VCOD Email News for 20th November 2002

 

·        VCOD news

·              Xmas Appeal

·              Shame File

·              A letter from anonymous

·        Arts & Theatre

·              John Farnham

·              The Wiggles in concert in December 

·        Other Events   

·              H2H Wine Crawl this weekend   

·              Harry Potter & the Chamber Subtitles

·              Werribee Deaf Club

·              Gippsland Deaf Club Xmas

·              DSRV Xmas Rally / Registration Night

·              VCD Xmas Shopping tour

·        Web Sites to visit

Editor’s Note

Congratulations to the Melbourne 2005 Deaflympic Games Organising Committee for securing funding from Federal and State Governments.  This funds will ensure Melbourne will host the “best ever” Games. 

Victorian State Election

People in Victoria will go to the polls on November 30th and VCOD would like to know from you what from Labor or Liberal Government.  Just sent an email outlining what things you would like VCOD to ask and Grant will email them to the Labor and Liberal Party and forward the reply to you.

There is an open forum on Thursday 28th November 2002 where a policy discussion will be held between Hon Bronwyn Pike (Labor) and Lorraine Elliott (Liberal) at Collingwood Town Hall 140 Punt Rd Collingwood from 4pm to 5 30pm. At the moment there is no interpreters but VCOD is following this up so keep an eye on the Web for the latest.

VCOD NEWS

VCOD Xmas Appeal

Would you like to donate to the Deaf Xmas Appeal where presents will be going to Parents of Deaf children or Deaf parents of Deaf/ hearing children?  VCOD, Monnington, VSDC Services for Deaf Children and John Pierce Centre are working together to make sure families who need assistance at Xmas time are supported.  You can make a donation by buying a Xmas present and dropping it off at either the VCOD office at 597 St Kilda Rd Melbourne or at Monnington at

If you like to donate money to the Xmas appeal you can make this donation through a website called our community at http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/giving/appeal_details.do?appealId=108 or write cheque to VCOD at P O Box 6186 St Kilda Rd Central Melbourne 8008.   (All monies donated will go straight to the appeal and VCOD, VSDC. Monnington and JPC will not keep any money.)

By donating a present, you are ensuring that a present is given to a “Deaf” family.  If you have any queries, please contact Melanie Wells at VCOD on 9521 2466 TTY or email to admin@vcod.com.au Closing date for donating present is December 10th 2002. (This will ensure present can be send all over Victoria.)

Shame File

A new awareness program is been established on the VCOD website called the Shame File which is let Deaf people know about programs or services that are not providing a service for Deaf people.  For example if a Government has a TV ad about health and it was not captioned, then that ad would go on the shame file until it was subtitles.

The first VCOD shame file belongs JOHN FARNHAM.  Many Deaf People (about ten people) have contacted VCOD asking for John Farnham concert to be available in Auslan (via an interpreter).  A request was made to Art Access to follow this up and the reply from the John Farnham Management was
          We thank you very much for your request to have interpreters present during the            shows, and although it is a great idea and one that we wish that we could       
           accommodate, regrettably we are unable to do so in this instance. This show is
           an enormous production in a large venue, and although we will
           have screens up, they would not be able to include images of the
Interpreter. 
          
It is for these reasons that we must decline.”

Simply put the response is not good enough.  John Farnham management had no idea where the interpreter would be located because they never asked.  They did not try and attempted to accommodate the needs of Deaf People.  It was a simple no and VCOD is furious and disappointed at such attitude and hence why John Farnham (a great Australian he is) is our first shame file person. 

Check the website for more shame file list including a political group in Victoria who did not have captioning on their ads.

A letter from Anonymous

VCOD recently received an anonymous letter from a person in regards to VCOD lack of lobbying on hotels/ motel captioning TV.  The letter stated that VCOD has done nothing and the person is disappointed with VCOD and that more should be done to have hotel/ motel with captioning TV.  This person also said that when they have asked hotel/ motel in Melbourne the person usually get those devices.

 

VCOD has taken note of this issue and because the person who wrote the letter didn’t not leave a name, VCOD has decided to include a response in this email plus the web.

 

As captioning of TV in Motels/ Hotels involves a number of “Chain” hotel i.e. Flag inn, Hyatt, Sheraton throughout Australia, the VCOD board feels that this is a national issue and will be sending a letter to Australian Association for the Deaf seeking them to undertake the issue on a National basis. 

 

VCOD thank you for raising the issue with us and hope that you can contact AAD to ensure more work is done on this area, as it appears you are doing a very good job now.

Employment Forum for the Deaf

An Expo & information day is being organised for Wednesday 27th November at The Church Hall 10a Hyde St Footscray from 9 30am to 12 30pm.  For more information about this event go to the website at www.vcod.com.au/whatsnews/events and scroll to November

Insurance for Clubs

Wednesday 11th December 2pm-4pm at Knox is the place to be for the information workshop about club liability.  If you would like to attend, please ring 9298 8351 (voice) to book your name in.  If you like more information about insurance then go to the following website http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/insurance/insurance_main.jsp

Newspaper articles about Deafness

If you like to read about Deaf issues or people, then go to www.vcod.com.au and click on media on the left column and you will find recent newspaper articles in there.

Arts/ Theatre News

John Farnham Management Group say No

As reported in the Shame File John Farnham management group has rejected VCOD and Art Access request for interpreters at one of his shows at Melbourne Park.  To read more please read www.vcod.com.au and click on shame file

The WIGGLES are back

Details coming soon but in the first week of December.

Events around Victoria

Werribee Deaf Club

Werribee Deaf Club Social night on 29th November at Central Park Community Centre 80 Lonsdale Circuit Hoppers Crossing from 7pm to 11pm.  Cost Adult $5 and couple $8 kids under 16 free

Here to Hear (H2H) Wine Country Crawl

Saturday 23rd November 2002 starting at 10am. Meet at Young and Jackson where Mini Buss will take you to different winery.  For more information contact 9789 3689 or email anthonylil@yahoo.com.au

W i n E   C o u n T r y   C r a w L !

When:  Saturday 23rd November 2002

Where:10am at Young & Jacksons Hotel

1 Swanston St, opposite Flinders St Station

(Breakfast is available inside from 8am onwards for early morning risers/people with early trains.

Our 2 mystery mini-bus drivers are leaving at 10.15amsharp and will return us to Young & Jackson’s approx 6.30pm)

Where2: Crawling down the Calder via Woodend to The Macedon Winery Region

We shall admire the breathtaking Country Scenery Sip wine in the Sun’n Picnic at Hanging Rock!

Cost involved: $10-$15* per person per seat (depending on numbers) to cover transport

This works out to be cheaper than driving your own car

Plus $ for: Breakfast if early morning riser! Wine tasting (some wineries charge $2.50)

Bottles of wine! – prices can range from $10-50 Lunch…or perhaps we will BYO picnic

PEOPLES! PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR SEAT/S BY ASAP

we have 20 seats available, 1st in 1st served! Friends’n fondles welcome.

RSVP to ‘Pwenny’ email: pwennylane@hotmail.com sms: 0415 993 700

Harry Potter and the Chambers

From 29th November for two weeks Harry Potter will be captioned at Village in the city.  This will be the first time that such a movie has been released on captioned so closed to the Opening Day (@8th Nov is the first screening of Harry in Melb).  VCOD has rang Village to see about seating for Deaf/ Hard of Hearing and there will be no reserve session which means hearing and Deaf people will be serve on first come first serve basis.  Therefore VCOD strongly recommends that pre booking is made to secure your seats.  You can do this by http://www.villagecinemas.com.au/ and chose the following options of either paying online or ringing to secure your tickets.

Gippsland

Xmas party to be held on Saturday 7th December 2002.  For more information please contact Grant at VCOD at info@vcod.com.au

DSRV

Registration Night
Friday 6th December from 9pm to 10pm at Melbourne Deaf Club (Jolimont) for people who would like to register for the Australian Deaf Games   (The Melbourne Deaf Club Bar will be open on this night)

Xmas Rally

Friday 13th December 2002, at Melbourne Deaf Club is the Annual Xmas Rally.  $10 for members of DSRV and $15 for non-members. Starts at 7pm and cost include supper and a chance to win prizes.  Pay at the door.  For more information check www.vcod.com.au and click on events

VCD Xmas Shopping tour

VCD (Victorian College of Deaf Children) is having a Xmas Shopping Spree Tour on 30th November and have a number of seats available so if you would like to do your Xmas shopping on the day and get discounts then ring VCD on  95101705 tty or voice. 

Website to visit

Search engine for Deaf Services, programs clubs etc

 

http://www.disability.vic.gov.au/dsonline/dssite.nsf?Open An excellent website.  Type in the word Deaf in key search and you get information on services link pages events and so much more.

Want a reunion, then why not look up this website to start your own reunion or look for your old school contacts

www.schoolfriends.com.au

Gold Coast Deaf Club website

http://www.geocities.com/gc_deafclub/welcome.html


That’s all for this week.  Til next time have a safe and enjoyable week

 

Grant Roberts and Melanie Wells

VCOD