On Thursday 15th June, the Friends of St Mary’s hosted partially sighted members of MyVision Oxfordshire, led by Devante Claridge, and members of Oxford University’s Touch Tours available in their gardens, libraries and museums (GLAM service). The occasion was the launch of the new audio/touch guide to St Mary’s heritage features. Also present were some of the people involved in producing the guide, including historical illustrator John Cook who had produced all the coloured “restorations” of the wall paintings scenes, three of which are used in the new guide.
The Vicar, Fr Michael, welcomed the visitors and thanked the team from the congregation who had worked on producing the guide.
This new resource has been designed especially for blind or partially sighted visitors to the church and uses raised images on swell paper which are described to the visitor by a co-ordinated PenFriend device, which contains the audio recordings specific to the image being touched. One of the visitors commented that “This is a lovely way to help someone like me who has limited vision to enjoy the heritage of this building”.
Please contact friends@chalgrovechurch.org for more information.