Award winning Devon in Sight based at Station House in Topsham supporting the visually impaired people across the County; launch the first of their countywide road shows at Paignton Library. Special celebrity guest Bill Pertwee MBE who lives in Topsham and better known as Chief Air Warden ‘put that light out’ Hodges from Dad’s Army fame, carried out the ribbon cutting ceremony in his first official appearance as the newly elected Vice Patron of the charity.
Bill Pertwee MBE says “I was delighted to carry out my first official duty as Vice Patron of the charity at the opening of the first of their Devon Road Shows. I wish them every success for future campaigns.”
Gwyn Dickinson MBE Chair of Trustees for Devon in Sight says “I am really pleased that the first of the road shows was opened by our newly elected Vice Patron and prestigious actor Bill Pertwee. I am particularly grateful to Keith Woolgar who has given a huge amount of time as a volunteer to organising this with support from varied members of the Topsham team. I do regard this as experimental in helping us to explore how we want to develop as a genuinely County wide charity for the future. We will be evaluating the Day as we start to consider how future road shows can be developed across the County, but initial feedback is that it was a resounding success.”
The charity was joined by 16 other companies, charities and organisations providing support and services to people with sight difficulties. These include Action for Blind people; Guide Dogs for the Blind and RNIB Transcription Service.
The day attracted 250 visitors and was organised by volunteer Keith Woolgar who has been visually impaired since birth and is supported with a guide dog. People from the local community were able to find out what support, advice and equipment is available for people with all kinds of different sight loss. The Road Show was of interest to visually impaired people themselves, their friends & family and those working with them.
Devon in Sight provides a range of support to visually impaired people across Devon including information & advice, demonstrating equipment, providing volunteer visitors, low vision support, grants and is linked with approximately twenty clubs across the County.
Martin Pallett, Director of Services Devon in Sight says “To have 250 attendees surpassed all my expectations. The day was very well organised and this was down to many people including Keith as the Road Show Organiser, Cherrie Crook, other members of the team and not least the volunteers who I think were incredible and without whom we simply could not have managed. It will be important that we learn from the Day and develop future road shows in the light of this. This was an excellent start to our outreach programme as we continue to look outwards across the whole of Devon and reach more and more visually impaired people.”
Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell - www.onthemarkphotography.co.uk
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