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
Employability and Digital Job Club Sessions
Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind provides 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
Welcome to the Spring 2024 Newsletter.
We hope that you enjoy reading it and find the information to be useful. The full Newsletter is available free of charge to Society members in a variety of formats so why not sign up to become a member of the Society and experience the full benefit.
News from the Chief Executive
Welcome to the Spring and Summer 2024 Newsletters.
Firstly, I want to apologise for having to combine two issues of the newsletter into one. There has been so much going on within the Society and time has been at a premium. Hopefully, we are now back on track and can return to quarterly newsletters in the autumn.
At the beginning of the year our Community Sight Support Officer, Fiona Ferguson, left our employment to take up a new post with Darlington Borough Council. As Fiona and her husband live in Darlington this opportunity was too good to miss. I am sure everyone who benefitted from Fiona’s work throughout County Durham over recent years will join us in wishing her well in her new role.
Fiona’s departure resulted in the recruitment of a new Community Sight Support Officer and we have been extremely fortunate in appointing Joanne Peverley. Joanne has already started to make an excellent impression with clients and has settled in perfectly. She makes an excellent addition to our team.
Julie Anderson and Dale Burns-Maddison are progressing very well with their Rehabilitation apprenticeships. Julie will complete her two year training course shortly and become a fully qualified Rehabilitation Worker. Dale is coming towards the end of his first year of training.
Meanwhile, Sunderland City Council have asked the Society to take on some of the Hearing loss rehabilitation work due to one of their staff being on long term sickness. We are fortunate to have Ken Slowther who has been able to provide the service.
Mike Crozier is a member of the Society and works for Sunderland City Council. He has very kindly offered to raise funds for the Society by taking part in the Great North Run in September. He is currently training hard and is determined to succeed. Due to Mike’s sight loss he will not have as much opportunity to seek sponsorship for his efforts as he would like to raise funds for the Society. If anyone would like to sponsor Mike, please contact the office for information on how to do so.
IT and Assistive Technology
Our free Assistive Technology/Vision project offers practical support and advice and guidance to visually impaired people of any age living in Sunderland and County Durham on ICT and digital issues relating to their visual impairment.
Since starting the service in October 2022, it has proved to be very popular and we have dealt with over 446 clients through home visits or group sessions. We cover Laptops, PC’s, Android phones and tablets as well as iPhones and iPads as well as covering all aspects of assistive technology devices to help maintain your hobbies and independence.
You can access donated equipment to try out to see what suits you best including Clear View readers and offer advice and guidance on what would be best for you and your condition.
The service is available 4 days a week Monday to Thursday so you can choose a day and time that’s convenient for you to receive dedicated one to one advice and information in the comfort of your own home if you can’t make it to one of our venues in Pallion or Langley Moor.
If you would like to take advantage of this free National Lottery funded service please either email our Assistive Technology Officer john.walls@sundrsb.org.uk or call us on 0191 567 3939 and we will be glad to help.
COFFEE MORNING – SUNDERLAND – Second Wednesday of the month. Starts 10am till noon
Wednesday 14th June
MEN’S GROUP – Second Monday of the month. Starts 1.30pm – 2.30pm.
We have a fantastic line up of speakers for the year ahead.
Monday 12th June – Making a difference NE
DIABETES GROUP – 4th Monday of the month. Starts 1.30pm – 2.30pm
Monday 24th April
Monday 22nd May
Monday 26th June
MACULAR MEETING – Fourth Wednesday of the month. Starts 1.30pm – 2.30pm.
Wednesday 28th June – TBC
ONGOING SERVICES ON OFFER
Drop in for information or just a chat
Various support groups
Resource Centre
Loan of magnifying equipment
Braille mentoring
IT and Technology Support
Counselling
Benefits/Advocacy
Access to work/Job Club
British Wireless for the Blind Audio Equipment
Warm Spaces Venue
If you require any further information on any of the above services please call Julie Stormont on 0191 5673939 and I will be happy to help.
Our office opening hours are Monday to Friday 9.30am – 3pm and you are more than welcome to call into the office at Pallion for a cuppa and a chat.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sunderland 2025 Dates for Your Diary
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – 2025 SUNDERLAND
53 St Luke’s Terrace, Pallion. Sunderland SR4 6NF
Please contact Henry Hardy on 0191 5673939 for more information or turn up on the day
AFTERNOON TEA – Every 1st Thursday of the month – BOOKING ESSENTIAL – 1pm – 3pm
THURSDAY 2ND JANUARY
THURSDAY 6TH FEBRUARY
THURSDAY 6TH MARCH
THURSDAY 3RD APRIL
THURSDAY 1ST MAY
THURSDAY 5TH JUNE
THURSDAY 3RD JULY
MEN’S GROUP – Every 2nd Monday of the month 1.30pm – 2.30pm
MONDAY 13TH JANUARY
MONDAY 10TH FEBRUARY
MONDAY 10TH MARCH
MONDAY 14TH APRIL
MONDAY 12TH MAY
MONDAY 9TH JUNE
COFFEE MORNING – Every 2nd Wednesday of the month
10am – 12.00pm
WEDNESDAY 8TH JANUARY
WEDNESDAY 12TH FEBRUARY
WEDNESDAY 12TH MARCH
WEDNESDAY 9TH APRIL
WEDNESDAY 14TH MAY
WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE
QUIZ 11am – 12.30pm
TUESDAY 14TH & 28TH JANUARY
TUESDAY 4TH & 18TH FEBRUARY
TUESDAY 4TH & 18TH MARCH
TUESDAY 1ST & 15TH APRIL
TUESDAY 6TH & 20TH MAY
TUESDAY 3RD & 17TH JUNE
MACULAR – Every 4th Wednesday of the month 1.30pm – 3.00pm
WEDNESDAY 22ND JANUARY
WEDNESDAY 26TH FEBRUARY
WEDNESDAY 26TH MARCH
WEDNESDAY 23rd APRIL
WEDNESDAY 28th MAY
WEDNESDAY 25TH JUNE
SOCIAL 10.30am – 12.30pm
THURSDAY 30th JANUARY
THURSDAY 20th FEBRUARY
THURSDAY 20TH MARCH
THURSDAY 17TH APRIL
THURSDAY 22ND MAY
THURSDAY 19TH JUNE
Taxi Card Update
The Taxi card Scheme which runs in Sunderland in conjunction with Station Taxis is very popular. For any new applications you need to apply the beginning of July please call Nexus direct on 0191 2020747.
LATEST UPDATE FROM NEXUS – There has been some confusion around the Scheme continuing but after speaking direct to a Manager within the Company I have been advised that the Scheme is continuing for another 6 months. Names for new applications are being taken and added to a list and forms will be sent once the Tenders have been assessed, agreed and then put in place. There is a delay with this happening. I will continue to provide updates within timescales agreed with my contact within Nexus but feel free to call them direct also. I will update the website once I have more information. Julie Stormont
Durham 2025 Dates for Your Diary
LIVING WITH SIGHT LOSS COURSE
(Booking is Essential)
A two day course providing information and advice about living with sight loss.
10am – 3pm
7th & 8th May, Crook
16th & 17th July, Stanhope
3rd & 4th Sept, Barnard Castle
For further information and to book your place please call
Julie on 0191 5673939
Durham City Coffee Mornings
Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind has now merged it’s monthly coffee mornings into Durham Visual Support & Macular, meaning that both can now use the same room in North Road Methodist Church. It will still take place every 2nd week of the month between 10AM and 12PM, but it will be on a Monday, when the Durham Visual Support & Macular meetings take place. Everyone, who used to attend the coffee mornings on Tuesdays will still be in attendance and the office will still arrange speakers for these meetings. These speakers will be announced as part of the monthly schedules.
We hope you will enjoy these newly merged meetings and make new friends, who don’t attend our weekly Monday meetings, but this will enable them to hopefully attend and be part of what we do in the future.
We are delivering Living with Sight Loss courses and other events throughout the year in the following venues:
The Masonic Hall, Stanley DH9 8AD
Day: 4th Tuesday of the month Time 1.00-3.00
January 28th The Louisa Centre Emma Lloyd-Edwards
February 25th Co-Op Wills and POA Jane Hudson
March 25th Durham Visual Support Macular Pauline Morford
St Marys & St Cuthberts Church Parish Centre, Chester Le Street
21st January 2025 – Welcome Back Chat
18th February 2025 – Stroke Association – Janet Nesbitt
18Th March 2025 – Thomas Pocklington Trust – Confirmed
15th April 2025 – Wiltshire Farm Foods – Confirmed
20th May 2025 – Air Ambulance – Confirmed
17th June 2025 – Durham Carers
15th July 2025 – Cancer Awareness – Confirmed
19th August 2025 – Macular Katherine Young
16th September 2025 – Dale, Charles Bonnet
21st October 2025 – RNLI Confirmed
18th November 2025 – RNIB Lewis Confirmed
16th December 2025 – TBC
Town Hall, Bishop Auckland
Events to be confirmed at this venue.
The course aims to provide information on all aspects relating to living with sight loss. The course includes sessions on a variety of topics. It also provides you with the opportunity to meet with others in a similar situation to share experiences and handy hints and tips. You are welcome to bring a family member or friend along.
If you are interested in attending any of the above courses and want to book a place or would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If you or someone you know requires support and advice, we would love to hear from you, so why not contact us on the below numbers. We offer telephone support, home visits and appointments at Cecil Court .
Office: 0191 5673939
Pallion Action Group (PAG)
Volunteers available Mon – Fri 10am – 2pm
Can help with collecting prescriptions, shopping, benefit/welfare advice
Please contact, Karen Wood on either 07534 983971 or 0191 5142011
Full details of all their activities are on their website at www.pallionactiongroup.co.uk
Living With Sight Loss Events
We are delivering Living with Sight Loss courses throughout the year in the following venues:
Durham Methodist Church Hall, North Road, Durham. 20 and 21 April
The Masonic Hall, Stanley, 19 and 20 June
Town Hall, Bishop Auckland 26 and 27 September
The course aims to provide information on all aspects relating to living with sight loss. The course includes sessions on a variety of topics. It also provides you with the opportunity to meet with others in a similar situation to share experiences and handy hints and tips. You are welcome to bring a family member or friend along.
If you are interested in attending any of the above courses and want to book a place or would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If you or someone you know requires support and advice, we would love to hear from you, so why not contact us on the below numbers. We offer telephone support, home visits and appointments at Cecil Court .
Fiona Ferguson 07595956345
Office: 0191 5673939
Houghton Blind Club Update
We are delighted to have joined with Houghton Blind Club in order to provide another outreach centre on the Sunderland/Durham border. We are always looking for new members to join us and spend a wonderful afternoon in the warm and welcoming atmosphere in the company of others.
Houghton Blind Club meet up at Houghton-le-Spring Hall DH4 5AF each week at 12:30pm on Tuesdays. Anyone is welcome to drop in and enjoy a cup of tea, and to take part in our fun activities and have a chat.
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.
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.
News from the Chief Executive
We continue to provide many Social Groups and Services. The Social Groups
provides many people with Company and the chance to make new friends.
The Society is very welcoming and always a tea or coffee available so why not pop in for a chat. We often have various items donated so call to see if we have what you are looking for.
There is also a wide variety of catalogues and information booklets available free of charge so if there is something you would like more information on give the office a call on 0191 5673939.l
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – All held at Pallion, Sunderland
AFTERNOON TEA – First Thursday of the month
1:30pm – 3pm
Only £2.50 per person. Selection of sandwiches, cake and savouries. Booking essential.
THURSDAY 3RD OCTOBER
THURSDAY 7TH NOVEMBER
THURSDAY 5TH DECEMBER
QUIZ MORNING
We now run these twice a month, see below for the next one. Great for a social gathering, a quiz and as always refreshments.
TUESDAY 3RD & 17TH SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY 1ST & 15TH OCTOBER
TUESDAY 5TH & 19TH NOVEMBER
TUESDAY 3RD & 17TH DECEMBER
MEN’S GROUP – Second Monday of the month.
1:30 – 2:30
MONDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER
MONDAY 14TH OCTOBER
MONDAY 11TH NOVEMBER
MONDAY 9TH DECEMBER
COFFEE MORNING – SUNDERLAND – Second Wednesday of the month. 10am – noon
WEDNESDAY 9TH OCTOBER
WEDNESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER
WEDNESDAY 11TH DECEMBER – Xmas
MACULAR MEETING – 4th Wednesday of the month.
1:30 pm – 2:30pm.
WEDNESDAY 23rd OCTOBER – Parkinson UK
WEDNESDAY 27th NOVEMBER – Action On Dementia
WEDNESDAY 11TH DECEMBER – Xmas
SOCIAL GET TOGETHER – Please see dates below.
10am – noon
THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER
THURSDAY 17TH OCTOBER
THURSDAY 21ST NOVEMBER
ONGOING SERVICES ON OFFER
Drop in for information or just a chat. Various literature available i.e., Catalogues, information leaflets
Coffee Mornings/Afternoon Tea/Social get together.
Quiz morning’s
Various support groups
Resource Centre
Loan of magnifying equipment
Braille mentoring
IT and Technology Support
Counselling
Benefits/Advocacy
Access to work/Job Club
Living with Sight Loss Event
British Wireless for the Blind Audio Equipment loan
Richard Wood
Bowling is Back
Sunderland Visually Impaired 10 Pin Bowling Team are now meeting every week at The Sunderland Bowl, 141 High St West, Sunderland at 11AM. New members welcome. Please call Julie Stormont at the Society on 0191 5673939 for more info.
