Hello again,

Last week I decided to buy a new winter coat.

So I went to SuperDry. My freind told me about their down jackets, so I went to try one on. The label said it had been sourced responsibly, so I was ok with buying one.

As I was looking around for someone to help me a lady came over and asked if I was ok. I asked for some help. She told me the size of the jacket and helped me put it on.

I liked how warm it was & roomy it felt.

We then went to the till & two people were there. One was the manager. We had a nice chat and I asked about the return policy, just in case.

The manager then helped me to find my way out. I often find shops hard to navigate, even with my cane.

He offered to help guide me out so I took his arm and he helped me. Each time we were going round a corner he made sure to not bump us into anything and put his hand over the hooks which were in our sight.

This clothing rail issue is something I find hard in every shop.

He was telling me he was always happy to help & ensure his store was as accommodating as possible. That if it wasn’t, to let him know and things could be changed.

The staff were friendly and helpful. Every time I go into the Leeds Trinity store I find the staff to be helpful and friendly and they will have chat with you. It’s not just ‘what do you want?’

This shop has a wheelchair ramp, which is very wide. But I’m visually impaired, so don’t quote me on this. I’m not too good at noticing other things.

While I find it hard to spot staff, again this is an issue in any shop. In SuperDry, I know the style and the staff wear lanyards which are quite thick, with a good badge on them. So the shapes are good to spot. Also the SuperDry style is worn by the staff, so you know what your trying to pick out.

I do find their shops quite loud, but because I go in there when it is quiet and know what I’m looking for the stress I feel is reduced.

I decided I didn’t like the coat so reluctantly took it back to another SuperDry store in Bradford. I was with my mum this time.

We went upstairs and we found a member of staff at the till. We had one of their big orange bags. We explained the situation and the lady helped us pick another jacket. She gave me a SuperDry hoody to wear so I had the correct number of layers on as I would have when I wear the coat day to day. We tried two different sizes and I chose the small.

The coat is a nice bright yellow, it had black round the hood and is very cosy. It was the Parker style I went for.

We swapped out the coat and I explained how helpful she had been and we went out.

The SuperDry store is always very good. I find the staff to be knowledgeable and helpful. Using a guide cane can be tricky. Often people approach visually impaired or blind people differently to none disabled people. Which is not nice. We want to feel like everyone else.

Like the manager at the Leeds Store said, ‘if anything can be done, let me know’. This is lovely because I feel like I’m a person. It makes me feel like I am not a problem to retail and it makes me feel welcome. Which is what disabled people want.

Thank you SuperDry, please pass on my thanks to both these stores and keep up the good work.

I’m on Twitter @PhilippaB

I’m on Instagram

@VisuallyImpairedPip

Email: randomlyanxious@gmail.com

I got a lovely surprise in the post the other day, it was a Cornish Hamper. The hamper was addressed to our family. I have checked, it was from Aspects Holidays. Thank you very much for this lovely hamper.

The hamper was lovely, I loved the box wasn’t wrapped in plastic for a start. I opened the box as soon as it arrived because it said there were things in there to put into the fridge. The box also stated it had come all the way from glorious Cornwall.

Inside the box were 4 scones, 4 shortbread biscuits, 4 Smugglers Brew teabags, and 4 pots of jam. Also a nice pot of clotted cream. MMMM. I was very excited to receive this lovely hamper. I had no idea it was coming. Putting the stuff into the fridge I wondered why we had been sent it. So, I looked at the piece of paper from inside and it said

‘We hope you had a lovely time in St Ives! Big thanks to Philippa for mentioning us on Twitter and Instagram too. Here’s a cream tea on us, ‘jam on first’, of course. We hope to see you again soon’.

This message makes me think it is from Aspects Holidays because we stay with them every year. Their houses are lovely. We have stayed in a number of them now.

For the last few years we have stayed in a property on Windsor Terrace, giving a fabulous view over the town and the bay. In previous times, we have stayed in a property called The Captains House. This is up from the Tate, overlooking the graveyard and Porth Meor Beach.

We love Cornwall. We have been there nearly every single year. Years and years ago we used to go in the height of summer, then we stopped going for a while. Later we returned during the Easter holiday and found it to be a little quieter. Then we went down in March. Every time Saint Ives and the surrounding areas have been perfect. There is always something to do. Be it sit on the beach and get sandy toes, enjoy a Cornish Cream Tea in the Pedn Olva, or a day out to one of many many great spaces the Cornish call their own.

This year my Mum found the a lovely day out in Tremenheere. Which I will blog about later. But you must go. It has stunning view across the bay to St Michael’s Mount. Which we also went to. Walking across the Causeway in the Cornish sunshine and a bit of a breeze, you can’t call it wind until you’ve truly walked across there in the stormy weather.

Thank you again to Aspects Holidays, we will see you again. We hope to come into some money so we can have our own house down there Chy an Barra.

As we say in Yorkshire, we were proper chuffed by that hamper.

Tereba nessa.

I’m on Twitter @PhilippaB
My email randomlyanxious@gmail.com