Charity receives National Lottery funding to increase support for blind and visually impaired people
North Yorkshire charity, Sight Support Ryedale (SSR), is celebrating after being awarded £437,000 in National Lottery funding to support its work with blind and partially sighted people.
The charity offers a range of support and activities to people across Ryedale. These include individual assessments; befriending and well-being calls; magnification assessments; advice on daily living aids; the use of accessible technology; and emotional support.
In addition to the services SSR provides regular social groups; chairobics and dancing sessions, Living with Sight Loss Courses; days out, and shopping trips. Activities are held across the area, and wherever possible door to door transport is provided.
Sight Support Ryedale’s services are designed to help those living with sight loss continue to live independently and with confidence, reduce social isolation and promote positive mental health. To support those living with sight loss and their families and to raise awareness of the importance of good eye health and care.
SSR has been supporting its members for nearly 25 years and is currently staffed by one full-time, two part-time staff, and 20 volunteers.
The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will ensure that the charity can continue to be sustainable and increase its capacity over the next three years to support more people in Ryedale.
Di Tymon Chief Officer a Sight Support Ryedale, says: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to ensure our continued provision of services for blind and visually impaired people in our area.
“Through the vital services and activities we provide, people are better equipped to cope with the challenges that sight loss brings. Our work helps to combat social isolation which improves mental health. We bring people together to for peer support and vital signposting to other support organisations. Plus, a bonus is that many friendships are formed.”
The National Lottery Community Fund recently launched its new strategy, ‘It starts with community’, which will underpin its efforts to distribute at least £4 billion of National Lottery funding by 2030.
As part of this, the funder has four key missions, which are to support communities to come together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.
Nick Medcalf, Chair of Trustees at Sight Support Ryedale, says: “The security of funding that the National Lottery Community Fund provides will give Sight Support Ryedale the opportunity to deliver its ‘Vale and Moors Inclusion Project’ as well as allowing the organisation to operate with confidence over the next three years.
“It is an exciting time for all of us as we increase the scope and scale of services and I am grateful to the funders as well as all the staff, volunteers and trustees who will make this next part of our journey so useful to our membership. “
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