Charity for Sensory Impairment Receives a COVID-19 Grant
There has been much criticism over the lack of support for disabled charities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Leading charities claim that essential services for those with physical disability have been hit especially hard, having missed out on any government emergency funding so far.
We were therefore delighted to agree our first COVID-19 Community Grant* to a charity supporting disabled people. Our grant will enable Sight for Surrey to support 728 vulnerable Elmbridge clients living with sensory impairment.
Sight for Surrey is a registered charity, offering a lifetime of support to people who are blind or partially sighted, deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing. They assist people to overcome their day-to-day challenges, achieve their potential and lead independent lives.
The strategies and techniques they teach will enable these people to manage their daily tasks independently, empowering them to learn tasks like crossing roads, managing public transport, cooking food, managing
household tasks and personal care, hearing in a different way, learning British Sign Language etc.
During the crisis, like many organisations, the charity has adapted its services by providing an essential shopping service, arranging volunteer befriending for 80 clients, making more than 2,000 calls to their most vulnerable users, posting three British Sign Language posts a week with updates on Government guidelines and providing ‘zoom’ cafes to help with deaf isolation.
Lisa Fletcher, Head of Fundraising, Sight for Surrey, said, “As all of our fundraising events and talks were sadly cancelled, we had to quickly look at other income streams to help us continue supporting all the people in Surrey with a sensory loss, especially the deafblind. Walton Charity’s COVID-19 Appeal Fund has been of great support to us at this difficult time.”
If you would like to help to support other disability charities to continue their vital work helping local people, please donate to our COVID-19 Appeal Fund. We will match fund your donation. Together, we can make a difference.