Sight loss charity recognised for its community impact

A charity providing support for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, partially sighted and deafblind has been recognised at the Visionary Awards 2024.

Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey was named the winner in the Community Impact category of the annual awards ceremony, receiving the accolade for its community meet up and catch-up hub.

The initiative was recognised for “harnessing the strengths of people it works alongside, giving them the tools and back-up support to lead change in their own communities.”

CEO of Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey, Clare Burgess, said: “We are over the moon to have won the Community Impact Award at the Visionary Awards. I am immensely proud of the work of the entire team setting up our five community hubs around Surrey.”

She added: “These community hubs allow people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, partially sighted and deafblind the opportunity to share their skills and strengths with others, and to form a supportive community.”

Recognising the charity’s work, operations director at Visionary, Amy Pearman, said: “Through creative service design and collaboration, Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey has enhanced support for blind and partially sighted people in their local community.”

The award was sponsored by Specsavers, and presented to the charity by the multiple’s head of enhanced optical services operations, Frank Moore, at the ceremony during Visionary’s annual conference in Birmingham on 25–26 September

Congratulating Sight for Surrey and acknowledging the runners-up in the category, Moore said: “All three, indeed all the entries in this category, undertake important work for their communities.

“Specsavers is all about serving our communities, so we are very pleased to have sponsored this award recognising local sight loss charities inspiring work.”

Pictured is Specsavers’ Frank Moore (left), head of adult services at Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey, Diane Smith (centre), and Specsavers senior engagement manager, Philippa Simkiss.