Mulberry Homes has donated £1000 to Warwickshire Vision Support, which will be used to fund their vital Be-friending service.

Established in 1911 and celebrating its 110th birthday this year, Warwickshire Vision Support aids people living with sight loss in the county and offers a combination of rehabilitation and social support services, with the aim to promote independence and self-reliance.

The charity and its 250 plus volunteers help people with sight loss lead full lives, learn new skills, gain confidence and help rebuild social networks. They provide support by running social clubs, hosting vision support centres and eye clinic advice desks, and delivering IT training.

The Be-friending service encompasses home visits and during the ongoing pandemic has also become a telephone service, helping those living with sight loss maintain independence and continue to live in their own homes. The service is run entirely by volunteers, who offer support by helping access mail, read newspapers and magazines, monitor the ‘use by’ dates on food in the fridge and organise groceries.

The telephone version of the service was launched in April 2020 as a way to combat the suspension of face-to-face services and alleviate the loneliness and isolation that many experienced during the national lockdowns. Now, the charity has over 300 service users who receive a weekly call, providing them with essential company, conversation and a link to the local community.

Claire Weaver, Fundraising Officer at Warwickshire Vision Support, said: “Warwickshire Vision Support would like to thank Mulberry Homes for the generous donation of £1000. This money will directly support our range of social support services for visually impaired people in Warwickshire, especially our Be-friending service which is breaking down the barriers of loneliness and isolation for so many people across the county.”

Kerry Jones, Sales and Marketing Director at Mulberry Homes, said: “I’m exceptionally proud that we’re able to offer this contribution to Warwickshire Vision Support. Both the charity and us at Mulberry Homes are celebrating exciting anniversaries this year, which makes our donation even more special.

“Warwickshire Vision Support’s Be-friending service is invaluable, helping individuals come to terms with their sight loss, regain independence and build relationships within the community, something which is especially important following the national lockdowns. We’re very happy to be supporting Warwickshire Vision Support and hope that many more locals living with sight loss are able to take advantage of this wonderful support system.”

The donation comes as part of the housebuilder’s 10-year anniversary campaign, in which it has committed to donating a total of £10,000 to charities and organisations local to its developments throughout 2021, with Warwickshire Vision Support operating nearby to Mulberry Homes’ The Templars development in Temple Herdewyke.

For more information on Warwickshire Vision Support, visit https://warwickshire.vision/.

The Templars is a brand-new development of two, three and four-bedroom homes located on Falkland Place. For details, visit https://mulberryhomes.co.uk/developments/the-templars/overview/.