MORE than 150 volunteers and supporters marked 100 years of a Hampshire sight loss charity.
Open Sight Hampshire, based in Eastleigh, was established in 1922 as the Hampshire Association for the Care of the Blind and provides a variety of services to help adults and children who have a range of sight conditions.
To celebrate the centenary, a special event was held at Marwell Hall & Zoo to showcase the charity’s services as well as pay tribute to the legions of volunteers who have kindly given their time to the charity over the years.
READ MORE: Push-up challenge helps brave Ben's legacy fund top £70,000
It was also a chance for service users of all ages to come together and socialise.
Guests enjoyed a celebratory lunch in the beautiful gardens of Marwell Hall, complete with a glass of bubbly and listened to the live music of local visually impaired pianist, Jimmy Alderson.
There were also activities for children and a chance to meet dinosaur Spike – the zoo’s mascot.
David McKeigue, Chief Executive of Open Sight Hampshire, said: “We were delighted to welcome our guests to the special celebration lunch, especially our service users and the volunteers who have supported us over the years.
“To reach a milestone such as a centenary is a remarkable achievement and testament to our dedicated staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to help our visually impaired clients. Living with a sight condition can be very isolating. Even day-to-day tasks can feel daunting. We are incredibly proud to have helped thousands of people of all ages across the county who have a sight loss condition continue to have a fulfilling life.”
Open Sight Hampshire offer a range of services for all ages including community-based Sight Hubs offering technology support and independent living advice; an eye health awareness and sight loss prevention scheme in schools and the ‘This VI (Visually Impaired) Girl Can’ project.
A message from the Editor
Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.
Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.
You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.
Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.
Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents
Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here