If you have a sight impairment or know someone who may be struggling with their eyesight then the Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society may be able to help. Based in Louth, the charity is entirely independent, serving visually impaired people throughout North and NE Lincolnshire, East and West Lindsey and Lincoln City.
Severe visual impairment such as blindness or partial sight that cannot be corrected by spectacles is extremely debilitating. Loss of sight means losing more than just the ability to see. It can feel like your world is falling apart. Those who have lost some or all of their vision always welcome empathy from people who care – but they also need equipment, practical advice and training so they can get on with their lives despite sight loss.
Sufferers do not have to be registered with a visual impairment or even have a referral from a doctor or optometrist to get help from the Society. The person themselves, a family member or a friend can telephone, email, call in person or write and the Society will send a Sight Impairment Officer to visit and carry out an assessment. Contact details are at the bottom of this article.
As well as Sight Impairment Officers, the Society has an army of volunteers who receive on-going support, guidance and training and can take on a range of roles – from helping at social groups, recording their talking newspapers, befriending, and helping at Eye Clinics, to administration, fundraising, IT support or as a trustee.
If you would like to become a volunteer, contact Volunteer Administrator Eve Roach on 01507 605604 or eve@llbs.co.uk to learn more.
At present the Society serves 1,460 people in the area, 75% of whom are over 65, with new referrals coming in every week. Many more use the services but are not on a formal register. This local, independent charity receives no government, local authority or statutory funding; all funds come from bequests, charitable donations and charitable grants.
If you would like to donate to help the Society carry on this vital work, call 01507 605604, email info@llbs.co.uk or visit www.llbs.co.uk for more information.