SIGHTLINE - Support 4 Sight



SIGHTLINE

Autumn 2013

We’ve had many exciting events over the summer with some really nice weather and as we transition into the autumn, there is still plenty going on. We’ve had our AGM in September, the Annual Exhibition in October and Fire Walking coming up in November! We hope many of were able to join us for these and the other events we have planned.

There have been many activities and events recently that have occurred on weekends and we cannot thank our volunteers enough for time and time again providing support.

Sightline Contents

News from Support 4 Sight - 2 -

Outreach - 6 -

Support 4 Sight Feature - 8 -

Support 4 Sight Events and Activities - 9 -

Support 4 Sight Past Outings and Events - 10 -

Jokes - 12 -

National Update - 13 -

Useful Information - 15 -

Numbers You Might Find Useful - 15 -

Talking Newspapers Contact Numbers - 15 -

Spotlight on New Equipment - 16 -

Donated Items for Sale or Loan - 19 -

Contact us - 22 -

Return Slip – We Would Like To Hear From You - 22 -

News from Support 4 Sight

Annual Awards

The Annual Awards had a change of venue this year moving from our regular venue of St. Marks College, to the Uttlesford Council Offices. From the feedback we received, the change in venue was very welcomed and the next Annual Awards will be held again in the new venue. Thank you to our sponsors Guide Dogs for the Blind and Uttlesford District Council

The evening was a huge success with many of the awards being a surprise to the winners! Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for the evening and to anyone who helped with the planning, organisation and running of the event. Congratulations to Joan Hills, Inspirational Member and our volunteers for Long Service

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Vote for us!

Support 4 Sight stands a chance of winning £3,000 from the Lloyds Community Fund towards our services for visually impaired children in Uttlesford. We have been shortlisted and we need your help to win!

We need you (and all your friends and family) to vote for us online, by text or by using the voting stand at your local Lloyds branch. For more information about the community fund or how to vote please drop into the centre or go online to .uk/lloyds.

Annual Exhibition

The exhibition took place on Sat 12th Oct and we were so pleased that so many members were able to join us! Thank you so much to everyone who took part and helped out at the exhibition this year. The event was very successful and it is looking like the whole day raised over £1,000 from the cake sales to sponsored tandem cycling in the Market Square!

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The exhibition was opened by the Mayor of Saffron Walden, Cllr Keith Eden and deputy Mayor, Cllr Sandra Eden. Local entertainer, Cooperman flew around town passing out flyers to entertain and bring in the public.

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This year Specsavers sponsored our exhibition and Santander supported us not only with pedal power but also offering to match whatever was raised on the tandem, which totalled £464.88!

Plans for next year are already underway!

Staff Changes

Many of you may have heard, Belinda Hudson retired from Support 4 Sight after 9 years with the charity. She was a very valuable member of the team in her role as assistant to Paul and good friend to all. We would like to thank Belinda for all her hard work; we will all miss working with her.

Thank you Belinda, we all wish you well for the future!

Taking up the Support Worker role, Sue Walker has joined the team. She will be carrying out many of the duties Belinda previously carried out, so if you drop by the centre or call on a Monday or Tuesday, be sure to give Sue a warm welcome!

Maze Festival

This year Support 4 Sight joined in with the Saffron Walden Maze Festival on Saturday 17th August. We setup a maze on the ground and challenged people visiting to navigate through the maze wearing sim specs. We had almost 100 people stopping by and people of all ages willing to give the maze a try. Thank you to everyone who took part and to our team and volunteers for helping out!

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Free Will Making

 

There are many reasons for making a will. Perhaps the most important is for peace of mind to set your affairs in order. Also, it can be very distressing for those left behind when a will hasn’t been left.

By having a will, you can be confident your wishes will be carried out exactly how you determine. It is your opportunity to make provision for your family and friends. Moreover, once your loved ones are provided for, you may wish to leave a gift to your favourite charity and help others have a brighter future.

Many people fail to make wills and delay the process for as long as possible. For other people, the cost can be too high.

To help you with this, Support 4 Sight is launching its “Leave a Lasting Gift” service. Open to members, you can take advantage of this service and have a free will made by a professional will-writer or solicitor.

We have a list of local solicitors signed up to the scheme, who will offer free, independent, professional advice about wills and legacies. They can also advise you how to leave a gift to our charity, to help future generations of local children and adults with poor vision.

To find out more about the service, please come along to our Wills & Legacies Open Day on Tuesday 19th November, 10am until 2pm.

• How to make a will

• Getting a free will

• Who can help you write a will

• Legacies & Gifts

If you can’t come along, but would like more information on getting a free will, contact Michael at our resource centre on 01799 523700.

Fire Walk

Imagine walking over burning hot embers of 800 degrees for charity! This is the challenge some of our volunteers are undertaking!

Will you sponsor them to take on this daredevil challenge? Please call us on 01799 523700 to pledge your support or drop into the centre.

Every pledge is welcome, no matter how large or small, and all money raised will go towards the many services Support 4 Sight provides to blind and partially sighted people.

Do you know someone who might like to take part? Please ask them to get in touch as soon as possible as registration closes on 1st November! There are still spaces available and we can send out information to anyone interested in taking part. For more information, please contact Michael on 01799 523700.

Book Stall

Do you have any books at home desperate to tell their story to someone new? If you have any books you no longer want to keep, please drop them into the centre. For larger donations of books, please check with Margaret beforehand to see if we can take them into the centre, by calling 01799 523700.

If you would like to come along to the bookstall the next one is on Tuesday 29th October and it’s held every two weeks after that, until further notice.

Wobbly Wednesday Open Day

Wednesday 6th November 2013, is the first ever International Nystagmus Awareness Day. Nystagmus is an involuntary movement of the eyes which often seriously reduces vision. The Nystagmus Network works with people who have the condition, their families and other professionals, to provide support and advice.

We will be taking part in this awareness day, opening our centre on 6th November with information about Nystagmus, how it affects people in everyday life, education, employment, and what support is available.

Lighting Focus Day 12th November

Come along to our resource centre on 12th November, 10am – 2pm, to see what a difference good lighting can make to you. On display will be a wide range of bulbs and lights of all shapes and sizes, for you to try. So why not join us on this day to experience the difference that one of these lights could make!

Optima Low Vision will be on hand with a small range of magnifiers to demonstrate the difference lighting could make to reading correspondence. Also attending on the day will be Hearing Help Uttlesford and British Wireless for the Blind, they will be talking about their services and offering information and support throughout the day for any questions you might have.

Volunteer Welcome

We would like to welcome three new volunteers, Janet Hagget, Rory Ballard and Sandra Wilkinson to our team, we look forward to working with them in the future.

Outreach

If you are unable to get to Support 4 Sight’s Resource Centre in Saffron Walden, then help is on hand for you if you live in Harlow, Braintree, Dunmow or Stansted. Support 4 Sight will be holding Outreach information Points where you can speak to trained staff and volunteers, who can inform you about the many services that we provide as well as offering support and advice with sight loss.

The planned dates for our outreach information mornings are:

Harlow Library, Fridays 10:30am – 1:00pm:

8th Nov, 13th Dec.

Braintree Community Hospital, Thursdays 2:00pm – 4:00pm

31st Oct, 21st Nov, 5th Dec, 19th Dec.

For information about Great Dunmow and Stansted Outreach dates, please contact Support 4 Sight’s resource centre.

Support 4 Sight Feature

We Need Your Help!

Do you have any unwanted gifts tucked away at home? We would be very pleased to receive these for raffle prizes at our upcoming events. If you have anything you would like to donate to us for this, please bring them into the resource centre.

Volunteer Reading

One of our volunteers, Ann Holloway, very much enjoys reading aloud and would be pleased to read to someone in their home. If this would be of interest to you please call the Resource Centre.

Counselling

Through our membership of Visionary, the National body for sight-loss organisations, we have access to free counselling services for our members. If you are having difficulty coming to terms with your sight loss and would like to talk to a professional in confidence, then call Paul at the Resource Centre who will be able to put you in touch with the appropriate service.

Support 4 Sight Events and Activities

Social Trips

We always try to arrange a wide variety of trips for the benefit of our members as we find socialising is a very important part of their lives.

Vanessa is planning an exciting programme and if you would like to come along to any of these existing events, we recommend you book as soon as possible by calling us on 01799 523700.

If there is anywhere else you would like to go, please let us have your ideas!

Cambridge Tuesday 5th November 2013

Visit to the Grand Arcade, Cambridge for a Christmas shop!

Please let us know if you require one to one support so we can put this in place for you. We can pre-book a wheelchair from shopmobility if anyone has a need, please let us know.

Cost for transport is only £5.00 return.

Christmas outing!! Monday 9th December 2013

Christmas lunch will be at Cambridge Regional College and is three courses for £18.00, with a selection in each course to be ordered in advance. This fantastic experience is great value for money!

We will then call in at a garden centre so you can have a wander to buy Christmas items! Cost for transport and meal is £26.00.

Coffee Mornings

Support 4 Sight’s coffee mornings in Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow are very well attended and much appreciated by our members. If you haven’t yet been to one, do come along to join in for coffee and a chat. Everyone is welcome and for more information, please call Vanessa on 01799 523700.

More people are attending the great Dunmow Coffee Morning every month and it is a fun way to meet others! Join us for the next one on 14th November.

Saffron Walden

Coffee mornings will be held monthly on Tuesdays at the Bowls Club, Abbey Lane, 10:30am till noon.

Dates: 29th October, 26th November, 10th December - Christmas special.

Great Dunmow

Coffee mornings will be held monthly on Thursdays at Banks Court, Chequers Lane, 10:30am till noon.

Dates: 14th November, 12th December - Christmas special

Support 4 Sight Past Outings and Events

Wednesday 10th July 2013

20 people went on the very popular trip to Frinton-On-Sea, to Essex Blind Charity’s day centre on the coast. The weather was a little cool but it didn’t stop anyone from having a lovely time. As ever, Read House’s food was amazing! A huge thank you to the volunteers who helped on the trip and to the Read House Staff. Hopefully Frinton will let us back next year after a brief gust of wind caused one members skirt to go up and over her head!

Tuesday 23rd July 2013

Phillipa Wisby from Professional Vision Services was on hand at the Centre to demonstrate a wide range of low vision aids, including handheld and pocket illuminated magnifiers including the best ways to use the magnifiers to get the greatest results when trying to read.

If you would like more information, please call Paul on 01799 523700

Action for Blind People Mobile Bus

The Action for Blind People Mobile Bus came to town! The bus was visiting at the Market Square in Saffron Walden on 23rd July, the Museum Lay-by in Braintree on 24th July and The Market in Harlow on 25th July.

Action for Blind People were there to show a wide range of equipment on their bus, as well as to providing support and information.

Scotsdales Collection

We held a collection at Scotsdales on Sunday 11th August, at which we managed to raise £235! Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered to collect on the day.

Monday 12th August 2013

18 people attended our lunch time social trip to The Moorhen in Harlow. This popular venue, right by the river-side, was a delightful place to enjoy the good food and company.

Tesco Collection

On Thursday 22nd August, we held a collection at Tesco in Saffron Walden. Thank you once again to everyone who supported us on this and our other collections, the collection raised £272.46!

Cake Stall

Thank you to all the bakers out there who donated their delicious creations for our cake stall on Saturday 24th August, we managed to raise £56. Once we have a date for the next cake stall, we will let everyone know, so there is still plenty of time to perfect your baking skills!

Optelec Focus Day

On Tuesday 3rd September we held a Focus Day with Optelec Ltd. They brought along a range of video magnifiers and some handheld magnifiers to demonstrate for the day.

Blake House Craft Centre

19 people visited Blake House on 10th September 2013 as part of our social trip and had a very nice wander around the shops, followed by a meal in Timbers restaurant. Two of our members made it especially memorable by getting locked in the toilet!

Humanware Focus Day

Humanware visited the centre on 1st October to demonstrate some of their latest products. There was a wide selection of electronic magnifiers for desktop, portable and handheld use, digital talking book players and other equipment being brought along to demonstrate. For more information about their products, please visit their website or contact our resource centre.

The Swan Monday 14th October 2013

This social trip to The Swan, Thaxted was a fantastic lunch time out with 23 people attending! The food at The Swan was very good and we hope to arrange more trips as popular as this one in the future!

Jokes

Halloween is on the way so here are a few rib-ticklers for you!

What do you call a skeleton who won't work?

Lazy Bones!

What do you call a fat Jack-O-Lantern?

Plumpkin!

Where do baby ghosts go during the day?

Dayscare centers!

What do witches put on their hair?

Scare spray!

What do you use to repair a Jack O' Lantern?

A pumpkin patch!

What is a zombie's favourite dessert?

Ladyfingers!

National Update

Living Paintings

Living Paintings is a library of Touch to See books bringing to life the visual world for blind and partially sighted people.

• The award winning charity makes special raised versions of pictures that come to life when fingers feel them.

• Audio descriptions tell the picture’s story while directing fingertips across the raised image, describing what is being touched, felt and ‘seen’.

• Combining the sense of touch and hearing in this way makes up for the missing sense of sight.

Library members, using our tactile books, can explore the visual world in titles such as British Wildlife, English Gardens, and Gallery and Museum Tours. There is a new book coming out soon, The History of the World in 100 Objects, created in conjunction with BBC Radio 4 and the British Museum.

You can find out more by visiting their website or by phoning Liz Davies on 01635 299771.

Laser Treatment for Floaters

We have probably all suffered from black spots or lines in our vision from time to time and the effects can vary from merely annoying to physically debilitating. Floaters, as these things are called, are a result of the ageing process as the jelly-like substance which fills the eye comes away from the back of the eyeball. This causes bits of protein to clump together and float across the field of vision.

There is a new procedure available called LEH-Vitlase which uses a laser to vaporise these strands of protein. As you can imagine, it requires a very experienced consultant and, at the moment, the procedure is only available privately at the London Eye Hospital at £1,725 per eye!

RADAR Keys for Disability Toilets

The National Key Scheme (NKS) offers independent access by disabled people to public toilets.  It was introduced because an increasing number of local authorities and other organisations providing public toilets felt that they had to lock their toilets to counter vandalism and misuse and in order to reduce costs.

If accessible toilets for disabled people do have to be locked, providers are asked to join the NKS, which involves fitting standard locks to their toilets and making keys available to disabled people.  The scheme is now used by over 400 local authorities. 

The scheme is not in use everywhere - unfortunately, a number of local authorities do not have any suitable toilets and, more happily, others do not have vandalism problems.  However, it is hoped that as many authorities as possible will participate in the distribution of keys to disabled people and that they will be widely available from Information Centres, etc.

If you have difficulty obtaining an NKS key from Uttlesford, RADAR supplies keys at a charge of £3.50 each delivered (excluding VAT).

They can be contacted on 020 7250 3222 or by email to enquiries@

How fast can you go?

iCAN Experiences, a company providing experiences for people with disabilities and driving experience provider, U Drive Cars, have a joint initiative to get visually impaired people behind the wheel of a supercar.

The action takes place at the former RAF base at Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire and the cars include a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Ferrari 360 and an Aston Martin DB9. Sensibly, the drivers are accompanied by an instructor with nerves of steel who has an engine cut-off switch and a separate brake pedal, just in case!

If the thought of this get your pulse racing, contact Paul Nicol of iCAN Experiences on 01869 322000 or look at their website icanexperiences.co.uk.

Useful Information

Numbers You Might Find Useful

Big print TV Guide - To receive a weekly copy of the TV guide and news in large print, contact 0303 123 9999.

BT 195 - If you are registered blind or partially sighted, you can register for free directory enquiries on 0800 5870195.

Uttlesford Community Travel - For door to door travel at reasonable rates, contact the number above call 01371 875787.

RNIB Talking Book Service – 01799 523178

If you join this service as a member you will be given a talking book player and you can then choose the categories of books you would like to receive. The books will come as a CD and will be posted to you. When you have listened to it, and you can have up to 6 books at a time, put it into the prepaid wallet provided and pop it into the post.

If you would like to sign up for this service you should contact Saffron Walden Library, who will register you and Essex County Council should pay the cost.

Talking Newspapers Contact Numbers

• Andrew Taylor (Saffron Walden) 07774 652505

• Richard Barnett (Bishop’s Stortford) – 01279 651270

• John Wickens (Loughton) – 020 8508 1820

• Ray Hardisty (Braintree) – 01206 545062

• For Harlow talking newspaper contact Harlow Central library – 01279 446655 or Harlow Advice Centre – 01279 446622

Spotlight on New Equipment

The following RNIB prices are only if ordering direct from RNIB. There will be an increase of approximately 10% if ordering from Support 4 Sight. For more information about this, please contact Paul.

LED Folding Light

If poor lighting is an on-going issue for you, the RNIB LED folding ‘Z’ light (DH337) may be just right for your needs. It is great for reading your post, popping in a bag to go travelling or even sticking on the wall. It gives off a clear white light and can be folded to fit in your hand.

This light is available at the RNIB from £29.95

Touch - Dots

These small sized, tactile foam dots are ideal for marking the controls on a washing machine, keys on a keyboard or buttons on a remote control. Each multi-colour pack contains five sheets of 64 self-adhesive dots in the following colours: red, orange, yellow, white and black.

This mixed colour pack comes at £4.99 per multi-pack from the RNIB.

Tactile easy-to-see measuring jug

Exclusively designed by RNIB and at a great price too, this clear jug has a tactile gauge allowing you to measure your liquid ingredients by touch, together with a brilliant 'resting lip' for spill-free pouring.

Costs £9.95 from the RNIB.

Braille and Large Print Scrabble

Exclusive to RNIB, this popular word game is now available for English language braille readers all around the world at the same price and quality as the large print version. Each of the letter tiles has a braille label, as well as clear print labelling. The playing board has tactile dots on the premium letter squares and tactile dashes on the premium word squares.

The clever tile-lock design means that the letter tiles sit snugly on the board, even when rotating on to the next player using the built-in stand.

• tile holders and the tiles are plastic with braille and bold letters on the tiles in 16 point font. Point font refers to the height of the print lettering

• tiles are 2.4cm (0.93 inches) high, 2.4cm (0.93 inches) wide and 0.5cm (0.31 inches) in length

• board measures 37cm square

• text is 1.35cm (0.6 inches) high and the numbers are 0.5cm (0.18 inches) high

• board can be rotated to face each player in turn

• age range: 10+ for 2-4 players

• supplied with braille and large print instructions

It is priced at £35.94 from the RNIB.

Big Print Newspaper

While not new, it is worth remembering that RNIB publish a weekly newspaper in large print.

Available on a subscription is the Big Print Newspaper (BPN) which comes with a 48 page TV/Radio Guide containing BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel4 and Five, plus BBC Radio 2, 3, 4, 5Live and 4 Extra, plus Classic FM. Priced at £16.25 for 13 issues it is much easier to read than the Telegraph or Guardian!

Low Vision Aids

In Support 4 Sight’s Resource Centre there is a wide range of low vision aids for everyday use to demonstrate, including:

Phones

Big Button Telephones – We have a selection of big button telephones, suitable for visually and hearing impaired, corded and cordless with a range of features including speed dials, answerphones, caller ID, picture buttons and more!

Lighting

• Floor / Table Standing Lamp – with a flexible arm so whether using the table or floor version they can be positioned to provide the light where it is needed most.

• Freedom Battery Task Lamp – This rechargeable, portable daylight lamp is good for everyday tasks where you need just that little bit more light.

• Twist Lamp – Daylight lamp which can be twisted to provide light from various angles, allowing you to aim the light wherever it is needed.

Magnifiers

We have a wide range of magnifiers in a variety of styles and strengths. We also have a selection of electronic video magnifiers both desktop and handheld which are available for demonstration.

This is just a selection of the low vision aids available at Support 4 sight’s Resource Centre. To arrange a demonstration please call on 01799 523700.

Noticeboard

We have received a number of donated items including magnifiers, big button phones, radios and talking clocks, which we are offering to members for free. If you’re in need, please let us know.

Donated Items for Sale or Loan

We have a range of great items at vastly reduced prices available to try at the Centre:

MagniLink Zip CCTV

The Zip is a stylish foldable CCTV, based on the latest technology. It weighs only 8 kg and comes in a handy carrying case. The system is available in two versions; MagniLink Zip and MagniLink Zip Black/White.

Just by performing a few simple steps, without any tools, the MagniLink Zip collapses into a portable unit for your convenience.

The MagniLink Zip can be used for a broad variety of tasks and its modern and stylish design makes it attractive in all environments.

For maximum flexibility, the system can also be battery-powered as an additional accessory. This gives you the possibility to be completely mobile, independent and to use your MagniLink Zip where ever you are.

Cost over £2,000, now only £900 with a 12 month warranty.

Pocket Reader

The Pocket Reader from VideoSpec may not have many of the expensive features that their competitors have, but its low price offers a more affordable product, that can be used at the shops, reading menus, map reading and looking at bus timetables. It can also be connected to a TV.

Paul has an ex-demonstration model at the Resource Centre for sale at approximately £50; please contact Paul for more information.

HumanWare myReader 600

We have a virtually unused myReader CCTV type of magnifier for sale at the Centre. Its main features are:

• CCTV magnifier-type “live” magnification

• Navigate pages and re-formats text

on-screen to fit your vision needs

• Automatic scrolling with pause and re-start

• Built-in 15" screen, adjustable height and tilt

• Folding unit with carry handle

• Share monitor with a PC, including split-screen display

• Controls to read the way you want to

• Page segmentation for flowing text smoothly onscreen

• Adjustable page contrast for newsprint and other lower- quality paper

If this exciting piece of equipment is of interest to you please contact Paul, priced at around £995.

Colour Combi

The colour combi combines two cameras in one single 'scanner' enabling the user to read, write and view pictures in colour and negative on their own television. The colour combi is easy to use and your TV does not need to be tuned.

When combined with the stand, the Colour Combi becomes even more versatile, allowing 'hands-free' operation. This makes the combi perfect for tasks such as crosswords, Sudoku, looking at photos, even embroidery, and other artistic tasks.

Again Paul has an ex-demonstration model at the Resource Centre at approximately £50, so please contact him for further information.

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Please note that all responsibility for adverts within this publication lies between the buyer and the seller. Support 4 Sight can accept no liability for equipment or services advertised.

For Sale

Battery recharger - £5

Emporia mobile phone - £15

If interested please call Paul on 01799 523700.

Contact us

If there’s a particular item you’d like us to feature in the next Sightline, or if you would like to submit an article yourself, please contact our volunteer editor, Michael Chappell, or Paul at the Centre.

If you have any concerns and want to speak to someone at Support 4 Sight, you can contact us at the Centre from 9.30am to 2.30pm on 01799 523700.

You are welcome to drop into the Centre, without an appointment, for a chat and a coffee. It’s a good opportunity to meet the staff, our volunteers and other members.

Here is the list of staff at Support 4 Sight:

Madeleine Cassidy – Director.

Paul Atkins – Resource Centre and Volunteer Manager.

Sue Walker & Michael Lovell – Paul’s Support Workers.

Vanessa Cowell – Community Support Worker.

Margaret Dawson – Administrator.

Sarah Henson – Support Co-Ordinator

Hanna Starr – Social Enterprise Co-Ordinator

We are here to help and if you do need us, please do not hesitate to call or pop in.

| |

|Produced by Support 4 Sight (Essex) |

|2 & 4 George Street |

|Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EQ |

|Telephone 01799 523700 |

|Registered Charity No. 1074812 |

With support from:

Return Slip – We Would Like To Hear From You

Please tick the appropriate box/boxes below, fill in your details and send this form back to us at Support 4 Sight, 2 & 4 George Street, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1EQ

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If there is anything you are especially concerned about,

please use the space below to inform us of this:

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Helping us to help you

I would like further information about Low Vision Equipment

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I would like further information about the MyGuide Service

I would like further information about Coffee Mornings and Social activities

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I would like to receive details on ways I can help the Charity

Please use capital letters

Name ……………………………………………………………………………

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Is there anything else you would like to tell us about?

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Supporting people with sight loss in Essex

Registered charity number: 1074812

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