Christmas Greetings!

2022 is drawing to a close and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our trustees and volunteers for what you have done for ECES this year.  We really could not deliver all the services we do without you.

East Cheshire Eye Society volunteers:

• Run support groups in Congleton, Macclesfield, Poynton and Wilmslow.

• Run Café Coffee Clubs in Macclesfield and Bollington with plans for Congleton.

• Run the bowls and walking groups.

• Made regular “keeping in touch” phone calls and visits plus run phone groups during lock down.

• Volunteers with visual impairments give peer support to our members who may feel overwhelmed and confused by their sight loss.

• Provide transport enabling people with visual impairments to attend our groups, appointments and visit new places or try new things.

• Accompany people on 1:1 walks around their area to help them gain confidence after being at home due to covid isolation or after illness.

• Take part in sighted guide training and VI awareness training.

• Support our online Digital Skills group by sharing their insights and taking notes to be shared after the meeting.

• Adapting text into suitable formats and supporting braille users.

• Manage our finances.

• Managing our social media.

• Help with office admin and data collection.

• Stepping in to help with mailouts and more.

• Volunteers have been quick to respond when service users want to try new activities such as theatre visits, climbing and axe throwing (more in 2023…)

• Give tech support with computers, smart TVs, smartphones and more in peoples’ homes.

• Help people to contact the other agencies and service providers they need to enable them to remain independent and safe.

• Support us at events including “Ageing Well Roadshows”, Treacle Market, Prestbury Christmas Fair, Charities Bazaar and more.

• Raise funds for ECES by giving talks to different groups.

• Raise awareness of ECES by giving talks to groups and individuals.

Our Trustees are all volunteers who ensure the charity remains secure, relevant, and ready to deal with the changing needs of local people affected by visual impairments.

We cannot begin to describe the positive impact that our volunteers have on service users and the difference it makes to their lives so here is message from Phil, who can say this better than I can:

“All the volunteers are wonderful and very helpful, especially at bowls.  It’s a laugh and it makes my day to get out with the volunteers. The last trip to Tatton Park brought back some memories, especially the shire horses.  The walks around the park are nice and steady and something to look forward to with a good chat and a good laugh.  With the volunteers I feel safe, I wouldn’t get out otherwise.”

Thank you, you are all making a difference and SAVE THE DATE… 26th April, ECES Volunteer Celebration. We want to thank you and celebrate the work you do, details to follow.

We hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2023.