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Colourful sights
Good times roll for visually impaired
by howard williamson
EVEN if you are visually impaired, you like some colour in your life.
So when students at Henshaw's College for the Blind in Harrogate were invited to change their common room, they asked for something garish.
Bright pink, bright green, bright blue and bright red walls or doors.
Some of them can appreciate the colours and for others who are more visually impaired there will be braille signs naming each colour.
The common room and barbeque area were given a dramatic "Changing Rooms/Groundforce"-style makeover in just a day by students working with volunteers from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The accountants discarded their suits and laptops, donned overalls and picked up paint brushes or garden shears.
They took the lead in decorating the room or tidying up the barbeque area and the Henshaw students gave them maximum assistance.
Henshaw's volunteer co-ordinator Asha Munn said: "Some of our students were guided to use a paintbrush. Others pulled out plants or cut off branches – that's huge for them.
"The common room is surrounded by lots and lots of bushes which can seem scary to visually-impaired youngsters. So the volunteers chopped them back.
"Our students asked for a pet's corner with perhaps a rabbit or a puppy but we have settled for a fish tank instead.
"Volunteers will come in later and give the room some funky lighting.
"We also hope to create a sensory garden and a sound garden." Paint was donated by Kalon of Birstall and equipment was provided by Handy Hire of Leeds.
howard.williamson@ypn.co.uk
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Friday 25 May 2012
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