Club Wilber’s 7th Birthday Party
Last week we celebrated Club Wilber’s 7th Birthday at New Earswick Folk Hall, with a space themed party.
Our annual birthday party is the perfect excuse to get our Club Wilber families together to catch up, and enjoy activities and party food. This year we had a space theme, and were excited to welcome University of York’s Tactile Universe, with some of their activities. The children loved the dark pop up tent with the VR headsets and creating their own solar systems with Playdoh. We were also treated to video call from Dr Dr Nicolas Bonne, a visually impaired astronomer from the University of Portsmouth, who started the Tactile Universe initiative.
A young boy stands in front of an inflatable sun crafting at a table.
Crafting and getting messy with things to can take home is always popular, so we had a table to make and decorate a wooden rocket, and a home-made bubble bath table too. Alex from Face Paint York also joined us again, providing the young people (and a lot of the adults!) with beautifully painted faces and arms.
A teenage girl gets her face painted around her forehead.
The Folk Hall put on a yummy party buffet for lunch and afterwards we sang Happy Birthday. Everyone took home a slice of the delicious traybake, along with a with a space themed party bag!
This birthday party was extra special, as it was Activities Coordinator, Megan’s, last one. And she really pulled out all the stops for this party, ensuring it was one to remember. A huge thank you to Megan for another fantastic party, and to the Folk Hall, for always welcoming us and helping us provide an accessible space to celebrate in.
tWO ADULTS STAND AT A TABLE WHERE PEOPLE ARE FRAFTING AT A PARTY. tHEY ARE BOTH WEARING SPACE THEMED COSTUMES.
Club Wilber started in 2019, as a way of creating a club for children and young people with a visual impairment, and their families. We arrange accessible activities and events that the whole family can enjoy, regardless of vision or disability, and its a welcoming place for children and parents to bond over common experiences.
InSight Magazine- Autumn 2025

Our latest edition of InSight is out now.

This edition includes:

You can read the latest issue of InSight here or by clicking the image below-

The front cover of autumn InSight magazine

You can listen to InSight here-

Letter from the CEO

Connecting with the sector- YorSensory

Judi Dench

Club Wilber’s summer adventures

Club Wilber turns 6

Tenant’s Bridlington trip

Tinnitus Support Group

YOPA Fair

Visionary Award nomination

Stronger Starts fundraiser

Visionary Award shortlist!
We are proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Visionary Award for Customer Excellence for the work our Activities and Events Coordinator, Megan, does for our Club Wilber group.
 
Examples given of Megan’s hard work and dedication to Club Wilber include the trip to Magna and Yorkshire Sculpture Park where a massive amount of organisation and communication with both venues was undertaking, with the trips taking months to plan. Both trips included far more than a standard visit would have done, with dedicated staff on hand and extra steps taken to provide inclusive and accessible days out.
 
The awards are being given on Wednesday 24th September and we have our fingers crossed for a well deserved win.
Club Wilber Lush Party
At the end of May, our Club Wilber families took part in a bath bomb making workshop with the brilliant Lush!
Wilberforce House was filled with the amazing smells from the products and materials that Leona and Alysha brought with them.
The families got to try out lip scrubs, learnt how to make bath bombs and feel all of the materials and then had a chance to win some products during a game of Musical Statues. They were able to feel and smell lots of products and enjoy all of the different textures.
Thank you Leona and Alysha, we loved our morning with you!
Club Wilber & VICTA Young Achievers
Collaborating with the Vision Impairment Education Team at City of York Council, Club Wilber had their second session for the VICTA Young Achievers Award, this time working towards the Nature element.
In the first of two sessions for this part of the award, young people worked hard to turn everyday recycling into what they dubbed ‘apartments’ for our brand-new bug hotel in Wilberforce House’s sensory garden. After stuffing the hotel with their ‘apartments’, leaves, sticks, rocks, and pinecones, we returned inside to vote on the name of our new bug hotel.
Introducing Wilber’s Garden Guesthouse- bespoke sign coming soon!
Club Wilber Easter Egg Hunt!
The end of April saw the return of our flagship event; our accessible Easter Egg Hunt! This event launched Club Wilber back in 2019 and uses specially made eggs with a sound mechanism inside so they can be found by using hearing rather than sight.
Continuing the success of last year, the event was spread across the inside of Wilberforce House, and the grounds. Inside our community space, families could take part in different, free Easter themed crafts and face painting, with the amazing Alex from Face Paint York, and enjoy treats from Weston’s Café.
Outside, the bleeping eggs, and little eggs containing treats, were hidden in baskets, on little picnic mat stations to draw the children in. At the end of the course, and after eating what was inside, the children were able to exchange the little eggs for a larger chocolate one, and plenty managed more than one go round the course!
Sighted siblings joined in the fun by donning an eye mask, so they too were relying on their hearing to experience this unique, seasonal activity.
The egg hunt is one of the biggest on our Club Wilber calendar and has always been hugely popular. On its first year, the event won the Silver Award in the Charity Event category at the Minster FM People’s Choice Awards.
For both the Club Wilber families and the staff and volunteers, the egg hunt isn’t just a chance for a chocolate haul, but also an opportunity to catch up and spend time with people that share experiences. A huge thank you to our volunteers on the day, some new and some who return to help at this event every year, as they love it so much. And also to our Easter Bunny, who gives his time to us every year!
Club Wilber went on Safari!
Club Wilber had fun on Safari last week!
Helen and Ava from Sam’s Safaris came to tell us all about the animals in their care. We learnt some cool facts and enjoyed having a feel of all the animals; running our fingers along lizard scales, feeling sticky snail feet and patting the blanket soft fur of a chinchilla. We even had a noisy duck piping up to greet us. Afterwards, we had a game of hungry hippos, played with some rain sticks, had a go on the African drum, and enjoyed some safari themed refreshments!
Thank you to the Sylvia and Colin Shepherd Charitable Trust and LNER who helped fund this activity.
InSight Magazine – Winter 2024

Our latest edition of InSight is out now.

This edition includes:

 

Click here or the image above to read the latest edition of our InSight Magazine

Club Wilber visits the Panto!

Finishing a fabulous, festive season at the Wilberforce Trust, we attended the pantomime at York Theatre Royal at the weekend with some of our Club Wilber families. This year’s show was Jack and the Beanstalk and it was as entertaining and funny as we have come to expect from this historic theatre. Like last year, we were also delighted to be able to experience a private ‘touch- tour’ of the set and costumes before the show.

At the start of the tour we were introduced to the stage, set and story by one of the theatre’s accredited Audio Describers, who talked us through different scenes and costumes we would expect to encounter. She explained what we might hear to tell us that something in particular was happening, such as a character entering the stage, which was really helpful to build a picture of what we were about to watch. We were then invited onto the stage to look at the props, set and costumes and more importantly to feel them. These included the ‘Cow Wash’ (like a car wash!) and the top of the huge Giant costume. We could hold some of the smaller props, like the velvet bags of beans and coins, and the team were so helpful with explaining things and allowing the children to ask loads of questions. Being able to use their sense of touch is hugely important for a lot of the children, enabling them to build a picture in their minds of what the characters and set may look like.

Once we took our seats in the main auditorium, those that wished to could use a headset so the action on stage could be described to them to bring the action to life. The performance was amazing and everyone, grown- ups and children alike, had a really enjoyable time. A big thank you to the staff and crew at York Theatre Royal, especially Gill and Ted the Audio Describers, who helped make this a really magical event. A particular thank you to the York Theatre Royal pay- it- forward scheme, who provided some free tickets, and to The Victoria Wood Foundation for their generous grant which enables us to continue providing arts and culture activities.

 

Club Wilber’s Christmas Party

Last weekend, and for the first time, we were delighted to open the doors of Wilberforce House for the Club Wilber Christmas Party! Across the open plan Living & Learning Zone, we had craft activities, a sensory space, a disco area and a chocolate fountain.

As our families arrived late morning, they dived straight into the festive fun; making snowmen, decorating and filling their own crackers. As soon as the smell of chocolate filled the air, children, and adults, jumped to the fountain to dip festive kebabs of fruit and sweet treats. The sensory area, with lights, textures and sounds, was popular with the littlest Club Wilber members, and it was the perfect place to escape the busyness of the café area.

After a buffet lunch of sandwiches, pizza and nibbles, the children were excited when the Big Man himself, Santa Claus, walked through the door to the jingle of bells and took a seat by our huge Christmas Tree. The families took it in turns to meet Santa and say a few words and receive a present. The expressions on the children’s faces at this special moment at the party make all the hard work worth it for the team!#

We were delighted to welcome Club Wilber Ambassador and York City Knight’s player, Will Jubb to the party, along with his partner Jess. They spent time making snowmen with the children and chatting to the families, who are always really excited to see Will. We also gave him a congratulation present for his recent graduation, with a Doctorate of Philosophy in Fisheries Studies from The University of Hull.

Like the Birthday Party and at Halloween, these parties are the perfect time for the families to catch up. We waved everyone off and wished them a Merry Christmas and we’re already excited for our Panto trip together in January!