Sight loss charity’s volunteer network to benefit from £10,000 lottery grant

Leading sight loss charity the Macular Society has secured a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to help support its volunteers in Wales.

The Macular Society has welcomed the funding, which is part of the Lottery’s Awards for All programme. It will support its volunteers across the country, by providing training and development to help them in their vital roles. The grant will also allow the charity to recruit new volunteers, with the aim of supporting more people living with sight loss.

Macular disease is the biggest cause of sight loss in Wales, affecting over 85,000 people. The disease can have a devastating effect on people’s lives, leaving them unable to drive, read or see faces. Many people affected describe losing their sight as being similar to bereavement. There is still no cure and most types of the disease are not treatable. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of macular disease, affecting more than 600,000 people, usually over the age of 50.

Macular Society volunteers help reduce feelings of isolation experienced by many people living with the condition in Wales, by helping them to reconnect with their communities. The latest grant will help more volunteers to provide vital support to 750 people across the country.

Ian Runsie from Abergele has been volunteering as a befriender since 2020. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 29 and a few years ago developed dry AMD.

Now 64, Ian said: “They need someone to talk to but we share experiences as well. For me it was just about wanting to help. I have found coping with my blindness easy compared to others. If they want to know how to deal with it I’m there to support them and we’ve built friendships along the way.

“Being a befriender has made such a difference to me as well, so I think we all get something out of the service.”

Speaking about the successful grant application, Macular Society Head of Regions, Maria Storesund said: “We are thrilled to receive this funding from the National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All programme, which will make a huge difference to the lives of people with macular disease.

“Our volunteers provide a real lifeline for people living with sight loss and the support they offer is absolutely vital. It’s incredibly reassuring for people to know that there are others who truly understand their situation.

“With more and more people being diagnosed with macular disease every day, our volunteers have never been more important. Thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund our volunteers can build on the fantastic work they have been doing and support more people living with this devastating condition.”

To find out how you can volunteer with the Macular Society, visit https://www.macularsociety.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or call 01264 326 622.