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Charity of the Year 2017 is announced

Posted on Wednesday 4th January 2017

Ashwood’s Charity of the Year 2017 is to be the West Midlands’ leading sight loss charity the Beacon Centre.

The Beacon Centre has been helping local people with sight loss live a fuller, more independent life, for more than 140 years but figures show the numbers of those with visual impairments will only grow in the coming years.

Beacon Centre, Sedgely, West Midlands

Beacon Centre, Sedgley, West Midlands

Across the West Midlands there currently some 167,000 people living with sight loss. By 2020 this will have increased to more than 200,000, and by 2050 to more than 350,000.

About Beacon

The Beacon Centre runs a range of services for people living with sight loss of all ages to try and help them gain independence, learn new skills and meet new friends.

It runs two day services, one in Sedgley ( the main base of its charity) and the other in Stourbridge.

The Sedgley Independent Living Centre runs a range of sessions including arts and crafts, health and well-being, technology training and life skills such as help cooking.

Learning crafts at the Beacon Independent Living Centre

Learning crafts at the Beacon Independent Living Centre

The Beacon Centre in Stourbridge runs a range of services from its base at the Mary Stevens Centre in Oldswinford and day activities include social, craft, quizzes manicures, music, games and flower arranging.

The charity also runs a popular activity programme to help people with sight loss try something they thought might never have been possible.

Sessions include water-skiing, climbing, rowing, tandem bike rides, bowling and much more.

For younger people the charity runs a youth club where youngsters can try new things and meet others their own age.

The charity also has the first accredited social enterprise opticians in the country at its Sedgley base where any profits are used to support people with sight loss.

The Beacon Bus

The Beacon Bus helps raise awareness of sight loss

The Beacon Bus

To help raise awareness of the issue of sight loss the charity also has a community bus, called the Beacon Bus which tours communities and gives people the chance to find out more about how to protect their eyesight and eye conditions.

The bus has visited Ashwood on a number of occasions and has proved very popular with many of our customers.

Staff on the bus provide basic advice and can show some of the equipment available such as assistive living aids which will help many people live a safer and much more independent life. In addition, one of our experts is on hand to offer guidance and advice regarding living with sight loss.

Beacon Funding Cuts

The charity was recently devastated to learn that Dudley Council has completely withdrawn its funding, following huge funding cuts from the Government, representing a 50% loss of income for Beacon.  As a result, donations and fundraising efforts are now more vital than ever.beacon-logo

How will Ashwood’s fund-raising be used?

Ashwood’s fund-raising will be directed to the Independent Living Centre (ILC) to support the invaluable work that is carried out here with the aim of improving the well-being of blind and partially sighted people and thereby reducing their isolation and loneliness.

How will Ashwood Nurseries raise money?

Our main fundraising comes from John’s Garden Open Days and Hellebore Tours (the entire proceeds from entrance charges are donated). We also are fortunate to receive a number of individual private donations from our wonderful customers and friends and we would like to say a big thank you to anyone who supports our charity in any way, no matter how small.

Beacon is a registered charity no. 216092 (England & Wales) Visit  www.beaconvision.org to learn more about the charity’s work

Other charities:

We also continue to support The National Gardens Scheme www.ngs.org.uk

Past Charity Fund-raising:

2016: High Flyers: £24,318.92

2016: National Garden Scheme: £4,194.06

2015: Macmillan Cancer Support: £21,810.00

2015: National Garden Scheme: £2,135.00

2014: Stroke Support West Midlands: £15,400.00

2014: National Garden Scheme: £1,870.00

2013: Cancer Support at The White House, Dudley, West Midlands: £23,764.73

2013: National Garden Scheme: £350

2012: The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association: £19,600

2012: National Garden Scheme: £1372.50

2011: Alzheimers Society: £26,030.60

2011: National Garden Scheme: £1940.00

2010: Mary Stevens Hospice and Compton Hospice: £23,942

2010: National Garden Scheme: £2,224.00

2009: Action Heart: £26,341.00

2008: Renal Unit Fund at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton: £26,000

2007: County Air Ambulance: £20,648.00

Barbara Cartwright