Post by FKoE on Aug 30, 2004 0:08:21 GMT -5
When Cynthia Richards was a child blind people were objects of pity who were often left just sitting in a chair.
But for nearly 30 years the rehabilitation of blind and partially sighted people has been her life.
The 59-year-old mother-of-two is stepping down as manager of Education and Resources at Christopher Grange in Liverpool, part of the Catholic Blind Institute.
But she leaves with the gratitude of her students and the applause of her peers ringing in her ears.
Mrs Richards says: "The biggest thing for me has been to see someone come here in a heap and go out with their heads held high."
The Catholic Blind Institute offers holistic care for blind or partially sighted people of all faiths and none from the cradle to the grave.
The rehab centre offers help to anyone aged 17 and over.
And the results are impressive. Several students have now gone to university. Others run specialist services for other blind people while a man who thought losing his sight would cost his business is now running the business again.
But she takes equal satisfaction from students such as a lady, aged 92, who "wanted help with her mobility as she had lost the confidence to go to the shops".
"More than anything she wanted to learn to type so she could write letters to her daughter in Canada - corresponding is very important to that age group," she says.
Mrs Richards left school at 14 to work in sewing machine factory.
Looking after her own children kindled an interest in teaching and a decade later she started teaching domestic science in a Catholic school in Widnes.
But 18 months later the chance to work at Christopher Grange came along.
One of the nuns at the school asked if she wanted to work at the centre but she was dubious she had heard "negative things" about the Catholic Church and nuns.
She went out of politeness but felt immediately at home and began teaching kitchen skills to blind and partially sighted people.
A resourceful and creative person, she adapted recipes and methods to make cooking quicker and easier for her students.
"I used to try every recipe out blindfolded," she recalled.
Her work has grown down the years. She has even devised a course accredited by the Open College to teach visual impairment awareness to organisations.
Despite the advances promised by the Government's Disability Discrimination Act she believes blind people are the forgotten disabled.
"Blindness does not seem to fit the social model of disability and that is why we are ignored. A great deal of my work has been to promote this at every chance."
Her peers in other blind organisations praise this example and dynamism.
"She has such great commitment and enthusiasm, " says Jim Moran Chief Executive of Liverpool Voluntary Society for the Blind.
"She has been a great support to our organisation" says Jan Gilbertson of Action For the Blind.
She sums up her students with a series of words and phrases.
"Courage. You can do anything with help. Laugh a lot. Friendship. Being there for each other."
More than 2,000 students are now living independent lives of quality, as a result of the centre.
For a person who admits to working way beyond the call of duty stepping down is painful but she wanted "time for myself" and for her husband Frank and grandchildren.
But even now she is thinking about possible future projects.
<<SOURCE>>
But for nearly 30 years the rehabilitation of blind and partially sighted people has been her life.
The 59-year-old mother-of-two is stepping down as manager of Education and Resources at Christopher Grange in Liverpool, part of the Catholic Blind Institute.
But she leaves with the gratitude of her students and the applause of her peers ringing in her ears.
Mrs Richards says: "The biggest thing for me has been to see someone come here in a heap and go out with their heads held high."
The Catholic Blind Institute offers holistic care for blind or partially sighted people of all faiths and none from the cradle to the grave.
The rehab centre offers help to anyone aged 17 and over.
And the results are impressive. Several students have now gone to university. Others run specialist services for other blind people while a man who thought losing his sight would cost his business is now running the business again.
But she takes equal satisfaction from students such as a lady, aged 92, who "wanted help with her mobility as she had lost the confidence to go to the shops".
"More than anything she wanted to learn to type so she could write letters to her daughter in Canada - corresponding is very important to that age group," she says.
Mrs Richards left school at 14 to work in sewing machine factory.
Looking after her own children kindled an interest in teaching and a decade later she started teaching domestic science in a Catholic school in Widnes.
But 18 months later the chance to work at Christopher Grange came along.
One of the nuns at the school asked if she wanted to work at the centre but she was dubious she had heard "negative things" about the Catholic Church and nuns.
She went out of politeness but felt immediately at home and began teaching kitchen skills to blind and partially sighted people.
A resourceful and creative person, she adapted recipes and methods to make cooking quicker and easier for her students.
"I used to try every recipe out blindfolded," she recalled.
Her work has grown down the years. She has even devised a course accredited by the Open College to teach visual impairment awareness to organisations.
Despite the advances promised by the Government's Disability Discrimination Act she believes blind people are the forgotten disabled.
"Blindness does not seem to fit the social model of disability and that is why we are ignored. A great deal of my work has been to promote this at every chance."
Her peers in other blind organisations praise this example and dynamism.
"She has such great commitment and enthusiasm, " says Jim Moran Chief Executive of Liverpool Voluntary Society for the Blind.
"She has been a great support to our organisation" says Jan Gilbertson of Action For the Blind.
She sums up her students with a series of words and phrases.
"Courage. You can do anything with help. Laugh a lot. Friendship. Being there for each other."
More than 2,000 students are now living independent lives of quality, as a result of the centre.
For a person who admits to working way beyond the call of duty stepping down is painful but she wanted "time for myself" and for her husband Frank and grandchildren.
But even now she is thinking about possible future projects.
<<SOURCE>>
Nice one Howie