National Eye Health Week 2019

You may be aware NEHW is upon us, 23 – 29 September, Beacon will be supporting the week with activities, events and media awareness. We wanted to give you all an overview of the week and all the activities planned.

Beacon Butler – 21st September
The Beacon Butler Cup 2019 is fast approaching on September 21st for another fun packed family day. The Beacon Butler Cup will be a hotly contestant tournament but it’s also a chance to celebrate the achievements of pan disability golf players with their friends and family. They will also be raising awareness of disability sports, Beacon and NEHW.

Tipton Canal Trust – 21st September
The Tipton Canal & Community Festival, 21st September, is very popular with the local community and visitors from far and wide.  It is held by the Birmingham Old Main Line in Tipton. This year’s attractions include: working and trip boats, arts, crafts and bling fair, live entertainment, various trade, charity and car boot stalls, children’s ride’s, canal crafts, real ales, a wide range of food and drink and much more.  But the biggest attraction will be Pete Moodie and his sight loss awareness stand – educating the public around sight loss and NEHW.

Penkridge Car Show – 22nd September
Classics from all eras and modern supercars will be showcasing at Penkridge Market on September 22nd. The event is a chance for Beacon to raise money and awareness. The event attracts a wide range of people and as the only charity present, we will be getting the backing of the public.

Beacon @ Wolverhampton Gallery – 22nd & 27th September
Beacon will be hosting a stand on the 22nd and the 27th. The event on the 22nd will showcase different organisations and societies representing the amazing diversity of interests and groups in the city. On the 27th we will be talking to the public and encouraging them to wear sim specs to experience looking at art with sight loss.  We will also be doing our best to raise funds and awareness.

Low Vision Advice Desk – Cannock – 23rd September
Pete Moodie will be providing the public with his golden nuggets of eye health advice and sign posting whilst at the Cannock Shop on 23rd September.

Intu Merry Hill – VI Shopping – 24th September
With the support of Intu Merry Hill on September 24th Beacon will be hosting VI friendly shopping. The scheme is designed to support those living with sight loss, with a trained member of staff or volunteer, who will help them through their shopping session. Anyone living with sight loss can book a slot for a two-hour shopping session. The shopping guide will be DBS checked, trained and will be based around the individual shoppers needs. We will also have a stand on the day and will discuss eye health with the public and the importance of NEHW.  

Blogs throughout the Week

We will be publishing a number of blogs over the week which will include:

• Five eye care blogs – focused on different conditions
• Living with sight loss and volunteering blogs
• Nutrition and eye care blog
• Top Tips blog for PayCare

You can read these on our website and will be promoted via social media.

Social Media
There will be a number of posts with information about our activities, photos and mini videos. We will be across, facebook and twitter – so please support us, repost, like and share. Make sure you use the hashtags which includes #NationalEyeHealthWeek #NationalEyeHealthWeek2019 #NEHW #NEHW2019

Sight Loss Friendly Training – 25th & 26th September
On Wednesday 25th September Pete will be hosting a fully packed training session. The class will help those attending understand the best ways to communicate with and guide a person with sight loss, learn more about eye conditions and their impact.
Pete will also be helping the Wolves Foundation with similar training on the 26th September.

Commuting with a guide dog
Phillip Mills has kindly let us film Rye (his guide dog) and himself during their travels from work to home. The camera was fixed to Ryes harness which will give us a first-hand view of Ryes travels. Phillip is narrating the video and will give us an overview. The video will be posted online and over social media. Let us know your support and do share. 

VI Bowling – 25th September
On Wednesday 25th September we will be working with the local Prince’s Trust group, all participants in the project are aged 16-25 and on the 25th eight programme participants, their leader and their area executive will be with us at the Beacon Centre as part of NEHW. They will spend the morning with Pete attending his Sight Friendly Training and in the afternoon we have set up a sim specs bowling match between The Prince’s Trust and the Beacon Centre at Tenpin Dudley.

Sight Friendly Award 2019 – Nominate a winner
For this year’s NEHW celebrations we would like our service users, volunteers, staff and the public to nominate their favourite sight friendly venue. This could be an organisation who have gone above and beyond for a visually impaired customer, somewhere you feel safe and happy to go to or your place of work – it just has to be in the Black Country or Staffordshire. For example, it could be a local bank, post office or taxi/bus firm – the list is endless. Message Kam Cheema with your name, the organisation you want to nominate and a brief overview to why they should win the award. Closing Date for nominations is Friday 20th September at 12pm – winners will be announced between the 23rd and 30th September 2019.

Wolves FC Street Collection – we need volunteers –  28th September
Wolverhampton Council have given us the go ahead to raise funds for Beacon via street collections on the same day as the Wolves home game against Watford on Saturday 28th September. This is where we need the support of staff and volunteers for the street collection to raise funds for Beacon. Can you spare a couple of hours on that Saturday to help us? We need 7 more people, so please spread the word.

Interested? Please let Sophie know as soon as possible