Liz is responsible for:
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Co-ordinating Calibre´s attendance at exhibitions and events as well as attending many of them, which involves travelling the length and breadth of the country.
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Maintaining links with front line professionals to provide them with information and resources so that they feel confident about recommending users to Calibre´s service. Delivering practical workshops sessions to these groups.
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Co-ordinating Calibre´s Christmas merchandising operation
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Involved in the production of all Calibre´s publicity materials and Annual Review
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Shared responsibility for speaking to press, creating publicity items for the media and other groups, also giving talks.
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Born and brought up in Stirling, Liz started her career as PA to the Town Clerk & CEO of Stirling Town Council. She then moved to Edinburgh as PA to the Chairman of Scottish Gas. After she got married, moved to Buckinghamshire and had two children, she continued part time work with another two local authorities, a pharmaceutical research company and spent 3 years as an Activities Organiser in a nursing home.
As well as paid work and bringing up her family, she has spent 35 years as a volunteer with the Guides in various roles, including more recently Assistant County Commissioner for Bucks, Anglia´s Regional Public Relations Adviser, and a licensed Trainer. She has obviously gathered lots of experience of youth work over the years but Liz says the most important thing she has learned is the great value of a volunteer!
Calibre Audio Library
New Road
Weston Turville
Aylesbury
HP22 5XQ
E-Mail: enquiries@calibre.org.uk
Web: www.calibre.org.uk
Jamie Cuthbertson - RNIB Connect: Streaming Audio
Jamie was educated in Glasgow and has a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and an MSc in Information Technology, both from Glasgow University.
He lost his sight in an explosives accident whilst serving as a Captain in the Royal Engineers. Having been given rehabilitation support at St Dunstans in Brighton, he worked for 9.5 years at the Glasgow & West of Scotland Society for the Blind, both as an administrator and then as Technology Officer. Jamie then moved to his current post of Development Officer with RNIB Scotland in July 2001.
Jamie has been involved in training blind and partially sighted people in the use of a range of technologies including computers, the DAISY format and more recently the RNIB Connect project using the Orion Webbox to stream audio content from the internet.
He enjoys a wide range of leisure activities including running, DIY and ´strangling´ a number of musical instruments though his family are less keen on this interest!!
E-Mail: jamie.cuthbertson@rnib.org.uk
Web: www.rnib.org.uk
Allison West - Thrive: Making gardening accessible to VIPs
Allison is a Rehabilitation Officer for South Lanarkshire Council and a volunteer with the horticultural society, Thrive.
Allison's involvement with Thrive began some years ago, when she saw an advert in a mainstream gardening publication for a weekend course for visually impaired gardeners. She joined the weekend as an interested participant working with the visually impaired, and a keen gardener. Thereafter she was invited to return as a guide/helper and then to become the Scottish Representative on the Advisory Committee for blind gardeners, supporting Thrive on issues relating to visually impaired gardeners.
Tel: 0118 988 5688
Web: www.thrive.org.uk
Terry Robinson - Describe Online
Terry graduated in Electronics from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1973 and spent 26 years working in the defence electronics industry as an electronic, software then quality engineer before becoming self employed as Describe Online in 1999.
Apart from pursuing this absorbing business, he maintains an active interest in amateur radio, gym training, DIY, good food and beer.
He is fully aware of the benefits technology can bring to us all, particularly the blind/vision impaired. Terry says that "Technology can give with one hand and take with the other, I´m therefore keen to ensure that broadcast and online media remain useful to us." To this end, he is a trustee of RNIB and plays an active role in the British Computer Association of the Blind (BCAB).
He is also passionate about access to the built environment and, apart from attempting to improve this through his business, he plays an active role in the Glasgow Access Panel and is a member of the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance.
Terry lives with his partner, Anne, who´s "put up with him" for nearly eighteen years now. "That's no mean achievement", says Terry!
E-Mail: terry@describe-online.com
Web: www.describe-online.com
Ross Macfadyen - An Insight into Insight Radio
Ross has worked in the media industry in Scotland for 16 years. Before joining the RNIB, he was Director of Programming for Radio Clyde - responsible for Clyde 1 and Clyde 2.
Ross started his radio career as a presenter and still broadcasts weekly in Glasgow. He moved through and up the ranks into management, from overnight presenter to working during the hours of daylight! He eventually reduced his on air commitments to concentrate on the business side of radio.
Ross was tempted away from the commercial side of radio when the RNIB needed someone with the right experience and knowledge to launch their new radio service. Ross joined RNIB in the Summer of 2006 and is now Radio Services Manager. In this role, he is responsible for the creation and development of radio services across the UK.
Insight Radio
17 Gullane Street
Glasgow G11 6AH
Tel: 0141 357 3518
E-Mail: Ross.Macfadyen@RNIB.org.uk
Web: www.Insightradio.co.uk
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In case you missed the 2006 conference or you´ve forgotten what was said, you can listen to two of the speakers.
Pete Osborne
Pete Osborne is a life long user of audio information and has had an active interest in the development of standards for many years. As Head of Library and Production Services for RNIB, he has led the digitisation of RNIB´s Talking Book Service, which now delivers two million books to over 40,000 customers each year.
There are 13,000 unabridged titles on audio CDs using digital DAISY technology. This means blind and partially sighted readers can bookmark the page they are reading or skip to a chapter - the way a print reader would read a print book. The books are all recorded using professional actors, narrators and sometimes the authors themselves and they have recently converted all their analogue tapes to digital CD. For more information and how to join, call RNIB on 0845 762 6843 or visit www.rnib.org.uk.
Maureen Harrison
Maureen Harrison is Chair of the Institute of Fundraising Scotland. She was Scottish Director of Imperial Cancer Research Fund, responsible for setting up a chain of charity shops and fundraising activities for 13 years. In 1997, she took up appointment as Director of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation and is responsible for the running of the charity. Maureen was previously Chair of the Public Affairs Committee of the Institute of Fundraising. In this capacity, she has been involved in the work around the Charities and Trustee Investment Act and the development of Self Regulation.
E-Mail: maureen.harrison@luht.scot.nhs.uk
Web: www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk
