Our regular branch meetings
These meetings take place on our exclusive London Branch Zoom account. They can last 1-1.30 hours. An agenda and details are circulated beforehand. This is a chance for members to hear how the branch has been managed through financial, membership and social secretaries updates. Every meeting usually invites a guest speaker and provides time for interaction with members.
Join us today: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1tgqYJTvPi_KfCnkvf8ng78dUfqlzfRk_hCzc7ngBlXk/viewform?edit_requested=true
Meeting dates
Monday 6th February. A chance to meet the new committee and discuss
future activities
Monday 6th March. Guest speaker: Tom Skelton, Campaigns officer for the
Southeast region at RNIB and renowned vi
comedian.
Monday 3rd April Guest speaker Sarah Gayton NFB UK Campaigns
Manager and Shared Space Coordinator
Monday 15th May (as 1st May is a Bank Holiday 8th is Kings Coronation holiday)
Monday 5th June
Monday 3rd July
Monday 7th August
Monday 4th September
Monday 2nd October
Monday 6th November
Monday 18 December
Social activities
In 2023 the London branch aim to deliver a range of activities including Theatre trips, cinema visits, museum tours and much more . Dates to be confirmed.
Two new trial Zoom Forums for Campaigning and Technology are planned for 2023 . These will be accompanied by exclusive Whats App groups.
In 2023, due to the uncertainty of the economic climate , our Eastbourne weekend will be offered as a more informal event exclusively for registered London Members. It will take place on the weekend of 6th October 2023 at the Cumberland Hotel situated on the sea front. This will be on a first come first served basis as spaces are limited. An invitation will be sent out shortly.
London Life and other publications
Members upon enrolment receive a free fortnightly E bulletin detailing information on the branch activities and other vi groups. It also provides information on technology and transport.
Back copies are available upon registering for the members only section of this website.
Occasionally the EC )Trustees) will issue official circulars through email. A list of notices are also available on our members only section of this website.
Each month the branch minutes are emailed to all members. These upon request can be received as a USB memory stick and paper form.
Please email london@nfbuk.org for more information.
Fed News is a national publication produced by the Trustees every other month.
This magazine illustrates the work of members involved in campaigning, peer support and information of the Executive Committee, the Trustees of the charity who oversee its operations.
Fed News can also be provided as a USB memory stick and in Braille upon request
Back issues are available once you register for the Members Only section of this web site. Please email admin@nfbuk.org for further assistance.
Past speakers
● Ishan Jha from Travel Hands
● Amanda Beck, HUBS MOBILITY SERVICE LEAD – SOUTH LONDON & Surrey Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People
● NFB UK’s Shared Space Coordinator Sarah Gayton
● A personal perspective lived experience of street access from new member Andrew Lamont
● In April we invited David Clark, Chief Operating Officer at RNIB, for a lively Q & A session, answering many pre-tabled and some live questions.
● Jos Boys from Disordinary Architecture accompanied by testimonials from members who had attended the course earlier in the year.
Past events
Last year members enjoyed a range of social activities including Christmas dinners, lunch meetings and theatre trips.
In 2022 London branch celebrated its 45th anniversary of delivering an Eastbourne weekend for its members. Please click here to see our video https://youtu.be/TGX-qTEE1mw For some people it was their first experience of a London Branch Eastbourne weekend but as Steve added “My first in person however, I did attend both the virtual weekends. For others it was a chance to catch up with old friends. Meeting up with friends I care about. Sheila. Your feedback demonstrates how important peer support is for our members. After the past years of social restrictions and concerns about mixing this weekend certainly lived up to its previous years visits to the sunny resort of Eastbourne.
Above photo shows a large circle of seated Weekenders in the ballroom at the Cumberland Hotel joining the angels choir with… Having a rousing singalong session.
Above photo shows Weekenders in a circle around the central pillar of the ballroom at the Cumberland hotel, enjoying a Russian dance session with the Janet Douglas Dance Group.
From Ballroom spins to bumper cars Blackpool has it all (taken from London Life.40)
As London sizzled over 40 blind and partially sighted people, many from our London branch converged onto Blackpool last week.
Working with other vi groups in London
The London branch supports Aquabats, I Believe, Beyond Sight loss, Extant, Blind Ramblers and Eye Matter. Through their publication we aim to show the range of opportunity in sport, leisure and education now available to our members in their region.
Campaigning
NFB UK is continuing to campaign on various areas including Bus Stop By Passes and assisted travel. Our President, Andrew Hodgson, is meeting the Deputy Mayor of London to discuss some of these concerns on Wednesday 25 January 2023.
The London Branch, in 2023, is to form a Campaigns Forum group which will discuss issues relating to our region. These issues could help to form the national strategy of the charity in the forthcoming years.
If you are interested in becoming part of this please email:london@nfbuk.org:
Fundraising
Over the past two years the fabulous Virtually Eastbourne Team have raised over £1000 for both NFB UK and the London branch through a variety of on-line events. These have included music from 60-90’s, a Grease special , a virtual Eastbourne weekend. We have also held raffles at various events, Bonus Ball games and virtual raffles. These have been organised by the Social Secretaries.
If you would like to make a donation direct to the London branch here are the bank account details:
Name: National Federation of the Blind London Branch
Sort Code: 20-22-67
Account Number: 20669636
Volunteering
All the officers on the London Branch committee work as volunteers and we thank them for their time and commitment. At various activities we engage volunteers to support members needs of guiding, help with refreshments etc.
If you would like to become a volunteer please complete our Volunteer form and state this is for London Branch.
In 2023 the Trustees of NFB UK are encouraging volunteers to take part in activities delivered by external bodies through Zoom.
For more information about these new activities please london@nfbuk.org
Contact with other branches within NFB UK
The London Branch has a designated EC link Karina Gregory from Nottingham Branch. In the past years invitations to other branches to participate in our activities has been gratefully received from Leeds, Nottingham, Central and Coventry amongst others.
At the AGM in 2022, held in Loughborough, thirty members from around the UK were able to physically meet for the first time in two years.
Every year members from London Branch are given the opportunity to represent their branch as delegates and Observers.
Meet the London Branch Committee
Fiona Musgrove Chair
David Bamber Treasurer
Jane Sellers Branch Secretary
Fiona Musgrove Membership Secretary
Rasheed Bello Social Secretary
Tesfai Berhane Social Secretary
Timothy Bamber Public Relations Officer
Darren Vicars Transport Officer
Karl Farrell Transport Officer
Arthur Payne Minutes Secretary
Valerie Clark Special Events Advisor and Honorary
Trustee
Pardy Gil Honorary Trustee
Social media platforms
The London Branch administers a lively Whats App group for its members to interact.
There is also a Ladies ABC (Audio Book Club) operating on Whats App and through monthly Zoom meetings on the first Thursday of each month
Knit Natter, another Whats App group, demonstrates the abilities of our blind knitters at all different levels
To be registered with these Whats App groups please email:
London branch Face Book page
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDZjjaPx4TQhREU16IEoLmg/videos
Twitter https://twitter.com/NFBUK
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NFBUK
Go back to all Branches