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Vi's computer skill defies doubters
A woman who is registered blind has defied doubters by completing a computing course.
Vi Newbold has passed her Level Two NVQ for IT users and has been named IT Computing Learner of the Year at Wellingborough's Eureka learning centre.
She says her journey to becoming an IT whizz was tough because many people in the outside world refuse to believe she could use a computer effectively.
The 69-year-old now wants to use her skills to do voluntary work and says it would be a dream to teach what she knows to other people.
Ms Newbold, of Queensway, Wellingborough, said: "It doesn't matter what I've tried to do, my sight has always seemed to go against me. People say to me 'you won't be able to see' and I'm made to feel helpless.
"I can do a great deal of things. I've got these qualifications. I would just like to be able to use the skills I've got."
Ms Newbold was born with congenital nystagmus (CN), which is a name applied to a group of abnormal eye movements which cause sight difficulties.
It means that Ms Newbold has limited sight, meaning that she can see some objects but not make out what they are.
The condition has caused her difficulty throughout her life. She says even family members had difficulty understanding that she couldn't see things they could.
She left school without qualifications because she could not see to take part in lessons.
Ms Newbold said: "I had a very negative upbringing. I don't feel I got any encouragement. I did nothing at school and I didn't even understand why I was going."
The difficulties continued into her adult life until she found people willing to help her at the Tresham Institute's Eureka Centre and has passed a range of qualifications.
She uses system which magnifies words on the computer screen so she can see clearly.
Her goal now is to do voluntary administrative work.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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