the only items I knew were 99 Tea and Co-op Biscuits.

We moved on to a works locker room. with a table containing mugs and a tea caddy with a big canteen metal teapot. There was a works notice board, sink, lockers and a dispenser on the wall for coffee or sugar or tea.

The next visit was to Blackpool, with the lights and illuminated displays. Some saucy Blackpool postcards were in a rack, the selection must have been censored as they were mildly rude. A photo showed the beach packed with people, all fully dressed with people sitting in deck chairs and youngsters just lying on the sand with bare feet.

Once again, the Gallery staff looked after us with drinks and biscuits. As I am not overly fond of squashed fly cookies, this time I can't give the usual gushing reference to "yummy treats". Never mind, better luck next time.

Our thanks to Mary for organising this visit at such short notice and to Ann for her usual wonderful audio descriptions. There was so much to see, that Ann was hard pressed to keep up with everything that was happening. The Gallery staff ensured that we all had seats and helped to round us all up when it was time to go.

A superb visit and our sincere thanks to all involved.

Unfortunately Ken is not here to remind me of the things I missed but hopefully will add his thoughts next week.

Posted by Elaine.

There were a couple of transistor radios in the sets, an old wind up gramophone player, some records and one section showed the washing hanging on lines and photographs of houses with a sink and one cold water tap. The paintings and photos showed the men with flat caps and boots.

Corrections

2007-10-29T10:44:00.000Z

It is great when you have a problem, that in most cases someone has an answer! (well in most times). It is interesting that though the computer is so fast! one does have to be patient! Well on the machines I use.
T.T. F.N
Don. P,s This is a scheduled post script! mainly to see if I had spelt programme correctly.( I suppose it depends on which side of the atlantic you live! TTFN 2 Don

Hot Keys in the night

2007-10-22T10:59:00.000+01:00

We all look forward to reading the account of the visit last Thursday to the museum, which by all accounts was very interesting. It seems that the folk who went learned a great deal about creatures of the night. Sounds like a musical !!!

D J.B

Visit to Gallery Oldham 18.10.07

2007-10-22T10:33:00.000+01:00

Things that Go Bump in the Night
We were welcomed with a cup of tea and biscuit whilst Alan Price the Curator of Natural History described how the Exhibition had been set up to cover things that go bump in the night, supposed haunting and some oil paintings.

A corner of the gallery had been set up as a brewery back yard with beer barrels and crates.
There was a fox, mice, rats. cockroaches and hedgehogs. To one side Alan had set up a video, showing black rats at play.

Next display was a badger set, which contained tunnels for children to crawl through which contained alcoves contains various animals. To the side of the badger set there was a model wolf which had been made from leather and there was a display of nocturnal animals including a badger which we could touch.

Alan then showed us his wild life tanks which contained frogs and he fed them some live crickets because they are very particular about what they eat. When he first set up the tank he had left a small gap at the top which the crickets had found and they hid up there so that the frogs could not reach them.
Alan bought in crickets and then bred them. There was a lizard in a tank which Alan had borrowed from the Bolton reptile rescue centre.

At the next section we saw a painting of Thomas Henshaw and also the Blue Coat School in Oldham which he founded. It is suggested that he still haunts the building originally housing the school.

We went back down to the education suite, enjoyed another cup of tea and biscuit and were treated to an hilarious talk by Alan about wild life and handled some specimens. He told us that his interest in bugs etc started when he was a child. His father was a master baker and turned off the lights in the store to show his young family how the cockroaches came out at night in the dark.

Ann gave us an audio description as we went around and the gallery staff ensured that there were chairs for us as we visited each section. A most enjoyable visit and our thanks to all involved in setting up access for us.

Posted by Ken and Elaine

A crowded room!!

2007-10-08T11:08:00.000+01:00

THere was limited space this morning! But if you were here you would know that this is a little whopper.

It is strange how I do one thing and the next moment I wonder what I have just done.

I hear you say that is normal! is it not!

I must remember tha q is not@ in a email address

I will try

Bye Don

Oh! That Monday morning feeling

2007-10-01T11:48:00.000+01:00

I for one have been having a lovely tine getting I don't know where! It is interesting how soon we can get blown off course. The time has gone by but I for one have not a lot to show for the morning. Sorry to have stated the obvious, perhaps you could add something more constructive! It won't be hard.

B.Y.E D,J.B

henshaws meetings

2007-09-24T11:06:00.000+01:00

The meeting next door is in progress! will they grasp hold of the nitty gritty and get matters ! such as one or two large lettered keyboards in place.

bye for now D.J.B

Visit to Pump House 20th September 2007

2007-09-24T10:48:00.000+01:00

We had pleasant and very informative visit to the Pump House last Thursday and were very well looked after by the museum staff who provided a welcome drink with the welcome greeting.

The exhibition termed "Battle of the Ballot" was crammed full of artifacts, too numerous to absorb in one short morning. Many unique and valuable letters and documents relative to the North West.

There were hosts of wonderful paintings on display and a limited number of banners from their huge collection. The struggle for the democratic vote was long lasting and relatively recent for eighteen year olds.

Mary supplied a mouth watering selection of biscuits to accompany the drink supplied by the museum. A very nice end to our very interesting and informative visit.

The museum will shortly be closed for renovation and they would welcome any suggestions for the improvement of the exhibitions.

A NEW START

2007-09-17T10:13:00.000+01:00

Well Folks

Great to see you this Monday morning.
I think it is fair to say that some of us are floundering a little! but I am sure that this will soon change.

See You

Somewhere

2007-09-13T18:31:00.000+01:00

Mistake

It we'll be great to meet again
well meat again!
Let's trust that the foot and mouth is over soon

We'll meet again

2007-09-06T20:41:00.000+01:00

We'll meet again on Monday 17th September, so don't be late. Have missed the pleasure of your company and lookig forward to meeting you at Henshaws. The Zoomers Monday morning group are back online.