insideKENT Magazine Issue 84 - March 2019 | 页面 146

CHARITY
CHARITY PROFILE:
Kent Association
for the Blind
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIME TO SPARE? KENT ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND
(KAB) HAS A VARIETY OF EXCITING AND REWARDING VOLUNTEERING
OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN EASILY BE FITTED IN AROUND YOUR EXISTING
COMMITMENTS.
As a charity, they support over 11,000 visually
impaired people across Kent, Medway and Bromley.
These are people of all ages and with varying levels
of sight loss. Their specialist rehabilitation team
provides training, advice and guidance on a variety
of day-to-day practical skills, such as getting around
independently, preparing food safely and using
computers or other technology confidently.
Sight loss can be devastating to come to terms with,
and it can be easy to cut yourself off from society
and feel apprehensive about your future. To help
combat this, as well as practical support, KAB
also provides emotional support to help service
users overcome any social isolation they might
be experiencing.
“This is where our volunteers play a key role,”
Volunteer Co-ordinator Jo explains. “Our befrienders
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visit people fortnightly for a couple of hours enjoying
a chat and a cup of tea. Having a regular visit from
a KAB befriender is a lovely thing to look forward
to! Some of our older service users might have other
mobility issues making it harder for them to get out
and socialise; or perhaps they don’t have friends or
family nearby.”
Alan has been volunteering with KAB since 2004:
“I do it as a way of giving back to society. If I can
make someone a bit happier, then I’m happy to do
so!” Another volunteer adds: “I’ve been volunteering
for KAB for 5 years and it’s made such a difference
to my life, and to the lives of others as well.”
Volunteers also help by driving clients to or from
KAB appointments and helping them attend club
meetings. Some volunteers choose to take on a more
organisational role and run the local club meetings.
This might involve booking speakers, providing
activities and working with other volunteers to ensure
the smooth running of the session.
As well as directly supporting service users, KAB
also has an enthusiastic team of fundraising volunteers
who are busy organising and attending community
events. Fundraising Manager, Amy, explains:
“Whether it’s holding a collecting tin at a supermarket
for a couple of hours, organising a quiz night in their
local village hall or serving drinks at a corporate
event, the opportunities are endless. Although we
work in partnership with the local authority to
provide a core service, many of our additional services
simply couldn’t exist without additional income, so
fundraising, and our fundraising volunteers, are a
hugely important part of what we do.”