Updates

Hilary has been part of Vision North Somerset since 2010 in one capacity or another. She was our Wednesday Admin for many years and is a most remarkable person, she has not let her sight loss hold her back in anything that she has wanted to do. She has made a huge contribution to Vision NS and will be sorely missed by all the staff.

Hilary is a member of the Disability Action Group (DAG) and is a fantastic advocate for people with sight loss. She worked with others alongside North Somerset Council, to help with the development of the talking bus stops and has helped train hospital staff in sight awarness.

Thank you Hilary for all you have done as a volunteer for us and we wish you all the best.

Vision North Somerset teamed up with Severnside Community Rail Partnership to find out about help available for people with sight loss when using the trains. A 10-strong group of our service users gave the efforts a resounding thumbs up.

Vision NS staff and our service users spent the day with Faye from Severnside Community Rail on board a GWR train trip to Yatton, to experience the accessibility and assistance on offer, opening up rail travel for people with sight loss. Train and station staff made everyone feel welcome and took time to go through all the help and assistance they could ask for to ensure their journey would be as easy and stress free as possible.

We found out about services available at every stage of the journey:

• ticket office staff have been trained to understand the needs of users (a hearing loop is available too)
• platform staff can help users onto the train (and provide a ramp if needed)
• train staff are available to help people on and off train at unmanned stations
• the disabled carriage is located in first class, as a rule, so you can travel in style
• There are help points on each station where you can contact a real person

If you are thinking about travelling on train and need assistance, you will need to book this in advance by calling the GWR Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329.

During the summer, two of our wonderful volunteers took part in 2 separate cycle rides to raise funds to support our social activities.

Keith Drinkwater took part in the Triathlon Outlaw in Nottingham. He is a keen cyclist but from June 2025 he started training for a 112 ride as part of a team of three. This comprised of rides ranging from 70 – 100 mile round trips and this was during some of the hottest days of the summer.

On 27^th May, Keith and friends successfully completed their Triathlon, raising £1120 in the process.

Our second sponsored cyclist was Simon. Simon is our wonderful tandem bike riding volunteer who takes people with sight loss out for a quiet cycle ride along the Strawberry Line, with support from the Strawberry Line Cycle project.

Simon’s plan was to cycle across Scotland with a friend whilst raising money for Vision North Somerset.  He started at Berwick-on-Tweed and spent the following 7 days cycling 407 miles with 20,355 ft of ascent completing his ride at John O’Groats.

During the course of their journey, the pair stopped at Leith, Dunkeld, Kingussie, Inverness (via the Aviemore and Sicohd summits) Ardgay and Bettyhill before reaching their final destination. Earning a well deserved break with family who had followed them around by car and who were there as support at the end of day 7, Simon was looking forward to a relaxing cruise on Loch Ness.

Over the course of his ride, Simon raised £1,039

Vision North Somerset would like to thank both of our enthusiastic cyclists for their hard work and the support they have given us. You’re both amazing.

Things have been very busy here at VNS but our newsletter is on its way to those who subscribe. If you’d like to order a Braille copy, do let us know.

Image: The header from the VNS autumn newsletter

If you’ve been diagnosed with sight loss, you don’t have to feel alone. Our community hubs offer a welcoming space to connect, listen and learn.

Offering more than a meeting place, a hub is where to come to share knowledge and experience. You’ll hear real stories from others who’ve navigated similar challenges, and gain insights, tips and emotional support. And, of course there are plenty of laughs too!

Hubs are open in Weston-Super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon, and Nailsea. Our activities coordinator can give you more info. Have a chat with Tina on 01934 419393. connect@visionns.org.uk

We were delighted to receive a grand cheque for £1,100 from Tesco, Clevedon. Thoughtful shoppers using the Tesco Blue Token Scheme helped us bag last month’s charity donation – a wonderful contribution.

Image: Emma from Tesco, Clevedon with VNS staff and our grand cheque

Funds from community initiatives help keep our services running – and every sum helps as the numbers of those reaching out for our help continues to rise. As well as being a source of info and advice, we have a whole host of activities to combat social isolation and help people take part in social activities. The award will go towards services in the Clevedon area.

We’re humbled to have been in the thoughts of so many who popped a token into our box.

Our CEO, Tracie Tappenden, attended the annual Visionary conference in September.

The conference is a key event in the sight loss world, and brings together local and national organisations to exchange ideas, share good practice and gain insights into what’s new in the sector.  Attendees benefitted from practical workshops, learning sessions and panel discussions led by keynote speakers.

For a small charity like Vision North Somerset, meeting up with others in the sector is especially important. We’re fortunate in being able to provide a fantastic range of services, but by staying aware of developments in the sector we’re better able to keep our users at the heart of what we do.

Tracie returned to North Somerset with a host of inspiring ideas to share.