Imagine a world where you struggle to make a telephone call to a friend or send a quick text message to the family group chat without someone helping you. How would that make you feel? It often makes people feel frustrated, annoyed, and helpless which can eventually lead to loneliness and social isolation.
For many people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, vision impaired and deafblind this is a reality they face every day, not being able to do everyday tasks independently, and so they stay isolated at home, alone and defeated.
With your support today we can help stop these feelings of frustration and isolation that so many people with a sensory impairment experience.
Donate today to our Winter Appeal and your money will help keep our vital community hubs running and ensure our Assistive Technology team keep people connected with family and friends.
Meet Gus, whose world dramatically changed after an operation left him blind and isolated at home. He started attending our monthly community hub in Epsom earlier this year, made new friends and found out about the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. “I use them to answer my phone, send texts and read emails they are great and just make life easier.”
Valerie attends our Communications Class and said, “I have received technology support from the charity which has been invaluable. I attend the Communications Class in Merstham which I love going to. There is lots of information available and plenty of laughter and friendships.”
Evie was diagnosed with Stargardt when she was eight years old and has no central vision, she is now 18 years old. She has received support from the charity since her diagnosis in the form of mobility training, daily living skills and more recently technology support. “I use my Ray-Bans in the shops to tell me what product I am looking at and how much it is. I call and message my friends through them.”
Ossie loves coming to the Fetcham community hubs and tells us, “Going to the Meet Up Catch Ups is one of the highlights of the month for me. The technology team come along and shows me how to use things on my phone that I haven’t been able to figure out.”
What will your donation fund?
£15 pays for one hour’s room hire to enable people to meet up in a warm environment each months and have a cup of tea.
£25 goes towards our volunteer coordinator to ensure drivers can be available to take people to our monthly hubs who otherwise would have had to stay at home on their own.
£50 goes towards a bespoke visit to our fully equipped Resource Centre to help people with a sensory impairment to live more independently at home.
£100 contributes to our AI Trailblazer to help people learn more about technology and how it can help them stay in touch more easily with friends and family.
Our community hubs and the support from our Assistive Technology team, play a vital role in helping people like Gus, Evie, Valerie and Ossie break down barriers to staying in touch with friends and family this winter.
Your gift keeps people connected. Please donate today by calling us on 01372 377701 and making a payment over the phone, or make a donation via our dedicated Winter Appeal Just Giving Page.
Thank you for continued support, we really could not offer the level of support we do without your wonderful donation.
Follow us on our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, You Tube and Tik Tok for the full stories on Gus, Evie, Valerie and Ossie and our Winter Appeal.
