We have had a very busy month here at DBA, hosting a huge variety of fundraising events around the county; from a music night in Bournemouth to our annual motor show at Lulworth Castle and our virtual race night in Weymouth to an Adele Tribute at The Sandford Pub!
Take a read to find out more about what we have been up to, how success our annual Motor Show was and what exciting things we have coming up, click here.
Thousands visited Lulworth Castle to support our annual Motor Show which took place on Sunday 13th May. This hugely successful and well attended event showcased over 160 cars in the motor display, welcomed over 2,000 general public visitors, raising an incredible £5,152.00!
This prestigious event, now in its fourth year, was kindly sponsored by Humphries Kirk, Imerys, Domvs and Dorset Catering Services and was held within the picturesque Lulworth Estate courtesy of James Weld DL, who is the President of Dorset Blind Association.
James Weld DL, of the Lulworth Estate, said: “The Dorset Blind Association is a charity I am tremendously proud to support, as did my father and grandfather before me. It is fantastic to see their Classic Car event growing year on year – I think this year must have been the biggest yet that we’ve had at Lulworth Castle. I know how vital the work of the charity is to help blind and partially sighted people across Dorset. The charity’s small number of dedicated staff and large group of volunteers do a wonderful job and I am always very pleased to be able to help in any way I can”
The event set motorists out on a 20 mile tour around the Dorset countryside, following in convoy, before returning to Lulworth to display their beautiful motors at the Castle Showground. The event saw thousands of local supporters, holiday makers and car enthusiasts descend on the Castle throughout the day, creating an incredible community buzz.
The Motor Show and Family Fun Day was open to the public free of charge and had something for all ages to enjoy; a selection of local stalls selling handmade goods and local produce, entertainment, a kids area with bouncy castle, face painting and an exclusive visit from the ever popular Peppa Pig! Attendees enjoyed relaxing in the afternoon sun with a glass of prosecco from The Fizz Tin and a gourmet burger from Dorset Catering Services, who also supplied the refreshments before the Dorset Tour to the car owners.
Barry Heath, event attendee and member of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club – Dorset Region, said, ‘Although it was the fourth year the Dorset Blind Association hosted the Motor Show and Rally, it was the first time the Dorset Region of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club and 13 cars attended the show. We had Jaguars ranging from a 1934 SS1, XK150, E-Types to an 2004 XK and attracted many visitors. I have to say I cannot fault the Dorset Blind Association for the organisation and all our members really enjoyed the day. The wonderful news is the Car Show raised over £5,000 for the Association.’
Our annual Motor Show and Family Fun Day will be returning to Lulworth Castle once again in 2019 and will be held on Sunday 12th May, get it in your diaries now! For more information, contact the fundraising department on 01202 712864 or email fundraising@dorsetblind.org.uk
The Lions Club of Bridport heard the story of Jack Kick from Bev Jones at the Dorset Blind Association.
Jack, aged 21, suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2009. This caused damage to the back of his eyes leaving him visually impaired and is now registered as partially sighted. The brain haemorrhage also caused him to have poor balance and short-term memory loss.
Jack now manages with his condition well thanks to the support of his family. The support available has meant he is able to attend Weymouth College. Jack also attends social group Socialeyes in Bridport whenever he can. Life can be tough at times for Jack, but he remains positive.
Sheila Burton, lion president, presented Jack with an Amazon Echo.
Sheila said: “I am sure Jack will benefit from his new friend, Alexa, who will be an asset both educationally and for fun.”
Jack on receiving his Echo, said: “It’s brilliant. I use it to answer questions like what is the day or time, instead of always asking mum. I set reminders and Alexa answers my general knowledge questions too.”
A spokesman from the Dorset Blind Association said: “We’re thrilled to be able to help our member, Jack, further with the donation of an Amazon Echo. New technology is developing quickly, and this is just one example of the positive impact it can have on those living with sight loss by making everyday activities easier and more accessible.”
Bridport Lions is celebrating its 45th anniversary, and the donation to Jack highlighted their continued work within the community.
Read more of the article here
We are celebrating our 100th Anniversary this year, returning to Lulworth Castle on Sunday 13th May with our annual motor show and family fun day. A fantastic family day out not to be missed, with entertainment for all ages! The Castle Showground will be open to the general public from 12:00pm – 4:00pm and is free entry, however Lulworth parking charges will apply.
Take a wonder around the motor display, showcasing over 100 vehicles set in front of the beautiful castle; classics to motorbikes, modified cars to retro campervans, plus the exclusive appearance of the Aston Martin Vanquish S Red Arrows car (otherwise known as the Aston Martin Red 10). The showground will offer a variety of artisan stalls selling local produce and handmade goods, with catering available all afternoon provided by Dorset Catering Services and live entertainment from local groups. Let your children enjoy activities in our kids area, with a bouncy castle, face painting, stalls and a visit from Peppa Pig.
Katy Renault attended the event last year with her family and said, ‘We all had a great day out at the Motor Show and the sun was shining! We really enjoyed wandering around the showground and looking at all the fantastic cars on display. We will definitely be back again in 2018 and look forward to being part of the charities centenary celebrations.’
Lulworth Estate kindly offer the use of the Castle grounds to Dorset Blind Association for our annual Motor Show, the only one that is held at Lulworth, as the owner James Weld is the current president of our charity. Dorset Blind Association are very thankful to all the sponsors who have made this event possible, especially Imerys and Humphries Kirk solicitors who are the main event sponsors.
Simon Cross, partner at Humphries Kirk, commented: “We’re proud to be supporting Dorset Blind Association at the Lulworth Castle Motor Show this year, it’s a great event for families to come along to and see some classic cars as well as enjoying the magnificent surroundings of the castle. We’d also like to wish the charity all the best for celebrating its 100th anniversary this year – a marvellous achievement for a local organisation.”
The need for our services are ever increasing and with the number of people living with visual impairment due to hit 35,000 in Dorset alone, the demand is high. We hope to receive additional support with fundraising during our centenary, as well as the chance to raise vital awareness in the local community for sight loss. Currently we support over 1000 visually impaired people every month which is powered by 300+ volunteers.
To mark our Centenary, we are holding a campaign throughout the year encouraging individuals or groups to be a member of The 100 Club. They are looking for 100 kind people to raise £100 by carrying out a fundraising activity or by making a donation. For more information or to set up your fundraising page click here.
