Volunteers’ Week 2023: Celebrate and inspire
2023 marks the 39th year of Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June). Sight Loss Councils (SLC) are joining thousands of charities and voluntary organisations recognising the contribution volunteers make across the UK.
146 Sight Loss Council volunteer members lead and shape our work. They connect with other blind and partially sighted people on a local and national level.
Their lived experience of sight loss informs our powerful work with partners to tackle local and national issues, and increase the accessibility of services.
During Volunteers’ Week, we aim to celebrate all the amazing work our volunteers do. We want to inspire others to be the change.
Emma Hughes, Director of Services at Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT), said:
“Thank you to all of our volunteers for your hard work. You’re at the heart of all we do. You continue to make our Sight Loss Councils go from strength to strength, and in the last year you have achieved some outstanding results. We couldn’t do it without you.”
Emma Hughes, Director of Services at TPT, with Meena Ratu, Black Country SLC member at the Rodney Powell Awards last year
About Volunteers’ Week
This year’s theme for Volunteer’s week is ‘Celebrate and Inspire’. Nationally, this aims to encourage volunteers to lead the change and get involved in volunteering in whatever way works for them.
As part of this work, Thomas Pocklington Trust and Sight Loss Councils will be:
- running staff and volunteer events to celebrate everything that our volunteers do and the difference they make
- celebrating the work of our Sight Loss Councils and sharing messages from our members
- celebrating the work of our volunteer sighted guides
- encouraging more people to join us. This includes as blind or partially sighted volunteer members helping to run our Sight Loss Councils, and as sighted-guide volunteers for our conference and events.
Join our Sight Loss Councils
Want to give something back and make a difference? If you are blind and partially sighted and want to advocate for visually impaired people, we’d love to hear from you. Sight Loss Councils are currently recruiting in several regions across England. Join a network of like-minded people and lead the change.
“It is a real chance to make a difference.”
Matthew Jones, North Yorkshire Sight Loss Council
“Becoming a SLC member is a great way of giving something back to the blind and partially sighted community and to meet new friends.”
Paul Goddard, East Sussex Sight Loss Council
“I’m passionate about breaking down barriers for people living with sight loss”.
Richard Deadman, West Sussex Sight Loss Council
Become a sighted-guide volunteer
Thomas Pocklington Trust is also recruiting volunteer sighted guides to support blind and partially sighted people at our SLC conference. This conference, where we share our learning from across the country, takes place on 7 and 8 October 2023 in Birmingham.
As a sighted guide, you will attend to help guide our blind and partially sighted Sight Loss Council members to get around the venue. You will also receive free sighted guide training, develop new skills and get the opportunity to network with others.
About Sight Loss Councils
Sight Loss Councils are led by blind and partially sighted members and funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust. We advocate the needs of visually impaired people in our communities and work to improve access to goods and services at a local and national level.
Stay in the know
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Publication date: 31 May 2023