Latest News

Updated September 2018

Free Electric Blanket Testing

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service are holding Stay Safe Free Electric Blanket Testing events during September at fire stations in Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Oswestry, Bridgnorth & Ludlow.  To book your appointment, telephone 01743 260200 during office hours, week commencing Monday 17th September.   

Living with Sight Loss Courses

Shrewsbury’s Big Town Plan

The Final Draft of Shrewsbury’s Big Town Plan has been released for consultation.  The Final Draft outlines the vision for the town and sets the level of ambition, illustrating how the town will adapt and evolve, what the framework looks like and where change will happen, together with priorities and next steps.

The consultation period will allow the public to comment on the Final Draft online through the dedicated Big Town Plan website featuring the document and a feedback questionnaire; by visiting a three-day manned, pop up exhibition of the Plan within a town centre location, and through a public consultation event, earmarked for September 12th to be held at University Centre Shrewsbury.  Further details on timings and locations will be released at the end of the month.

To view the Final Draft and comment  on the proposals, go to http://shrewsburybigtownplan.org/

Shropshire Council consulting on ways to access their services

Shropshire Council is encouraging people to have their say on how they access services in their area, following a year-on-year decrease in the number of people visiting its face to face offices. 

Over the past five years, the number of people using the council’s six main face to face offices has been steadily falling, from 70,615 in April 2014 compared to just 33,079 in April 2018. Also, some of the council’s smaller offices see no customers at all some months. 

To address these challenges, the council is proposing to:

• Reduce the days on which staff at its main offices in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Whitchurch, Market Drayton, Ludlow and Bridgnorth are available to directly support customers.
• Not offer a face to face service at its smaller offices in Albrighton, Bishop’s Castle, Broseley, Church Stretton Town Council and Church Stretton Health and Well-being Centre, Cleobury Country, Ellesmere, Shifnal and Wem, some of which have no recorded customer use.

The consultation runs from Monday 30 July 2018 and will close on Friday 24 August 2018. During this time there will be information at each of the council’s customer service points explaining the proposals and inviting people to comment.

 For more information about the consultation and to take part, visit shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved/customer-service-opening-hours-review-2018/

RNIB West Midland Network Committee.

Are you affected by sight loss?  RNIB are looking for people who want to help shape their work in the West Midlands. As a member of their new Network Committee you will help lead and steer their Connect work in the local community to bring about positive change for blind and partially sighted people of all ages and anyone affected by sight loss.  Applications close at midnight on 189th July 2018.

https://www.rnib.org.uk/community/1640/topic/49480

Macular Week 2018

As part of Macular Week, the Macular Society has launched a short film to highlight the impact a diagnosis of macular disease can have. This is a story of a mother who struggles to watch her son grow up as she loses her sight.  You can watch the video here: https://www.macularsociety.org/macularweek

Shropshire Council survey on Preventative Services

Shropshire Council is currently undertaking a survey of ‘Preventative Services’ provided by voluntary organisations.  Preventative Services could involve:

• Provision of information and advice
• Practical support in the home
• Assistance with welfare benefits
• ‘Good neighbour’ schemes
• More specialist input, for example support for people with autism, sight loss or at risk of homelessness

The Council is seeking the views of people who have used preventative services and their carers; the feedback from the survey will help them to decide how services will be delivered in the future and what services are needed.  The deadline for responses is 1^st July 2018.

The survey can be completed online or you can request a printed or large text version by e-mailing tellus@shropshire.gov.uk

Details of the survey can be found at https://shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved/preventative-services-survey/  

 

£5,000 Donation helps to buy new Ophthalmology machine

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) will benefit from new state-of-the-artophthalmology equipment that will help detect eye conditions in both adults and children.  Sight Loss Shropshire has made a generous £5,000 donation towards a new visual fields machine for the Eye Department at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, run by SaTH.

Phillipa Downes, Senior Orthoptist at SaTH, said: “The Ophthalmology team has gratefully received a charitable donation from Sight Loss Shropshire towards a new visual fields machine.  This machine will allow very specific visual fields and binocular function testing for adult and paediatric patients.  SaTH had two machines that were over 50-years-old, and one of the machines had failed and could not be fixed.  The purchase of this new machine will replace the one that has failed and will mean patients will benefit from more modern and accurate equipment.”

Andrew Evans, Operational Manager at SaTH, said: “The new machine will be located within the new Eye Department and will be available for patients at the end of October 2017 when a newly refurbished Paediatric Ophthalmology facility will open.  The facility is located adjacent to the brand new department which opened to patients on 26 June this year.”

Robin Durham, Secretary for Sight Loss Shropshire, said:  “We are delighted that our donation means that the Trust can purchase a piece of equipment that will be of such benefit to both adults and children, and make a difference to the care that the Trust can offer to those with eye conditions.”

New Vision Impairment telephone drop in service in Telford & Wrekin

Telford & Wrekin Council are offering a new telephone drop-in service for visual impairment.  People who call will be able to speak to a Rehabilitation Officer for Vision Impairment to request replacement equipment, to seek advice or to discuss any issues they have relating to their visual impairment.  The service is available on Wednesdays between 10am and 2pm and the contact number is 07976 426 483.

New telephone number for Sight Loss Shropshire

The telephone number for Sight Loss Shropshire has changed – our new number is 01743 250808.

Esme’s Umbrella – supporting people with Charles Bonnet syndrome

Do you have low vision and are you experiencing visual hallucinations?  If you are, you might be suffering from a little known condition called Charles Bonnet syndrome.

Esme’s Umbrella was launched in November 2015 to raise awareness of Charles Bonnet syndrome and support people with the condition.  Their website offers a platform on which sufferers, their families and friends can exchange experiences, share coping strategies and find reassurance. The Helpline number is 0345 051 3915, and the email address is esmesumbrella@gmail.com

Support available from Severn Trent Water

If you are finding it difficult to read, or pay, your Water Bill, Severn Trent Water provides a range of free services that you may find helpful.  These include:

• Alternative correspondence formats such as large print, braille, electronic mail, audio CD or cassette, textphone, and formats suitable for people with dyslexia or colour blindness.
• A Nominee Scheme enabling you to authorise a friend or relative to speak to Severn Trent on your behalf about your account
• Schemes and tariffs to assist those who are struggling to pay their water bills

If you would like more information about the support and services provided by Severn Trent Water, please contact the Sight Loss Shropshire office on 01743 210808.