Category: News

Our mission is to ensure that everything we do makes life better for people living with sight loss in Dorset, and their families. We provide practical help and emotional support to enable people with sight loss to stay healthy and happy. We have been caring for people since 1918 and now help over 1,000 people every month, county-wide.

Without amazing volunteers like you, we cannot provide all our essential services effectively. Our volunteers fill critical roles, from home visitors, phone buddies, drivers and companions to shop workers and event staff. Without our volunteers, a huge amount of what we do would simply not be possible. And the volunteers themselves gain too, with almost all gaining a sense of accomplishment and feeling that their volunteering makes a positive difference to their own lives.

We have a role to suit you, however much time you have, whatever your age and wherever you live!

Please contact Jo@dorsetblind.org.uk or call 01202 712865

Is it just us, or is there a touch of Spring in the air?

If you are having a Spring clean and a clear out, please consider donating to Dorset Blind Association.

We are in need of donations for our charity shops.

Sight Advice FAQ answers questions about living with sight loss, eye health or being newly diagnosed with a sight condition. This includes those who are supporting people through their sight loss journey, including parents, partners, carers and friends.

Sight Advice FAQ was designed collaboratively with other sight loss sector organisations and was launched two years ago and answers questions about living with sight loss, eye health or being newly diagnosed with a sight condition. This includes those who are supporting people through their sight loss journey, including parents, partners, carers and friends.

There is information around coronavirus, including shopping, being guided safely and accessing medical needs. There is other information in the FAQ on topics such as

·        children, young people and families

·        employment and work

·        emotional support and counselling

·        eye health

·        independent living

·        money and benefits

·        and registering your sight loss

www.sightadvicefaq.org.uk

We are so excited to announce our brand new appointment of a Community Relations Officer!

Samantha Baker takes on our newly created role here at Dorset Blind Association with a brief to raise our profile whilst engaging with and supporting our community relationships. She comes with a wealth of experience in marketing and media publishing and has supported the local community for the best part of 6 years since moving to the area.

DBA’s CEO, Jonathan Holyhead, commented on the new appointment: “We are thrilled that Samantha is joining us. It’s another positive step for Dorset Blind Association and I am confident that, over time, she will make a huge contribution to our continued growth and development” Welcome to the team, Samantha!

Volunteers from Dorset Blind Association combined work and play when they were invited by Jamie and Xanda of The Sandford Pub to benefit from the Sandfest family event on Saturday 31 July.

Whilst the Battle of the Bands played out Dorset Blind Association made over £400 from a raffle and kind donations. Great music, good food and sunshine. A brilliant day out for all the family!

Our thanks to the many businesses who supported the raffle including, Haskins Garden Centre Ferndown, Waitrose & Partners in Parkstone, Indi’s Restaurant in Westbourne, The Cliff Pub in Canford Cliffs, and Tesco at Poole Branksome, among others. We couldn’t do it without you!

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.

If you would like to find out more please call Heather on 07936 749502 or email heather@dorsetblind.org.uk.

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