Tony’s rallying cry: ‘Come and join us’

RAISING awareness . . . Tony Walsh wants to reach out to the 1,400 people who are registered blind in Oldham

Society for Blind offers social events
OLDHAMERS with sight problems are being encouraged to boost their social life by joining a friendly community group.

The Oldham Society for Blind and Partially Sighted People currently has 200 local members who enjoy regular meetings, social events and trips away.

The society has just recruited Tony Walsh, their first paid development officer, to raise awareness of the activities on offer.

He is based with the council’s sensory disability service at the Link Centre in Union Street.

He said: “There are around 1,400 people who are registered blind in Oldham so there are clearly a lot of people who either don’t want to join us or simply don’t know about us.

“I want to change that and get as many people as possible involved, from children who were born with a sight problem to older people whose sight problems have developed with age.

“My role is to raise awareness of the society and reach the people who don’t know what we can do for them. We don’t want anyone to get lost in the system.”

Michael Hindson, who is partially sighted, joined the society 10 years ago and is now chairman.

He said: “We really want to reach more people and expand what we do. There are things available such as holidays that specifically cater for the blind and partially-sighted that people may not know about.

“The benefits system can also be confusing so we want to offer help and support to the people that need and want it and let them know what’s on offer.

“We also run activities such as lunch clubs, Christmas parties, carol concerts and trips away so it would be nice to get more people involved.

“Having a sight problem can lead people to believe that their social life will be heavily restricted but this needn’t be the case. There is no need to be isolated.”

The society holds meetings on Mondays at the United Reformed Church, in Shaw, from 11am-2.30pm, and on Tuesdays at the Over 60s Centre, in Broadway, Chadderton, from 1-3pm.

Find out more about the society by calling Tony on 0161-770 1265 or send an email to Tony.Walsh@oldham.gov.uk.