Can you help South Lanarkshire's blind community?

A leading national charity is appealing for volunteers to come forward and help them to support blind and partially sighted in South Lanarkshire.
A blind recipient with one of the radios. Do you have time to help the charity?A blind recipient with one of the radios. Do you have time to help the charity?
A blind recipient with one of the radios. Do you have time to help the charity?

The British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF) was formed in 1028 with the sole purpose of providing adapted audio equipment to blind and partially-sighted people throughout the UK.

BWBF offers a range of devices, free of charge, to people who meet the charity’s criteria.

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The devices allow blind people to listen to radio, podcasts, talking books, talking newspapers and much more, all at the touch of a button.

The radios supplied by the charity have moved with the times, while still being practical, hard-wearing and simple to use.

The charity provides a lifeline to the world to those who are unable to afford a specially-adapted radio and who meet the charity’s criteria by supplying equipment on a free loan basis.

To qualify for a radio, recipients must be registered blind or partially-sighted, over the age of eight, resident in the UK and in receipt of a means-tested benefit.

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BWBF needs to raise £650,000 a year to continue providing this vital service to those who need it most and to respond to requests for equipment.

If people don’t qualify for a BWBF radio on free loan, they can purchase one from the charity’s sister company, BWBF Direct, which donates all its profits back to charity.

To-date BWBF Direct has donated more than £130,000 to The British Wireless for the Blind Fund - equating to almost 1200 radios.

The charity is currently on the lookout for ‘Radio Supporter’ volunteers to visit blind people in their homes and support them to use their new radio.

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BWBF regional development manager Sophie Wheldon said: “Volunteering really is a great way of giving back to your community and we are looking for people in South Lanarkshire and surrounding areas to support us in delivering our service to blind people, giving them a lifeline to the outside world.

“This is a rewarding and flexible voluntary role, you can do it a time to suit you and you will come away knowing you have made a real positive difference to someone’s life,” she added.

If you are interested in finding out more about this voluntary role please contact Sophie on 07540 724 063 or e-mail [email protected]

Meanwhile, if you would like to find out more about British Wireless for the Blind Fund, go to www.blind.org.uk

You can also keep up to date with BWBF on Twitter @BritishWireless, and like them on Facebook.

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