VITAL services provided by Dorset Blind Association may have to be cut, unless it can raise £40,000.

The charity, which helps up to 1,000 people living with sight loss every month, receives no government funding and relies almost entirely on donations, grants and legacies.

It needs to collect the cash by the end of the year if it is to continue its essential work supporting blind and partially sighted people across the county.

The charity’s chief executive Jonathan Holyhead is making the plea for help as the Royal National Institute of Blind People reports that, within ten years, blind and partially sighted people will not receive any form of care or support from their council.

He said: “Without a significant injection of funds by the end of this calendar year, we face the distinct and definite prospect of having to cut our services and that would mean many more blind and partially sighted people having to face the impact of sight loss and the challenges that brings alone.

“Our remit is to help blind and partially sighted people maintain active, healthy and independent lives notwithstanding their sight loss. But that costs money and we are currently struggling to raise the funding we need to keep all of our services going.”

Jonathan said that people living with sight loss in Dorset were already increasingly losing out on specialist support, rehabilitation and even help with basic activities, such as learning how to cook a meal or going outdoors safely because of cuts to local authority care budgets.

Dorset Blind Association is now backing calls to change the Care Bill to ensure all newly blind and partially sighted people get the help they need after first being diagnosed.

Jonathan added: “Being left alone to cope with sight loss is not acceptable. So please help us to make sure that isn’t the case for as many blind and partially sighted people in Dorset as possible.”

  • If you can help, call 01202 712869, visit dorsetblind.org.uk or send a donation to 17 Bournemouth Road, Parkstone, Poole BH14 0EF.