Charity Of The Year 2019

It’s the start of a new year which means it’s the start of a new partnership with a new charity. This year WSM are happy to announce that Merton Vision is our charity for 2019. Please read the information below to find out more about Merton Vision and the great work that they do to offer help, comfort and support to those who are blind or have partial sight loss.

About Merton Vision

MertonVision was established to ‘…. grant assistance to all blind and partially sighted persons ordinarily resident in the London Borough of Merton…visiting of blind and partially sighted persons in their own homes, hospitals or elsewhere with a view to affording them comfort and encouragement and assistance in the solution of domestic and other problems… provide every other service and assistance necessary for the benefit, health and comfort of blind and partially sighted persons in relation to their visual impairment and any other impairment they may have.’

MertonVision offers both professional and volunteer services to blind and partially sighted adults and children and organises a variety of social and leisure activities as follows:

• Volunteer service to help with tasks needing vision. Assistance with shopping, befriending, reading mail, filling in forms
• ‘At the Point of Diagnosis’ we have a specialist Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) resident at Moorfields, St George’s Hospital, Tooting
• Well-stocked specialist resource centre, equipment loan and/or support to buy, install, train in use, maintenance and repair
• Exhibitions of specialist equipment
• Agent for Wireless for the Blind – we offer delivery and training of free multi-media digital devices.
• Rehabilitation and mobility training; life skills for people who are newly diagnosed with sight loss and for people who have lived with an acquired sight loss for a sustained period or from birth.  Provide direct access to emotional support or signpost to other local agencies.
• Deliver a variety of specialist advice and information about living with sight loss.
• Prescription and issue of free loan magnifying lenses and equipment by optometrist
• Peer support activities e.g. ‘Insight’ courses, coffee mornings, monthly accessible IT support group and the Talking Book Club
• Monthly activities for children
• Social activities – including cream teas, evening quizzes, BBQ’s. Day trips to seaside, local and national places of interest
• Weekly lunch club
• Leisure activities – art, craft, short mat bowls, cardio vascular training with gym equipment
• IT skills (choice of accessible software, soft cell Braille display, internet) also iPad and training for ‘tablets’
• Adult learning: “Unlocking Your Potential” life skills and coaching courses to enhance employment opportunities
• Falls prevention exercise class and yoga classes
• Quarterly special interest groups and one-off awareness presentations from Macular Disease Society, International Glaucoma Association, Stargardts Support Group, Nystagmus Support
• Transport to activities as required
• Bi-monthly newsletter and daily updates on website and via ad hoc email circulation
• Transcription service