Isn’t it great to see friends and colleagues face to face again? We thought so as we held an outdoor away day for all the staff and trustees hosted by The Sandford Pub a few weeks ago.
It was an incredible opportunity to actually meet some new additions to the service team, who were treated to the joys of a DBA and Dorset themed quiz by our CEO, Jonathon Holyhead.
It’s rare that staff from the charity shops, office, Specialist Equipment and Community Support Workers have a chance to meet up and catch up with what they are all doing, especially on a breezy summer day over a pub lunch. We are very grateful to those who sponsored the event!
Can you help by volunteering? Our members are so excited that we are resuming in person meetings but volunteers are needed to help our members get together and interact safely!
Book Group – one volunteer required to assist with meeting members at the bus station in Poole, assisting members at the Eco Hub in the Dolphin Centre and participating in a discussion about each month’s book. Commitment: last Friday of every month 10.30-12.30. Travel expenses paid.
Bournemouth and Poole Coffee Morning – volunteer drivers needed to drive members from their homes across Bournemouth and Poole to / from The Grasshopper in Parkstone. Commitment: first Tuesday of every month 10-12. Mileage paid.
Bournemouth and Poole Coffee Morning – one volunteer needed with administrative experience to coordinate transport for members to / from the coffee morning. Commitment: 3 hours per month prior to the first Tuesday of every month.
On 24th September, the Book Group will start meeting in person again. We will meet between 10.30am-12.30pm at the Eco Hub in The Dolphin Shopping Centre.
Each month we listen to a book via a USB stick in the comfort of our own home. Then on the last Friday of each month we get together to chat about the book.
We all have our own opinions! If you would like to join the Book Group, please get in touch with Heather on 07936 749502.
THANK YOU to everyone at St. Mary’s Court in Southbourne for the amazing fundraiser held on 25th August.
Dorset Blind Association greatly appreciate the donation, and fundraising efforts. There was a fantastic turn out and an incredible £301 was raised from various stalls including a raffle, guess the weight of the cake and the number of Maltesers in a jar.
It was lovely to meet and chat to so many people during a happy and fun fundraising afternoon.
Well, he’s done it, our long term supporter, Stephen Howard, has just completed his latest crazy escapade, he has cycled end to end from Land’s End to John O’Groats and done a reverse Three Peaks Challenge. Stephen raised an impressive £1001 on our behalf, we are so very grateful for your efforts!Stephen is pictured below at the John O’Groats signpost with a huge smile on his face at the completion of his challenge.You can still support him here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stephen-howard11
Huge thanks to The Dorset Knobs, Jason Croucher and Mike Alderson, who have raised the phenomenal sum of £4000 with their Channel Swim! Many thanks to members of the swimming group Beyond the Blue who have helped them to reach this amazing total. Go Knobs!
Kieran is doing a sky dive for us on the 23rd of October, as soon as he turns 16, and he’s already raised over £800 of his £1000 target! Kieran chose us because a family member is living with sight loss and he realises how essential our support can be. Thank you Kieran and keep up the good work!
We would like to welcome two new members of staff that will be working in our charity shops.
Hi, I’m Gemma and I’m the assistant manager in the lovely new Broadstone shop. I have previously worked in retail for many years and look forward to the new environment I find myself in.
I have 2 amazing daughters who keep me very busy and feeling young. As a family we like days out walking and exploring. Lulworth is a family favourite. I love to be with my family and friends and I have a passion for fitness. I am very much looking forward to becoming part of DBA family and seeing lots of friendly faces in our new lovely shop.
I am Gillian, the new Assistant Manager in Lower Parkstone and I am happy to be a part of Dorset Blind Association and help raise some vital funds for the charity and looking forward to creating some vibrant displays in the shop for our customers from the chaos of donations!
Prior to working at DBA I have worked in Floristry, Jewellery Design & Social Care.. See you in Ashley Cross.
We are very pleased to announce that our new charity shop in Lower Blandford Road, Broadstone will be opening on Monday 17th May at 9.30am.
Shop front of Broadstone Charity shop
Our shop staff have been working very hard to get all of the donated stock ready for sale. The shop is looking fabulous and we have so much for you to come and browse.
The shop will be open from 9.30am until 4.30pm Monday to Saturday.
Ruth our Shop Manager Lots of bargains to be found
Our long standing member and volunteer Jenny Clift has, with a very heavy heart, decided she is unable to run one of our Weymouth clubs any longer. Jenny was born with bilateral congenital cataracts and has suffered with visual impairment all her life. As a child she attended The Barclay School, a school for visually impaired girls. Whilst living in Southampton she was registered as partially sighted.
In 1964 Jenny, her husband and their two children moved to Weymouth. In time Jenny’s vision did sadly decrease and in 1967 she joined DBA.
In 1993 Jenny was registered blind following two detached retinas. She went on to lose her vision in her right eye and only has 25% vision in her left eye now.
Jenny soon began to volunteer at the DBA club she attended and, in 2006, she took over as leader. She has continued to run the club ever since.
Jenny has been amazing, dedicated and full of passion to provide a fun afternoon to our members, who speak so highly of her. We must also mention Graham, who has helped her to run a very happy club. All this, while dealing with her ever increasing vision loss, the death of her husband and other health issues.
Jenny is an inspiration to many. Now though, with an increase in her vision loss and aches and pains, it’s time to step away from running the club and just enjoy being a member. She has volunteered for us for almost 30 years and has received a few milestone certificates. This remarkable lady is after all 80 years old!
So from us at DBA we want to say a VERY BIG THANK YOU.
