Overview of 2009

What a year this has been!  Its thanks to our strong membership, supportive and energetic volunteers, sincere friends and associates and our truly committed management committee that we have started to move mountains!  We have so many people to thank – we are a very small in size organization but large in hope, ambition and belief in the principle of working with our Partners to provide services to the visually impaired community of Sandwell that truly meet their needs.          

This year has seen us:

Complete the Slimwell-Cookwell project. 

This ten week evening course started in January and was the second of two courses funded by PCT [the first course taking place in late 2008 during the afternoon].  Its aim was to encourage visually impaired people to eat ‘five a day’.  And to learn about how to eat healthily.  Lots of tasty eating tips and scrummy tasters…yum…all good for us as well!

Hold a Keeping Well Keeping Healthy day

With funding from Smethwick and Oldbury Commissioning Alliance [part of PCT].  SVI held this exciting and informative health awareness event in March 2009 at the Dorothy Parkes Centre in Smethwick.  With Extend and holistic therapies, motivational talks, exhibitors and the opportunity to have a health check from the Cardio Vascular Team.  Dr. John Middleton opened the event and Andrea Pope-Smith spoke to us during the healthy lunch break.  Our members and guests went home with goodie bags containing lots of information on how to keep healthy – they also helped us by completing a Health Needs Questionnaire which was used to compile the SVI Health Needs Analysis Report – one lucky person went home with a £25 gift voucher from our prize draw as a thank you. 

Produce a Health Needs Report

Based on the information gained from the health needs analysis carried out at the Keeping Well Keeping Healthy day and the health needs questionnaires completed by visually impaired people afterwards, PCT gave us more funding to get the responses analyzed.  Dr Fisk of Insight Social Research helped us to do this and we will be launching this exciting Report in early 2010.  Thanks go to everyone who took part; your help is very much appreciated and will assist us to work with our Partners to develop the services you told us you needed.

SVI became a Registered Charity

In March 2009 SVI was successfully accepted by the Charities Commission of England and Wales and is now a fully registered charity.  This is great news and means that we can apply for more funding and bring you more services in the future.

SVI office and Development Worker

2009 was the year that SVI, working in Partnership with Sandwell Council, successfully got our own office and worker.  From July SVI now have a base at the Deaf Resource Centre in West Bromwich and Sandra our part time worker can be contacted there on 0121 525 4810.  We have a Service Level Agreement to work with the Council to develop services for the visually impaired residents of Sandwell – so keep a look out for news!

Hold the SVI Annual Forum

In October 2009, SVI held its 5th Annual Forum at the TDC in Oldbury.  We had Giles Abbott, a nationally acclaimed story teller as guest speaker.  Our very own Mary Howe [SVI Secretary] also gave us an enthralling look in to her childhood and education as a visually impaired young person.  We had exhibitors as well and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Thanks to Giles and Mary for such fascinating talks.

Commence the Time to Get Active 5x30 scheme

In September 2009, SVI commenced the first of three courses aimed at encouraging people to take more exercise.  The 5x30 funding has enabled us to run a ten week Light Exercise and Walk course – this included Extend gentle exercise and a health walk around Dartmouth Park.  SVI members also took part in a sponsored walk to raise funds for The Friends of Dartmouth Park and the British Legion. A great time was had by all who attended these sessions and there’s more to come!  In January 2010 we start our Line Dancing and Movement course at the Deaf Resource Centre – why not join us and have fun while you are getting fit?  Once the weather gets warmer in April 2010, fancy a dip?  The 5x30 funding will enable us to hire a swimming pool for our own use – join us to learn to swim, for free swimming time or just to exercise in the water.

A computer with access software at the SVI office

In December 2009, with help from an SMBC Local Area Budget grant, SVI purchased a computer for our office.  This computer will have JAWS and Zoomtext software, which basically means that visually impaired people who couldn’t otherwise use a computer, can try it out.  This new computer will also enable SVI to develop an information service for visually impaired people, their family and friends to use – they can either arrange to come to the office or we can get the information they need for them.  This is very new so keep a look out for our computer taster sessions in 2010 and we will be introducing you to our two new volunteers who will be helping us with this exciting new project. 

And finally...

All this on top of making such good friends with our Partners in Sandwell Primary Care Trust [PCT] and Sandwell Council [SMBC]: We have also held 2 open member meetings and produced our quarterly newsletter; fantastic achievements for a peer led and managed voluntary group operating on such a low cost base.

Together we can make a difference and we should congratulate each other for being part of such a winning team!

The SVI Management Committee would like to thank you all and wish you all the very best for an equally successful 2010 which brings you good health and happiness.



 

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