As part of th RNIB campain and our march on parliament, we were asked to write a letter to our local MP to organise a meeting to press the importance of the campaign and gain support. Here is the Murray's letter:

Dear Mr Syms,

I am chairperson for the parents group Common Sense, that supports families dealing with children with a visual impairment.

I am also Mum to a 4 ½ year old who is blind, and is beginning to use braille for reading and writing. He will be exclusively a braille user. Getting books that Lucas can read is a real problem for us here at home, and for his Pre-school. Neither pre-school nor the main Poole Library had any Braille books, and it is only after our campaigning in both arenas that any braille books were accessed. A lot of work on Lucas' behalf involves making any curriculum literature suitable for Lucas – that is, it needs brailling, tactile pictures/diagrams where possible, and suitable 'real objects' found to help his level of understanding. This level of input will increase as Lucas gets older, and I am aware that this preparation need will greatly reduce the length of time a qualified teacher for the visually impaired, and a trained learning support assistant will have to help Lucas in an educational setting. This will greatly influence Lucas' educational provision. The government talks about every child mattering, but it doesn't feel like Lucas matters.

Last November, the Rnib published research called “Where's my book?”. Teachers, when asked about solutions, overwhelmingly wanted national coordinated provision of electronic versions of textbooks. These can be used to produce a braille version of the text. At present, Teachers for the Visually Impaired are left scrabbling around to obtain materials in an appropriate format, or to produce them themselves. This would surely not be an acceptable way of producing text books for sighted children, and it shouldn't be for blind children.

I would like to meet with you to tell you more about the problems we face getting books in braille formal, and ask you to help us change the situation. On the afternoon of Wednesday 28^th March children. parents and teachers will be coming to parliament to talk to their MP's. I hope that you are free to meet me, my husband, and our son Lucas during the lobby which is 2-4pm or just before of after that time.

I would be grateful if you could confirm an appointment so that I can make travel plans. If you would like to know any more about the campaign or read “Where's my Book” please visit right.org.uk/right to read.

I will be sending a copy of this letter to Mrs Annette Brooke, because she was our previous MP, and interested in the work of the Rnib and provisions for blind children. I will also be informing the local press that we will be attending this lobby.

Your sincerely,

Sarah Murray

Discussed:

Franks Talk:

• Who can come?

• How can we spread the word?

• Possibility of bringing children if necessary? (we said yes)

Mel and Laine will send the poster to their health visitors to share with other health visitors.

Other ideas with what else to do with Common Sense:

• Soft play session

• Camping/picnic

• General get-togethers - Mel suggested Fernheath where she used to work that has a play area, outside and inside. She is asking them about availability and price, and will get back to us.

We also talked about the reasons as stated on membership forms for joining Common Sense. Common threads seemed to be about talking to parents dealing with similar issues, friendships between children and sharing information and ideas. We also thought that when the children get a bit older, then a 'buddy system' would be nice to arrange. Sarah highlighted the large number of children with a V.I. alongside other disabilities and it was decided that Common Sense must attempt to be as inclusive as possible.

Laine suggested offering parent support. All three of us were happy to do this, but there is some concern about releasing personal phone numbers. It was agreed that we will use email addresses, then using individual discretion for giving out phone numbers on a more private basis. Sarah will see about adding these email addresses to our posters.

The issues with having a group in Dorset, which is geographically a large area to cover. Evelyn had previously mentioned there are some families in Weymouth that might be interested in joining Common Sense, so we wondered about a group going there to meet up with them. It would be best if we were able to have access to a minibus. Jonathan is asking Age Concern, and Sarah is going to ask the BSVI for details regarding loan/hiring.

We discussed fund raising; if we do it, to what aim? Mel has vast experience in this field, so she will work at sourcing possible grants, alongside Jonathan. We wondered about some toys for a library for our members to borrow. Maybe fund some trips and outings.

We looked at the idea of Common Sense fitting under the umbrella of the DBA. Sarah has been sent a copy of the DBA constitution, which we are happy to share. We will set up a bank account in the name of Common Sense for everyday funding (i.e. snacks, tea etc). It was agreed that there should be at least 3 signatories on the account - Mel, Laine and Sarah – who will each be able to withdraw money from it when necessary. Iain (Lucas' Dad) works for NatWest Bank, so Sarah has asked him to arrange this account. Mel and Laine will need to go to a NatWest branch to sort ID.

Jonathan explained about the Action for Blind Actionnaires program and how we would all be receiving a mail shot from them asking us what we would like to see in the area. This seems a trouble free solution to accessing services for the Common Sense members.

Jonathan talked about the 'low vision services forum', and that it would be good for one or two of our parents to share a role on that forum, after gaining feedback from the rest of Common Sense.

Jonathan told us about the Inside Out Trust, which has prisoners brailling books. The project has no time commitments so the books need to be non urgent and non-educational. We discussed applying to the DBA to buy some books for the toy library and having them brailled by the Inside Out Trust. Common Sense now have a selection of information leaflets and brochures, plus some books and toys. Jonathan agreed that the DBA will store these on our behalf. Sarah will make a list of all these resources. Common Sense will happily loan the brailled books to any DBA members who wish to borrow them.

We thought that it would be excellent for the children of Common Sense to meet some of the DBA members, and wondered about Braille story-telling, or a session to meet a guide dog.

Sarah asked Jonathan for the £50 contribution that the DBA were putting towards the music workshop which she had self-funded on the day. He asked that this request be put in writing and then he would pay it.

Jonathan asked for our areas of concern about local provision, and what asked how the DBA could help. We highlighted the ongoing Braille issues (as part of the Braille campaign (PVIC list blog) and the Right to Read Lobby) and stated that if we as parents felt that we needed more help outside of the educational framework, that this would be considered. Then the issue of mobility was raised and we discussed local provision and what we felt was missing. This moved us onto the idea of getting mobility training and suggestions from an outside agency. Sarah is going to research this idea further to look for a suitable candidate.

Jonathan quoted a figure given by Evelyn previously that there are 226 registered V I children in Dorset so we discussed how best to reach them. It was agreed that we should start with the families that we have been able to reach so far and hope that word would spread naturally; in the mean time sending posters to hospitals, health visitors, the CDC and so on was a good idea.

Sarah gave everyone the blog address that has been set up;

www.commonsense-uk.spaces.live.com

The DBA website is under construction, but Sarah will add it to the blog when it is ready.

Sarah also highlighted the right to read lobby that is taking place on the 28^th of March, which Sarah and Mel with their families are attending. Sarah has contacted local MPs and BBC South today about coverage and will mention the DBA.

We decided that it would be good for Common Sense to meet or have an event every 6 weeks to two months, then as the group develops we can review this arrangement. We will arrange a general play and talk session for some time in the near future once we have established whether Mel can access the play area.