We hope you’ve had a great summer, we certainly had a memorable one! From our members having a once in a lifetime driving experience at Henstridge Airfield, 100th birthday celebrations and the official opening of our first charity shop, its been a blast! The excitement doesn’t stop there, we’re digging out our posh frocks for the upcoming annual Masquerade Ball on the 28th October. Read more here..
To try and help fund the ongoing delivery of its services in the community, the charity recently opened its first ever charity shop, on Penny’s Walk in Ferndown. But this first venture into the world of charity shops is currently being spoiled and marred by the unwanted attention of a particularly nasty breed of individuals – shop lifters!
To try and help fund the ongoing delivery of its services in the community, the charity recently opened its first ever charity shop, on Penny’s Walk in Ferndown. But this first venture into the world of charity shops is currently being spoiled and marred by the unwanted attention of a particularly nasty breed of individuals – shop lifters!
The thieves are not only targeting the general stock of the shop but are also stealing from the shop’s mini Resource Centre too. In the Resource Centre area of the shop specialist items of equipment and aids to daily living for blind and partially sighted people are on display to act as an entry point for people in the Ferndown area who can benefit from this service.
As a consequence the charity has reluctantly decided that, for now at least and until the shop lifting can be curbed, this service has to be withdrawn.
Jonathan Holyhead, CEO of the Dorset Blind Association said, “I wouldn’t have though that people could stoop so low. Any shop lifting is criminal and wrong, period, but to take from charity shops beggar’s belief.” He went on to say, “I am especially gutted that the thieves have forced us to suspend the equipment service. In the short time the shop has been open this has proved to be extremely popular and valuable to people in the Ferndown area who suffer from serious sight loss. Having that equipment on open display so people could see and touch it was especially useful but people are now denied that service because of the callous, selfish and criminal actions of just a few morally bankrupt members of the community.”
The value of equipment stolen from the Resource Centre area of the shop is over £200 and with the value of the general stock which has also “walked” the charity has probably lost in the region of £500 just within the first 2 months of trading.
Jonathan said, “Dorset Blind Association is not a wealthy charity. We work incredibly hard to bring in the funding we need each year and we always make sure we spend our money carefully and wisely to make it stretch as far as possible. That £500 would have paid to keep both our mobile equipment and advice service vehicles on the road for 5 weeks, so the thieves aren’t just robbing our shop, they are directly robbing the blind and partially sighted people in Dorset who will miss services that money would have funded.”
The charity are now reluctantly considering installation of CCTV in the shop to try and deter the shop lifters and help to identify culprits who can then be reported to the Police. They are also working to fund the purchase of glass fronted, closed cabinets to display the equipment. Jonathan said, “This will all cost money which otherwise could be spent on what the Dorset Blind Association does best – providing really useful help and support services for people in Dorset who sadly suffer from serious sight loss. I really wish I didn’t have to spend our hard earned cash this way, but I feel I have no choice.”
For more information please contact Jonathan Holyhead on 01202 712861 or email jonathan@dorsetblind.org.uk
‘Get in the car, close your eyes and put the pedal to the metal!’ Not normally advisable and slightly scary for any passengers. But that is exactly what 25 blind and partially sighted members from Dorset Blind Association and Somerset Sight did on Sunday 17th September.
The two sight loss charities teamed up in order to offer a once in a lifetime driving experience for their visually impaired members. Henstridge Airfield in north Dorset kindly offered their runway as a race track, with members hitting top speeds of 85mph! 2nd 2NONE Driving School supplied their driving instructors and duel-controlled cars to give the members the excitement of freedom and speed.
Ages ranged from 21 to 90 with Doug from Scotland, who happened to be visiting his son in Poole over the weekend, being the oldest participant. Doug has been blind since the age of eight and had never had the opportunity to drive before.
Doug said,‘Just let me know when you do this again and I’ll travel down from Stranraer to take part. It has been the thrill of my life!’
This fantastic activity has given the charities members the opportunity to do something that some of them could only ever have dreamed to have done.
Dorset Blind Association, which will be celebrating their centenary next year, and has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2017 offers many clubs and varied activities for blind and visually impaired people across Dorset. If you would like to find out more information call 01202 712865 or email info@dorsetblind.org.uk
The red carpets were rolled out for our Film Premiere on Monday, Julian and Emma Fellowes cut the ribbon at our official charity shop opening in August – What a month we have had here at Dorset Blind Association. Read on to find out more and see what else we are up to. Find out more…
On Monday 11th September the red carpet was rolled out at The Regent Centre in Christchurch for the Dorset Premiere of the film Victoria and Abdul. This exclusive event was in aid of Dorset Blind Association and was kindly sponsored by Blue Sky Financial Planning. It welcomed a sell out audience of over 300 people and raised a staggering £8,336.00!
The film, starring Dame Judi Dench, is directed by the charitys patron and BAFTA award winner, Stephen Frears. Frears kindly supports the sight loss charity as his son and blind actor, Sam Frears, has benefited from the charitys services for many years attending their social clubs and activities. On release of his last film in 2016, Florence Foster Jenkins, he gave Dorset Blind Association the opportunity to also host their first Dorset Premiere in Bournemouth at The ABC Odeon.
Victoria and Abdul follows the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her Indian servant Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal). As their friendship deepens, the queen begins to see a changing world through new eyes, joyfully reclaiming her humanity. The film also stars Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith and Adeel Akhtar.
Helena Sinclair, Events fundraiser from Dorset Blind Association said, ‘We are incredibly overwhelmed by the support we received at our Dorset Film Premiere of Victoria and Abdul. The funds raised for Dorset Blind Association are just phenomenal and will have such a huge impact to our services in the local community. The event would not be possible without the support of our patron, Stephen Frears, our Sponsor Blue Sky Financial Planning, and the fantastic team at The Regent Centre. Thank you to everyone for making the evening so successful.’
If you missed out on this fantastic exclusive event, Dorset Blind Association are hosting their 3rd Masquerade Ball on Saturday 28th October at The Hilton Hotel. Tickets are still available to join the glitz and glamour, only £55 per person includes 3 course dinner, wine, live entertainment plus casino!
Contact Helena for more information, 01202 712864 or helena@dorsetblind.org.uk.
All images courtesy of Christian Lawson, http://christianlawson.zenfolio.com
Lord Julian Fellowes and Lady Emma Kitchener Fellowes officially opens first Dorset Blind Association charity shop of its kind in Penny’s Walk, Ferndown, marking a new dimension to both the work and the fundraising of Dorset Blind Association.
Lord and Lady Fellowes, patrons of Dorset Blind Association since 2015, officially opened Dorset Blind Association’s first charity shop in Ferndown on Tuesday afternoon. Julian, a Conservative member of the House of Lords is also famously known to be an English actor, novelist, film producer and screenwriter. He is the writer behind one of the UK’s most best loved period TV dramas, Downton Abbey. Emma Kitchener-Fellowes is the great great niece of the first Earl Kitchener and is also Lady-in-Waiting to HRH Princess Michael of Kent. Julian alongside his wife feel delighted to be able to support the Dorset Blind Association.
On the opening of the shop, they said “It is hard to imagine a gift more precious than sight, or a pain more severe than losing it. So, it feels good to know that here is a practical way we can all help. Everything given to, or bought from, this shop will bring real aid to the local blind or partially-sighted community and I would urge everyone to support it in any way they can. Any of us could lose our sight, at any time, so let us pray that we would be treated with generosity and support when and if it happens.”
Occupying a prominent position on Penny’s Walk in the Ferndown Centre, Dorset Blind Association’s first shop in Ferndown is designed to not only raise much needed income to fund their services, but is itself a part of their service delivery. The shop includes a mini equipment and advice resource centre, designed to help to make their important service even more accessible to the public.
Jonathan, CEO of Dorset Blind Association said “The opening of our first charity shop is a really exciting development and should serve three vitally important purposes. It will help to raise a greater level of public awareness for our work; it will directly help in the delivery of that work as it helps us to reach out and help a greater number of people than before; and the income it generates will fund the ongoing delivery of the community support services we already provide in the Ferndown and east Dorset area. I am especially grateful to our patrons Lord and Lady Fellowes for their support and helping us to give the shop the best possible launch.”
The shop is also an opportunity for visually impaired people to volunteer, to gain useful skills and experience. Large and spacious, the shop allows easy access to all members of the community and the shop staff and volunteers ensure a warm and friendly welcome for everyone.
Volunteers are the lifeblood for the charity, and many opportunities to volunteer in the Ferndown area have arisen. The shop is particularly looking for volunteers who can help on Monday, Thursdays and Friday afternoons, especially those with till experience. The local Ferndown Social Club are also looking for volunteer drivers. Call the shop on 01202 920385 if you can help.
The official shop opening included a tour of the new shop, fundraising activities and a chance for the community to speak more with the staff and volunteers of the charity about the vital work they do in the community and meet Julian and Emma Fellowes.
For more information please contact Jonathan Holyhead on 01202 712861 or email jonathan@dorsetblind.org.uk
We are delighted to announce that we have been given the privilege of hosting another Dorset charity film premiere, this time of ‘Victoria and Abdul’, starring Dame Judi Dench. This opportunity is brought to us once again by our patron and BAFTA Award winning film director, Stephen Frears. Read on for more information and to see what else is happening in your community! Find out more…
Each year we take part in a match funding campaign called ‘The Big Give Challenge’ that enables you to DOUBLE your donation PLUS Gift Aid. We’re calling on our supporters to help us once again this year by making a promise of funds (a pledge) to Dorset Blind Association.
If we raise £3,750 in pledges by the end of this month, we will go through to the Christmas Challenge, and the Big Give will help us turn that into £15,000, which, with additional Gift Aid is enough to run all of our social clubs for 2018! Next year is particularly special to us as we will be celebrating 100 years of Dorset Blind Association. We would love to be able to celebrate with all our volunteers and members by keeping all social clubs running for the year, and we can only do this with your help.
The pledges don’t need to be paid until January, so by promising a Christmas gift to Dorset Blind Association now, you could help fund all of our 20 social clubs for older people for the whole of 2018, helping over 450 individuals who may otherwise be isolated and lonely.
Please help us to make the most of this opportunity to take part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge again this year by hitting our pledge target.
I hope that you will be kind enough to help us make sure this Christmas is not a lonely one for anybody in Dorset with sight loss, by pledging in the challenge this year.
If you are able to pledge please do so online here or call Amanda on 01202 712864 or email amanda@dorsetblind.org.uk before the end of August.
You can read more about what this money will do to improve lives of blind and partially sighted people here.
Our monthly e-newsletter has had a make over, and we hope you like it!
We have had a very exciting start to the summer with our Bright for Sight Night Run, support from Weymouth Rotary Club plus lots of upcoming events that we hope you will attend. Find our more..
Our Bright for Sight Night Run returned to Boscombe Seafront on Saturday 24th June as part of Feel Good Festival Dorset. Over 100 runners lit up the night as they took on the 5k or 10k challenge and went Bright for Sight with glow sticks, neon paint, tutus and anything that glows. The event was a huge success, raising just under £3,000. A huge thank you goes out to Parley Optometrists for sponsoring the event once again. Check out the event photos here
