e-Newsletter September 2024

We are delighted to welcome Kathy Evans as our new Chair of Trustees.

Kathy worked for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists for many years. She held the post of Chief Executive for almost 20 years until her retirement. The Royal College is the professional body for eye surgeons. These are people who have a medical degree who then undertake an extensive period of training to become eye doctors.

Kathy recently received a very prestigious honorary fellowship from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

Kathy said “I have been aware of the work of the Retina UK and have always thought the you are an ambitious value-led organisation. I’d love to hear from members of our community which will help me develop an understanding of what they want and need from our organisation.”

Tina Garvey, Chief Executive at Retina UK said: “We’re so honored to have you as our Chair and we really look forward to working with you.” You can email Kathy at chair@RetinaUK.org.uk.

Could your workplace nominate Retina UK as their Charity of the Year, or offer match funding? Please reach out to Amelia to find out more. Your support will help people with inherited sight loss lead fulfilling lives today, and offer a ray of hope for the future.
E: amelia.burton@retinauk.org.uk
T: 07841481423

We’re just over two weeks out from our Annual Conference and the office is a hive of activity getting final preparations in place.
The Conference venue is the Pendulum Hotel and Conference Centre, Manchester. Registration will stay open for in-person attendees until Friday 27 September. We will also be live streaming the event so you can join online if you prefer. If you would like to attend, please register as soon as possible: RetinaUK.org.uk/event/annual-conference/.
If you have already registered and are now unable to attend please let us know because it may be that there are others who would want to take up your place. You can call our office on 01280 821334 or complete this form on our website: RetinaUK.org.uk/events/update-conference-registration/

Retina UK is pleased to share an exciting opportunity to learn about Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS), a condition that can affect individuals with sight loss. Esme’s Umbrella and the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) invite families to a special CBS Awareness Day on Saturday 16th November, 11.00am – 3.00pm at the RSBC headquarters, 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC2A 4LS. Meet other families, enjoy some refreshments, and learn more about CBS.

Spaces are limited to 20-25 families. To reserve your place, please RSVP to Mandie.wright@rsbc.org.uk.

Want to be in with the chance of winning up to £1,000? Back by popular demand, you could win 5 cash prizes (£1,000, £500, £100, £50 or £25) and support Retina UK at the same time – through our 2024 Raffle! Visit our website to take part today and you could be winning a fantastic cash prize, just in time for Christmas!

Dr Lee Jones and Professor Mariya Moosajee at University College London are conducting a survey to understand peoples’ attitudes towards their eye care and their experiences of using eye health services.

Understanding attitudes and experiences is vital for improving public health outcomes and enhancing the quality of healthcare services. The goal is to gain insights into specific needs and preferences, while also identifying areas of inequality.

The survey is open to anyone aged over 18 with a sight loss condition. Taking part involves completing an online survey which takes between 20-30 minutes. There is an opportunity to enter a prize draw for a £50 retail voucher where one winner will be drawn for every 50 respondents.

You can find more information and access the survey using this link: https://qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_3IqhkJvF4Opxiya

Belfast Local Peer Support Group Meeting – Tuesday 24 September – 7pm to 8pm – Online – Come and join Kim, Annmarie and the Belfast Bumpers Group for an online catch up where we will be talking about volunteering opportunities for Retina UK.

National Peer Support Group Autumn Meeting – Wednesday 25 September – 7pm to 8pm – Online – To celebrate National Cooking Day we are delighted to welcome our guest speaker Gwyneth Boyes, the Blind Baker who will talk about her inspirational story that led to a passion for cooking and baking even though she is living with RP and is severely sight impaired.

Manchester Local Peer Support Group Meet Up – Saturday 28 September – 5pm – Please come and join us at the Pendulum Hotel Garden Bar & Restaurant for dinner and drinks following on from our Annual Conference, also being held at the hotel, where you can catch up with Rachael and the group for a wonderful evening of great food and lovely company.

Glasgow Local Peer Support Group Meeting – Wednesday 2 October – 11am to 1pm – In-Person – Come and join group facilitator Lynn Barr and guest speaker Graeme Marden from Sight and Sound Technology at for our latest meet up at Visibility Scotland.

‘Talking’ Travel Peer Support Group Meeting – Thursday 3 October – 7pm to 8pm – Online – Please come along and join Richard & Rachael to share any mobility advice, information or tell us about any V.I holidays or travel experiences that you have enjoyed throughout the summer and would like to recommend.

Belfast Local Peer Support Group Meeting – Saturday 5 October – 10am – In-person – Come and join Kim, Annmarie and the Belfast Bumpers Group for a day out in Londonderry with lunch at The Exchange restaurant followed by a walk around The Derry Walls.

Merseyside Local Peer Support Group Meeting – Saturday 5 October – 10.30am to 11.30am – In-person – We are pleased to invite you to join group facilitator Anna Browne for our first in-person event in collaboration with SocialEyes Warrington. From Downward Facing Dog to actual Puppy Dog, come and join us at Puppy Love Yoga for an interactive session!

Isle of Wight Local Peer Support Group Quiz Night – Thursday 10 October – 5.30pm to 11pm – In-person – Come and join Colin & Linda McArthur at the Alamo Bar & Grill in Ryde for a meal and Quiz Night in aid of Retina UK Day!

Hampshire Local Peer Support Group Meeting – Saturday 12 October – 10.30am – In-person – Please join us for our latest in-person meet up where we will be visiting the Tudor House and Garden in historic Southampton followed by lunch at the nearby Duke of Wellington pub.

Tyne & Wear Local Peer Group in collaboration with Northern Alliance VIP’s Event – Saturday 12 October – 1pm to 7pm – In-person – Please come and join Colin Hetherington at the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle for a great day filled with fun and laughter where you will get to meet like-minded people and their partners as well as hearing from a range of wonderful speakers; from sight loss charities to scientists.

*Coming Soon* ‘Talking’ Home & Garden Peer Support Group – Date TBC – Please register your interest if you would like to join us to share your tips, hints, stories and experiences around all things home & garden.

We are excited to announce our next monthly webinar on Thursday 10 October. This webinar is designed for anyone with an interest in the arts, whether you’re an artist yourself or someone who appreciates creative expression. Guest artists will discuss their process of how they create their art, even showing us some of their creations! Attendees will gain unique perspectives on how visual impairments can influence and enrich artistic practices, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for creativity. Register today: Creating without limits: artistic expression and sight Loss – Retina UK

We’re pleased to announce that our Christmas cards range for 2024 is now live on our online shop! As well as 4 cards to choose from, including 2 that were designed by members of our community, we’ve also got personalised Christmas baubles on sale this year. As well as our Christmas range, we’ve recently introduced some new products to our online shop, including caps, pens, mugs and notebooks. Visit our online shop today!