Available leisure activities
What leisure activities are available for me?
Everyone needs time in their life for leisure. If you have recently lost your sight, you may feel that you can no longer carry on with a favourite hobby or pastime because of your eyesight but often this need not be the case. Or perhaps you would welcome the opportunity to try something completely new.
Henshaws Society for Blind People provides a wide range of social opportunities and groups for blind and visually impaired people. These include: writers' groups, art galleries and museums group, evening social groups, family activities and days out, IT groups, Thai Chi group, Braille classes, gym bunnies, lunch clubs, Information groups, social groups for older people as well as a range of external groups which meet at our Manchester and Merseyside Centres to provide support and advice, such as the Macular Disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Partially Sighted and Glaucoma groups. See the What's On section of this website for more information about groups near you.
Audio descriptions allow blind and partially sighted people to participate fully in live theatre performances. A description of what is taking place on stage including set, movement, body language including facial expressions, are transmitted through a single ear piece during the performance. Audio described theatre is now available at individual theatres including many venues throughout the UK. Contact you local theatre for more information.
For those interested in sport, British Blind Sport is a membership organisation open to all visually impaired children and adults. The activities are run by the members themselves, as volunteers, through Sports Sections which include: archery, athletics, bowls, cricket, football, goalball (a sport devised for the blind and for which BBS is the National Governing Body), shooting, swimming and ten-pin bowling. Additionally, we link to information about VI judo, chess, golf, riding, sailing, skiing and water sports. There is active encouragement of those VI people who wish to pursue their chosen sport through mainstream sports clubs too.