A selection of our past events.

2010 Christmas Raffle

The Christmas Raffle was a great success, after a slow start the response was very good and we raised over £1,800 which will help us to continue to provide help and support to anybody living in Dorset who is visually impaired. A huge thanks to all those who supported us and congratulations to the winners.

Welcome to a New Member of Staff

A big welcome to a new member of the staff team, Joy Parsons, who has joined us as the Support Services Coordinator for West Dorset. Joy is a Dorset lass, born and bred and we are sure that she will make a really valuable and useful contribution to our work in the West Dorset area. She will no doubt be meeting up with many of our members and volunteers there over the coming weeks and months. Please make her feel welcome. Contact details for Joy can be found by clicking here.

101 make all the running at the inaugural Hengistbury Hundred 5km Fun Run

Visually impaired members and friends were among those bringing up a glorious hundred on the seafront at Boscombe on 18th July. Our Hengistbury Hundred was so-named because of the number of entrants but in fact 101 runners turned out for the run from the Pier to Hengistbury Head. Supported by the Carrington Club and Body in Motion, we hope to raise £5k to support our ongoing work for visually impaired people throughout the county. We would like to thank everyone who took part, helped on the day and sponsored their friends and family.

Highwood Gardens May 2010

Thank you to all our volunteers and supporters who helped us raise over £1000 despite the poor weather. The rhododendrons did not let us down, they were magnificent!

Poole Park Walkers - Broadstone Dance Club

Thank you to our Poole Park Walkers from our Broadstone Dance Club who raised a fantastic £665 with a sponsored walk on the 19th May with the support of friends, club members and Ma’s Café.

Charity Quiz Evening

Actor & writer Julian Fellowes and his wife Emma Kitchener-Fellowes presented Jonathan Holyhead and John Andrews with a cheque for £3874 raised at the charity quiz evening hosted by Mr & Mrs Fellowes for us at the Haven Hotel.

Summer News

We welcome Judy Bannon as our new Home Visiting Coordinator for the Bournemouth Area. Judy’s contact details can be found on the link from the Contacts and Links page.

A £7400 donation received from The Gannett Foundation has been used to purchase a replacement sight equipment vehicle for our community support services. The foundation is sponsored by the Daily Echo’s American parent company Gannett which supports its UK newspapers with annual grants to local worthy causes.

From Helen Basson Home Visiting Coordinator Purbecks and Central Dorchester area:-
“What a wonderful event the 'Community Awards' were in the village hall at Upton on Saturday the 11th of July, it may have been miserable weather outside, but it was full of warmth on the inside.
There were various categories and a total of 30 awards.
Two of the awards, proposed by us, were given to 'Good Neighbours', Sue Bushby and Kelly Carmicheal who both have a visually impaired member living next door; their care has made such a difference to them.
An award for 'Volunteer' was received by Francesca Moore, who has been visiting one of our members, Joyce, for a year now, and they have become firm friends. She has also been helping our funds by holding a raffle for us, which raised a much needed £50.
Thank you to you all, you are very special people and your kindness is appreciated by both the association and our members.”

We are Celebrating!

The Dorset Blind Association is celebrating yet another success. It has been awarded a grant of £347,070 from the BIG Lottery to fund their countywide sight equipment vehicle service and a new home support service in Bournemouth.

Jonathan Holyhead, Chief Executive of the Dorset Blind Association, said
“We are absolutely delighted to have been successful with our application to the Big Lottery. The services which this award funds will make a real, positive and lasting difference to the lives of people in Dorset who have sight loss.
With our help they can continue to live independent, healthy and socially inclusive lives and do many of those simple, everyday things that people without sight loss take for granted. On their behalf we would like to say a very BIG thank you”.

The charity worked closely on their Lottery bid with Lyn Pullen, Funding Advisor at Poole CVS and are very grateful for all the help and support given.

Poole Swimarathon 2011

The Lions Club of Poole Swimarathon 2011 committee presented us with a cheque for £3200 in March to be used to support the Home Visiting Services in the Poole area. Thank you to our swimmers and supporters.

Police Choir
Don’t miss the fantastic concert in Sherborne in October by the Dorset Police Male Voice Choir
Saturday 15th October
Digby Hall Sherborne
7.30pm to 9.45pm
Tickets on door £10
Raffle and choir music cd’s on sale.
Advance tickets £8.50 from DBA available until 5th October

Jazz Concert
Swing Unlimited Big Band
“We’ll meet again” A concert of remembrance in support of Dorset Blind Association
2.30pm on Sunday 20th November at The Tivoli Theatre Wimborne
Tickets prices at £12.50 and £10.50 Concessions
Available from Tivoli Box Office 01202 885566

Exhibition of Arts produced by members of Dorset Blind Association
We are organising four exhibitions of art works produced by members of Dorset Blind Association.
Through the use of a variety of medias; printing/pottery/photography/sculpture and textiles; We hope to show that the onset of a visual impairment (or indeed any disability) does not signal the end of an interest or skill; A number of the exhibitors have continued to enjoy creating their work since becoming visually impaired, whilst many of the exhibitors have only learnt a skill since the onset of their impairment, but all would certainly encourage others to do so.
So come and visit one of the exhibitions and be inspired. For full details of the venues please click here

Lulworth Castle Plant Fair raised over £1100 with thanks to our President Mr Wilfred Weld for allowing us the use of his estate

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Christmas Raffle 2011
We would like to invite you, your friends and family to join in our Christmas Raffle and have the chance to win some super prizes. These include a luxury Christmas Hamper , Champagne and Chocolates all of which will be delivered to your door.
The draw will take place on 14th December at the Dolphin Centre.
If you would like tickets please contact Jo on 01202 712864
Good luck with the draw