News about Northwick
Northwick is a fairly laid back bear, so doesn’t get in the news very often. But occasionally things happen which may interest a few people. This is where you can find out what’s going on in Northwick’s world.
"Professors and Pies" – a new Northwick story
(Feb 2020)
Frank discovers that his Mum is an expert on Nystagmus and she's not even a professor! You can get this new Northwick story as a free PDF download.
Download "Professors and Pies" click here.
"Wish List" – a new Northwick story
(Jan 2020)
Northwick and Frank tackle the tricky Null Zone. You can get this new Northwick story as a free PDF download.
Download "Wish List" click here.
"Muffled Meanings" – a new Northwick story
(Dec 2019)
Certain words can be upsetting when talking about Nystagmus, Northwick has suggestions. You can get this new Northwick story as a free PDF download.
Download "Muffled Meanings" click here.
"Eye Expert" – a new Northwick story
(Feb 2019)
Parents often know more than they think about nystagmus, as Frank and Northwick discover in “Eye Expert”. You can get this new Northwick story as a free PDF download.
Download "Eye Expert" click here.
"A Problem Chewed" – a new Northwick story
(Feb 2018)
Northwick and Frank agree it helps to tell people they have Nystagmus, you can get this new Northwick story as a free PDF download.
Download "A Problem Chewed" click here.
"Cars or Cake?
(Feb 2018)
This Northwick story is a revised version of Cars or Cake? which first appeared in the NN newsletter in 2015 and is also available on the Northwick website in German.
Download "Cars or Cake?" click here.
German version of a Northwick story
(Nov 2017)
"Auto Oder Kuchen?", this Northwick story is available as a free pdf download in German. Northwick is very grateful to Elisabeth Quanz for translating and Hanna Piepenbring for editing this story.
Download "Cars or Cake?" (the German language version) click here.
"Frank Beats the Butterflies" – A new Northwick story, being center of attention is very nerve racking.
(November 2017)
Download "Frank Beats the Butterflies" click here.
"Words from the Wise" – A new Northwick story, it's good to talk about Nystagmus.
(November 2017)
Download "Words from the Wise" click here.
"As Far As The Eye Can See" – An updated version of a Northwick story first published in 2007 and available online here for the first time.
(September 2016)
It happened again that morning. Frank was walking across the school playground when he heard someone behind him shout "Hi!" Frank turned, saw a boy looking at him and said "Hi!" back. Almost immediately he wished he had kept quiet. "I'm not talking to you!" the boy shouted rudely at Frank. "I'm talking to my friend."
Download "As far as the Eye can See" click here.
"Farms and Fields" – An extract from the Northwick story in the final issue (110) of the Nystagmus Network's Focus newsletter.
(April 2016)
"Frank changed the world today! That's what Mr Jones told the whole class!" shouted Northwick excitedly, as he threw his school bag on the kitchen table right above Elvis the dog. Elvis was used to Frank and Northwick bursting noisily into the house after school. That's why he sheltered under the kitchen table. But today's homecoming was louder than usual and made his ears twitch painfully.
"Thinking outside the chocolate box" – An extract from the Northwick story in the 109th issue of the Nystagmus Network Focus newsletter
(December 2015)
'Uncle Chris could see by the looks on their faces that neither Frank nor Northwick had any idea what he was talking about. So he started to explain: “Because of our wobbly eyes, you and Northwick – and me – see the world differently to most people. So we have to find clever ways to do things. Ways other people probably wouldn’t think of.'
(To find out more about the Nystagmus Network and how to subscribe to the charity's quarterly newsletter, go to http://www.nystagmusnet.org)
"A Viewage of Discovery" – Frank and Northwick go
to the optician
(December 2015)
The chair was big and moved around and up and down. If Frank kicked his legs when he thought no-one was looking he could make it swivel a bit. Frank was at the optician’s with his father and Northwick for an eye test. The optometrist said her name was Amy and that he could ask her any questions he liked. Frank was too shy to ask the questions he really wanted to. Why did Amy shine lights in his eyes that stung so much? Why couldn’t she make his eyes better? Why couldn’t he read all the letters on the screen at the far end of the room?
(The full version of this story appeared in the Nystagmus Network’s September 2015 Focus newsletter. To find out more about the Nystagmus Network and how to subscribe to the charity's quarterly newsletter, go to http://www.nystagmusnet.org)
"Triple scoop scanning" – An extract from a story in which Northwick and Frank make a list, published in NN's Focus 107 newsletter
(June 2015)
Northwick was very pleased with himself. And not just because he was on a train on a day out to London to see Paddington Bear. Frank's mother now had a long list on her tablet under the grand heading "Things that are hard to see when your eyes flicker and/or wobble". The heading was almost all Northwick's idea. He had even suggested the word flicker, although Frank insisted they should add wobble too.
(To find out more about the Nystagmus Network and how to subscribe to the charity's quarterly newsletter, go to http://www.nystagmusnet.org)
Northwick in Newcastle
(May 2015)
Northwick had a lovely time in Newcastle on May 8th and 9th at the Nystagmus Network party and annual Open Day — as you can see in our Gallery.
Woolly Bears
(April 2015)
Cuddly Northwicks are available through the Nystagmus Network Online Shop
All proceeds from the sale of these individually hand-knitted Northwicks go to the UK Nystagmus Network charity (registered number 803440).
"Cars or cake?" – An extract from a Northwick story about driving, published in NN’s Focus 106 newsletter
(March 2015)
Driving. Frank’s mother dreaded the question, even though it came up every year. Would Frank see well enough to drive? She could hardly say it didn’t matter, because she got in her car and drove almost every day. To work, the shops, school, everywhere.
(To find out more about the Nystagmus Network and how to subscribe to the charity's quarterly newsletter, go to http://www.nystagmusnet.org)
"More than you can imagine" – An extract from a Northwick story first published in NN's Focus newsletter 105. In this story Frank learns that he and Frank are far from alone in having wobbly eyes
(January 2015)
Frank was thinking back to another Christmas when he dreamt he helped Santa and his reindeers deliver presents to children all over the world. Well, it seemed like a dream now. But it felt very real at the time flying above the rooftops in Santa's sleigh and taking presents down chimneys. Frank wondered how many of the children he took presents had wobbly eyes just like him and Northwick? He had never thought of it at the time. But some must see the world just like him.
"Quilt Cover Quandary" – First published in NN's Focus newsletter 104, here's a reminder that certain patterns can aggravate nystagmus
(September 2014)
"A Shady Idea" – An extract from a Northwick story first published in NN's Focus newsletter 103. This story explores an aspect of having wobbly eyes which is well known to parents, but is rarely talked about
(July 2014)
"Oh!" grumbled Frank, throwing the kite on the floor. "It's not fair. I wish, wish, wish my eyes weren't like this! You always know when I'm not telling ..." he hesitated and stamped his foot, before adding: "... the truth!"
"House of Comments" – in which Northwick visits the House of Commons. Full story published in NN's Focus newsletter 102
(May 2014)
"Well," said Frank, "the thing I remember best is that the House of Comments was gloomy, so I couldn't see very well and kept tripping over. There were lots of steps up and down too. And I don't know why they call it a house. It's huge. It's more like a palace than a house!" Frank's mother smiled: "You're right.
It's actually called the House of Commons. But I prefer your name – the House of Comments. And it certainly is not an ordinary house. In fact, it's also called the Palace of Westminster." "That's a much better name for the place – or palace," said Frank. "Oh, and the men – the Empties – all looked the same in their grey suits and grey hair."
"Festive Flashlights" – an extract from a Northwick Christmas story first published in NN's Focus newsletter 101
(January 2014)
"It's Christmas Day. Get up!" said the voice in Northwick's head. At first the bear wasn't sure whether to believe it or not. Sometimes he woke up thinking it was Saturday when in fact it was Monday.
Monday is a useful day, but not as enjoyable as Saturday for most bears – or people. For instance, on Saturday Northwick could stay in bed longer. And there was usually more to eat on Saturday. But Christmas Day was much better than a whole week of Saturdays. There were presents and crackers and games and more food than even Northwick could eat. (Although he was unlikely to admit that).
Knitted Northwicks
(November 2013)
Northwick is now available as a child-friendly, soft toy. Each bear (approximately 24 centimetres/9.5 inches tall) is hand-knitted. Email info@nystagmusnet.org for details of how to order these limited edition bears.
“The in Crowd” a new Northwick story available in NN’s Focus newsletter 100
(November 2013)
Frank and Northwick were excited. They had never been to a wedding before. Frank wasn’t sure why he was excited. He just knew that people always were excited at weddings. And he didn’t want to be left out. Northwick, on the other paw, knew exactly why he was excited. He had seen weddings on TV. There was always food. Lots of food. And a big cake. Northwick couldn’t see the cake anymore. He was sitting with Frank’s family at the back of the huge dining room. He had, though, seen the cake on the way in. It was the biggest cake ever. In fact it was three cakes, one on top of the other on top of the other.
To find out how to join NN and receive Focus click here.
Twitter Tales – Northwick takes to tweeting! You can now read brand new Northwick stories on Twitter @northwickbear.com
(April 2013)
In Twitter Tales Northwick tells a story in a week of Tweets
– just like this example below:
Frank went off to school grumpy this morning and #nystagmus eyes bouncing. Wouldn’t tell me why.
It’s school photograph week that’s making Frank grumpy, cos of his #nystagmus eyes.
With his #nystagmus Frank can’t see the camera cos it’s so far away, but the photographer still shouts at him to look straight ahead.
Frank thinks he is looking straight ahead at the photographer, but his head is turned to one side cos of his #nystagmus null point.
Frank’s teacher has sorted the photography thing by talking to the photographer. Frank still hates photos cos they show his head turn.
“Silly us” – a new story published in NN's Focus newsletter number 98
(March 2013)
“That happens to me a lot too,” said Uncle Chris, as he passed Northwick another chocolate cake across the table. “I say things and people laugh or look at me as if I’m stupid. It’s because they can see things that I can’t. Like you Frank, I used to ask a question at school when the answer was on the whiteboard. Everyone else could see it except me!”
Oh dear, thought Frank glumly. He usually enjoyed having tea with his Uncle Chris and Auntie Daisy, but now he was worried that people would always laugh at him. “But I thought I sit close enough to the whiteboard to see it. I don’t understand how everyone else sees the answers and sometimes I don’t?”
You can read the rest of this story in the Focus newsletter of the Nystagmus Network. Focus is available in print, in pdf by email or audio CD and is sent to all members of the Nystagmus Network four times a year. To find out how to join NN and receive Focus click here.
“Northwick dozes off” – a new story published in NN's Focus newsletter number 97
(December 2012)
Northwick was tired, so he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them everything around him was different. He was no longer sitting next to Frank in the back of the car looking out at the dark, wintry countryside.
Northwick was in a cobbled street, the air was warm, the sun was shining and he could smell the sea. The street led steeply downhill between houses and shops. At the bottom he saw a jumble of colours and shapes and sticks.
You can read the rest of this story in the Focus newsletter of the Nystagmus Network. Focus is available in print, in pdf by email or audio CD and is sent to all members of the Nystagmus Network four times a year. To find out how to join NN and receive Focus click here.
Northwick awards at NN Open Day
(December 2012)
The Nystagmus Network charity thanked three fundraisers with Northwick awards at this year’s Open Day in Manchester. West Bromwich Albion footballer Steven Reid received a unique framed Northwick illustration in recognition of his fundraising for NN. Steven has raised thousands of pounds for NN by offering some of his own shirts and those of fellow players in a series of prize draws. Steven is offering more shirts this season. To be in with a chance of winning, follow Steven on twitter.
NN also thanked Mark Kirkham and Melissa Talbot with “Tales of Northwick” books for raising funds and awareness of nystagmus. Mark’s impressive feats this year include running the length of Hadrian’s Wall for NN and the Chromosome 18 charity. You can read about Mark’s latest plans on twitter.
Melissa and friends raised funds for NN in the last two Manchester 10k runs. They also raised the profile of nystagmus on local radio.
Visit our Awards Gallery to see photos of Steven, Mark and Melissa. All three have a child with nystagmus.
"Long lights" – a new story published in NN's Focus newsletter number 96
(November 2012)
It was late September and the nights were getting longer, something Northwick found hard to understand. Why did nights get longer and days shorter? How did they do it? Did the clocks all of a sudden start going quicker during the day and slower at night? It was very confusing for a hungry bear.
Northwick did know, though, that the world looked different in the dark. Obviously a lot of things were much harder, even impossible, to see. He couldn’t understand at all how Frank’s mother could drive in the dark. Whenever they went anywhere by car after dark, everything outside was black to him – as scary and black as a witch’s hat.
You can read the rest of this story in the Focus newsletter of the Nystagmus Network. Focus is available in print, in pdf by email or audio CD and is sent to all members of the Nystagmus Network four times a year. To find out how to join NN and receive Focus click here.
"Camping chaos" – a new story published in NN's Focus newsletter number 95
(July 2012)
In “Camping Chaos” (Focus, June 2012) Northwick and Frank suffer a few cuts and bruises in the big outdoors: "Frank's father looked the boy, the bear and the dog up and down slowly.
'I was starting to think you'd got lost. But I see something far worse happened. You had a fight with a hedge and the hedge won.'"
Focus is available in either print or audio CD and is sent to all members of the Nystagmus Network four times a year. To find out how to join NN and receive Focus click here.
"A sticky problem" - free Northwick audio download
(May 2012)
“A sticky problem” is one of 10 stories on the “Tales of Northwick” audio CD available from the Nystagmus Network Online Shop. The CD includes all nine stories in the original “Tales of Northwick” book plus one extra story. The stories are read by actress Lizzie Roper.
Listen to the free audio download of "A Sticky Problem", click here.
First Czech version of Northwick story
(May 2012)
"Cakes and questions", the Northwick story card for hospitals, is available as a free pdf download in Czech. Northwick is very grateful to Karolina Rauschertova for this translation. The "Tales of Northwick" book is also available in Dutch.
Download "Dorty a Dotazy" (the Czech language version of the Cakes and Questions story) click here.
New Northwick story published in
NN's April 2012 Focus newsletter
(April 2012)
In “To bee or not to bee?” Northwick and Frank talk about the jobs they might do when they grow up. Frank can’t make up his mind, but Northwick decides he will stick to a career making honey. This latest Northwick story is published in the March 2012 (94) issue of the Nystagmus Network’s quarterly Focus newsletter. Focus is available in either print or audio CD and is sent to all members of the Nystagmus Network four times a year. To find out how to join NN and receive Focus, click here.
Kaft Media publishes “Tales of Northwick” in Dutch
(January 2012)
Netherlands based publisher Kaft Media has produced a Dutch language edition of the “Tales of Northwick” book under the title “De avonturen van Balder”. The Dutch edition contains the same nine stories about Northwick, the bear with nystagmus, as the original English language edition published by the Nystagmus Network.
The book was translated by Els Cornax, whose grandson has nystagmus.
“Friends of mine who ordered the book or have been handed it, give me as feedback that they now know more about what Nystagmus means and how it can affect someone's life. Children like the book for the stories and take the rest on board at the same time.”
– Els Cornax
Kaft Media changed Northwick’s name to Balder for two reasons. Firstly the “th” sound does not exist in Dutch. Secondly, “Balder” is the Dutch word for bear-like. A percentage of the cover price goes to the UK charity the Nystagmus Network which supports people with nystagmus and encourages research into this eye condition.
Kaft Media – "De avonturen van Balder"
De Nederlandse uitgeverij Kaft Media heeft een Nederlandse versie van het boek "Tales of Northwick" gepubliceerd onder de titel "De avonturen van Balder". De Nederlandse editie bevat dezelfde 9 verhalen over Northwick, de beer met Nystagmus, als de originele editie in de Engelse taal, die gepubliceerd is door het Nystagmus Network. Het boek werd door Els Cornax vertaald. Haar kleinzoon heeft nystagmus.
Els zei:
"vrienden van mij die het boek besteld hebben en het gekregen hebben vertellen mij dat ze nu beter begrijpen wat nystagmus betekent of kan betekenen voor iemands leven. Kinderen vinden het een leuk boek en nemen de informatie tegelijkertijd mee."
De auteur van "Tales of Northwick" John Sanders zei: "Ik ben erg blij dat - dankzij Els en Kaftmedia - de Northwick verhalen nu beschikbaar zijn voor een breder publiek. Ik hoop dat ze ooit, naast het Nederlands, nog in andere talen vertaald worden, zodat nog meer kinderen met Nystagmus er plezier van kunnen hebben."
“Professors and Pies” story published in
NN’s December 2011 Focus newsletter
(December 2011)
The latest Northwick story “Professors and Pies” finds Frank and Northwick helping Professor Pye with his research into nystagmus. And Northwick has the opportunity to ask a question: “Professor, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but do you know if nystagmus makes you hungry?”
“My son, with perfect eyesight, has taken to stealing Focus (the Nystagmus Network newsletter) away from me to read the Northwick story :)”
The Nystagmus Network (NN) sends its newsletter four times a year to all members. Each issue includes a new Northwick story. To find out more please visit the Nystagmus Network Website.
As Northwick says…
“Don't forget to check back here regularly
to keep up to date with what is happening with me."
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