SIGHTLINESPRING 2018

Welcome to the Spring Edition ofSupport 4 Sight’s Newsletter

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Supporting people with sight loss in EssexRegistered Charity number: 1169324

News from Support 4 Sight

A Message from Paul Welcome to the Spring Edition of Sight Line 2018. If this is your first newsletter as a new member, I hope that you find it interesting and informative. If there is anything that is not included in this publication and you would like something featured, please let me know and I will do my best to get it included in the next edition.

There is so much happening this year, with five Support 4 Sight Low Vision exhibitions, eight Focus Days, coffee mornings, social trips all happening throughout the year and much much more. Please look out for future editions of the newsletters and any updates.

If you would like to get involved with any of the activities, access any of our services, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team.

MembershipA membership renewal form is included with this issue - please let us know if you need help completing the form. Our membership fee remains the same as last year, at £15 for single and £16 for joint membership.

We apologise for the lateness in getting our Membership forms to you, existing memberships will be continued until 30th April to allow time for renewals to come in to us. We would be grateful if you could forward it to us as soon as you can. If you are unsure whether you have paid your membership, please call the Centre and we can look this up for you.

You can be sure that your membership really helps us to continue providing our many services.

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Paying by CardWe are now taking card payments at our centres.  This means that when you visit our centres and want to purchase equipment, you will not have to walk around to the cash point to get cash or write out a cheque.  So much easier all round.

Featured Displays at Our CentresWe now have themed displays of equipment at our Centres with displays changing every six weeks. Our current display includes a range of writing aids for demonstration. Upcoming displays will include such things as talking clocks and watches, daily living aids, lighting and other equipment from our suppliers.

News from our new Chelmsford Centre Our Chelmsford Centre has been very busy so far during 2018. In the last month we have had some great sessions such as the technology training session with the RNIB, pictured below.

We held our first carers event on the same day, which went down very well with the carers.

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We have now held two book club meetings and attendees are really enjoying the relaxed gatherings. Book Club is on the third Monday of the month in our Chelmsford Centre.

The Chelmsford Centre is at 17 Cottage Place, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1NL and its opening hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am to 2pm. If you want to join in with any activities, have any questions, or wish to book an appointment, please call on 01245 933572 or 07949 676126.

Healthy Heart Walks and ActivitiesDo you enjoy walking, swimming, going to the gym, dance, eating healthy food? Would you like to get involved in a walk in and around your local area, getting fit at the same time? Then this could be for you. These walks will take in points of interest in your local area and are not designed to be difficult. Don’t worry if you are visually impaired and struggle to get around on your own, we can support you on the walk with a Sighted Guide volunteer. This is a great way to get to know parts of the area that you live in and maybe discover interesting facts that you may not know about. If you are interested in taking part, we are hoping to get these walks established in the Saffron Walden, Harlow and Chelmsford areas. Please call the centre to find out more.

The Saffron Walden Healthy Heart walks are led by volunteer Peter Whitehead. He has already taken us on two very interesting walks. The first, on Wednesday 7th March, took in Bridge End Gardens and a week later we took a walk passing the Battle Ditches. Peter is a very knowledgeable and entertaining guide. We finished with hot drinks and cake at a local coffee shop!

Saffron Walden walks will take place on a Wednesday Morning, starting at 10:30am from the Support 4 Sight Centre in George Street, lasting roughly 40 minutes. Future walks may include the talking bench at the Museum, in and around the common and to take in the Pargetting on local buildings. Suggestions for other interesting local attractions are welcome.

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Pictured above are Peter, Paul Atkins and Guide Dog Tilly in Bridge End Gardens.

To kick start the Chelmsford Walks, we walked from the Chelmsford Centre to the Nuffield Health Centre for an invigorating swim.

These Chelmsford swimming sessions are going really well. Everybody is eagerly looking forward to their next sessions. The facilities are excellent and there is space in the pool to either get help from the swimming coach or just take a leisurely swim.

We are also arranging healthy cooking talks at our Chelmsford centre.

To find our more about these activities please call either of our centres.

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Fundraising

Support 4 Sight Welcomes Laura

My name is Laura and I am the new Community Fundraiser for Support 4 Sight. It is very exciting to join such a vibrant charity and I am really looking forward to raising awareness and funds within the local area. I am originally from Essex but have spent the last few years of my working life in Manchester and London, working for community based charities in inner city areas. My background includes community development, fundraising volunteer coordination and project management.

I love working with local communities and developing sustainable support to those who need it most. All charities need funds to support the good work they do.

I am looking forward to focussing my energy and passion in finding fun and innovative ways to continue and develop fundraising for Support 4 Sight. I look forward to meeting you all.

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Our London Marathon Man!We are all delighted that Alistair Cooke (Cookie), the chairman of local running club the ‘Saffron Striders’ has chosen to run the 26 mile, 2018 Virgin London Marathon to raise funds for Support 4 Sight.

Alistair is hoping to raise at least £2,000 to help towards the cost of running the hospital desks in both Saffron Walden Community Hospital and the new desk that is opening soon in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. Both desks in the sight clinics are manned by volunteers and are there to help people newly diagnosed with sight loss to get information, advice and guidance when they need it most.

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Gary Hyams, CEO of Support 4 Sight, said “I can’t thank Alistair enough for putting himself through such a rigorous training regime and then running a marathon to help us raise funds. To do this is really an epic achievement and all our beneficiaries appreciate his generosity. It costs us thousands of pounds per year to maintain our vital services. Without the support of people like Alistair, we really would not be able to provide support to over 4,000 people each year”.

To contribute a donation to Alistair’s fund raising please visit: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/striders4sight

Ever Fancied Abseiling? The Harlow Tye Rotary Club is holding their 21st annual Abseil for Charity. The event will take place on the weekend of May 5th and 6th at the Affinity Water Tower, Church Langley, Harlow. It costs £35 with all proceeds going to a charity of your choice. To find out more call Bill Colton on 01279 423879 or 07711 982671.

Elizabeth Cowell, Graham Hawkes’ Support Worker, has already booked her place for Saturday 5th of May. You can sponsor her by calling in to our Saffron Walden or Chelmsford Centres, or online at https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/elizabethcowell1Please spread the word to raise as much as we can for Support 4 Sight!

New Coin BoxesSince the introduction of our new branding we are delighted to announce the launch of our new branded coin boxes. If you have any loose change, these boxes are the ideal place to put it!

When the box is full, please drop it in to a centre near to you, we would be more than happy to give you a replacement. Every penny counts and some of our services rely on donations, so if you know of anyone else who would like a coin box, please get in touch.

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Recent fundraisingSanta’s Taxi John Byatt raised £367 by collecting donations from his taxi passengers.

Raffle Our raffle of three Luxury Hampers raised a fantastic £522. Thank you to everyone who bought a raffle ticket and contributed towards the selling and promotion for our raffle.

Crocheting Evenings Our Community Crochet evenings have so far raised over £200. The next event is on Tuesday 27th March. Entry is £10, and we have teachers on hand to help anyone who needs tuition or is struggling with a new stitch pattern. All are welcome, please call the Saffron Walden centre on 01799 523700 if you want to attend.

Tesco We have so far raised over £800 with our fundraising activities in conjunction with Tesco Saffron Walden. Events so far have included selling bacon butties, craft stalls, collections and the Bags of Help scheme. There is still more to come from Tesco. See below for details of the Tesco Bags of Help scheme in Chelmsford.

Tiny Tempos This music and movement class for toddlers in Saffron Walden held a charity fundraising week in December. They raised over £100 for Support 4 Sight.

Carver Barracks At the Christmas Fair in Carver barracks our face painting, glitter tattoos and raffle raised £98.

Quiz night The Dog & Duck in Stansted hosted a Quiz Event for us on Saturday 3rd March. The event raised a fantastic £305 which will offer valuable help towards the costs of our work with the visually impaired. The amount raised will enable us to provide up to five Home Visits with our specialist Community Support Worker. These visits can be a lifeline to many and offer much needed support.

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Other ways to support us.Tesco Bags of Help, ChelmsfordSupport 4 Sight is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores awarded to local community projects.

Voting is taking place from Thursday 1st March to Monday 30th April 2018 in Chelmsford at the Waterhouse Lane, Dukes Street, Springfield Road and Princes Road stores. You can also vote for us at Tesco Express in Broomfield Road, Moulsham Street, Great Baddow

We are up against other projects, so please ask all your friends and family to drop their blue discs in for us!

The Essex Lottery The Essex Lottery is an exciting weekly lottery that raises money for good causes in Essex. All good causes supported by the lottery will benefit Essex and its residents.

Tickets for the lottery cost just £1 per week. Players can buy as many tickets as they wish.

There will be a draw every Saturday night when the nine winning tickets and the six jackpot numbers will be picked.From every £1 ticket sold 50p will go Support 4 Sight if you choose us as your charity. Go online here to support ushttps://www.essexlottery.co.uk/support/support4sight

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The Co-op Local Community Fund is now open for members to choose and give their 1% to Support 4 Sight.

If you are a Co-op shopper you can register or sign in here http://www.coop.co.uk/membership and if Support 4 Sight is within 15 miles of you, you should be able to choose us as your nominated charity. The online portal will show you your few nearest charities, but you can do a wider search up to 15 miles and select us from those.This funding period runs until 27th October 2018.

Spring FundraisingWe have some wonderful fundraising events taking place throughout spring at Support 4 Sight.

Easter knits Our ever-popular Cadbury Crème Egg Easter knits – as pictured on the front cover – are on sale in our Centre in George Street and in the Old English Gentleman and King’s Arms pubs in Saffron Walden. This year we also have some little Easter baskets for sale, which hold mini eggs and characters.

The Cork House in Stansted is holding a Wine and Cheese evening on Thursday April 12th at 7pm. Tickets are £25 per person and 50% of everything will go to Support 4 Sight. The Cork House host will talk you through each wine (learning and drinking at the same time!) - it’s a great evening! Call Charlotte on 01279 817474 to book your tickets.

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Support 4 Sight Events and Activities

Coffee Mornings 2018 Do come and join us for a cup of tea or coffee at your local group. If you have any questions about the coffee mornings or need information on how to get to the venues, contact us on 01799 523700.

Our big news is that we have started up a coffee morning at a new venue – Witham. We are also starting a second Harlow coffee morning. See below for details. We will be setting up a coffee morning in the Epping area soon.

With great regret we had to cancel recent coffee mornings in Witham and Chelmsford due to the snow. Hopefully we won’t see any white fluffy stuff for a while now!

HarlowSecond Tuesday of each month at the Potter Street Baptist Church ‘Coffee Stop‘, 98 Potter St, Harlow CM17 9AW, 10.30am until noon.Dates: 13th March, 10th April, 8th May, 12th June (strawberries and cream).

New Harlow coffee morningLast Monday in the month starting on Monday 30th of April. Wrights Court, Potter Street, Harlow CM17 9BB, 10.30am until noon.Dates: 30th April, 28th May, 25th June (strawberries and cream). ChelmsfordLast Wednesday of each month at Broomfield Village Hall, 158 Main Road, Broomfield, CM1 7AH, from 1.30pm to 3pm. Please note the afternoon time.Dates: 28th March, 25th April, 30th May, 27th June (strawberries and cream).

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Chelmsford LunchMembers from the Chelmsford coffee afternoon meet once a month (usually prior to the coffee afternoon) for lunch. If you would like to know more about the Chelmsford Lunch Club, please call Graham Hawkes on 07949 676126

Saffron WaldenLast Tuesday of every month at the Bowls Club, Abbey Lane from 10:30am until noon. Dates: 27th March, 24th April, 29th May, 26th June (strawberries and cream).

Great Dunmow Second Thursday of every month at Banks Court, Chequers Lane, Great Dunmow from 10.30am until noon. Dates: 8th March, 12th April, 10th May, 14th June (strawberries and cream).

WithamFirst Thursday of each month at Witham Library, 18 Newlands Street, Witham, CM8 2AQ from 10:30am until noon.Dates: 5th April, 3rd May, 7th June, 5th July.

Braintree Last Thursday of every month at Church House, St Michaels Lane, Braintree, CM7 1EY from 10:30am until noon.Dates: 29th March, 26th April, 31st May, 28th June (strawberries and cream).

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Support Groups 2018Braintree Support GroupOur Braintree support group meetings are always held on the second Wednesday of the month, from 2pm to 3.30pm, at Braintree Baptist Church, Blyth's Meadow, Coggeshall Road, Braintree, Essex, CM7 3DA. Dates: 14th March, 11th April, 9th May, 13th June, 11th July.

We have speakers from many different organisations and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. We are very lucky to have great support from the Rotary Club who transport some of the members and who also put on wonderful teas for us at different times of the year.

New: Glaucoma Support Group We will be launching a Glaucoma Support Group starting on 29th March 2018 5pm at Parndon Hall, The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Hamstel Rd, Harlow CM20 1QX

The Group will be facilitated by a consultant, doctor and specialist nurse whilst offering support from the Glaucoma Association, our Support 4 Sight Community Support Worker, Vanessa Cowell and our volunteers.The frequency will be decided by the group attendees and refreshments will be provided.

The support Group will be available for anyone affected by Glaucoma and their families to access information, advice and guidance while meeting others who have been diagnosed.

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Social TripsThe Temeraire, Saffron WaldenFollowing the Saffron Walden coffee morning on Tuesday 27th March, there will be a Lunch Trip to the Temeraire in Saffron Walden. Arrival 12:15 - 12:30pm, order on arrival.

The Old Pottery Kiln, WithamFollowing the Braintree coffee morning on Thursday 29th March, there is a Trip to The Old Pottery Kiln,Gershwin Boulevard, Witham, CM8 1FQ. 12.40pm arrival, order on arrival.

Fleur de Lys, Widdington Date to be confirmed: Tuesday 24th April or Thursday 19th April.Please contact Support 4 Sight nearer the time for final details.

Bus Safari - Great Dunmow to BraintreeOn Thursday 26th April, Great Dunmow service users are invited to join us travelling by bus safari to the Braintree Coffee morning.

Lunch afterwards at the Cherry Lane Garden centre from 12pm

Boydells Farm or Rainbow Rural On Thursday 24th May and followed by a spot of lunch at a local venue.Details to be confirmed - please contact Support 4 Sight nearer the time if you are interested in this trip.

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Future tripsStow Maries Aerodrome, MaldonDate and cost to be confirmed

To include a guided tour around the area, high tea and free time to explore the museum and shop.

We are also planning to arrange trips to Kew Gardens and Duxford Imperial War Museum later in year. Contact us now if you are interested.

Low Vision Exhibitions Support 4 Sight is proud to announce its exhibitions for 2018. We are pleased to bring you the following dates for your diaries. If there is an event in your area, please come along and support us. There will be many exhibitors at the events bringing the latest in Technology, Low Vision Aids as well as National and Local Organisations giving Information, Advice and Guidance. There is no entrance fee and appointments are not necessary.

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HarlowTuesday 24th May 10am - 2pm Harlow Central Library, Cross Street, Harlow, Essex CM20 1HA

ChelmsfordWednesday 20th June 10am - 3pm Broomfield Village Hall, 158 Main Road, Broomfield, Essex CM1 7AH

Saffron Walden Saturday 29th September 10am - 2pm Saffron Walden Town Bowls Club, Abbey Lane, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1DG BraintreeThursday 25th October 10am - 2.30pm Church House, St Michaels Lane, Braintree, Essex CM7 1EY

Tell all your friends about these fantastic events and bring them along for coffee and a chat.  Entrance is free and everyone is welcome.

Focus DaysSupport 4 Sight’s Focus Days are another way to experience the latest in Technology and Low Vision Aids. This is a great opportunity to visit individual organisations, talk to the experts who can give their expertise and knowledge of their products and have hands-on demonstrations. Whilst at these events, you will be able to enjoy the hospitality of your local centre and meet some of the team of staff and volunteers. It is a great chance to see what your centre has to offer you and benefit from Information, Advice and Guidance.

Focus Days with Professional Vision Services Monday 09th April 2018 10am – 2.30pm Chelmsford Centre Tuesday 10th April 2018 10am – 2.30pm Saffron Walden Centre

Focus Days with Pamtrad Monday 11th June 2018 10am – 2.30pm Chelmsford Centre Tuesday 12th June 2018 10am – 2.30pm Saffron Walden Centre

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Focus Days with Enhanced Vision, Dolphin Computer Access and Calibre Audio Library Monday 20th August 2018 10am – 2.30pm Chelmsford Centre Tuesday 21st August 2018 10am – 2.30pm Saffron Walden Centre

Focus Days with Optelec Monday 12th November 2018 10am – 2.30pm Chelmsford Centre Tuesday 13th November 2018 10am – 2.30pm Saffron Walden Centre

In The Media

Britain’s First Guide HorseA visually impaired man with a fear of dogs is to get Britain’s first guide horse. Mohammed Salim Patel, a 23-year-old BBC journalist from Blackburn, Lancashire, will be assisted by Digby, a two-foot-tall American Miniature horse. Mr Patel has Retinitis Pigmentosa, the degenerative eye condition. He has a big phobia of dogs so cannot work with a guide dog. But he has always loved horses, so was very pleased to hear that many of the miniature breed were already working as assistance animals in the United States.

This is a perfect solution for him and for any other visually impaired person who for whatever reason cannot have a dog. Although he has met Digby, they won’t be able to live together for the two years that it will take to complete the training. That may sound like a long time but horses like Digby can have a lifespan of 45 to 50 years. That’s a lot of dog years!

It’s a radical idea here in Britain so Katy Smith (Digby’s owner) is having to work hard with her MP to overcome the limits of our existing environmental health and equality legislation. In a nutshell, it will be good to see the term “assistance dog” broadened to “assistance animal”.

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Eat Well For a Healthy Heart

Keeping active and staying fit is important but we should take a longer look at a ‘healthy heart’ balanced diet. Keeping your intake of saturated fat and salt low and maintaining a good weight is a big part of this. You can minimize the chances of developing clogged arteries, which could ultimately lead to a heart attack.

The British Heart Foundation has a lot of information on its website – www.bhf.org.uk .Below is a brief summary of some key points.

Saturated fats. There’s rather too much of these in butter, fatty meats, sausage, cheese, pies and cakes. Saturated fat raises the cholesterol level in your blood, which in turn can clog up your arteries.

Salt. Nearly all of us eat too much salt. This raises blood pressure, which then puts too much strain on your heart and that can make your arteries more likely to clog. If you do your own cooking, you may use too much salt in order to bring flavour to your dishes. You can cut this down by using herbs to introduce tasty flavours. There are some great recipes on the BHF website – www.bhf.org.uk

So what can you do? Include less saturated fat, salt and (of course) sugar in your diet. When you buy packaged or prepared foods, you will find a circular ‘traffic light pie chart’ showing the levels of salt, fats and sugar. Red means a high amount, amber for medium and green for low. Yes, that’s red for stop, amber for careful and green for go for it.

“Fruit ‘n veg”. Fruit and vegetables are low in salt, fat and calories. Make sure you eat up to five portions a day – think of a portion as a handful. Don’t cook them in butter, and avoid all but the lowest fat oils.

Your diet is a big factor in keeping your weight in check. In an overweight body, a heart must work harder and it gets strained.

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Keeping to a healthy weight also protects you from high blood pressure and lowers your cholesterol.

So, what can you do? In brief…. keep active and change your diet to one that is full of fruit and vegetables and low in fat. Learn more by calling BHF’s Heart Helpline 0300 330 3311 or visit the website www.bhf.org.uk

Bon Appetit!

Out and About

The Fitzwilliam Museum There is another of the Museum’s special sessions for blind and partially sighted adults coming up in April.

Tuesday 17 April, 2.15 to 4.00pm Things of Beauty Growing

Join exhibition curator, Helen Ritchie, in a tour of the Museum's major exhibition of British studio pottery, Things of Beauty Growing, which showcases the history and ongoing practice of one of the most dynamic art forms in the UK today. The tour will be followed by a handling session of ceramics from the collection of Dr Shakeshaft, who bequeathed his large collection of studio pottery to the Museum in 2016.

Meet at the Courtyard Entrance of the Fitzwilliam Museum. Tea and coffee break provided. Guide dogs and companions welcome. As usual, the session is free, but numbers are limited so booking is essential. To reserve your place(s) telephone 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

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Tech TalkRead using Your TVBierley produces a range of digital magnifiers that help those with impaired vision, particularly the elderly, to read again. One of these seems to be especially good value at £99 (or borrow at £9.99/month). It requires no technical knowledge – you just place a special mouse onto your book or newspaper to enlarge the text and display it on your TV.

MonoMouse shows the magnified text in monochrome and ColorMouse displays the magnified text or image in colour. You can also use the mouse to read text on jars, bottles and many other things. It plugs directly into your TV’s SCART or HDMI socket.

KitchenMouse comes supplied with a 12" dedicated screen (so no need to use your TV).

The Bierley Vision Club is a monthly membership program for borrowing digital magnifiers, sent to you by post. Basic membership starts at £9.99 for one device at a time.

Contact Support 4 Sight on 01799 523700 for further information.

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Paul’s Latest Jokes

Q: Did you hear about the actor who kept falling through the boards?A: It’s just a Stage he is going through!

Q: Why did the physics teacher break up with the biology teacher?A: There was no chemistry!

Q: Why do the French like to eat snails so much?A: They can’t stand fast food!

Q: I have a Doctors appointment today, but I really don’t want to go.A: Just call in sick then!

Q: What did the judge say to the dentist? A: Do you swear to pull the tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth?

Son: Mum, don’t get alarmed, but I’m at the HospitalMum: Son, please. You’ve been a surgeon there for 8 years now. Can we start our phone calls differently?

Q: Why is it not a good idea to insult an Octopus?A: Because it’s well armed!

A policeman stops a computer hardware engineer: “Your light isn’t working. You have to get off your bike.”IT Guy: “I tried that, but it still isn’t working!”

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Wishing a Ha-ha-happy

Easter to all our readers!

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Contact usIf you want to speak to us at Support 4 Sight, our Saffron Walden Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 2.30pm, telephone 01799 523700. Our Chelmsford Centre is open Mondays and Wednesdays 10am to 2pm, telephone 01245 933572.

Here is the list of staff at Support 4 Sight:Gary Hyams – Chief Executive OfficerPaul Atkins – Resource Centre and Volunteer ManagerLinda Pollard & Michael Lovell – Paul’s Support WorkersVanessa Cowell – Community Support WorkerGemma Golab – Financial ControllerJane Myers – Volunteer CoordinatorLaura Thompson-Harper – Community FundraiserAmanda Jarvis – Assistant to the Chief ExecutiveAlison Pilkington – Resource Centre AdministratorGraham Hawkes – Services CoordinatorElizabeth Cowell – Graham’s Support Worker

With support from:

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All information in this Newsletter is checked and believed to be correct at the time of publication, but cannot be so guaranteed. Support 4 Sight shall not be liable for any

loss suffered directly or indirectly as a result of its use.

Produced by Support 4 Sight (Essex)2 & 4 George Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EQ

Telephone 01799 523700Registered Charity No. 1169324