Breaking the bad habit

We’re all aware that we should be more active, going to the gym or taking part in team sports, but as the weather gets colder and wetter the lure of your comfortable sofa understandably grows stronger.

There are many excuses at our disposal, but what if the barriers to sports participation were a bit more significant than the weather?

This week, Metro Blind Sport revealed that cycling, swimming and going to the gym are the top three activities that people living with a visual impairment would most like to take up.

However, barriers such as venue location, a lack of information about available activities and not having somebody to go with are preventing visually impaired people from taking part in sport.

The charity will be taking its findings and working in collaboration with leisure operators to increase understanding on how best to engage with people who are visually impaired.

The optical industry is no stranger to charitable initiatives and this week, Vision Care for Homeless People made its annual call for volunteers for its Crisis at Christmas initiative.

The charity is encouraging optical practices across the UK to reach out to homeless centres in their local areas and provide free sight tests and spectacles to homeless people.

What charitable initiatives does your practice take part in? Email OT to share your story.

Image credit: Getty/Milan Markovic