Essex Blind Charity Receives £20,000 Grant During Eye Health Awareness Week

A vital organisation, providing specialised support and medical care to the visually impaired has received an essential grant.  

Essex Blind Charity, based in Colchester, has been handed a £20,000 grant from Provide Community, a healthcare, employee-owned, community interest company based in Colchester, Essex.  

The non-profit independent charity plans to expand its services to parts of the County that are underrepresented and geographically difficult to access.  

Providing advice and support for those with visual impairments, the charity’s Colchester Sight Centre carries the largest range of specialised equipment which allows those with visual impairments to live an independent life.  

General Manager, Jonathan Dixon commented on the grant: “The Provide Community funding has made a huge impact on our work in helping support people who are visually impaired and their families.  

“It has given us the ability to expand our services to South Woodham Ferrers and Harwich, and soon Jaywick.  

“Essex has the second highest number of visually impaired people in two-tier authorities in England and with 70% of our clients acquiring sight loss later in life, it is vital that they get the support they need to continue living fulfilled, independent lives.   

“The second stage is the launch of more pop-up sight centres and an Information Pack, which will be sent to newly diagnosed clients, which contains essential information and equipment that will help them immediately in their daily lives.” 

Provide’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Elizabeth Delany said “As members of an employee-owned community interest company, we have the opportunity to decide how we invest our surpluses into the community, including through grants such as this and it is fantastic to see how the work of these charities and organisation makes a difference to our local communities.”