How to Help

Sources of funding are many and varied. They range from formalised sources of funding (such as applying to organisations that offer grants to voluntary bodies, as well as contracting with the local authority) through to the organisation of fundraising events and to the help that individuals can provide via donations and leaving legacies.

Ways you can support the Society

As an independent local charity, we work hard to raise as much money as we can from a variety of sources for our worthwhile and very necessary services. This is particularly important, as we have to raise funds through our own initiative. Financial help, from whatever source, and for however much someone can afford, is always gratefully received and put to good use.

 

Supporters can make a donation in the following ways:-

Donate on-line!

You, or family and friends, can now donate securely on-line. Donations can also be Gift-Aided through this service. It is quick and easy - so don't delay

Donate Online

By Post

Cheques made payable to 'Isle of Wight Society for the Blind' can be sent by post to Millbrooke House.
Please print off the Donation Form (pdf) and send to IWSB.

Gift Aid

One area where you can help increase our finances is to Gift Aid donations to the Society.

If anyone is an Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax payer, Gift Aid enables the Society to reclaim up to 28p for every pound donated from the Inland Revenue at no cost to the giver. This means that £10 can be turned into £12.80 through Gift Aid donations!

To qualify for Gift Aid the donor must pay an amount of tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax that the Charity will claim on the donation in the tax year.

Please download and print off a Gift Aid Form (pdf).

Standing Order

This allows regular donations to be made to the Society (usually monthly or annual) through a bank account direct to the Society's bank account, allied, if a taxpayer, to Gift Aid to make the donation go further.

Please download and print off a Bankers Order Form (pdf)

Legacy

We are sure you will appreciate that we cannot continue to provide our services without the generosity of our supporters. Our supporters matter and do make a crucial difference. One way they make a difference is through a gift in their Will; which is also called a Legacy or Bequest.

If and when the time is right for you, after you have provided for your family and friends; it would help us if you could consider leaving us a gift in your Will. Gifts in Supporters' Wills provide a large percentage of the Society's income; so we could not carry out our vital work without them! Always take legal advice before making or altering your will. Supporters who leave us a gift really make a difference!

Please contact the centre for further information on any of the above items.
Telephone:01983 522205
E-mail: enquiries@iwsightconcern.org.uk

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Volunteer

At the Isle of Wight Society for the Blind there is a great team of volunteers, currently about 100 strong, who support the work with visually impaired people. If you have some time to offer to help enhance the services provided, why not consider volunteering for the IWSB?

Volunteering can offer not only the satisfaction of knowing you are helping to improve the quality of someone’s life, but also the opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and have some fun too. We provide full support and offer a comprehensive training programme to all volunteers.

You may be retired and looking for a worthwhile task to occupy an hour or so a week, a student (over 18) looking for experience in the not-for-profit sector, unemployed and looking for a meaningful way to fill some time, or simply wishing to put something back into the community. Why not come and join our friendly team?

Volunteering Opportunities

Opportunities for volunteering at IWSB include:

How do I become a volunteer?

Interested? Ring 522205 for more information. If you wish to proceed you will be invited to Millbrooke House for an informal interview, at which you will be asked to fill in an application form and provide the names and addresses of two referees. Please note that it is a requirement that all volunteers working with vulnerable adults must have an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. The application form for the check will be filled in during your interview. When references and a clear CRB disclosure have been obtained, you will be invited to a morning or afternoon induction and awareness training session, after which you will begin volunteering.

Expenses are paid and volunteers may give as much or as little time as they wish; where appropriate, all duties are organised on a rota basis. Every minute of time so generously given is greatly appreciated by staff, trustees and clients of the Society, which could not function as it does without the volunteer team. Volunteering is both worthwhile and fun; volunteers find that they receive back every bit as much as they give.

Below are some more details about volunteering opportunities

Home Visiting

Home Visitors make regular visits for an hour or so a week to clients in their own homes, enabling and supporting independent living by reading post and paperwork, helping to fill in forms, keeping personal paperwork in order, making appointments and writing birthday or Christmas cards and letters etc. Home visitors may take clients out for a walk or accompany them on shopping trips. This also provides company for those who may be socially isolated. The IWSB provides full support and reimburses any travel expenses incurred.

Helping out at clubs and activities

IWSB volunteers help to run weekly and fortnightly clubs for visually impaired clients both at Millbrooke House and out in the community. The clubs provide an opportunity to participate in various craft activities, listen to a variety of interesting speakers, or to go swimming or walking. Of course, these are ideal occasions to meet friends old and new.

Minibus driving and escorting

Volunteer drivers transport members to clubs and home again on the Society minibus. Other volunteers give lifts in their cars. A clean driving licence is required in each case. A volunteer escort accompanies the minibus driver on all routes to assist passengers into and out of the vehicle. Other escorts, known as walking buddies accompany clients on walks and outings with the Strollers Club (short, level walks) and Striders Club (long walks of five or six miles on public trails and footpaths).

Administrative work

Volunteers work at the front reception desk, redirecting phone calls to members of staff and taking messages. From time to time other jobs such as photocopying or mailing newsletters will be undertaken. Volunteers in the talking book library process returned books and re-issue books according to requests from readers. At present all books are on cassette tapes.

Talking Newspaper

Volunteers produce the weekly Talking Newspaper, the IW County Press on tape. There are several jobs involved: selecting and reading articles, manning the engineer’s booth and duplicating and sending out the tapes. Occasional magazines are also produced.

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Fundraising

Helping with fundraising

Fundraising is undertaken through donation boxes in the community, store collections, coffee mornings, fetes, fairs, quizzes, stalls at summer shows and other special events. New ideas and new fundraising volunteers are always welcome; come and join us!

The Society is a registered charity and much of its work is dependent upon public support. It is an independent organisation and does not receive funding from the RNIB or central government. Although some funding is received from the Isle of Wight Council for rehabilitation services, the efforts of fundraising volunteers are greatly relied upon to generate much needed financial support.

Community Fundraising

One way of helping us fund our work is to organise a local event with your friends, neighbours or work colleagues. It might be a coffee morning, a car boot sale or a larger scale event such as a dance or race night.

There are a huge number of tried and tested means of raising money in the community. With a little time and thought your idea can be converted into a new, exciting and up-to-date event.

Here are a few examples:

Please contact Millbrooke House on 522205 or e-mail enquiries@iwsb.org.uk if you need advice or help to organise an event.

Store Collections, Flag Day and other fundraising events

Our store collections and Flag Days are a great source of income and help to raise the profile of the IWSB in the community. These events are supported by dedicated volunteers; all they do is greatly appreciated.

Over the next year, more collections will be organised around the Island. Anyone wishing to help or come along on the day and support us will be most welcome. Please contact the centre on 522205 or e-mail enquiries@iwsb.org.uk

Charity Collection Boxes

Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves! Donation boxes work on this principle, capturing small change which adds up to significant amounts for the charity. We need to place more boxes in suitable locations around the Island and this is where you can help. If you know of such a location, please contact us on 522205.

Stamps, mobile phones and used ink jet cartridges

Used postage stamps, unwanted mobile phones and used ink jet cartridges can be turned into revenue; please donate them to IWSB. Stamps should be cut from the envelope with a clear half an inch remaining round the stamp – please do not try to tear them free from the envelope or they will be of no use. Please contact Millbrooke House on 522205 or e-mail enquiries@iwsb.org.uk and we will arrange collection of any of the items above if required.

Bric-a-Brac

Any good quality bric-a-brac or unwanted presents that can be used as raffle or tombola prizes would be appreciated. Please ring 522205.

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