Dave is an inspiring man with a great love of music. Two years ago, Dave completely lost his sight, having only had 2% vision prior to then. Despite the challenges, Dave is incredibly positive and is motivated to find success with his music. “I believe that nothing is impossible, and you should never doubt what you can do” says Dave, “Everything I do I approach with positivity and firmly live by the motto that it is not the disability, it’s the ability!”.
After relocating to Devon from Hampshire for a fresh start, Dave has recently moved into a more accessible flat and is joined by loveable labrador, Turner, his new guide dog.
Dave came to Positive People for digital support, admitting that he was “not good at technology”. He was referred to Cosmic’s Digital Trainers within Positive People. It was immediately obvious that Dave required some extensive digital support to help him to set up as a self-employed musician. Due to his blindness Dave was already able to use an iPhone with built in accessibility software with reasonable confidence. However, due to recent updates to the software he required support to retrain on key features.
Cosmic found that the built-in accessibility software on Apple devices is very good. For this reason, we came to the decision that an iPad would be of great help to him with his music. This allows him to run more powerful audio and music apps to assist with live gigs and busking. We have also supported Dave with accessing new equipment for street busking to help him establish a name for himself in a public environment. Equipment such as a portable amplifier, PA system and microphone were essential assets.
All the equipment that has been sourced is relatively easy to use, and with correct procedures put in place, Positive People have allowed Dave to set up his own gigs and busk completely independently. This enables Dave to generate income from his passion. In June 2018, Positive People supported Dave with one of his first gigs, using the new equipment the project has been able to provide. It was a fantastic success, and Dave and the crowd enjoyed every minute of his performance!
Since moving into his new home, Dave has adopted a range of new gadgets with great confidence, giving him increased freedom and independence. Devices such as Google Home Assistant, speaker systems and OrCam glasses (capable of reading text), are now fully adopted into his daily life. With this new found confidence, Dave now offers his services as a motivational speaker and an advocate for technology for the visually impaired. We are honoured to have met such a positive person.