Patrice's Story

“I first heard about Calibre when I went to hospital for a regular eye test and a lady told me about Calibre.  

“I’ve lost most of the sight in one eye, due to macular degeneration. That was probably five or six years ago. I’m fortunate to still have some sight, but my vision is blurry. I can manage to read large print with a magnifying glass, but it’s cumbersome and takes the enjoyment out of reading for me. 

“My hearing problems started about 15 years ago, after an operation to remove the nerves on the left-hand side of my face. So, now – for me – clarity is absolutely crucial. 

“I tried DVDs from the library, but the clarity wasn’t good enough – I couldn’t hear them very well. Even the RNIB audiobook service wasn’t quite clear enough for me to relax and enjoy.  

“When I first got in touch with Calibre, I was amazed. They answered my query quickly, and my first USB was here within days. When I played it, I stood back in amazement – it was so clear! I was so pleased – but I thought perhaps I’d just got lucky – maybe it was a fluke. I tried not to get my hopes up too much. But my next USB arrived with my next batch of books – and the clarity was just as good.  

“I wish I could explain how much clarity means to me because of the dual challenges of sight and hearing loss. Can you imagine, living by yourself, with sight and hearing challenges, the days can feel very long. For me, the days aren't just shortened by reading a book – they're transformed.  

“It’s like opening a new world – another world. Life wouldn’t be worth living without it.  

“The speed at which Calibre respond and send your next batch of books is just wonderful. You’re never left without something to read. And you don’t even pay postage – I still can’t believe it. If I had to pay per book, I probably wouldn’t read as many, as much as I’d miss it. As a pensioner, I have to budget.  

“And there are so many different types of both books and authors, it would be impossible not to be satisfied. As well as the clarity of reading, the fact that books are unabridged is a huge bonus for me. 

“I’ve got two different methods of playing the USBs, so while one’s charging, I can use the other.  

“In any spare time, I’ll sit down and listen and get lost in a great story. I don’t listen while I’m doing chores. I’ve learnt, as I’ve got older, to do what I want to do.  

“I cannot remember a time when I didn’t read. My brother and sister used to call me ‘bookworm’. I always had my head buried in a book when I was young; my mum would forever be telling me off for not listening to her! I must have read The Wind in the Willows so many times. 

“My favourite author changes. Ellie Griffiths, Ian Rankin, DJ Kirk, author of the DCI Logan crime series. I love any detective story. My husband was a solicitor, so I can relate to some of the plots. And it brings him nearer to me. 

“I like stories I can relate to – I don’t enjoy any American authors. I’ve a wish list of about 100 books, and an American author snuck onto it! When it arrived, I got in touch with Calibre’s membership services team. They arranged a swap straight away – and made sure there were no other books by the same author on my list!  

“My biggest thrill was meeting Ian Rankin – I’ve read all his books. I tend to latch on to an author and read everything by them and about them. I’ve always read that way – except at university, when most of my reading was research for my PGCE. I had such a brain when I was a teacher. I taught 9 – 13-year-olds and I loved them. It was the most wonderful time of my life. There was a school inspector who wrote about his experiences. I remember he came to our school when I was teaching. I enjoyed reading his work too, because it was very relevant and relatable.  

“My biggest success in life was getting children wanting to read – especially those who were set against it. I remember one boy, aged 12 or 13, who wouldn’t read. He loved football, so I suggested he might like to write and read out a match report in assembly. He thought this was a great idea – so he started coming and reading to me at playtime. He read and read and read – until he felt he was ready to start writing. His writing was so neat (his spelling was terrible!) but he was so motivated that over time his spelling improved, the more he read. It was wonderful that he wanted to keep going. And when he finally stood up in assembly to read his match report, he was like the king – his whole being lit up and came alive.  

“He wrote to me years after, thanking me and saying he was sorry to hear I’d retired, because he’d been hoping his own children would be taught by me too. That was the loveliest thing to hear. 

“Being alone, hearing the spoken word enriches my life. It’s like having a companion. I probably listen to between two and three books a week.  

“I’ve passed Calibre’s details onto a friend who was saying she wished she could still read. We’ve struck up a firm friendship and she enjoys Calibre as much as I do. We read completely different books! She likes romance and Jacobean novels; I prefer something with a bit of a puzzle. She’s always got a book playing in the background whenever I visit.  

“I cannot thank Calibre enough for giving me back the ability to enjoy the written word again. Thank you.”