5th October 2011
'Sight Support' and 'Wales Council for the Blind' merger proposals – public consultation
Our Trustees are recommending a potential merger with Wales Council for the Blind; it will be a uniquely Welsh charity that will help blind and partially sighted people. Please look through the enclosed proposal and give us your feedback. You can respond by sending this form back to us, emailing postman@sightsupport.org.uk or by telephoning 01495 763650. You may also have questions that you want answered, and we are very happy to talk with groups, individuals, carers and most of all service users. Although the feedback form (which you can download below) is intended to be anonymous, if you want us to answer specific queries you will need to give us your contact details. We are interested also to hear your views on what priorities a Welsh sight loss charity should have, as this will help steer the work we do. Possibly you think that we should spend more time looking after children with sight loss, or maybe you think that welfare rights are the most important issues. We are always keen to hear from you, and it would be good to hear what you think the most important services are especially now.
Download Consultation Business Plan (Word Format)
Download Consultation Business Plan (PDF format)
Download Consultation Feedback form (Word format)
Thursday 7th July 2011
Main Hall, University of Newport, Caerleon Campus, Newport, South Wales, NP18 3NT
Sight Support and SENSE Cymru are pleased to announce the following conference:
WALES & WEST DUAL-SENSORY CONFERENCE 2011
This unique one-day conference is aimed at anyone involved with dual sensory loss and supporting people with sight and hearing loss, across the public, voluntary and private sector. This conference will bring professionals together from all sectors working to prevent dual sensory loss and those providing services to people with sight/hearing loss. This conference is a wonderful opportunity to find out about innovative and leading edge research which has been taking place in the UK . It is also an opportunity for professionals from different organisations to meet and share ideas and discuss the future and the way forward.
Monday 7th March, 2011
City Hall, Cathays Park, Cardiff. CF10 3ND
9.15 am – 3.00 pm
2nd Minority Ethnic Communities Health Fair 2011
Encouraging Greater Health Awareness in Minority Ethnic Communities
MEWN Cymru, Sight Support, Ethnic Minority Communities First (Cardiff), Voluntary Action Cardiff, BAWSO Women’s Aid, CMEE, Race Equality First, and Cardiff & Vale University Health Board are jointly organizing this event.
This is an annual event and last year 368 people attended
The aim of this event is to raise awareness and contribute to the development of the health and wellbeing lifestyle of members of the minority ethnic communities in South Wales. The Fairwill encourage and support people to look after their own health with practical advice about how people can have a healthier lifestyle.
The Health Fair is aimed at improving health awareness and promoting healthy living, particularly on health conditions which are predominant in minority ethnic communities such as diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, heart problems, strokes, glaucoma, sickle cell, mental health, etc.
This event will provide an opportunity to have a Health MOT including:
• blood pressure,
• cholesterol checks
• once again by popular demand we shall have the Diabetes Mobile Unit
Entry to the Fair is free and there will be refreshments and lunch available.
December 2010
SIGHT SUPPORT PROVIDES FREE TRAINING TO 13 VOLUNTEERS FROM DIVERSE MINORITY ETHNIC COMMUNITIES
During November/December 2010 over a period of four days Sight Support conducted free training for 13 volunteers from diverse minority ethnic (ME) Communities in a “Training the Trainer” Course in Cardiff on preventing needless sight loss in people from ME Communities.
The aim of the course was to train volunteers from different ethnic groups to provide them with the knowledge and skills to deliver this crucial health message in their communities. It will help them develop ways of providing sight loss prevention information to groups and individuals.
Course sessions were designed to help ensure that the volunteers would go into their communities and work in the area of sight loss prevention promoting early detection, emphasizing the importance of WECI (Welsh Eye Care Initiative)/ PEARS (Primary Eye Care Acute Referral Scheme), diabetic retinopathy screening and Welsh Low Vision Service.
14th October 2010
Sight Support holds Dual-Sensory Exhibition at Swalec Stadium on World Sight Day
On Thursday 14th October it was World Sight Day and Swalec Stadium hosted the very best in local and national support for people with sight, hearing and dual sensory loss, in Wales. This event was first of its kind and was supported by SWALEC bringing all areas of sensory loss together in Wales.
Nearly 400 people attended this event ranging from service users, their family and friends, carers and also professionals working with people with dual sensory loss.
The event brought together a wide range of local and national organisations providing products, services and information for people with sight, hearing or dual sensory loss. The exhibition had 45 stalls ranging from technology companies providing the latest equipment in assistive technology, charities supporting people with dual sensory loss to organizations such as the police and the fire service. Experienced and helpful staff were at hand throughout the day to give advice and information.
As well as the many stalls that people could visit there were talks throughout the day on different eye conditions, services available for people with dual sensory loss and important topics such as doorstep crime.
The event also gave people an opportunity to try leisure activities for people with dual sensory loss such as blind cricket, bowling and football.
However, the highlight of the event was a cookery demonstration by celebrity chef, Stephen Gomes, from Moksh Restaurant in Cardiff Bay who demonstrated cooking whilst wearing “Sim Specs” (These glasses reproduce the effects of various eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy etc).
The event was a huge success and we hope that this will become an annual event.
2nd June 2010
Summer Newletter
Download our Summer 2010 Newletter as an MS Word document
18 June 2010
WALES & WEST DUAL-SENSORY CONFERENCE 2010
This unique conference was organized jointly by Sight Support and Sense Cymru and was held on Thursday 17th June at the University of Newport, Caerleon Campus. The conference was a huge success and about 130 delegates attended. The Chair for the event was Mike Brace, CBE, Chief Executive, Vision 2020 UK. The conference was a combination of excellent talks on up to the minute research and findings in the dual-sensory field and an exhibition. The key speaker for the day was Professor Andrew Webster, Consultant Opthalmologist, Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL who spoke about the latest research on retinal dystrophies and Ushers Syndrome and advances in gene therapy. He also spoke about advances in retinal implants and stem cell treatments. The second speaker for the day was Dr Dominic ffytche who gave an indepth account on Charles Bonnet Syndrome (visual hallucinations in sight loss) and some new research results about a condition which is not widely known about to people with sight loss and can be very frightening for them when they have visual hallucinations. Mary Foster, a Consultant in Deafblindness/MSI spoke about the importance of “Listening” to people who are congenitally deafblind and changes in practice on supporting communication development. After lunch Eileen Boothroyd, Education Officer at Sense spoke about how to make plans for a smooth transition for young people with MSI and their stepping into the adult world. This was followed by a very interesting talk by Joe Gibson, Outdoor Activities Co-ordinator, Sense Scotland how using outdoor activities can enhance the lives of people who are congenitally deafblind. All the delegates found the day interesting and informative.
14th April 2010
Sight Support Launch
Sight Support - the new name for Gwent Association for the Blind was launched on Wednesday 14th April 2010.
25th March 2010
Blind volunteer now working for Sight Support
John has been a valued volunteer for several years and has supported our charity by providing telephone support to some of our housebound clients. John is fantastic! – every week he catches the bus from Blaenavon to our resource centre in Pontypool where he telephones vulnerable blind people to have a chat, letting them know we are there if they need help. Without the support of people like John we could not provide this vital service.
17 March 2010
Chepstow Roadshow held 16 March 2010
The Roadshow held at Chepstow Senior Citizens Hall was a great success with about 50 people attending. It was a very relaxed informal event with lots of socialising in evidence. We are very grateful to Keith Evans of Keith Evans & Co who gave a hugely entertaining and informative talk about wills, legacies, etc.
As ever Enhanced Vision were in attendance – updating us all on the latest technology aids for the visually impaired, together with representatives of The Low Vision Service giving advice on new low vision aids available and Care and Repair who provide accessibility features to help in the home.
The Fire Brigade were also there – offering free smoke alarms and general advice about staying safe around the home and Sight Support’s Rehabilitation Worker Rebecca Hollebon gave talk on Macular Degeneration.
Lottery funding has provided us with the means to hold these events but the Chepstow event was also supported by one of our valued members who left us a legacy, in lieu of flower. Legacies like this are supporting us so that we can continue the vital work that we do in helping those with sight loss to live their lives as fully as possible.
