Macclesfield Eye Society

Magnify Magazine

Summer 2016

Welcome to the summer 2016 edition of the Macclesfield Eye Society quarterly newsletter Magnify Magazine.

In this issue we are delighted to tell you about our new membership scheme, the upcoming Vision Day event and remind you that you can help to keep our services alive by offering an hour or so a month to help us at our fundraising collections! We have a jam packed calendar over the summer alongside our ongoing advice and support via our Resource Centre on Queen Victoria Street in Macclesfield. Please do get in touch to find out how we can support you.

NEWS

ITEM 1: Vision Day.

We are proud to announce the launch of our new and exciting Vision Day, a free sight loss support event held at Macclesfield Town Hall on Friday 8th July 2016, from 10am to 4pm. We had a really positive response from those who came to last year’s 140th Anniversary celebration event and realised this was a great opportunity to get lots of help and information to people from all over the region. This year will be even, better with the chance for people to take part in our workshops.

Already confirmed to present a workshop this year are Cheshire East Visual Impairment Team, Guide Dogs UK, Macular Society and Action for Blind People. You can register for these 30 minute workshops on arrival at Vision Day on the 8th July. The full list of workshop hosts and details is on our website or do give us a call for more information.

Vision Day admission is free and there will also be display stands from Macclesfield Talking Newspaper, Iris Vision, Disability Information Bureau and many more!

ITEM 2: Bollington Sensory Walk.

As part of the Bollington Walking Festival in September this year we are pleased to be hosting a sensory walk specifically tailored for people with a visual impairment. Meeting at Clarence Mill at 10.00am on Tuesday 27th September this will be gentle walk exploring the sounds, smells, textures and sights around the canal and Middlewood Way alongside sighted guide volunteers. Finishing at Clarence Mill where drinks and snacks can be purchased (dogs welcome). For more information, or to book your place on the (free) walk, contact Helen at Macclesfield Eye Society.

ITEM 3: Collections Volunteers.

Starting this summer we are increasing our presence in some of the communities in which we work and holding a few street collections. We’re looking for volunteers to help us just for an hour on the dates below. Please get in touch if you or your friends and family might like to come along to help!

Macclesfield Town Centre Collection Dates 2016 / Wednesday 29th June 2016
Friday 22nd July 2016
Friday 26th August 2016
Friday 23rd September 2016
Saturday 22nd October 2016
Friday 25th November 2016
Saturday 10th December 2016
Congleton Town Centre Collection Dates 2016 / Saturday 6th August 2016
Friday 16th December 2016

OUR SERVICES

Here’s an overview of our current services:

AT WORK:

  1. Advice and support with I.T. and equipment.
  2. Information and support about finance and benefits for people in work, unemployment or retired.
  3. Helping employers to understand the needs and rights of employees affected by sight loss.

AT HOME:

  1. Equipment and advice demonstrations at our Resource Centre in central Macclesfield.
  2. Home visits and discussions about your needs, about offering support and advice with financial entitlements.
  3. Volunteer led befriending service offering regular contact and emotional support for people affected by sight loss who are predominantly housebound.

IN THE COMMUNITY:

  1. Information and support at Macclesfield Hospital, including a regular presence at the Eye Clinic in the quiet room just outside the main waiting room.
  2. Regular and one-off social groups and activities, currently in Macclesfield and Congleton. Please get in touch if you are interested in social groups outside of these areas too as our activities are under development and will soon extend.
  3. Our geographic area covers most of East Cheshire, including: Macclesfield, Congleton, Knutsford, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, Prestbury, Poynton, Disley and Bollington. Where possible we advocate on behalf of visually impaired people facing challenging in the community.

WHAT’S ON

Regular Activities:

Tuesday / Technology Advice Appointments
First Tuesday morning of the month, by appointment only
Macclesfield Eye Society Resource Centre
Audio Book Group
Second Tuesday of the month, 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Salvation Army Hall, Macclesfield
Wednesday / Hospital Information Point
9.00am – 12.00noon
Macclesfield Hospital
Craft Group
11.00am – 1.00pm
Disability Information Bureau, Macclesfield
Congleton VIPs Social Group
Fortnightly, 2.00pm – 4.00pm
New Life Church, Congleton
Thursday / Macclesfield Social Group
1.00pm – 3.00pm
Newbiggin Way, Macclesfield
Hospital Information Point
1.30pm – 4.30pm
Macclesfield Hospital

Notable Dates:

5th July / Technology Advice 121 Appointments with John Hughes
8th July / Macclesfield Eye Society VisionDay – Exhibition, seminars and workshops at the Town Hall, Macclesfield 10.00am - 4.00pm
14th July / Online Today – tablet and smart phone taster session at Macclesfield Library
15th July / Macclesfield Eye Society Volunteers Summer Celebration, Sutton Hall 2.00pm – 4.00pm
27th July / Congleton VIPs Social Group Summer Lunch, Egerton Arms, Astbury
28th July / Macclesfield Social Group Summer Daytrip to Wilmslow Garden Centre
2nd Aug / Technology Advice 121 Appointments with John Hughes
6th Sept / Technology Advice 121 Appointments with John Hughes
8th Sept / Online Today – tablet and smart phone taster session at Macclesfield Library
15th Sept / Senior Voice Open Day 10.00am – 12.00 noon at Senior Citizens Hall, Macclesfield
15th Sept / Macclesfield Eye Society AGM 1.00pm – 3.00pm at Newbiggin Way, Macclesfield
27th Sept / Bollington Sensory Walk 10.00am – 12.00 noon, meet at Clarence Mill
13th Oct / World Sight Day – details coming soon!

MACCLESFIELD TALKING NEWSPAPER

The Macclesfield & District Talking Newspaper for the Blind produces a weekly recording of local news and magazine items which is sent out to blind and visually impaired people living in Macclesfield, Bollington, Poynton, Prestbury and surrounding districts, or who have links with the area.

The Macclesfield Talking Newspaper is sent out each week by post to listeners who then return the MP3 memory sticks (in the special pouch provided) ready for the next issue. The service is entirely free and is delivered free courtesy of the Royal Mail. For a two-week trial please phone us on 01625 435283 or contact us by email at .

THANK YOU

At Macclesfield Eye Society we rely on the support, time and donations of people in our community to keep our services alive. We would like to thank the following in particular for their support over the past few months:

  • Jobling Gowler Solicitors
  • Ollier Photography
  • Plums Kitchen
  • Studio 15 Photography
  • Enhanced Vision
  • Sight & Sound
  • Action for Blind People
  • Walthew House, Stockport
  • Big Lottery Fund
  • Our friends in the Cheshire Visual Impairment Consortium: Iris, Vision Support and Action for Blind People/RNIB
  • Our dedicated regular fundraisers, including Mavis Britnell, John Jones, Christine Musgrove and June Easby
  • All of our generous donors and our 140 Club lottery participants
  • Businesses who support us by holding a collection tin
  • And all of our amazing volunteers!

THANK YOU!

VOLUNTEER FOCUS

“I’ve been volunteering with Macclesfield Eye Society for almost a year now. I came along to their 140th Celebration event in May 2015 and enjoyed speaking to the Eye Society team about how I could get involved in a way that would make the most of my skills and interests. Since then I’ve had great fun being the Macclesfield Eye Society Social Media Volunteer, making sure the Society is active and engaged with clients, friends and local groups on Twitter and Facebook. Since I started volunteering we’ve seen a 10% increase in our Facebook page ‘likes’ and almost 300 additional followers on Twitter! I look forward to continuing to help spread the word about Macclesfield Eye Society services and really enjoy working with the team.”

Mark Tilsley

Social Media Volunteer

Volunteering Opportunities

Our work in East Cheshire wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated team of volunteers. If you are interested in giving your time we would love to hear from you.

In particular, Macclesfield Eye Society is currently looking for:

Office Admin Support

Social Groups and Activities Support

Fundraising and Collections Assistants

IT and Technology Advice Assistants

Volunteer Drivers

If you would like to talk to us about volunteering and how your skills could contribute to the work we do, please contact us via 01625 422602, or email . Thank you!

Donations

To show your support to Macclesfield Eye Society we gratefully accept donations to further our work with blind and partially sighted people in East Cheshire. We welcome your support via cheque (“Macclesfield Eye Society”), by Bank Transfer to Sort Code 77-67-08 Account Number 34651568 or please visit our website for a link to our Just Giving online donation facility. Thank you very much for your support.

If you require this publication in an alternative format (text only, email or audio) please do let us know

A REMINDER OF OUR CONTACT DETAILS:

Macclesfield Eye Society, 15 Queen Victoria Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 6LP

01625 422602

Twitter: @MaccEyeSociety

Facebook: Macclesfield Eye Society

Resource Centre Opening hours: 09:00 – 13:30 Monday - Friday

Charity No. 226347

The Macclesfield Eye Society Magnify Magazine is kindly sponsored by Jobling Gowler Solicitors, 250 Park Lane in Macclesfield. Jobling Gowler can help you with clinical negligence, personal injury, wills, probate and tax. Specialist solicitor Tessa Whiskard advises clients with a visual impairments and would be happy to answer enquiries about their services. You can contact Jobling Gowler on 01625 614250, or get in touch with the Macclesfield Eye Society and we can put you in touch.