SIGHT CHARITY ORGANISES UNUSUAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Innovative Topsham based charity Devon in Sight (formerly known as Devon County Association for the Blind) is organising a series of unusual activities for visually impaired people. These will include computer training, an interesting and innovative photography group being established in August and a game of bowls at Topsham Bowling Club founded in 1928.

The first organised event is a guided walk with Topsham Society on Monday 8^th August at 2 pm, culminating with tea and a talk at the Topsham Museum.  The cost will be just £1 and walkers will meet at the Resource Centre recently opened by local celebrity Bill Pertwee MBE well known from the British comedy classic, Dad’s Army.  

This will be quickly followed by the first of a series of computer training sessions from the 11^th August. The charity is working with the British Computer Association for the Blind who are going to run a series of computer training sessions at Station House under the EyeT4All programme.  The workshops are designed to help participants with writing letters and emails; shopping; reading; entertainment and using the web.  The free workshops will run from 10 am – 3.30 pm with refreshments and lunch provided.  The Charity is asking for a small £3 contribution towards the refreshment cost.

A photography course will commence in early September. The aim of the participatory photography workshops is to provide a means of empowerment and engagement to the service users of Devon in Sight by engaging them in creative photography workshops. 

 

Clive Chilvers Photography says: “Participatory photography, also referred to as “photovoice,” are terms used to describe a form of photography whereby a group of individuals are provided with photographic equipment and through guided workshops offered the opportunity to document an issue or problem that affects themselves and or the people and the communities around them by the use of photographic imagery.  The resulting images can form the basis for discussion that can lead to heightened awareness, advocacy and potential social change.  This allows individuals to communicate their story or situation to a wider audience. It fits perfectly with the members of the charity.”

Director of Services Martin Pallett says: “With the recent opening of the new larger Resource Centre we are holding a variety of taster sessions to give visually impaired people an opportunity to try things out and help improve their quality of life.  It is a very exciting development with a large number of activities including we hope some art classes. It also helps build links with the local community as well as providers of training and activities.  Anyone can join us; they just need to have some level of sight difficulty to qualify and will need to pre-book as we are limited to numbers although we currently have availability.  We are looking to run the majority of sessions free however we will ask for a nominal contribution where appropriate towards the cost of refreshments or material costs.”

To find out more about the activities or to book your place please telephone 01392 876666

BUILDERS;' MERCHANTS SPONSOR SQUEALER OF A FUNDRAISER

LOCAL BUILDING SUPPLIES COMPANY SPONSORS PIG RACE
Leading building supplies company Bradfords based in Yeovil sponsored a unique pig racing event to help raise funds for local Somerset school, Ansford Academy School based at Castle Carey. The Ansford Mufulira International Pig Race event held at Overton Farm in Somerton on Friday 22nd July in aid of the school’s Zambia exchange project attracted over 350 people raising around £4,000 towards the overall target of £40,000. Bradfords sponsored one of the six races and which means they had the race named after the company and got to individually name the pigs.

The Zambian exchange is a project which gives young people from Ansford Academy School and the Mufulira High School in Zambia the chance to interact and work together to enhance links between the two communities. Students and teachers from Ansford School returned at the end of May from an exciting journey to Zambia in southern Africa where they sampled lessons and daily life in Mufulira High School. They spent time in the primary schools teaching art and sports and playing team games with the children. They even got to spend a weekend living with Zambian families.

Tom Hamil - The Ansford Academy School says: "An event like this couldn't go ahead without the kind donations of generous sponsors. The sponsorship of the races contributed in no small way to a grand total of upwards of £3000 being raised for the Zambian Exchange. Donations like these ensure that our Zambian colleagues are able to get the most out of their brief time in the UK and will ensure that a culturally valuable experience has been had by all involved. We would like to publicly say a big thank you to all our sponsors including Bradfords Building Supplies for their generosity?”

Bradfords has a history of supporting local projects and in the past have sponsored various events including the recent Yeovil Half Marathon and an awards ceremony at Somerset College celebrating the achievements of students in construction and technology.

Local builders, decorators and electrical contractors F J Reeves & Sons Limited who carry out extensive projects throughout the region including community village halls and schools are also sponsoring one of the pig races. Family and company member Claire Reeves got in touch with Bradfords Head Office at Yeovil to ask for their support for this innovative fundraiser as they have been a long standing customer of the Builders’ Merchants for over 50 years.

Doug Pierson Marketing Coordinator, Bradfords says: “F J Reeves & Sons Limited is a long standing and valued customer of Bradfords. When Claire approached us asking for our support we were delighted to be involved. We are always willing where we can to help local initiatives and community projects and thought this was an innovative way of raising money for a worthy cause. Bradfords is delighted to be a sponsor and help schoolchildren from very different cultures to work together and learn from each other to further their education and broaden their horizons.”

Zambian exchange students enjoy the pig race

Claire Reeves, F J Reeves & Sons says: “My daughter Holly who is 15, is part of the School’s exchange programme and we were keen to be a sponsor. As the family company has been using Bradfords to supply our building materials for many years and I knew that they were always keen to support local community projects, I asked them to also get involved. It is a great initiative and has created a wonderful community spirit with so many supporters.”

Other sponsors included Belles Bonn Sweets, CMCPT, Lovingtons Ice Cream, Dreamscape Kitchens Limited and Rowsell Roofing Limited..

BRADFORDS BUILDERS' MERCHANTS TRANSFER TOTEM TIMBER STAFF TO NEW £1.2M BRANCH AT ST. AUSTELL

BUILDERS’ MERCHANTS TRANSFER STAFF TO

NEW £1.2M BRANCH

The UK’s largest independent builders’ merchants Bradfords Building Supplies Limited with 27 branches across the South West announces the pre-planned closure of Totem Timber, St. Austell on Saturday 20th August.  Sixteen of the Totem staff have joined at Bradfords’ at the new £1.2m purpose built branch located nearby and constructed by Chartered Building Contractors R.G. Spiller Limited, which opened its doors on 1st June.  This latest development is in line with Bradfords’ long term expansion plans and marketing strategy.  This includes a substantial investment in creating 10 new state-of-the-art kitchen and bathroom showrooms at branches across Devon, Somerset and Dorset.  The first two branches at Sidmouth and Ilminster were launched this month and the roll-out campaign will complete by the end of October 2011.

Established in 1770, Bradfords employs over 500 staff with an annual turnover in excess of £80m.  Based in the South West the company has been supplying materials to the trade for over 240 years and has 27 branches stretching from Worcester in the Midlands to Pool in Cornwall.   When the Bradfords Group acquired the Totem business in 2008 they were aware that the lease only had a short period to run as the owners of the site intended to sell the freehold to a third party.  At the same time the company purchased the freehold of a site on the Holmbush Industrial Estate, St. Austell for a Branch of Bradfords Building Supplies Ltd.  Earlier this year each member of staff at Totem were informed the business would close during 2011 before entering into a period of consultation.  

Peter Hoole – Commercial Director Bradfords Building Supplies Limited says: “These are two individual businesses with different operations; during the consultation process all the members of staff at Totem Timber (St. Austell) Limited were made aware of the positions available at the new branch of Bradfords Building Supplies Limited.  They were each invited and actively encouraged to apply for one of the new posts.  I am delighted to say that 16 members of the team took up this invitation and were successful with only 5 deciding not to transfer.  As we were operating separate companies, we could not and would not have wanted to relocate staff without following this in-depth process.”

St. Austell is the latest South West branch and the third in Cornwall after Liskeard and Pool.  It is also the first branch to unveil the new logo following a total company rebrand.  The new Cornish branch stocks a comprehensive range of building materials including, bricks; blocks; timber; sheet materials; dry lining; doors; decorating; and plumbing products servicing the local building industry and also welcome the retail customer off the street.

Says Peter Hoole:”The opening of the new St. Austell branch is very exciting and going well as it is supported by a strong and motivated team with local knowledge.  The investment Bradfords is making in Cornwall is a further indication that we are going from strength to strength even in a challenging economic climate. As a result we have been able to save jobs and offer a great service to the local building and retail trade. We are also actively seeking ways to integrate into the local community including supporting the “Brickwork” category at St. Austell College’s recent construction awards and taking out sponsorship with the Saints at St. Austell RFC.”  

www.bradfords.co.uk

BRITISH SITCOM CELEBRITY OPENS SIGHT CHARITY RESOURCE CENTRE

Bill Pertwee MBE from Dad's Army

On Thursday 14^th July 2011 Topsham based charity for visually impaired people, Devon in Sight, held a launch day to officially open their newly refurbished Resource Centre. The charity unveiled the new logo following their recent name change from Devon County Association for the Blind. The ceremonial ribbon was cut by celebrity Bill Pertwee MBE aka Chief Air Raid Warden 'Put that light out!' Hodges’ from the classic sitcom Dad’s Army. Bill was also joined by Lady Devon whose late mother-in-law used the services of this charity for many years, and The High Sheriff of Devon The Hon. Mrs Sarah Lopes. 

Director of Services Martin Pallett said: “We were absolutely delighted to have the famous actor Bill Pertwee do us the honour of officially opening the centre on this important day which is a milestone in the charity's long and rich history. The project has created a fantastic community spirit with help from many volunteers and supporters including Exeter CVS and the local children from Topsham School.  Also many local businesses have generously offered their time and services to help us get the centre open on time and I would like to publicly thank Terry Smyth Painting Contractors, Bradfords Building Supplies and Southern Electric Contracting.  We also re-launched the charity with our new name and let people know about our plans for the future and how they can become more involved.”

Pertwee, the 84-year-old veteran actor from the popular British comedy classic broadcast on BBC television from 1968 – 1977 about the Second World War following the misadventures of local voluntary defence force or 'Home Guard', lives locally in Topsham and is a keen railway enthusiast.

Bill Pertwee MBE said: “I moved to Topsham three years’ ago and live close to the railway so am delighted to be able to support this wonderful local charity which is on my doorstep. I wish them every success and the best of luck for the future and was delighted that many local people took the time to join us on what was a wonderful day.”

 

L-R: Trustee Marilyn Lant, Bill Pertwee MBE, Lady Devon, The Honourable Mrs Sarah Lopez High Sheriff, Gwyn Dickinson MBE Chair of Trustees, Martin Pallett Director of Serves for DiS, and the Topsham Town Crier

Devon in Sight offers services and support to the visually impaired across the county.  Topsham Town Crier Keith Smith encouraged members of the public and the local community to drop in throughout the day to enjoy live music performances. Visitors to the new more spacious resource centre had the chance to enjoy complimentary light refreshments and live music including local guitarist Steve Barley and charity member Becky Brooks with her banjo. Visitors also had the opportunity to meet the team and try out some of the latest equipment to help visually impaired people.  This includes view magnifiers, kitchen equipment, talking clocks and watches and much, much more.  What's more, guests had the chance to learn about the Charity’s fascinating history and their plans to further support more people with sight difficulties.

Gwyn Dickinson MBE Chair of Trustees: The new resource centre has already proven very popular with new and existing members allowing us to provide a more effective service for the local community and across Devon as a whole for people with visual impairment. The name change, new logo and website are just the start of some exciting changes for the future of this well established and valued charity.  The expansion into the newly refurbished centre means that we can grow and improve the range of services and support we provide.” 

www.devonblind.org.uk

LOCAL PROFESSIONAL IS HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CHARITY SILENT AUCTION

Barristers' Clerk for Colleton Chambers Philip Alden is the lucky winner of a silent on-line auction for the fabulous prize of a VIP stay for two at the famous Burgh Island Hotel.  The auction organised by Chartered Accountants Haines Watts specialising in the owner managed business sector, was in aid of their charity of the year, The West of England School and College for young people with little or no sight.  Philip’s prize will include a bottle of Bollinger on arrival, dinner, bed and breakfast in one of the luxury premier bedrooms and VIP treatment throughout.

L-R: Philip Alden of Colleton Chamber/ Ben de Cruz Senior Partner Haines Watts / Marie Talbot Restaurant Manager for Southernhay House / Chris Archambault Head Chef at Southernhay House / Caroline Burkie WESC / Hugh Turner 
Front of House Manager Burgh Island

The prize kindly donated by hotel owners Deborah Clark and Tony Orchard was promoted at the recent highly successful event organised by Haines Watts at Burgh Islands’ new prestigious sister hotel, Southernhay House.  Over 60 local business professionals joined the accountants for a Pimms Reception and live entertainment by quirky musician Tricity Vogue who travelled especially from London.  The event was the first of its kind held at Southernhay House, Exeter’s newest hotel before they officially opened to guests.  The on-line auction raised £430 bringing the grand total of funds raised for the charity over the last 12 months to over £2,000.

Hotel Owner Deborah Clark says: "Haines Watts was one of the first local companies to support Southernhay House on our opening last month and we are more than delighted to offer a prize for their silent auction in aid of West of England School and College for young people with little or no sight.  The lucky winner with be treated to a luxury stay at Burgh Island - sister hotel to Southernhay House and will experience the elegance of another time on Devon's beautiful coastline.”

Haines Watts has organised a number of small events over the past 12 months with the whole team getting fully involved. They also arranged guided tours of the school so the staff could meet the children and really get a feel for the difference they could make. 

Senior Partner at Haines Watts Ben de Cruz says: "The final event held at Southernhay House proved to be one of our most popular. It was a wonderful opportunity for our associates from the local business community to be one of the first to have a sneak preview of this  glamourous new boutique hotel based in the heart of Southernhay before it opened to guests. The fabulous prize generously provided by Deborah and Tony really helped to boost funds for our very worthy charity of the year and attracted lots of interest from bidders."

Caroline Burkie, Fundraising and PR Officer for WESC says:  “Haines Watts and the West of England School and college for young people with little or no sight (WESC) have had a fantastic year together and the silent auction for a stay at the Burgh Hotel rounded off our Charity of the Year partnership perfectly. We are incredibly grateful for Haines Watts’ dedicated support.”

www.hwca.com/exeter