Slight loss charity Galloway’s is helping to keep blind and partially sighted people active in their own homes thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation for Lancashire.
The charity, which has centres in Penwortham, Chorley, Morecambe and Sefton, was awarded £9,599 from the Lancashire COVID-19 Community Support Fund, which is being managed by the Community Foundation for Lancashire and has been supported by the Lancashire Resilience Forum and National Emergencies Trust.
This money has helped Galloway’s continue its online Get Active programme, which includes audio described videos, online socials and talks. It has also funded equipment for visually impaired staff to demonstrate assistive technology solutions.
Rachel Watkinson, Head of Services at Galloway’s, said: “Thanks to the grant from the Lancashire COVID-19 Community Support Fund and National Emergencies Trust, we are able to support the emotional and mental wellbeing of more than 100 blind and partially sighted people in Lancashire.
“Our online Get Active programme keeps growing as we invite inspirational speakers, many of whom have sight loss, to talk to our groups via Zoom. We also encourage people to take part in exercises and activities in their own homes.
“We have also been able to purchase four new laptops and two iPad Pros for visually impaired staff, so we can support blind and partially sighted people with their digital knowledge and enhance our service delivery.”
This is the second time during the pandemic that Galloway’s received funding through the COVID-19 Community Support Fund, as it was awarded £10,000 last spring to support visually impaired people in Lancashire and Sefton.
Karen Morris, Development Director for the Community Foundation for Lancashire, said: “Since March 2020, we have distributed almost £2m to more than 400 frontline charitable and community projects through the Lancashire COVID-19 Community Support Fund, helping more than 300,000 people in Lancashire in the process.
“It has been and remains essential to support organisations like Galloway’s throughout the pandemic, to enable them to provide an incredibly valuable source of assistance for the emotional and mental wellbeing of blind or partially sighted people, at a time when they may be feeling increasingly vulnerable and isolated.”