some of Bermuda's blind.

On regular work days throughout the year, the 12-strong group of men and women faithfully turn up at the Brunswick Street headquarters of the Bermuda Society for the Blind to create a variety of products for sale.

While some have been with Beacon House since its inception, others are relative newcomers. But their dedication to the work is the same.

Like their sighted counterparts, Beacon House workers enjoy being productive and take pride in what they do.

Unlike many products on today's market, their carefully crafted wicker pieces are noted for their sturdiness and durability, and have found their way into countless homes, schools, offices and hotels.

The foot and bar stools, with their seagrass or colourful polycord woven tops, have always been sought after for domestic and nursery school use, while the big, all-rayon mops are eagerly snapped up for industrial, household and boating use.

Many people think the Society of the Blind is synonymous with wicker trays and stools, but there is really much more to the inventory than that.

Wicker baskets, for example, are made in various shapes and sizes, and are designed to be useful in many ways -- from holding pencils and pens to bread rolls, shopping and waste paper.

Roomy wicker clothes hampers and pet baskets are specialty items, made to order, while the new line of wicker-trimmed tile trivets is proving a best-seller.

Visitors, in particular, like the trivets' local flora motifs, which include our national flower the Bermudiana, the Easter lily, hibiscus and Bermuda onion.

"They make nice gifts, and I sell them as fast as we make them,'' Mrs.

Gallagher said.

In addition to the regular range of products, specialty items are also produced for the Christmas and Easter markets. Florists, for example, seek out the Easter baskets.

Less well known is the fact that Beacon House will also undertake repairs to cane, seagrass or polycord furniture if the work is within its capabilities.

Prior to the slump in visitor arrivals, hotels regularly bought large quantities of wicker baskets to use for rolls and also when making up complimentary fruit baskets.

"At one time, the Marriott Castle Harbour used to take about 300 baskets a month for fruit baskets, but unfortunately they don't do that any more,'' Mrs.

Gallagher said.

In today's recessionary world, diminishing hotel orders are just one of many marketing problems the Society faces.

"The recession has hit us too. It affects us just as well as anywhere else,'' Mrs. Gallagher admitted.

As with any healthy business, productivity must be balanced by demand otherwise goods begin to pile up, and this is what is now happening at Beacon House. Shelves and much of the limited floor space are taken up with well-made merchandise which the Society is unable sell quickly enough.

Unlike commercial firms, it is a registered charity run by volunteers who, although they give willingly and generously of their time, cannot do it all.

More volunteers are urgently needed to help sell the goods around the Island.

"If we had more volunteers we could have more sales and go out more than one day a week as we do at present,'' Mrs. Gallagher said.

Few people realise that the merchandise must be loaded and unloaded from the Society's van at the point of sale, and apart from volunteers to sell it, someone is needed to drive the van. At present a volunteer helps on Thursdays when the goods are sold on Front Street.

"Thanks to the kindness of British Airways, we are able to sell our goods under their verandah once a week during the tourist season,'' Mrs. Gallagher said.

Extensive pursuit of other potential selling sites has been unsuccessful, and the lack of volunteers means that previously agreed temporary points of sale around the Island are no longer used.

"We are trying to get more volunteers who live in St. George's so we can sell there again,'' the Beacon House director said.

Closer to home, the new Dundonald Street throughway has adversely affected sales on Brunswick Street. Where once the Beacon House show window caught the motorist's eye, today few cars go past it.

On the bright side, the once weekly outlet at the Craft Market in Dockyard is doing a healthy business, particularly in trivets, which demonstrates the value of having a fixed location in the shopper's path.

Since the Society is a charity, sales are an important source of income, not only in helping the blind of Bermuda generally, but also in meeting the workers' payroll, as well as the cook who prepares their complimentary midday meal. The Society also pays for the workers' pension stamps and HIP (medical insurance).

Despite its overhead costs, the Society has always priced its goods fairly.

"Our prices are very reasonable,'' Mrs. Gallagher stated. "Actually, we don't make any profit. We try to cover the cost, though we don't always succeed. Beacon House is not only a workplace, it allows the blind to be independent.'' Just how much Beacon House means to the workers is best evidenced by the burgeoning stock of goods resulting from constant productivity. The men and women love to be busy.

"Depending on the size of the item, I can produce seven to eight a day,'' Mrs. Phyllis Anderson, a 17-year-veteran of Beacon House, said. "Yesterday, I did 16 tile trivets because they are a small item. I can only do three 12 x 18-inch trays in a day. When the evening comes I am very glad to get home because I am tired!'' Mr. Abuwi Rasool designs and creates many of the items in the range and is particularly proud of his mops.

Using one of several weights of cord, he can produce one mop in three minutes -- including measuring and cutting the cord, and attaching it to the wooden handle with a plastic fitting -- or about 200 in a day.

"They are some of the best mops you'll find on the market,'' Mr. Rasool boasted. "Normally a mop is made from the waste from cotton mills and doesn't last too long, but these mops are made from a rayon material which lasts longer.'' He numbers various Government departments, Marine outlets, and large hotels among his customers.

Following the loss of his sight at the age of 19, Mr. Rasool (formerly Mr.

Wilfred Tacklyn) went for rehabilitation to an industrial home for the blind in the United States in 1952. In 1956 he went to England for two years' additional training at the Royal School for the Blind, where he learned many of the things he has taught others since returning home.

Among his special creations are two of the cane buggies at the Car riage Museum and a dog basket for a Great Dane.

Blind for just 11 years, Miss Murriel Spencer soon adapted to the work at Beacon House and, like the others, does whatever is asked of her.

"You need patience, but after a while your fingers get very sensitive. People coming in and out of here make it enjoyable,'' she said.

Since manual dexterity is important in setting up and weaving the reeds, Mr.

Lionel McIntosh does special exercises with a ball or hand spring to keep his hands and fingers supple.

Stools are Mr. Garbre Kristio's specialty although, like the others, he can do anything. He has been doing the work for approximately 12 years, and prefers to work alone, normally on the porch.

Mr. Sinclair Tweed, who has been with Beacon House from its inception, finds the work "a little tedious sometimes'' but he enjoys the camaraderie.

"It's some place to go every day and socialise with one another,'' he said.

The workers have their own social club -- the Beacon Club -- which was originally formed "for the purpose of self-improvement and to help others''.

In addition to its Beacon House operation, the Society for the Blind operates a tuck shop at the King Edward Hospital, and also assists the blind of the community in other ways.

Further information on becoming a volunteer, and the times and locations where goods can be purchased, please telephone 292-3231.

COME AND GET 'EM! -- Mr. Garbre Kristio proudly displays some of the many stools he has made, which are for sale at the Beacon House workshop.