The Cornwall Blind Association has secured £417k to develop services and volunteering across the county for the benefit of people with sight loss.
Last week’s news that a bid of £330k had been granted from the Big Lottery is being complimented by a further £87k from the Department of Health.
The funding from the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund and the Department of Health Opportunities for Volunteering Scheme will kick-start service development in three rural districts over the next three years. The charity aims to reach out to people in Penwith, Caradon and North Cornwall affected by sight loss, and who are presently under-served by the charity’s Truro based sight centre.
Engaging the wider community will be key to ensuring visually impaired people have equal access to services and opportunities. The charity is aiming to involve 200 people in volunteering across the county to play a part in empowering people with sight loss.
The charity’s chair, Terri Rosnau said: “This is absolutely fantastic news this vital funding will go towards the development of quality services across Cornwall for all visually impaired people.”
Chief Executive, Martin Pallett added: “This is a tremendous achievement that acknowledges the commitment Cornwall Blind Association has made to local service delivery. The importance of all our services has been recognised and funding will ensure we can continue improving the lives of visually impaired people in Cornwall.”
