For people living with a
vision impairment who may be feeling lonely and isolated and would like a chat to a friendly volunteer. Vision Support's Telephone
Befriending Service is delivered by volunteers who can call once a week (or less frequently if desired) at a time on a day that is agreed.
For more information contact
via email, phone or Text: 01443 485686; Fax: 01433 408555.
Befriending and At Home support for people with a hearing loss or who are
Deaf, enabling them to access aids and adaptations to support them to remain independent and safe.
'Living made easy' is an impartial
advice and information website about
daily living equipment and other aspects of independent living for
disabled people. The site includes an 'Ask Sara' section which takes you through a series of questions to identify the type of help that you need.
This programme from
VIM offers a range of interactive discussion sessions with professional facilitators, with time to focus and discuss the things that you find difficult about sight loss. As well as learning about helpful products, services and support, this is also an opportunity to reflect on taking positive steps forward to improve and enjoy life. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with people in a similar situation to share experiences.
ECLO based at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli. Provides emotional support, often at a time of great need. Also signposts patients on to the many different services to help maintain their independence. The role of ECLO helps to bridge the gap between health and
social care services for blind and partially sighted people.
Llanelli Star (monthly); Swansea Sound (monthly).
Part time
ECLO based at Royal Glamorgan Hospital. Provides emotional support, often at a time of great need. Also signposts patients on to the many different services to help maintain their independence. The role of ECLO helps to bridge the gap between health and
social care services for blind and partially sighted people.
The BWFB provides high quality, easy to use audio equipment which has been specially designed and adapted for listeners living with sight loss.
Local Minds support over 370,000 people across England and Wales. Their services include talking therapies, crisis
helplines, drop-in centres, employment and
training schemes, counselling and
befriending. Each local Mind is an independent charity run by local people, for local people. They are responsible for their own funding and services. Mind Cymru works together in partnership with Local Minds.
The Talking News Federation website has a facility to search for local talking newspapers in your area by inputting your county.
LOOK owns a
holiday flat in Scarborough on the Yorkshire coast. The flat is accessible with two bedrooms, one double (with space for a cot), and one with bunk beds plus an extra single bed. The LOOK flat provides an opportunity for every family with a
visually impaired child to enjoy a seaside break and can be booked for both long and short breaks at very reasonable rates.
A free mentoring service for
young people with
vision impairment. Offers support on topics such as school and college; gap year ideas; career and life plans; socialising and confidence; independent living. Mentors are vision impaired themselves.
Come and meet other parents of
Visually Impaired children every other Tuesday at 19:30GMT in our free online meet up sessions. (On Mondays from August 2023)
If you already have a
vision impairment or low vision, or are registered as either
sight impaired or
severely sight impaired a specially trained and accredited Low vision
optician/
optometrist) can help you make the best use of the sight you have. There are specially trained low vision practitioners working out of high street opticians throughout the whole of Wales. To find your nearest one simply search the database at the link below.
