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Audio Description in Theatres, Cinemas and Television

CINEMAs: the ODEON in the Gate, Newgate Street Newcastle and UCI Cinema near busses in Gateshead Metro Centre are fully operational with 40 headsets. For more information goto your local cinema full speech site. The following cinemas hope to provide AD soon: Odeon Darlington, Hartlepool Warner Village (Vue) Cinema, Northumberland Forum Cinema Hexham and Middlesbrough UGC Cinema.

Cinema Concessions The Cinema Exhibitors' Association (CEA) is launching a brand new card that entitles a disabled person's companion to a free cinema ticket. To qualify you must be in receipt of one or more of the following: Disabled Person's Railcard; Disability Living Allowance; Registered blind. The card will cost £5 and be valid for three years. The CEA Card will be available from 1 October 2004, but you can apply now by Email: applicaitons@ceacard.co.uk or 0151 348 8020.

TV: SKY satellite service have audio description available on a few Sky channels via its 'narrative' channel. FREEVIEW terrestrial digital TV: There is one digibox which can receive terrestrial TV digital whichwill not only deliver audio description, but will tell you which channel you're on using speech; has large print and CD instructions. Designed for blind and partially sighted people and, using your phone line, it will connect to a link to Freeview AD on TV - electronic programme guide which will speak to tell you which programmes carry audio description. You can order the box, made by NetGem, call 0800 015 30 92. The box costs £119.99 plus £5 postage and packing. SONY now sometimes include an AD FRREVIEW tuner in their latest TVs. There is also a Personal Cumputr PCI FREEEVIEW card which does some of the above from Nebular, however speak to them do not order AD card over web.
For full prgramme information on all TV channels try MyDigiGuide.com works with screen readers or TvHelp which includes AD programmes.

VHS Videos are available from the RNIB for hire @ £2.50 for 2 weeks or purchase, ring 0845 023 153 for catalogue and orders.Some DVD videos have audio description included from their menu - check the sleeve first, which is always in small print! Any audio description on is wonderful for the VI.

For sport on TV - if you can find a simultaneous radio commentary you've got it made - but if you have one an analogue service and the other a digital service they will be out of sync by about 2 seconds.

Theatres! - Theatre Royal Newcastle occasionally gets others in to supply the service but is not trying very hard to do it themselves - an absolute disgrace as they are members of the Adio Description Association (ADA), Sunderland Empire - some pantomimes are being described. See the National Vocaleyes

Local Day Centres, Clubs, Leisure, Social and Recreational Activities in N.E.

There are Day Centres in all areas providing hot lunches, social activities, excursions, etc. Transport from your home is available. You must be recommended by your

Local Voluntary Organisations canprovide information on other social activities as well as details of hotels providing facilities and programmes for visually impaired guests.

Tyneside Recreation Club for the Blind has an extensive programme, including walks and rambles, ten-pin and carpet bowling, archery, tandem riding, coffee mornings, lunch club, games evenings, talks, etc. They meet in Summerhill Road, Newcastle (near the Big Lamp). Annual membership costs £2. (0191) 266 8315

The Friday Disabled Club meets at 10am every Friday at Heaton Community Centre, Newcastle, and provides dominoes, cards, Bingo, quizzes and lunches. Ring or drop in. (0191) 243 5287

Sightwise andlsquo;Pop-inandrsquo; meets Tuesdays 2.00 andndash; 4.00 pm at the Quaker Meeting House, Archbold Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne

VIPs Friendship Group (0191) 455 2632

Gateshead Visually Impaired Bowling Club (0191) 460 6014

National Organisations

National Trust are progressing with Large Print, Braille and site audio guides - Get 'Information for People with Disabilities Guide'. Membership allows a disabled person a guide free admission. Getr their magazine on tape (Yorks from Goddards, 17 Tadcaster Road, York, YO24 1GG). Tel: 020 7447 6742 Email: accessforall@nationaltrust.org.uk

Blind Golfing Association 020 8761 1904 work to special rules.

Northern Blind Racegoers Club (Subsidised, assisted racegoing) 0113 232 6311

British Blind Sports Association forinfo on specialist and regular sports (01926) 424247

Disability Sports 020 2354866 lsf@disabilitysport.freeserve.co.uk

The English National Association for Visually Handicapped Bowlers - 'String bowls' there are local groups Tel: 01502 514700 e-mail: gailh@fish.co.ukto find out more.

Talking Football - Free 3 monthly magazine on CD Tel: 01484 300 854 or Email talkingbooksco@aol.com

NUFC Disabled Supporters Association 01670 717739

Sunderland FC Disabled and Escort Branch 0191 384 7835

Blind Chess Association for V.i.s and Associates (01926) 425 803

Visually Impaired Musicians Society 01298 29529

Disabled Photography Society - Includes many VI members; contact secretary for VI info. 01256 351990 E-Mail Tony@lock46.fsnet.co.uk

'Come Gardening' quarterly magazine for the VI in any format @ £5.00 per year includes access to their extensive cassette library. 'Getting on with Gardening' Book in most formats for VI's @ £3.50. All by 'Thrive' 0119 988 5688 or answerphone 0118 988 6668 or www.carryongardening.org.uk or through RNIB 08457 023 153. Note that Thrive at various dates run residential courses for all experiences at Reading for £99 either Tel or Email

'Chatterbox' for Tapespondence on mutual interests, magazines etc. 01952 616 410

DAWN 'Listening Ear' magazine tape for sharing ideas, problems and suggestions freephone 0800 073 071

RNIBcan supply Football League Tables in preferred format for £1 Tel: 0845 7023 153

Tactile Greeting Cards of various scenes, with personal message in Braille or Large Print at £2.50 each Tel: 01352 756 202

RNIB hold regular (musical) keyboard residential courses for VIP's of various abilities, with accommodation for partners etc.

Art for the VI www.tate.org.uk/imap

Pottery is now ver popular, courses run by your LEA also Sight Servies in Gateshead and South Tyneside. If unable to find any try RNIB Simon Labatt 01423 503 957

Sailing opportunities exist in the N.E. Contact the Royal Yachting Association on 0845 345 0403 or Royal Northumberland Yacht Club at Blyth.

The National Tape Club (40% members are VIPs) for chat ,music, and correspondence with like minded people on standard audio tape - £3 per annum including magazine: Secretary 01633 281 314 brian.longlands@btopenworld.com