Nancy Plummer: tireless champion of the sight impaired

Martin Sykes, of the Long Eaton & District Talking Newspaper for the Sight Impaired, recently spoke to Nancy Plummer, who runs the Erewash VIPs (Visually impaired Club) and who is, in his opinion, one of the most inspirational and influential people he knows.

Nancy was at Long Eaton Town Hall back in 1978 when a meeting was held, chaired by the then Mayor of Long Eaton, when the decision was made to create a Talking Newspaper in the town.

Since then, Nancy has been responsible for giving the Talking Newspaper many of its listeners, but she was also instrumental in starting up the Erewash VIPs (Visually ImPaired Club). 

Nancy started the Erewash VIPs back in 1978 when she was working for the County Council as a Visually Impaired Social Worker, a position she held for 39 years, until she retired. She found that a lot of visually impaired people didn’t go out much because, if they went to groups that played Bingo, for example, they would sit in silence for an hour and would get tired of that because they couldn’t talk to anybody.

So, Nancy started the Erewash VIPs at the back of her office and then she moved to Community House, in Long Eaton, for a good many years. The club was then moved to the Methodist Church Hall at Breaston, on Blind Lane, because that there was a better room there with a better space, and it has been there ever since.

Nancy used to get word to people who were registered Visually Impaired in the Erewash area, but now, unfortunately, people are not getting to know about the Club because social workers don’t do what she used to do.

Nancy says that the Long Eaton and District Talking Newspaper has been a good thing because the volunteers there continue to tell its listeners about the Club, which runs on a Wednesday afternoon from 2pm till 4pm. The Club puts on a different programme every week, because Nancy believes that variety is the spice of life. 

The programme consists of Musical items, Bingo, Quizzes and other games that the members can all play all together in a group for the first hour. During the second hour, they enjoy tea, coffee, cakes, sausage rolls and sometimes a bit more if someone has a birthday.

Everyone who makes their own way to the Club pays £3, if they come by taxi, they pay £5.

All money collected goes towards helping to run the Club. Numbers vary but around 40 attend each week. The club doesn’t meet on the second Wednesday of each month.

Besides Nancy, there are three volunteers - two ladies in the kitchen and one who helps manage the finances. Martin Sykes, the Chair of Trustees for the Long Eaton and District Talking Newspaper, visits the club from time to time because the majority of Nancy’s members are Talking Newspaper listeners.

Members of the Club, think the world of Nancy and her volunteers, and all say she is tenacious and passionate in helping those who are Sight Impaired. 

When Nancy spots someone with a white stick anywhere,  she will start a conversation about Sight Impairment, will share information about help that is available and will, of course, invite them to visit the Erewash VIPs

Nancy says that she is hopeful that through this article, those who don’t know about the Erewash VIPs Club will maybe give it a try.

For more information about the Erewash VIPs, contact Nancy on 01332 973619 or 07778 701364 or email her at Nmplummer @ hotmail.com.