On Saturday 1 August I attended the Ealing Jazz Festival (http://www.ealingsummerfestivals.com/events/jazz-festival/). Although jazz is not, in truth my favourite cup of tea, the music made for pleasant background listening and, most importantly the festival afforded me the opportunity to catch up with close friends. The beer drunk while sitting on the grass was, of course purely incidental to proceedings …!

Being blind I have always enjoyed employing my sense of touch to explore objects. I was pleased therefore to come across a stall selling carved wooden objects. I was particularly taken with a wooden stool with elephant carvings and fleetingly considered purchasing it. However I live in Crystal Pallace/Upper Norwood and the thought of conveying this beautiful object on the tube followed by the train caused me to reject the idea. I love hand carved objects as the craftsman imparts some of their essence. One can see or, in my case touch objects from centuries past and forge a connection with those who have gone before. The craftsman has long since departed but their essence remains solidified in wood.

One of the stalls which had a strong effect on me and those of my friends who accompanied me to it was Love146 (https://love146.org/), a charity which works to highlight and challenge child trafficking. The information on the organisation’s website makes for harrowing reading, particularly that pertaining to the exploitation of young children in brothels.

All in all I enjoyed my trip to the Ealing Jazz Festival and fell in to bed after midnight tired but content.