RNIB Roundup: Product Videos and More!

I have a variety of exciting things to share with my readers that I have been involved in with the RNIB since my photoshoot earlier this year; from product videos, to an appearance in the Vision magazine, thank you gifts and even being featured on the official RNIB Facebook banner!

Take a look below at some of the projects I've been involved in throughout the year!

Product Videos

Earlier this Spring, I filmed new product videos with the RNIB for their online store; demonstrating how I use the liquid level indicator and Perkins Brailler with corresponding labelling tape adapter. I have now received the final edited videos and have provided a useful transcript underneath each clip.

In this product video I demonstrate how I use my liquid level indicator on a regular basis to avoid spilling my drinks and to accurately define when hot liquid is reaching towards the top of a cup:

"The liquid level indicator is a device that hooks onto the side of a cup or mug. It has 3 prongs, that are metal, that helps to detect when the water is nearing the top of the cup. 

I'm Kimberley Burrows, I'm 26 and I was a premature baby and my Optic Nerves didn't develop properly. If I didn't have my liquid level indicator then I would certainly be having a lot more accidents! It just gives me a bigger sense of confidence around my kitchen. One thing that's great about the liquid level indicator is that it's magnetic; so I keep mine on the side of my fridge so that I know where it is and don't end up losing it!

I use my liquid level indicator for pouring every drink, whether it's hot or cold. When the water is nearing the three prongs it will vibrate and beep - so it's dual-sensory in that it's audio and touch as well. There are two levels; when it's coming to the first level it will be quite moderate in its vibrating and beeping, and nearing the top it's time to stop then.

The liquid level indicator is an example of something simple that can make a huge difference. Visit RNIB's shop for more ideas at rnib.org.uk/shop"



In the second product video I demonstrate how I use my Perkins Classic Brailler and Labelling Tape Adaptor for everyday organisation, labelling of food items and creative writing:

"I first used a Perkins Classic Brailler a few years ago. It's quite easy, just like writing, and it just flows out really!

I'm Kimberley Burrows, I'm 26 and I was a premature baby and my Optic Nerves never developed properly. I first discovered the Perkins Classic Brailler when I starting doing a Braille course. When I first used the Brailler it was just amazing and it opened up a whole new world of communication for me. I personally use it to write stories and jot down notes and I also Braille my labels.

There is a label adapter that I add to the back of the Brailler which feeds through the same way as a piece of paper would. This allows you to then feed tape through and Braille onto the tape to cut off to add to cans, DVDs or CDs. If I didn't use my Brailler to label soups that it could end quite disastrously! I could be getting something completely different out of the cupboard - it could be dog food! So it saves me from humiliation, really. It helps to me spotlight a certain item and I just need that independence.

The Perkins classic is one type of Brailler that's available from RNIB's online shop. Visit rnib.org.uk/shop"

RNIB Shop

Over at the RNIB online shop I can be seen heading the Braille products, with additional photos under the Perkins Classic Brailler! You can view the full range of products available by the RNIB, from magnifiers to lighting to talking products, by visiting their online shop.

Vision Magazine

I can be spotted in the latest issue of Vision, RNIB's magazine for subscribing members, promoting the Perkins Classic Brailler. Article reads:

"Products to make everyday life easier: You can now review products and watch demonstrations on our new online shop! We have listened to your feedback and introduced a number of new features to our new online shop. As well as adding your own product reviews, you can also watch and listen to short films featuring people who use the products.

Kimberley is a keen Braille reader: Another film features Kimberley - a keen Braille reader and writer. Her Perkins Brailler helps her compile short stories as well as to produce braille labels for everyday items - including food items!

Kimberley uses the labelling tape adaptor for Perkins Brailler (code BM42). The white plastic labelling adaptor sits neatly on the back of the Perkins carriage. You then simply slide your Braille labelling tape into the clips at either end of the adaptor, which keeps the tape in place. There's also an adaptor for the Next Generation Perkins Brailler (BM43) and you can use both the 9mm tape and 12mm tape in the adaptors, available in clear or black."

Facebook Page

I'm very honoured to currently be featured in the RNIB's Facebook page banner! It's a huge privilege to be the first thing that many visitors see when they visit the social networking site and means very much to me, indeed!

I also received a wonderful tweet of support

from RNIB's Twitter page too!

Thank You Gifts

...And finally! I have received some wonderful gifts from the RNIB as a thank you for taking part in their projects this year; including a card with a handwritten thank you note from the team I worked with as well as two prints of my photographs taken at MediaCity UK in Salford Quays!

I really enjoyed filming my product videos and taking part in photo sessions for RNIB and would like to thank them for inviting me to be involved with their projects!

You'd Never Guess That... Marie Claire UK!

"My blindness hasn't stopped me becoming an illustrator"

I was recently approached by the popular fashion and beauty magazine Marie Claire to take part in a new feature of their monthly publication. It's called "You'd Never Guess That..." and it aims to spotlight incredible women with incredible stories and encourage and inspire others to overcome challenges and stereotypes that they face.

I talk about my passion for illustration despite my severe visual impairment, having only a small percentage of central vision left in one eye that is deteriorating more over time, and how I won the RNIB's Young Illustrator Award in 2014.

"I'm blind in my right eye and have 10 percent sight in my life, so I draw from my mind. I'm an award-winning illustrator. My dream is to illustrate children's books."

The magazine article can also be found online in the features section of the Marie Claire website, which you can read by clicking here. It features more inspirational stories from women and a more in-depth look at my own; including my sight loss story, my favourite mediums to use and how I work by drawing the imagery in my mind. 

I had a wonderful time working with Marie Claire and I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to be featured in their magazine, alongside many other strong and uplifting women with motivating life stories.

Marie Claire UK's August issue is out now!

Guide Dogs Forward Magazine: Summer 2015!

The Summer 2015 edition of Forward, the official Guide Dogs magazine, was recently released to Guide Dog owners, puppy walkers, volunteers and service users - and my Guide Dog, Tami, and I can be found under the New Partnerships section for Manchester! (page 29)

We've been qualified and working together for 6 months now and I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. Tami has been a tremendous lifeline to me; not only being my eyes and my mobility aid, but also my best friend. We've been all around Manchester and beyond and I couldn't imagine not having her by my side!

You can learn more about my matching and training process with Tami, both residential and domiciliary, by reading my blog posts here. I also created a series of audio diaries to document our daily training that you can listen to here.

Tami and I will be due our 6 month review very soon and I'll be sure to share with you how we get on!

Article in Puppy Tails Magazine

I was recently invited to write an article for the Puppy Tails magazine which is now available to read in their Autumn / Winter edition, issue number 68. The magazine is produced in co-operation with the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association UK, for volunteers by volunteers.

In the article I document my Guide Dog journey so far during the time it was written; from finding out about the Guide Dogs charity through the 'Living With Sight Loss' course provided by Henshaws Society for Blind People at my local community centre in the Summer of 2013, signing up to be a Guide Dog service user in September 2013, having my work placement at the Guide Dogs Training Centre in Atherton, Leigh, as part of the 12-week Skillstep course by Henshaws, and being captured on film by Blue Peter during my time there!

Article reads: "My name is Kimberley Burrows, I'm 25, and I've been severely visually impaired all of my life.I was born as a premature baby suffering from congenital cataracts that weren't noticed until I was 4 years old; resulting in underdeveloped optic nerves, the removal of my natural lenses, a sensitivity to light, night blindness and only 10% central vision in my left eye.

During the summer of last year I attended a 'Living With Sight Loss' course, provided by Henshaws Society for Blind People, at my local community centre. This allowed me to converse with other people suffering from sight loss in my local area for the first time. The course ran for 6 weeks and covered a variety of different topics which included mobility, transport, concessions, passes and benefits, personal safety and access to information through talking newspapers and talking books.

through one of the many visits from other organisations, I was introduced to the Guide Dogs charity and the life-changing work that they do to help visually impaired and blind people gain stronger independence and mobility skills through a working partnership with a specially-trained canine. I had never considered applying for a Guide Dog before, but the visit from the volunteer soon changed my mind! She was full of confidence, enthusiasm and determination thanks to her working partnership with her black Labrador - and these were traits I could only dream of at the time! My confidence was lacking and my mobility skills were very much non-existant.

A few months later in early September, it was the annual Fun Day event at the Guide Dogs Training Centre in Atherton, Leigh. The visit from the volunteer earlier in the summer really made an impression on me; so I decided to head along and witness first-hand the work that Guide Dogs do. I met puppy walkers, mobility instructors, trainers and volunteers and they all echoed and reinforced the same sentiments as the volunteer I'd met on the Living With Sight Loss course previously - that working with a Guide Dog is extremely beneficial and does indeed boost confidence, self-esteem and independence to new levels. That was it, I just had to apply! One of the staff members helped to fill in my application form and I was very pleased with the outcome from the Fun Day event!

Two months later, I received my first home visit from a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor. He discussed at length the benefits that I would receive from having a Guide Dog enter my life and also explained the process of the application; completing a medical form, being assessed using a long cane and empty harness, before being matched to potential dogs. Then proceeding by entering the training process before completing and qualifying the programme. A week later, I had my second home visit and my mobility skills were assessed using my long cane.

The final part of the assessment, which involves walking with the empty harness, wasn't to be completed until the following summer, in early August, while I was undertaking a two-week work placement at the Guide Dogs Training Centre in Atherton, Leigh. At the beginning of the summer I had become part of a new course, called Skillstep, again provided by Henshaws Society for Blind People, which I had found out about through the Living With Sight loss course the previous year.

Skillstep is a 12-week course designed to help visually impaired and blind people gain employability skills through vocational and computer training, while providing the opportunity of a two-week work placement. I knew immediately that I wanted my placement to be at Guide Dogs; to have the unique insight into the training process and to learn some new skills for when I'm matched to my own Guide Dog.

I was lucky enough to be a part of various departments and experience the many different roles within the training centre; including puppy training, obedience training, dog care, volunteering and reception work. I enjoyed all of these roles immensely, but have to say that the dog care department was my favourite - and I am now an expert groomer! Towards the end of the second day, I had the fantastic opportunity of being able to experience what it's like to work with a dog in full harness. I was guided around an outside obstacle course filled with traffic cones, safety barricades, A-boards and sign posts with ease and it confirmed to me that signing up for a Guide Dog was the right direction to take and is something I will greatly benefit from in the near future!

Blue Peter were filming on the Monday that I was working in the volunteering department, and between breaks I was guided to the indoor training arena to watch some of the filming take place. I even had the chance to meet Blue Peter's very own Guide Dog puppy, Iggy, afterwards and have a photo taken with her! When the episode premiered on television that was filmed during my placement, I was notified by quite a few people through my blog that I had appeared in the background of some of the footage of Iggy!

On the last morning of my work placement, I received my third and final home visit in the application process; looking at my home-life and the people and pets I live with, assessing the garden where my Guide Dog would spend, and identifying some of the routes I would be taking in my local area. We took one such route for the empty harness part of the assessment, and I learned some of the basic commands to give a Guide Dog when we are working together. I did extremely well in my harness assessment; largely due to the instructor sneakily veering right towards the Butcher's en route, and me recognising where in the route I was to snap back the harness, show that this was not my destination and focus on to the end of the road. Because of this, I passed with flying colours!

My application was completed and accepted the same day, and I have officially been on the waiting list to be matched for 2 months now. It's been a long journey of 13 months already, but I'm sure it's going to be well worth the wait when I'm finally matched, trained and living a completely independent life!"

Scouts Magazine's Get Active! Cover

The cover of Scouts Magazine's 'Get Active' supplement has now been put together by the design team! The cover features illustrations I recently created for their Ability Issue focused around accessibility and inclusion among Scouts and Cubs in the UK.

Get Active! says: "This issue we're delighted to bring you a supplement dedicated to inclusion, echoing Scouting magazine's core theme. As always, we want to emphasise that scouting is a Movement that is inclusive and open to all, and here we provide you with some great ways of bringing the additional needs of others to the forefront of your programme.

From learning Braille to games to suit a range of abilities, this issue is a celebration of the wonderful variety you can find within Scouting today. And we simply couldn't be prouder. Enjoy the issue!"

The inside of the cover contains a section about my involvement with the project as well as a short bio and photo.

Kimberley Burrows is a blind illustrator from Salford, Manchester, and the winner of the RNIB's Young Illustrator of the Year. She can only work for 20 minutes at a time, but nevertheless continues to establish herself as one of the artists of the future. She says, 'I'm really grateful to be a part of this project… especially on the subject of inclusion - something I'm very passionate about.'

Here are my original drawings that were used for the Get Active! supplement; including the background and the illustrated elements featured around the collage. I wanted everything to be bright and colourful and to showcase as many different disabilities as possible. As always, I used my favourite mediums of black fine liner and coloured pencils and the project took most of the month of October to complete.

I want to say a big thank you to the magazine's Art Editor, James Daniel, for getting in touch and for inviting me to be part of this project. It is an honour to be included in the ability issue and I'm extremely happy with the final result!

Final Insight Magazine Scan

Here is my final magazine scan of my illustration featured in the latest issue of RNIB's Insight Magazine, November / December 2014 edition, as their Young Illustrator of the Year for 2014!

The overall theme of the latest issue is 'motivation and reward' and I portrayed that in my final illustration for the magazine, displaying the achievements and opportunities I have received this year since becoming the Illustrator of the Year for the RNIB.

As always, my illustration took most of the month to complete and was created using my favourite mediums of coloured pencils and black fine liner. You can read the accompanying article below:

Young Illustrator

Kimberley Burrows showcases some of her achievements since becoming Insight's Young illustrator for 2014.

"My piece depicts interviews with ITV Granada Reports and the Manchester Evening News, and the Mayor of Salford, Ian Stewart, tweeting that I had the 'Spirit of Salford'. It shows my artwork for John Lewis's 150th birthday which was displayed in their restaurant at the Trafford Centre. And it looks forward to my visit to the European Parliament in November, with the European Blind Union, to discuss accessibility issues with MEPS.

A big thank you to Insight for a wonderful, enjoyable year. I am very grateful for all of the opportunities that it has presented me with!"

Tweets of Support

I have received some wonderful tweets from the official RNIB Twitter accounts recently, as well as tweets of support from fellow Twitter users. I wanted to share my favourites here!

Read about the lovely @Glittered, our Young Illustrator of the Year on @MailOnline http://t.co/O6PUxYlJZm
— RNIB (@RNIB) October 16, 2014

@Glittered Well we've loved sharing your work!
— RNIB (@RNIB) October 16, 2014

Great to see @Glittered in @Femail! 'Amazing illustrations created by blind artist' http://t.co/Jxx9QaEHS1
— Louisa Muhsin (@LouisaMuhsin) October 16, 2014

Congrats Kim! RT @RNIB: Read about the lovely @Glittered, our Young Illustrator of the Year on @MailOnline http://t.co/bhdJgyB7nf #fb
— Welsh whinger! (@alandra09) October 16, 2014

@Glittered hey Kimberley, I'm a sight impaired illustrator from New Zealand. Lovely to read the article about your work this morning!
— PINKY FANG (@PINKSFANG) October 16, 2014

@Glittered I'm looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful drawings! Loved your video about makeup too, keep up the awesome work 😊
— PINKY FANG (@PINKSFANG) October 16, 2014

Fantastic to see our volunteer campaigner @Glittered featured in the @DailyMailUK for her fantastic illustrations http://t.co/6VNgHZImhy
— RNIB Campaigns (@RNIB_campaigns) October 17, 2014

Massive well done @Glittered - these look amazing http://t.co/KR0mHjJb8Z
— Morgan Vine (@Morgypenny) October 17, 2014

@RNIB @Glittered @MailOnline Amazing! What a talent.
— Soundabout (@SoundaboutUK) October 19, 2014

@RNIB @Glittered wow, very talented young woman!
— Beadjoux (@beadjoux) October 20, 2014

The newest edition of Insight Magazine is available now in large print, Braille, audio and PDF formats.

 Insight magazine will move online in 2015 with new opportunities in writing, illustrating and blogging. For more information on how you can subscribe please click here.

Magazine Scan: Fifth Illustration in RNIB's Insight Magazine

I have now received the latest issue of RNIB's Insight Magazine (September / October 2014) featuring my fifth illustration. My newest piece focuses on support at the time of sight loss and the various ways and formats in which to receive aid and assistance.

Young Illustrator

Our young illustrator, Kimberley Burrows, writes: "Support at the time of sight loss is extremely important, and I wanted to depict some of the various forms in my illustration (above right). The most important support network is through friends and family, along with your doctor and ECLO. Helpful information can be sourced through leaflets and online from various organisations and charities including the RNIB, Henshaws Society for Blind People and Action for Blind People - as well as via helplines."

The newest edition of Insight Magazine is available now in large print, braille, audio and PDF formats. For more information on how you can subscribe - please click here.

New Column in M44 News

Issue 25 of M44 News magazine is available this weekend!

My newest column is focused around my John Lewis composition, displayed at the Trafford Centre, to celebrate the 150th birthday of the retail store. My column details how I came up with the imagery to use in the art piece, as well as the mediums I used and how long it took for me to produce. You can read the article below:

Kimberley's View

John Lewis Birthday Composition

In February, Henshaws Society for Blind People was selected by John Lewis as the charity to produce artwork to celebrate the 150th year of the retail store, to be displayed on the community art wall at the Trafford Centre.

I was kindly asked to produce a composition of my own, being a keen artist and illustrator, with other pieces being produced by the Arts & Crafts group and Parent & Toddler group in Manchester, Henshaws resource centre in Newcastle, and Arts & Crafts centre in Knaresborough.

As John Lewis is a British institution - with their first store opening in Oxford Street, in London, in 1864 - I thought I would incorporate classic British iconography, such as a Beef Eater and the Imperial State Crown, to celebrate Britain alongside John Lewis' birthday. I also portrayed the famous Trafford Centre dome, with it being a British landmark - as well as the place where my composition will be displayed. As I primarily shop at John Lewis for gifts and toys, I wanted to include some of my favourite items from the online store; a beautiful deluxe rocking horse, in particular!

The composition was created using coloured pencils, fine liner, metallic relief paints and sequins and took over two and a half months to complete.

The birthday display will be up on the community art wall, in the John Lewis restaurant at the Trafford Centre, from June 1st until the end of July.

The July 2014 edition of M44 News is available now, being delivered to 10,000 doorsteps across the areas of Irlam, Cadishead, Glazebrook and Rixton over this coming weekend!

Magazine Scan: July/August Edition of RNIB's Insight Magazine

I have now received the latest issue of RNIB's Insight Magazine - featuring my fourth illustration focused on sports and activities that have been adapted for blind and visually impaired people.

Young Illustrator

Our young illustrator, Kimberley writes: "My illustration represents sports and activities that can be adapted and enjoyed by people with a vision impairment such as tandem cycling, bling archery, goalball, sound ball tennis and cricket. I have an interest in blind archery and badminton."

Kimberley has kindly donated a painting, "Carousel", to the RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning.

The newest edition of Insight Magazine is available now in large print, braille, audio and PDF formats. For more information on how you can subscribe - please click here.

Monthly Columnist for M44 News

I was kindly asked by Steve Moss - the Editor of M44 News, my local news and events magazine - to become a monthly contributor columnist for the magazine, sharing my views and stories to local residents in my area. It's an amazing opportunity and I was deeply honoured to be asked! The new issue is now available in PDF format on the M44 News website and physical copies will be mailed to over 10,000 local homes this coming weekend.

In my first column in the newest issue, I write about the conference that I recently attended with the Greater Manchester Police Crime Commissioner and his engagement team, to help improve services for blind and visually impaired people in the Greater Manchester area. I also introduce myself by providing a profile picture and biography, and also give a short snippet of what I hope to achieve with the regular column.

Kimberley's View

Through my monthly column I hope to be able to change people's perceptions of visually impaired and blind people and what they can be capable of achieving, and perhaps even dispel any stereotypes and misconceptions that they may have. I also aim to give an interesting insight into what it's like to be severely visually impaired and the issues that matter to me.

I recently attended a half-day conference, set up by the Greater Manchester Police Crime Commissioner, Tony Lloyd, and his engagement team, in regards to meeting the needs of blind and visually impaired people. The aim of the conference was to provide an opportunity to the sight-impaired to share experiences, concerns, praise and recommendations for improvement in relation to the services they receive from Greater Manchester Police.

Among the attendees were representatives from the Manchester Guide Dogs mobility team, the Salford Sensory team, Manchester Blind Football Club, and the RNIB Regional Campaigns Officer for the North West - as well as blind and visually impaired people local to the Manchester area who wanted to share their views and experiences.

The agenda of the day was to have table-top discussions regarding the accessibility of GMP and communication, current reporting mechanisms, hate crime, crime prevention and keeping safe. Engagement officers were based at each table making notes to then be fed back to form a report and help to shape accessibility and the hate crime reporting process.

Tony Lloyd, the Crime Commissioner of GMP, said: "It's quite right that our police service should serve all members of our community. We are all on a journey, here, not just the police but all services. We all need to work harder to find ways to remove the - often unnecessary - barriers faced by people with disabilities in our community."

He ended his speech by stating that the conference was not a conclusion to meeting the needs of blind and visually impaired people in Greater Manchester, but just the beginning.

Biography

Kimberley Burrows is the RNIB's Young Illustrator for 2014, a steering group member of Envision (a young person's campaigning network in association with the RNIB) specialising in communications and social media, a keen blogger writing her own sight loss blog as well as contributing monthly to the blogs of Living Paintings and Henshaws Society for Blind People, and a volunteer Braille tutor at Henshaws.

She recently received media attention for her illustrations as a severely sight-impaired person, featuring in the Salford Advertiser and Manchester Evening News, shown on Granada Reports and on the web at the Daily Mail Online website.

The June edition of M44 News will be on doorsteps this coming weekend!

Magazine Scan: Third Illustration for Insight Magazine

I received the new issue of Insight Magazine over the weekend! Here is the scan of my third illustration. I'm really pleased with how this turned out and am very grateful to the team for taking my feedback on board from the previous issue. I think this works really well and was also very easy for me to find when flicking through the magazine!

Young Illustrator

Kimberley Burrows, our young illustrator has enjoyed lots of media attention since the last issue, appearing in the Manchester Evening News and on ITV's Granada Reports.

We asked Kimberley to create an illustration about her journey to independence.

Kimberley explains: "This portrays me in my high school uniform when I was a teenager, looking towards the future of adult life and responsibilities - food shopping independently, washing clothes, preparing meals safely and managing money and paying bills.

These are skills that I'm still learning as a severely visually impaired adult.

An enablement officer based at Henshaws Society for Blind People visits me weekly to help me learn kitchen skills such as using appliances, pouring hot liquids, chopping, peeling and spreading and working up to preparing meals safely and independently."

The new issue of RNIB's Insight Magazine is out now. You can find out more about how to subscribe by clicking here.

Article in The Core Magazine

I'm featured in the new issue of The Core Magazine (issue 19), regarding my illustrations and determination to overcome barriers as a severely visually impaired young person.

My father is a support worker for the Foster Care Association / Core Assets and was approached, after the team had seen my interviews on Granada Reports and in the local newspapers, to help with a feature piece about me for the upcoming issue of their very own magazine.

My Amazing Daughter

At Core Assets we celebrate the achievements of young people. So when Carl Burrows, team support worker in Ashton Under Lyne, told us a story about what his daughter Kimberley has achieved, we knew we had to share it. Over to Carl:

My daughter Kimberley was born two months premature, resulting in her having congenital cataracts and severe sight loss. At 18, she was diagnosed with a type of brain tumour which required surgery. She is now blind in one eye and has around 10% vision in the other.

She loves art and wasn't going to let anything stop her fulfilling her dream of becoming an artist! At school she achieved an A* in GCSE Art and has carried on doing illustrations, particularly of Roald Dahl and Paddington Bear characters. Paddington Bear creator, Michael Bond, saw one of her drawings and invited Kimberley and her mum to his house in London for tea. Kimberley gave him a Paddington Bear drawing and received a special anniversary bear!

Despite only being able to work 10-20 minutes at a time due to the eye strain it causes, Kimberley was recently named the RNIB Young Illustrator of the Year 2014 and has been chosen as an advocate for young blind and partially sighted people. She went to the Houses of Parliament in October 2013.

The story of her award and how she overcame her disabilities featured in local newspapers, on ITV News and in the Daily Mail.

Kimberley hopes to gain a place at the Royal National College for the Blind and is currently in the process of getting a Guide Dog, so she'll be even more independent!

I am very proud of Kimberley. She is so positive and is a great example to everyone she meets. But above all, she is a lovely, happy person.


Thank you very much to Core Assets and the The Core Magazine team for such a lovely article and for featuring me in the new issue! Also a big thank you to my dad for helping to write the piece and for sharing my story with his work colleagues and friends!