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Welcome to the Winter 2026 Newsletter and a Happy New Year to all our readers! We hope that you enjoy reading it and find the information to be useful. A special welcome to all our new members. News from the Chief Executive The Society’s Christmas Lunch took place on Tuesday 2nd December at the Three … Welcome to the Winter 2026 Newsletter.
One of our students, Gina, has offered to run a short series of Mindfulness classes here at 53, St Luke’s Terrace. The classes will commence on Friday 8th May and follow on Friday 15th May and Friday 22nd May. All will start at 2pm and last for approximately 1 hour. The aim of Mindfulness is … Mindfulness classes
Sunderland Living With Sight Loss Course The next event will be held on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th July between 10am and 3pm. There will be a series of presentations outlining the services available including outside agencies. The event will be held at Houghton le Spring and District Centre for the Blind. Booking is essential … Sunderland Living With Sight Loss Course
Walking Groups Last year we put forward the idea of organising regular walks for members if there proved to be sufficient interest. At the time only a small number of people expressed interest. We would like to resurrect the idea for 2026. One of our new Trustees, Mike Crozier, is very keen to organise the … Walking Groups
Lobbying Your Local Authority – Campaigning Skills Workshop Monday 15th June 2026 1pm – 3pm Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind, 53, St Luke’s Terrace, Pallion. Are you passionate about challenging local issues affecting blind and partially sighted people? Would you like to better understand how your local authority works and learn … Lobbying Your Local Authority – Campaigning Skills Workshop
Well done to Joanne Peverley, who works for the Society as a Community Sight Loss Officer and her sister Gemma Baldassarra, completed a challenge for themselves in February 2026 of walking 100 miles in 28 days. This was a sponsored walk for the Society. Joanne and Gemma walked around Sunderland, along Roker and Seaburn seafront’s … Charity Walk for the Society
Free digital inclusion sessions aimed at supporting visually impaired people are set to launch in Sunderland this spring, offering vital skills and access to life-changing technology. Run by the Sunderland and County Durham Royal Society for the Blind, the sessions will take place at 53 St Luke’s Road, Pallion, every Tuesday from 10:00am, starting May … Try Out Assistive Technology for Free
We are pleased to offer a new Social Group that will be running monthly to people with Sight Loss, including those who are registered as Sight Impaired/ Severely Sight Impaired and those who suffer from Charles Bonnet Syndrome and any other eye condition. Family members/ carers are also welcome to come along. We will be … Consett Social Group starting April 2026
On 14th November Darron Mcaul and Jim Burns came 3rd in the Doubles competition at British Blind Sports 10 pin bowling finals held in Sheffield. Alex Ditch was also awarded a trophy for the most improved male player. Congratulations to all involved! The Bowling Teams now meet at Washington Hollywood Bowling Alley. Anyone interested can … British Blind Sports 10 Pin Bowling Final Winners
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. 15th December or 📍 Location: Cecil Court, Langley Moor, County Durham, DH7 8EJ … 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
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. QUIZ MORNING We now run these twice a month, see below for the next one. Great for a social gathering, a quiz … 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
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