Help Shape Accessible Stop Smoking Support in Sunderland The Sunderland Specialist Stop Smoking Service, delivered by ABL Health, is launching an exciting new project to develop smoking cessation resources that are truly accessible and meaningful for people with sensory impairments. Starting from a blank page and involving people with lived experience, we aim to design … Help Shape Accessible Stop Smoking Support in Sunderland
The Society was delighted to receive a grant of £1,550 from Sunderland City Council’s Coalfield Area Committee’s Community Chest fund towards much needed repairs to the roof at Houghton le Spring and District Centre for the Blind. The grant encouraged further financial support and we were delighted when the work was completed.
World Sight Day will be held on Thursday 9th October 2025. This is an annual event always held on the second Thursday of October. It is a global event to draw attention to blindness and visual impairment. The theme this year is “Love your eyes” and aims to raise awareness of avoidable blindness and vision … World Sight Day 2025.
Sunderland City Council’s West Area Committee very kindly provided a grant of £683 towards the purchase and fitting of 5 automatic door closers on the fire doors within the Society’s offices at 53, St Luke’s Terrace, Pallion, Sunderland. The work was done by Paul Burke Builders and ensures that the building meets our fire regulation … Pallion Office Improvements
Accessible Voting Focus Groups Interested in making voting more accessible? The Electoral Commission has launched a consultation on its Guidance for Returning Officers on assistance with voting for disabled voters, and we need to respond. Blind and partially sighted people have the same right as everyone else to vote independently and in secret but too … Accessible Voting Focus Groups
🎗️ CHARLES BONNET SYNDROME SUPPORT GROUP 🎗️Hosted by Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind 📍 Location:53 St Luke’s Terrace, PallionSunderland SR4 6NF📞 Telephone: 0191 567 3939 🗓 2025 Support Group Meeting DatesAll meetings start at 1:00 PM at Pallion. 20th October 17th November 15th December or 📍 Location: Cecil Court, Langley Moor, … CHARLES BONNET SYNDROME SUPPORT GROUP
Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind are very pleased to announce that we are now a member of the Visionary partnership network Visionary is a federation of one hundred local societies for blind and partially sighted people in the UK. It aspires to provide support for and raise awareness of the services … Latest Information
Changes to benefits and employment support: If anyone needs help completing forms please contact the office on 0191 5673939 and we will do everything we can to help. Changes to benefits and employment support I find info about what you need to know | RNIB Recently the Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, launched a … Changes to benefits and employment support: What you need to know
Improve your health and fitness. Future Health North East are a community interest company dedicated to supporting individuals who are visually impaired by offering FREE personal training-style sessions tailored to your needs. Our goal is to help you to improve your fitness, enhance your day-to-day life skills and to feel more confident in your physical … Free improve your health and fitness sessions
Today’s session with Stanley Group has been a little different, we attended The Louisa Centre in Stanley and took part in 2 different activities for the Blind, including Blind Archery and Curling. They also allowed the Group to try out their new Gym equipment. Come and along and join us. Contact our office on 0191 … Stanley Group activities at the Louisa Centre
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 … North Road Methodist Church Monthly Coffee Morning
Photo is of one of our members – Mike Crozier and his partner, Susan, who ran the Great North Run. Susan acted as Mike’s guide runner. They raised over £1000 for Guide Dogs and around £400 for Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind. Sponsorship money is still coming in. Mike’s aim was … Mike runs the Great North Run for the Society
LIVING WITH SIGHT LOSS COURSE (Booking is Essential) A two day course providing information and advice about living with sight loss. 10am – 3pm 3rd & 4th Sept, Barnard Castle For further information and to book your place please call Julie Anderson on 0191 5673939 We continue to provide many Social Groups and Services. The … Latest News and Updates
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 … Sunderland City Council’s Links for Life Fund
Morrison’s Supermarket supports the Society The Morrisons Foundation is the charity wing of Morrison’s Supermarket and they have very generously donated £5,340 to the Society. The funding is to support the work of the Society helping to ensure that services for people with sight loss continue to be available in the future. We are extremely … Morrison’s Supermarket supports the Society
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 … Volunteer Driver Opportunity
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 … Headway Washington Social Group
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 … Employability and Digital Job Club Sessions
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. Welcome to the Autumn 2025 Newsletter. We hope … Welcome to the Autumn 2025 Newsletter.
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 6TH NOVEMBER THURSDAY 4TH DECEMBER MEN’S GROUP … Sunderland 2025 Dates for Your Diary
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 … Taxi Card Update
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, … Durham 2025 Dates for Your Diary
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
We are delivering Living with Sight Loss courses throughout the year in the following venues: 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 … Living With Sight Loss Events 2025
Membership of Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind is open to anybody registered blind or partially sighted with the local authority.
Our Services
Sunderland and North Durham Royal Society for the Blind works hard to ensure that it delivers services that make a difference to the lives of blind and visually impaired people.
Support Us
There are so many ways that you can support our work.