Category: News

As Dorset Blind Association (DBA) prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday and receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the charity is looking back on its fascinating evolution, from setting up Braille social centres in both Weymouth and Parkstone in the 1920s, to enabling blind people to even shoot and rock climb today.

The founding of the DBA in 1918 coincided with the very late stages of the First World War and sweeping changes in both social and political attitudes.

The first President was Lady Portman, who lived then at Bryanston House, near Blandford Forum.

Since then many other well- known local land owning families and dignitaries have held key offices for the charity.

Lord Digby of Minterne House was a long-serving President and three successive generations of the Weld family, from Lulworth, have held that office, including James Weld DL as the current President.

The charity is also proud to have Lord Julian and Lady Emma Fellowes as patrons, along with BAFTA winning film director Stephen Frears, whose own actor son Sam who enjoys the DBA’s acoustic shooting, in which blind and partially sighted people can embrace the challenge of target rifle shooting.

Jonathan Holyhead, CEO of the DBA said: “The sophisticated technology which allows this activity didn’t exist when the charity first started, but DBA has always been ground breaking in the help and freedom it has offered the county’s blind and sight impaired people.”

He continued: “Braille social centres were set up in both Weymouth and Parkstone and the charity’s first ‘home teacher’ was employed in the 1920’s.

“Living on Portland, Lucy Scholes was provided with a car for travel and in her report in December 1926 she recorded having made 300 visits since 16thAugust that year, giving lessons in Moon (a system of raised shapes), Braille, knitting and basket-work.”

While acknowledging the usefulness of having the car, Lucy did include in her report that: “At first it did not behave very well, but after being overhauled by the Yeovil agent it is doing better and about 2,500 miles have been covered.”

Until the National Assistance Act of 1948 and the arrival of the welfare state, the charity continued to deliver many of the support services which are now more commonly associated with social services and our local authorities. But even as this role changed, Dorset Blind Association continued to play a significant part in the provision of help and support for visually impaired people in Dorset.

Belmont Court, a home for blind people, was opened in Parkstone in the 1950s and over the years a significant number of social and activity clubs were established, each providing much needed opportunities for people to enjoy the company and companionship of others.

Services provided by the charity have tried to keep pace with the times and Dorset Blind Association prides itself on a practical and innovative approach, often trying new ideas while others stick rigidly to tradition.

In 2006 it pioneered a mobile equipment service, demonstrating specialist aids and equipment in people’s homes, and it currently provides a number of community based services, all aiming to help people come to terms with their sight loss and then still enjoy functional independence, personal safety and social participation in their local community.

Volunteers have always played a key part in the work of the charity and just last year this was recognised by Dorset Blind Association being selected to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Jonathan Holyhead added: “This is a tremendous honour and I am so pleased that the incredibly valuable work of our wonderful volunteers and the charity as a whole has been recognised in this way.”

The Award will be officially presented at an event to be held at Lulworth Castle in July.

Jonathan continued: “Dorset Blind Association staff and volunteers are all proud of what we collectively achieve in our endeavours to help people who suffer serious sight loss and live in this lovely county of Dorset.

“The charity reaching the landmark of a century of service is definitely something to celebrate, but at the same time, especially because of our ageing population, we know that we are almost certainly going to be needed for at least the next 100 years too!”

Angie has been a member of Dorset Blind Association since 2009. “My specialist said a couple of years ago I would be lucky if I had any sight left in five years, so I want to get out and make the most of the vision I have while I can.” Angie has found purpose through the Dorset Blind Association and is now an active member taking part in various activities, including visually impaired tennis and acoustic shooting and has the aim of competing at a national level due to her competitive drive. She also meets up with our other members through our social groups once a month. “My friends are my biggest support and I’ve made quite a few through the charity.”

DBA would like to hear from local people whose own lives, or those of loved ones have been touched in some way by the charity.  Any records, photos or other information relating to the history of the charity which can also be shared would also be greatly appreciated. Please contact Jo Randall at the Dorset Blind Association by e-mail jo@dorsetblind.org.uk or by telephone on 01202 712865​

To find out more about how you can support us and fundraise throughout our centenary, please visit our 100 club page here

We hope you’ve had a fantastic Christmas and we wish you all a Happy New Year! We are looking forward to an exciting 2018 as we get ready to celebrate our 100th Birthday. First, banish those January blues by taking up Fitness February! Read more here..

Has your business got what it takes to beat the rest?

Rally up your colleagues, challenge your bosses and race against your competitors in Dorset Blind Associations corporate challenge ‘The Big Row 2018’.

Each year corporate teams from across Bournemouth and Poole don their sports gear and head to Bournemouth Square in a bid to become the quickest team to row 10,000m. The fundraising event is now open for entry this year, having re-branded, and are looking for local businesses to take up the challenge.

This annual event has previously seen teams from Nationwide, Barclays, Laceys Solicitors, Van Guard Security Services, and many more. Local businesses are able to book their team of 4-6 people into a one hour time slot between 9:30am and 6:00pm to complete this challenge. Not only is it fantastic for team-building, it is also a great way to promote fitness and wellbeing within your workplace, plus the winning team will win a visit to the popular Cyantist escape room in Bournemouth!  

Laceys Solicitors in Bournemouth entered two teams into the 2017 challenge and took 2nd and 3rd place. Edwina Young, team member, said “As a group of competitive individuals, we loved the opportunity to test ourselves whilst raising money for a very worthy cause. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a challenge.”

Dorset Blind Association will be celebrating their 100th anniversary throughout 2018 and The Big Row will kickstart the celebrations to support this momentous milestone. Helena Sinclair, Events Fundraiser at Dorset Blind Association said: “It is a great opportunity for businesses that want to make a positive impact to their community. Being held in Bournemouth town centre, there is always a real buzz from the event which raises awareness and funds directly benefiting those living with sight loss in Dorset.”

Entry is only £35.00 per team, or support the charities Centenary further by raising a minimum of £100 and pay no entry fee. If you would like to take part or would like more information about the Big Row 2018, call 01202 712864 or email events@dorsetblind.org.uk.

Here is a video from our 2017 corporate row challenge!

Firstly, we’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who supported us in our Big Give Christmas challenge which raised a staggering £23,238.75!! As the end of the year is upon us, we’ve enjoyed looking back over all the fantastic things that have happened here at Dorset Blind Association throughout 2017. Read more here..

Local sight loss charity, the Dorset Blind Association, is thanking one of its most generous corporate supporters, Blue Sky Financial Planning, for help which has enabled the charity to fight back against the thieves which had been targeting valuable equipment on display at its charity shop in Ferndown.

The shop in Penny’s Walk in the Ferndown Centre is the first ever charity shop opened by Dorset Blind Association. As well as being to raise much needed income to help fund the charity’s services in East Dorset, the shop also helps to promote those services and give members of the local community direct and easy access to them.

Amongst those services, Dorset Blind Association provides specialist items of equipment and aids to daily living designed to help blind and partially sighted people still maintain independent living. Examples of this equipment were on display in the Ferndown shop and, as well as general shop stock, shoplifters had been targeting these items and as a result of the amount and value of these being stolen the charity had reluctantly decided to suspend that service. But not anymore, thanks to the generosity of Blue Sky Financial Planning, who have kindly donated £500 to the charity to help fund the installation of CCTV in the shop.

Gary Neild, Managing Director of Blue Sky and a long standing supporter of Dorset Blind Association said, “I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news about the shoplifting problem. It’s so disappointing that there are people willing to stoop so low and target a charity which is simply trying to help people in our local community who are suffering the disability of sight loss.” Gary went on, “I thought I just couldn’t just let this happen without trying to help, so I offered to help fund any steps which they thought might help stop the thieves.”

Encouraged by this offer, Dorset Blind Association’s CEO, Jonathan Holyhead, decided that the most suitable deterrent would be to install CCTV at the shop. This, combined with a repositioning of where the equipment is displayed has meant the service can now recommence. Jonathan said, “There are no words to describe how grateful I am to Blue Sky for this extremely kind and generous gift. I was so sad when the thieves forced us to suspend the equipment service at the shop. I really couldn’t believe we had people in Dorset capable of such despicable behaviour but thanks to Gary and all his team at Blue Sky my faith in human nature is restored!”

In Dorset today there are more than 4,600 people registered as blind or partially sighted and an estimated 30,000 people living with serious sight loss. That’s the equivalent of 4% of the county’s population. The Dorset Blind Association works across Dorset to help as many of those people as possible adjust to living with serious sight loss and then still lead full, independent, healthy and socially active lives in their local community, notwithstanding the impact to them of their sight loss and while the sight loss itself sadly cannot be cured, the charity’s work helps to stop it causing or leading to other physical or mental health problems.

Blue Sky Financial planning are based at Coy Pond Business Park, Poole. The company works closely with its clients to enable them to live the lives they want, believing that, through comprehensive financial planning, it is possible to reduce anxieties, explore possibilities and create excitement about the future.

Dorset Blind Association can be contacted for help on 01202 712865 or by visiting www.dorsetblind.org.uk

Blue Sky Financial planning can be contacted on 01202 756560 or by visiting www.blueskyfp.co.uk

Due to a shortage of volunteers we’ve had to restrict the number of collections we do. We’re desperate for volunteers to help at various bucket and street collections across Dorset to raise vital funds.

Please see dates of Christmas collections. If you can help in your area please call Amanda on 01202 712864 or email her on Amanda@dorsetblind.org.uk

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