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Thank you for subscribing to The Royal National College for the Blind’s
e-newsletter and welcome to the Autumn 2021 edition.
As always, It’s been an incredibly busy term and although students have been occupied with their studies, the College has also been bustling with all sorts of activities. From cinema nights to talent shows and from Christmas markets to quizzes as well as many events off campus such as Christmas shopping, climbing at the Boulder Barn and a visit to the local football ground to watch Hereford FC in action.
As mentioned in our last newsletter, next year the College will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary. Its founders, Dr Thomas Rhodes Armitage and Sir Francis Joseph Campbell created this ground-breaking College in London on
1 March 1872.
In January, we will be sending out a special 150th Anniversary e-newsletter giving you more information on the celebrations planned, although one of the big events is detailed in this newsletter, just in case you’re struggling for Christmas present ideas!
For now, grab a hot chocolate and a mince pie and sit back and enjoy the read.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
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| The Christmas
Ding DongThere was much festive fun to be had when Business Admin students organised and hosted their famous Christmas Ding Dong event. They really were Santas Little Helpers, donning Santa hats, laying on mince pies, mulled wine and a Christmas sing-a-long. It was a chance to say thank you to everyone who had supported them through their NVQ qualifications during the year. |
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A trip to Berrington HallStudents took a trip out to the National Trust’s Berrington Hall earlier in December and had a great time exploring the gardens and parklands designed by ‘Capability’ Brown. The gardens were decorated for Christmas and students experienced the traditions of times gone by with a horse drawn carriage ride. |
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| A big cheer for
‘Your Herefordshire’As we near the end of term, the year-end also marks the conclusion of RNC’s charity partnership with Your Herefordshire (YH) - a local online news platform. Your Herefordshire has provided a hugely positive link between the College and the people of Herefordshire. By sharing our news, it’s helped to raise the profile of the College and disability sport in the local community and showcased some of our extraordinarily talented students. RNC has been honoured to be Your Herefordshire’s inaugural charity partner and we’re sure whichever charity the baton is passed on to, the YH team will do their utmost to support them. Thank you, Your Herefordshire! |
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Cheque presentation to The Little Princess TrustBack in June, student Meme Robertson organised a charity car wash and raffle, with help and support from fellow students. Meme wanted to raise funds for two charities - RNC and The Little Princess Trust. The event was a great success with over 40 cars going through the car wash and, along with the raffle, raised an impressive £416. The funds were split equally between the two charities and in December, Meme presented a cheque to Kim Musson from the Little Princess Trust.
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| Students enjoy a night
of footballIn November, students got to experience the atmosphere at Edgar Street as Hereford FC took on Blyth Spartans in a National League North match. It was a brilliant evening witnessing a 2-0 win for Hereford. Big thanks to Jonathan Nash, the Hereford FC Community Engagement Manager at the Club for looking after everyone so well. |
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Official opening of student gymTuesday 9 November, marked the official opening of RNC’s newly refurbished student gym with staff and students gathering, along with invited guests, to celebrate.
With fitness and exercise an integral part of the College’s sport and recreation programmes, the newly equipped gym now provides the perfect setting for teaching, keeping fit and planning and delivering gym sessions.
The student gym was refurbished thanks to the generosity of:
Garfield Weston Foundation; Geoff and Fiona Squire Foundation; The Percy Bilton Charity; The Rowlands Trust; Gerald Bentall Charitable Trust; The Spectacle Makers’ Charity; N Smith Charitable Settlement; The Lawson Trust; The Antelope Trust and The Ardwick Trust.
With thanks also to Chris Colbert, Anna Robertson and Barnards Green Cricket Club, Malvern. |  |
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| On the road againThe Marketing and Student Recruitment team attended their first physical event since the pandemic began. The team enjoyed catching up with friends and colleagues at Sight Village, Cardiff in October. It comes after nearly two years of working from home and attending only virtual events. |
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Civic reception for RNC’s blind footballersAt the invitation of The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Hereford, Paul Stevens, RNC’s blind footballers attended a Civic Reception at Hereford Town Hall on Thursday 9 September. This was to honour the team who, in July, had won the FA Disability Cup in a thrilling final at St George’s Park against Merseyside Blind & VI FC. The team was welcomed on the steps of Hereford Town Hall by the Mayor, with full pomp and ceremony, before being applauded through the grand entrance hall by City Councillors as they made their way into the Mayor’s Parlour. |  |
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RNC accredited by ground-breaking dual career schemeRNC is leading the way in supporting talented athletes in education in England, having been accredited by an innovative Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) initiative. The Sport-England backed programme supports young sportspeople on the talent pathway to have the opportunity to gain qualifications alongside their sporting pursuits, follow other interests, as well as further their personal development. |
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GB Women’s Goalball still on track for ParalympicsIn November, Aaron Ford, RNC’s Head of Sport and Head Coach of the GB Women’s Goalball squad, plus two RNC Sports Academy students, Antonia Bunyan and Meme Robertson attended the European A Goalball Championships in Samsun, Turkey. The team finished a respectable sixth position and just missed out on qualifying for the World Championships (top five) but they do remain in the European A league and are on track to maximise two further Paralympic qualification opportunities to be held in 2023. |  |
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| RNC retains Brian Aaron’s CupAt the end of October, RNC’s Blind Football team showed grit and determination to beat Brighton & Hove Albion FC 3-0, winning the Brian Aaron’s Cup for the 2021/22 season. This made RNC champions for the second year in a row. Goals came from Dan English (2) and Owen Bainbridge (1). |
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RNC strongman
takes second spot
in competitionIn October, RNC’s resident strongman, Chris Colbert attended the Arnold Sports Festival UK in Birmingham. He competed in six events over two days in the Standing Class 1 category. Events ranged from the dumbbell medley to the atlas stones. Chris’ hard work in training paid off when he took second place overall in a very strong field, with another ex RNC student, Lloyd Davies, coming in fourth. Chris even earned a ‘like’ on Twitter from Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. Chris had a brilliant weekend and, outside of the competition, got to meet some of the ‘world’s strongest’ personalities. Congratulations, Chris! You really are going from strength to strength. |
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Acoustic shooting demonstrationIn September, the College welcomed Charlie Blow from the National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA). Charlie gave a demonstration of acoustic shooting. As a board member of the NSRA, Charlie is responsible for the Disabled Shooting Project which includes a programme for the blind and visually impaired. It was a popular event with over 25 students in attendance and having a go themselves. RNC students enjoy a wide range of sport on campus, so acoustic shooting was met with real enthusiasm.
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The Fundraising Department has been bustling with activity throughout the year and you’ll read news of successful funding bids, grand openings, general fundraising and challenge events, throughout this newsletter.
Monies raised enable us to buy necessary new equipment, upgrade out of date kit, refurbish areas of our campus and buy in the latest resources. Crucially, donations enable our students to have enriching extra curricular experiences which aren’t covered by their general funding. Every donation really does change lives and we’re incredibly grateful for your support. If you would like to receive a comprehensive Fundraising newsletter alongside our general newsletter, please update your preferences via the blue button below. |
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Chris McCausland’s Speaky Blinder31 March 2022 at 7.30pm
The Courtyard, Hereford
Tickets: £17 Give the gift of laughter this Christmas with tickets for a night of live comedy with one of the UK’s top stand-up comedians and ex RNC student, Chris McCausland. You’ve seen him on Would I Lie to You?, Have I Got News for You, QI, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Live at the Apollo. Now he’s back on tour and we are thrilled to announce that Chris will be performing a fundraiser for RNC as part of the College’s 150th Anniversary celebrations. |
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| Cheers to Robin
and friendsOur first ever Virtual Wine Tasting hosted by stalwart supporter, Robin Stephens, was a great success, raising almost £2,000 for our charity. |
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Funding received to support disability football The College has been awarded a grant of £1,000 from the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s Football Foundation, to return to full team training and start a female team. Funded by The FA and Sport England (using National Lottery funding), this grant comes as part of the Return to Disability Football Fund, a fund launched recently to provide grants of up to £1,000 to support disabled people getting back to playing football following the pandemic. As a result RNC was able to field the UK’s first ever women’s Partially Sighted Football team in November. They played their first competitive game against Llandrindod Wells FC, who adapted their game to play by the Partially Sighted Football rules.
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| Success for Tara and Tim in debut London MarathonAn estimated 40,000 people took to the streets of the capital in this year’s Virgin London Marathon. Amongst them was RNC Alumna, Tara Wheatley, and her running guide, Tim Broome, who were running on behalf of RNC’s sister charity, Blindcare.
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thePoint4 (tP4) is a gym, fitness and conference centre and a national centre for excellence for disability sport. It is owned and run by The Royal National College for the Blind. All income generated from gym memberships, facilities hire and sporting events at the centre supports education for young people with a visual impairment at RNC. |
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A peek at what’s to come in 2022This is thePoint4’s new exercise class timetable for the new year, which comes into effect from 3 January 2022. The new timetable has taken into account feedback from a recent members survey and with some new classes and old favourites we hope there’s something for everyone. ***Classes may be subject to change depending on government advice on Covid-19*** |
Mondays
06:30 - 07:15 Cycle Circuits
09:30 - 10:15 Synrgy
09:30 - 10:15 SpinRevolution
10:30 - 11:15 Legs, Tums and Bums
11:30 - 12:15 Fitness Pilates
14:00 - 14:45 Speciality Class
18:00 - 18:45 Tabata
18:00 - 18:45 SpinRevolution
19:00 - 19:45 Fitness Yoga Wednesdays
06:45 - 07:30 SpinRevolution
09:30 - 10:15 Barre Concept
09:30 - 10:15 Strength and Conditioning
10:30 - 11:15 Fitball and Core
11:30 - 12:15 Pilates
18:00 - 18:45 Strength and Conditioning
19:00 - 19:45 Stretch and Core
19:00 - 20:00 Synrgy Fridays
06:30 - 07:15 HIIT
09:30 - 10:15 Cycle Circuits
10:30 - 11:15 Yoga
11:30 - 12:15 Legs, Tums and Bums
18:00 - 18:45 Tabata Deck Sundays
09:15 - 10:00 Spin Revolution
10:15 - 11:00 Stretch and Core |
| Tuesdays
09:15 - 10:00 HIIT Deck
10:30 - 11:15 Pilates
10:30 - 11:15 SpinRevolution
18:00 - 18:45 Tabata Box
18:00 - 18:45 SpinRevolution
19:00 - 20:00 Yoga Thursdays
09:15 - 10:00 Total Tone
09:30 - 10:15 SpinRevolution
10:30 - 11:15 Circuits
11:30 - 12:30 Fitness Yoga
18:00 - 18:45 Cycle Circuits
19:00 - 19:45 Spin Revolution
19:00 - 19:45 Legs, Tums and Bums
20:00 - 20:45 Pilates Saturdays
09:30 - 10:15 SpinRevolution
10:30 - 11:15 Barbell Burn |
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| Heading home from uni?For students returning home from university for the Christmas holidays, thePoint4 is offering: three-week (£20) and six-week (£35) membership packages. Sign up by 24 December 2021. |
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Christmas opening hours at thePoint4 |
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thePoint4 Christmas opening hours:
24 December 2021 08:00 - 14:00
25 and 26 December 2021 CLOSED
27 - 31 December 2021 08:00 - 14:00
1 and 2 January 2022 CLOSED
3 January 2022 08:00 - 14:00
4 January 2022 Open as normal
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For more information on what thePoint4 has to offer:
Tel: 01432 376 376 (option 1)
Email: enquiries@rncb.ac.uk
Visit: thePoint4, Venns Lane, Hereford HR1 1DT |
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We love to hear what our ex students have been up to since leaving RNC. No matter how long ago, your story could help inspire the next generation of students to take advantage of opportunities, to learn, grow and go on to achieve incredible things. Send your story and a photo to comms@rnc.ac.uk |
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Andrew Fleet (2015 - 2017)Andrew Fleet studied at RNC from 2015 to 2017. He had originally planned to go to university after RNC but decided that he needed a little more practical experience. He took part in a work placement at a London firm which helped him manage his time more effectively and developed his employability skills. He also gained valuable experience working as an activities co-ordinator for the RNIB, followed by three years working for Waitrose, alongside running his own graphic design business.
In October 2021 it was time to follow his dream and he started a Digital Media degree at Portsmouth University. He recently won a university award for a video he created about the city of Portsmouth, which you can watch below. Andrew was heralded for incorporating good editing and sound techniques. Andrews says: ‘Please continue to push students to aim really high in College and beyond, now I’m a lot older I really appreciate it.’ |
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Spotlight: RNC Volunteers |
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Volunteering at RNC can really make a difference. Your time and expertise is invaluable to us and to the student experience. We offer a huge range of programmes and activities for our students, so if you’d just like to help out or have particular skills or experience you think would complement learning or enhance life skills, please email our Volunteer Co-ordinator, Liz Quick: liz.quick@rnc.ac.uk or tel: 01432 265 725. Here’s what our volunteer Katie has to say:. |
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Katie Christopher‘I first got involved with RNC in April 2018, when I was asked to volunteer with VICTA’s activity break which was being held at the College. I was introduced to Blind Football in July 2019 and my interest in it quickly grew. I was the first female sighted goalkeeper in England to play the game and I’m extremely proud to be a regular player and volunteer for both the Blind Football and Partially Sighted Futsal teams at RNC.’ |
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Your Herefordshire, 10 November 2021
The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) celebrates official opening of student gym
Hereford Times, 10 November 2021
Hereford college celebrates opening of new gym
Your Herefordshire, 9 September 2021
Blind Football Team congratulated by Mayor of Hereford at Civic Reception
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Spring Term dates for your diary… |
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Travel Day In
4 January 2022
Spring Term Starts
5 January 2022 RNC Open Day
28 January 2022 Work Experience Week
14-18 February 2022 Travel Day Out
19 February 2022 Have-a-Go’ Activity Weekend
19-20 February 2022 Half Term
21-25 February 2022 Travel Day In
27 February 2022 National Careers Week
7-12 March 2022 |
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