VISION IMPAIRED HISTORY LOVERS FROM GREAT YARMOUTH GET HANDS-ON WITH NORWICH CATHEDRAL

A group of vision impaired people from Great Yarmouth were given special access to the treasures in Norwich Cathedral – including the chance to get hands-on with the building’s architecture, decorations and ecclesiastical features.

A group from Vision Norfolk were given a special sensory tour of the Norman cathedral, which saw them hugging the huge columns in the nave, handling the unique copper font (a former toffee vat from the Caley’s Chocolate factory) and feeling jewels on the altar rail and carved memorials on the floor.

The trip was organised by the charity’s Great Yarmouth hub, which organises a wide range of social and leisure activities to help tackle the social isolation which can result  from sight loss.

The group enjoyed a fascinating tour given by two of the cathedral’s volunteer guides, before enjoying lunch in the Refectory.

“Norwich Cathedral is such an iconic building, but for those living with sight loss, getting a measure of its size and majesty can be difficult,” said Ed Bates, hub co-ordinator at Vision Norfolk’s Great Yarmouth hub, who is himself blind.

“This tour gave us a unique opportunity to experience the cathedral through sounds and touch, as well as vision for those who have some sight, and the tour guides really brought the stunning 900 year-old building to life.

“We were very privileged to be able to touch and handle some of the priceless things in the cathedral, and we are very grateful to both the cathedral authorities and our volunteer guides for enabling the group to really get to grips with an important part of our local heritage.”

Vision Norfolk’s Great Yarmouth hub runs a regular programme of social, sporting and leisure activities for anyone living with sight loss.  Full details can be found at www.visionnorfolk.org.uk/supporting-you/activities.