About Berkshire Vision
Berkshire Vision provides practical and friendly support, adapted sport and activities to blind and visually impaired children and adults, and their families in Berkshire. They help to build confidence and independence, and empower individuals to develop skills to navigate the world with safety and ease. Services include: Sight Loss Support Officers, 18-25 Group, Social Activities, Adapted Sports, Telephone Befriending, Equipment & Resources, Children, Young People & Families, Peer Support, Tech Buddies and Employability.
Berkshire Vision is the working name of Berkshire County Blind Society, which was established in 1910 and has an organisational history stretching back over 100 years. It is an independent local charity, operating within Berkshire, currently supporting over 1600 people.
Berkshire Vision's Challenges
There is an increasing demand for their services. Across Berkshire, sight loss is projected to increase by 22.68% over the next 10 years. This is already being felt, with a 42% rise in people actively seeking their services in the past year. As more people face the challenges of sight loss, the need for support from Berkshire Vision has never been greater.
Berkshire Vision's Achievements
At Berkshire Vision they help blind and visually impaired adults and children to build confidence and independence as well as helping to combat loneliness and isolation. This past year they have supported 1672 people. This includes running 249 adapted sports, social activities and children’s activities, providing 28629 minutes of telephone befriending, helping 229 people find the right equipment and technology to maintain their independence, their Sight Loss Support Officers have helped 527 people, and they have done so much more.
Matthew’s Story
Matthew lost his sight at 24. “Those first few weeks were a blur of confusion,” he recalls, describing how it “felt like losing yourself.” With fears about his independence and future “Will I ever have my own money? Will I be able to look after potential future children?” he struggled to process such a life-changing moment. With support from Cara, a Sight Loss Support Officer he began to navigate this new reality. “Having Berkshire Vision there to help me work through those stages… was really important to me,” he says. “They get it.” Cara supported Matthew through the maze of benefits, practical adjustments, and emotional challenges that came with sight loss and helped him to rebuild his confidence and independence. “For me, Berkshire Vision’s support was life changing… they gave me the tools and the confidence to move forward.”
Larrisa and Aleisha’s story
“When I found out about Berkshire Vision and all they do, including providing transport for activities, it was life-changing.” For Liang, raising her eight-year-old twins, Larrisa and Aleisha, who live with complex health conditions including visual impairment, scoliosis and heart issues, has meant navigating daily challenges with little support. Discovering Berkshire Vision changed that, offering not just practical help like accessible transport, but vital opportunities for her daughters to experience new activities such as ice skating, boat trips and animal therapy. Without family nearby and unable to drive, Liang often felt isolated, but Berkshire Vision has given her confidence, friendship and reassurance: “I never worry if I am with Berkshire Vision.” For the twins, these experiences build confidence, curiosity and joy, opening up a world that once felt out of reach and providing the family with a lifeline of support and belonging.
