Wiltshire Sight

04/09/2025

As the new school year begins, many parents are navigating what life looks like for their child with a visual impairment. You don’t have to do that on your own.

Our Parents Virtual Hub meets online every third Thursday at 7.30 pm. It’s a friendly space for parents and carers to:
• Share practical ideas about school and daily life
• Connect with other families who “get it”
• Meet new people and enjoy an informal chat

Online via Microsoft Teams – we’ll help you get set up if it’s new to you.
Find out more: Virtual Hubs listings webpage
Or call us on 01380 723682 to register.



Image description: A Wiltshire Sight graphic promoting the Parents Virtual Hub. On the left, white text on a dark blue background reads “Parents Virtual Hub – Connect with other parents online.” The Wiltshire Sight logo is displayed at the bottom. On the right, there is a photo of a smiling woman wearing glasses and a yellow striped jumper, sitting at a table with a laptop and notebook.

28/08/2025

Sight Loss Advice Hub in Corsham Did you know that we run a monthly hub in Corsham for anyone affected by sight loss?

You can join us at The Pound Arts Centre, Pound Hill, on the second Tuesday of every month, 10.00am – 1.00pm.

What’s on offer:
• Drop-in advice: 10.00am – 11.00am
• Bookable appointments: available throughout the morning
• Friendly social group: 10.00am – 12.00pm

Our Community Sight Loss Advisor can offer practical advice and demonstrate equipment to help with daily life, and our Digital Skills Advisor can provide one-to-one support with technology.

Whether you are newly diagnosed, have been living with sight loss for some time, or are supporting a loved one, you’re very welcome to come along.

For more details or to book an appointment, contact us on 01380 723682.



Image description: A Wiltshire Sight advisor sits at a table with a woman using a magnifying lamp to read a book. Various pieces of equipment are on the table, including magnifiers. The text on the image reads: “Corsham Sight Loss Advice Hub for anyone living with sight loss.” The Wiltshire Sight logo is in the bottom right corner.

22/08/2025

Our raffle is a fun way to support our work and you could win cash prizes of up to £500!

Every ticket sold helps fund our vital services, such as our advice service which supports so many people.

“Realising that I’m not on my own, that there are people who understand and want to help, is great.” – Service user

Prizes include:
• 1st Prize – £500
• 2nd Prize – £100
• Four prizes of £25
• Five prizes of £10
Tickets are just £1 each (books of 10 available). The raffle closes on Friday 3rd October 2025.

Buy your tickets online today: https://buy.stripe.com/fZe5mCbbLgKc9na6os

All proceeds are shared between Insight Gloucestershire, Sight Support West of England and Wiltshire Sight. The raffle is run by Sight Support West of England, registered with Wiltshire Council (Licence No. LC202406-13308).

‘WiltshireSight

Description: Colourful raffle animated graphic with stars and sparkles. The Wiltshire Sight logo appears at the top right. Text reads: “Win £500! Raffle. Your £1 ticket helps change lives. 1st prize £500, 2nd prize £100, runner-up prizes: 4 × £25, 5 × £10.” Sparkles glitter across the image.

15/08/2025

Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses have just become even more useful for blind and visually impaired users. A recent update adds a Detailed Responses feature which gives more descriptive, in-depth feedback about your surroundings. This is perfect for blind and visually impaired users who want more information than the standard brief summaries.

In this video, Sam from The Blind Life explains how it works and how to switch it on.

In this video, Sam from The Blind Life walks you through the brand-new Detailed Responses feature for the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. This update, found in t...

14/08/2025

A Place at the Table – Inclusion for All

Bath Spa University is hosting A Place at the Table, a free two-day symposium exploring why and how to put inclusion at the heart of our communities, councils, and institutions. We’re sharing the details for anyone who may be interested.

Wednesday 3 – Thursday 4 September 2025, 9am – 5pm
The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham

Expect presentations, discussions, and interactive workshops on topics such as:
• What is Disability Justice?
• A Journey of Resilience with Bath Welcomes Refugees
• Cross Cultural Trauma and Community Resilience
• The Power of Collaboration
…and much more.

The event will work towards co-creating a Manifesto for Inclusion for Wiltshire and beyond. Lunch is included, and some sessions will also be available online.

Find out more and book your free place:
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579148939804
Event info: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/2025/a-place-at-the-table/
Book tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bathspalive/e-pbaler

06/08/2025

Could tandem cycling be your next adventure? We’re helping explore the idea of a new tandem cycling group in the Salisbury and Amesbury area and we’d love to know if you’d be interested in trying it out.

Tandem riding with a trained pilot is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, build confidence, and connect with others. Plans are still in the early stages, but a relaxed taster session may be on the cards later this year.

If this sounds like something you or someone you know would enjoy, get in touch with Lucy Brown, our Community Sight Loss Adviser in Salisbury, who’s helping gauge interest.

Call 01380 723682 or email info@wiltshiresight.org



Image description: mage shows two people wearing cycling helmets and red tops on a tandem bicycle, stopped on a wide path with grass and trees on either side. Text at the top reads: “Tandem cycling for people with sight loss. Interested in a taster session near Salisbury?” The bottom left features the logo for CharlottesTandems.co.uk with the words “Free Tandem Hire” and an illustration of two people riding a tandem.

04/08/2025

We’re hiring – Community Sight Loss Adviser (West Wiltshire)
We’re looking for a warm, proactive person to join our team and support people living with sight loss across West Wiltshire.

This full-time role is maternity cover for 6 to 9 months and involves working one-to-one with service users, helping them adjust to sight loss and access the right support, information, and equipment. You’ll also run community advice hubs in key local areas.

No previous sight loss experience is needed – full training will be given.
• Based in West Wiltshire
• Fixed term – 6 to 9 months
• Salary: £25,000
• Closing date: Tuesday 26th August at 9am
• Interviews: Week of 1st September in Devizes

Find out more and how to apply here: https://www.sightsupportwest.org.uk/get-involved/work-for-us/



Image description: A Community Sight Loss Advisor sits with a woman, demonstrating assistive tools laid out on a table. The table includes talking clocks, sunglasses, magnifiers, and bump-on stickers. Text on the image reads: “Wiltshire Sight – We are hiring! Community Sight Loss Advisor (West Wilts Maternity Cover).”

26/07/2025

Paula is all set up at Calne Bike Meet with our fabulous sun glasses for sale and our hook a duck and pick a lolly game. If you are looking for something fun to do today why not pop down and say hello.
(image shows a gazebo covering a table with sunglasses displayed on it and some lollipops and bags of sweets with a paddling pool by the side of the table and Paula stood next to it.)

22/07/2025

Could technology make life easier for someone you care about?
Smartphones and tablets can do so much more than many people realise, from reading out letters to helping you stay in touch with family. But learning new tech can feel daunting, especially if you are living with sight loss.

That is why we are offering free Digital Skills courses this autumn, designed to help people build confidence step by step. Sessions are small, friendly, and run by Mark, our Digital Skills Advisor, with support from trained volunteers.

Courses cover practical skills like
• Navigating a touchscreen
• Making video calls
• Reading audiobooks and using screen readers
• Using voice assistants
We also offer one-to-one support before and after the course, so no one is left struggling on their own.

Beginners courses run in September and Improvers courses in October at locations across Wiltshire: Devizes, Salisbury, Trowbridge and Swindon.

Call 01380 723682 or email info@wiltshiresight.org to find out more or book a place.

If you are reading this and living with sight loss yourself, we would love to support you too, just get in touch.



Image description: An older man is smiling while using a tablet device at a group session. The text on the image reads: “Do you know someone who struggles with tech? We can help” alongside the Wiltshire Sight logo.

16/07/2025

Feeling lucky? Your £1 ticket could turn into £500!
Our Summer Raffle is now open and you could win one of our great cash prizes – including a top prize of £500.

It’s a fun way to support Wiltshire Sight’s vital work across the county – helping people with sight loss stay independent, informed and connected.

Buy your tickets here: https://buy.stripe.com/fZe5mCbbLgKc9na6os

Prizes:
• £500 top prize
• £100 second prize
• Plus 9 other chances to win

The raffle is run by Sight Support West of England. It is run jointly for the benefit of our three charities, and all proceeds are split between Insight Gloucestershire, Sight Support West of England and Wiltshire Sight. The charity is registered with Wiltshire Council to operate the raffle, Licence No. LC202406-13308.



Image description: Animated raffle graphic for Wiltshire Sight. Text reads:
“Feeling lucky? Your £1 ticket could win £500! RAFFLE. 1st prize £500. 2nd prize £100. Runner-up prizes: 4 x £25, 5 x £10.”
The background is white and dark blue with colourful stars and bright sparkles flashing across the image. A yellow raffle ticket graphic appears near the top.

11/07/2025

We’re now offering dedicated digital skills support in Wiltshire!

Mark, our new Digital Skills Advisor for Wiltshire Sight, is now settled into his role and ready to help people across the county get the most from their smartphones, tablets, and other devices.

Mark has spent over 20 years working in education, supporting young people with learning and communication difficulties. He brings a calm, patient approach and a strong understanding of how to tailor support to each individual.

Our new Digital Skills Support Service is here to help people with sight loss feel more confident using technology. Mark works alongside trained digital volunteers to offer one-to-one support at our hubs and resource centre, helping people stay connected, informed and independent.

This month, Mark is visiting our social hubs to demonstrate the latest wearable smart technology – Meta glasses. So if you’re curious about how this tech works and what it can do for you, do come along for a chat!

Looking ahead, he’ll also be running friendly group sessions including:
• Smart Discovery Sessions (August)
• Beginners Course (September)
• Improvers Course (October)

Whether you're completely new to technology or just want to do more with your device, we're here to help, one step at a time.

Call 01380 723 682
Email info@wiltshiresight.org to find out more.



Image description: At the top text reads ‘Digital Skills Support Service;. Below is a smiling portrait of Mark, the Digital Skills Advisor, with the text “Meet Mark, your Digital Skills Advisor.”

30/06/2025

Fancy giving bowls a go?

A relaxed, friendly taster session is being planned at Pewsey Vale Bowls Club this July – especially for people living with sight loss.
• Pewsey Vale Bowls Club, SN9 5AQ
• Provisional date: Tuesday 22 July
• 10am – 12 noon
No experience needed – all equipment is provided, and volunteers will be on hand to help.

Places are limited, so if you’re interested, get in touch with Jenny Spencer here at Wiltshire Sight to register your interest:
jenny.spencer@wiltshiresight.org / 01380 723682
We’ll confirm the date soon but don’t wait to let us know you’re keen!



Image description: Two photos of people playing bowls on a green at Pewsey Vale Bowls Club. In the top photo, a group of four men stand together smiling, with one about to bowl. In the bottom photo, two men are focused on playing, with bowls scattered on the green. A text box reads: ‘Give bowls a go! Pewsey taster session for people with sight loss’.