Links for Life Service
Links for Life
The Society has been extremely fortunate to be awarded funding through the City Council’s Links for Life Fund. This will enable us to offer many services for the benefit of visually impaired people and their families.
Services include;
- Monthly Coffee Mornings
- Monthly Afternoon Teas
- Monthly Social meetings
- Monthly Men’s Support Group
- Quizzes
- Monthly Macular Support Group
- One to one IT training
- Access to our professional Counselling service
- Healthy Lifestyle Activities
- Monthly LGBT Support Group
- Weekly Braille lessons
Anyone interested in attending these activities should telephone the office on 0191 5673939 for more information.
New Equipment for the Houghton le Spring and District Centre for the Blind
New Kitchen and Boiler for Houghton le Spring and District Centre for the Blind
The Society has installed a brand new kitchen and boiler at Houghton le Spring and District Centre for the Blind.
Funding amounting to £7,500 for this improvement work has been provided by Sunderland City Council’s Coalfield Area Committee through the City Council’s Neighbourhood Fund.
The Centre has been given a new lease of life and is now available to hire by community groups. The Houghton le Spring and District Support Group for visually impaired people continues to meet weekly on a Tuesday from 1:00 to 6:00 New members welcome..
The Screwfix Foundation also donated £5,000 as matched funding for the project.
Anyone interested in hiring the facilities should telephone the Society on 0191 5673939
We would like to thank the Coalfield Area Committee for this wonderful support and the Screwfix Foundation. Without this support the work would not have taken place
Durham Living with Sight Loss Courses 2024
The Society is running Living with Sight Loss Courses for people living with sight loss who reside in County Durham. The course includes sessions on a variety of topics relating to sight loss. It also gives the individual the opportunity to meet with others in a similar situation to share experiences and handy hints and tips. A family member or friend are welcome to come along.
The Society is running this two-day course on the following date and in this location.
Peterlee East Durham Trust on 3rd and 4th September
If you are interested or would like to learn more, please get in touch with Julie Anderson on 07393645974.
2024 Living with Sight Loss Sessions Sunderland
Living with Sight Loss Sessions Sunderland
The Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind Living with Sight Loss sessions help you to increase your independence, boost your confidence and connect with others to share experiences.
We are holding an additional event this year and it is taking place at our Pallion Offices on:
Tuesday 15th & Wednesday 16th October
Through our sessions, you’ll receive practical advice, information and guidance on organisations, products and services that are available to help you. You’ll also have the chance to learn from each other’s personal experiences and share experiences.
Our Living with Sight Loss courses are for adults of all ages, including friends, family members and anyone who is close to you. Each 2 day course includes information and advice on a variety of topics, including:
Registration of sight impairment and understanding benefits
Staying independent
Daily life skills and using technology to improve your quality of life
Eye health and eye care services
Wellbeing
Signposting to other national and local organisations.
Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind Exhibition
Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind Exhibition
In October 2023, the Society held their annual Sight Loss Exhibition in City Hall. With tech companies from across the UK in attendance showing the latest gadgets to support people with hearing and sight loss.
The Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind Exhibition offer support with computer mentoring and technology support; British wireless for the blind; counselling services; help with employment; social groups and lots more.
Please call us for more information.
Contact details: 0191 567 3939
Volunteer Driver Opportunity
We are urgently looking for
Volunteer Car Drivers
to transport our members to various events, social and support groups across
County Durham.
If you are interested in helping us to make a difference to people with sight loss, through supporting them with transport requirements please get in touch.
Julie Anderson – 0191 5673939
julie.anderson@sundrsb.org.uk
Reimbursement for mileage incurred is currently paid at 45 pence per mile.
All Volunteer Drivers will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Volunteer Car Driver advert
Headway Washington Social Group
Headway will be starting a new activity/social group for people with sight loss/difficulty as a result of a neurological condition.
A new group will be developed for people from Washington, they will eventually decide what they would like to do in the group. Ie talks, games, visits, speakers etc.
This will be the 2nd Tuesday of the Month . 1-3 pm. Starting on 13th June
Address is
Washington Millennium Centre
The Oval
Concord.
NE37 2QD
We are located about 2-3 minutes walk from Concord bus station. Someone will be available to meet anyone for their first visit,
If you would like further information please contact Kim from Headway on 07830346985 or email kim.hunter@headwaywearside.org.uk
Free Assistive Technology, Employability and Digital Job Club Sessions
Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind offers free Assistive Technology home visits to all visually impaired residents of Sunderland and Durham. Whether it is accessing magnifiers, both hand help or large screen versions or a demonstration of what smart phones can do to help with your condition or using Alexa devices to make phone calls or read audio books from the RNIB just let us know and we will create an individual plan tailored to your own personal circumstances. If in doubt just ask and we will do our best to assist you as much as possible. We have delivered over 400 home visits in the past year and received many compliments for our services.
We also provide free and friendly digital employability short sessions on your doorstep across Sunderland and County Durham, they are available to everyone with a visual impairment looking for work and with no upper age restrictions so come along and update your skills.
This free project will offer several sessions per week, this can include home visit sessions, or at a community venue close to you.
We would like as many local residents to take part in the Digital Job Club project to increase their chances of getting employment, perform their job searches correctly and fulfill their Universal Credit obligations as well as update their digital skills.
We will help any County Durham or Sunderland visually impaired residents of any age and our aim is to help them help themselves to become better digital citizens and increase their employability prospects. and help them get the job they want. We understand that it can be daunting to return to the job market after time away but we will do our best to help you help yourself.
We will help you update your CV and send job applications online easily. Search for more vacancies and become a better job seeker and it all counts towards your job search requirements.
Courses will be delivered locally and will include group type workshops with allocated times as well as sessions for 1:1 individual advice.
To book your free place please contact: John Walls on 0191 5673939 or email john.walls@sundrsb.org.uk
Christmas Lunch at Stanley 2023
Everyone had a great time at the Stanley Xmas lunch.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended.
Everyone had a fantastic time thanks to Mazel and her band of elves! Everyone has been been raving about it! The food was delicious, as were the drinks. It was all fab! We will definitely look forward to seeing you all again at the sessions at Stanley Masonic Hall in January 2024 and beyond.
