Wales news

The latest news for and from our blind veterans in the North of England including Lancashire, Yorkshire , Cumbria. and Northumberland. 

Gathering in West Wales

February 2024

The West Wales Gathering was filled with friendship forming and exploring new activities.

Member Neville (101 years old) attended to share his busy week of hobbies and activities with the group and told them about how his sight loss is not a barrier to him getting out and about multiple times a week.

The group learnt about the types of weekly activities organised at our Centres of Wellbeing from Member Chris. Staff member Sam (Rehabilitation Officer for the Vision Impaired) also attended to assist with technical issues on equipment. This resulted in a new Member booking and attending the Llandudno Centre along with Chris in March.

The Members at the gathering are now wanting to meet up to try new activities with Neville to understand if this is something they would like to start up locally.

Everyone enjoyed getting together and we cannot thank Neville enough for sharing his experiences and enthusiasm for life beyond sight loss!

Day out to Erddig in North Wales

December 2023

We had a wonderful day out with Members in early October, visiting the beautifully restored National Trust property in North Wales. Erddig sits on a dramatic escarpment above the winding Clywedog River and tells the 250-year story of a gentry family’s relationship with its servants.

We had a guided tour of the servant's quarters and member Ron, who once owned his own bakery, helped the tour guide identify a piece of their collection in the bakery and confirm its use, which they had long suspected but were pleased to hear.

After a lovely lunch we had a guided tour of the gardens, passing round a few different apples from the 200 varieties they have growing there. None would be available in your local supermarket!

The staff went out of their way to make the tour interactive with sounds, smells and touch. Along with our own lovely volunteers helping with transport and guiding, the Trust provided wheelchairs and volunteers to help with the day. Everyone had a great day out.

Anniversary of our Victory over Blindness statue

October 2023

On Wednesday 18 October, we held a special event to mark the fifth anniversary of our ‘Victory over Blindness’ statue by taking over Manchester Piccadilly Station with a living version of the statue.

We held a ceremony, including a wreath laying and piper playing, outside the station to mark the anniversary. We were also joined by our ‘living statue’, made up of staff, volunteers and Members, who mirrored the sculpture, then marched through the station.