The charity says it is here to help everyone in the island of any age affected by sight loss.
There are no barriers or cost to accessing its services, with anyone welcome to call 236933, or email debbie@gba.org.gg, “whether for yourself or supporting a friend, colleague or family member”.
Pictured: One of the services offered by the Guernsey Blind Association is the weekly audio news.
The Guernsey Blind Association can offer both practical and emotional support, but like so many other organisations it relies on volunteers to do that.
2024 Highlights
Throughout 2024, the Guernsey Blind Association has continued its work assisting people living with a visual impairment.
This was their ultimate highlight said the charity, as it continues to utilise developing technologies to help more people.
“Highlights from 2024 has been assisting so many locally visually impaired children and adults, assisting them so they may maintain independent living both at home, school and in the workplace.
Pictured: The Guernsey Blind Association makes use of developing technologies to support service users.
“In this day and age of ever developing technology, the Vision Support Centre has various items of equipment, not only limited to magnifying glasses but a wide variety of talking items of homeware such as clocks and air fryers to assist with everyday tasks.”
Challenges
With volunteers carrying out the fundraising work that the charity relies on, as well as the duties that are offered, the Guernsey Blind Association said it “simply could not” operate without them.
“A challenge that we always face is the need for volunteers to assist with the work that we do; the charity was established in 1919 and we simply could not continue without the kind assistance of local volunteers.
“We are always looking for regular drivers to collect service users to attend our Thursday afternoon Social Group and to drop them back home again. If anyone is able to commit to this, feedback received is often of wonderful friendships built with the service user who would otherwise be unable to attend.
“If anyone wants to volunteer on a more ad-hoc basis, we hold our annual Flag Day in the summer and are always appreciative of people lending an hour of their time, each hour volunteered flag selling raised roughly £80 for the charity.”
2025 Preview
There are opportunities for businesses to support the work of the Guernsey Blind Association too, with an open invite for any firm looking for a charity partner for 2025.
Pictured: Fundraising events help pay for events attended by service users.
“If any companies are looking to undertake Corporate Social Responsibility volunteer hours, we are always keen to welcome teams to the Centre to clean our carpets in the Social Room, undertake basic outdoor clearance and clearing or staining our fence to maintain the premises,” said the charity.
“It is unfortunately true that many people are not aware of the services we have to offer until they are faced with personal sight loss, which can often be an upsetting and traumatic time, but we are here to assist and support.”
Throughout 2025, the Guernsey Blind Association will continue the work that it has already been quietly doing for more than 100 years, supporting people living with a visual impairment to enable to them to live their life to the full.
This will see an emphasis on more awareness raising said the charity.
“Our ongoing aim for 2025 is to raise awareness of the services our charity has to offer from our wide range of equipment, social group, mobility training, free audio news and wider support available so everyone knows we are here to help you if and when you may need it.”
Pictured above and top: All images provided by the Guernsey Blind Association.