Sandwell Visually Impaired

11/11/2025

Alice one of our beautiful Guide dog to Gary is wearing her poppy collar & badge. We hope you will all join us in honouring the 2 minute silence at 11am.
Remembering those
LEST WE FORGET.

10/11/2025

31/10/2025

☕ Join Steppingstones Community Cuppa!

A friendly weekly get-together offering warmth, advice, and great company.
• 🫖 Enjoy free hot drinks and biscuits in a relaxed, welcoming space.
• 💬 Chat with friendly faces and connect with others from your local community.
• 💡 Get free winter advice — including tips on staying warm and saving energy.
• 💷 Access support with benefits, energy bills, and winter prep.
• 🤝 Meet local support workers and volunteers who can guide you to the help you need.
• 🌤️ Feel part of something positive — a warm place for everyone, whatever your situation.
• 📍 Where: 106 Oxford Road, Smethwick, B66 2DJ
• ⏰ When: Thursday mornings from 10:00 AM
• 📞 Contact: Qasim on 07707 212 321 for more info
• 💚 Free and open to all — come as you are!

30/10/2025

Group of 25 here for a lovely wine tasting tour & talk with creamTea.
We tried four glasses of wine.
Brut sparkling 2022
Bacchus 2023
English Rose 2023
Penny Red 2023
We had a lovely time around the craft village & Deli making some purchases.
We were made to feel very welcome. Thank you
Halfpenny Green Vineyards

28/10/2025

One of this year's ‘Hunted’ contestants is Ste, who’s taking part and also happens to be partially sighted.

Alongside best friend Chris, Ste is navigating this experience whilst living with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). RP is what’s known as an inherited retinal dystrophy - a genetic eye condition which affects the light-sensitive cells in the retina at the back of your eyes.
We can’t wait to continue watching how this dynamic duo evade capture from the Hunters.

Learn more about RP, rnib.in/RetinitisPigmentosa

[image description: 'This is how someone with retinitis pigmentosa might experience being “on the run.”' A black filter sits over an image of a wooden gate surrounded by lush green foliage and trees in a countryside setting. Black surrounds the outside of the image, leaving only a small circular area of central vision visible.]

27/10/2025

https://www.facebook.com/100069677841823/posts/1129807499351834/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

👁️ “I never knew that…” — Let’s change that.

Most people only learn about blindness after they meet someone who’s blind.
By then, assumptions have already formed.

So let’s flip that.
Here are 5 things most people get wrong about blindness — and 5 truths everyone should know:

❌ “Blind means total darkness.”
✅ Blindness is a spectrum — many people see light, shapes or colour.

❌ “If they don’t look blind, they’re fine.”
✅ You can’t always see sight loss — it’s not a costume.

❌ “Helping means grabbing their arm.”
✅ Ask first. Respect is help.

❌ “Braille is old-fashioned.”
✅ Braille is literacy. Tech didn’t replace it — it amplified it.

❌ “Blind people can’t enjoy films, art or travel.”
✅ Audio description, touch, sound, movement, and storytelling make the world just as rich — sometimes richer.

If more people understood this, the world would be safer, kinder, and more inclusive — not just for blind people, but for everyone.

💬 Comment with one thing you wish more people knew about blindness.
🔁 Share this so the learning happens before the assumptions do.

17/10/2025

SVI worked in partnership with the Women’s project and we’re pleased to visit the bus today. We’re at new Square until 4 pm today. Come along!

14/10/2025

Hi everyone, At this week Arts & Crafts session, we are pleased to welcome Lisa Slinn. Lisa will be introducing us to clay work. . It’ll be a relaxed and creative session, a great chance to try something new and maybe discover a hidden talent! 1 - 3pm in the SVI common room.

Let us know if you are interested – look forward to seeing you there

09/10/2025

World Sight Day

Getting outdoors helps. Our walking group today around Dartmouth Park. Admiring all the spooky Halloween decor amongst the autumn fallen leaves and colours of the park. On a lovely fresh dry day.

08/10/2025

Hey everyone! Just a quick reminder that our SVI Rock session is happening at the Town Hall today. Whether you're playing, singing or just here to enjoy the show - we'll love to see you

05/10/2025

Our Guide Dogs Campaigns team have arrived in Manchester this weekend for the Conservative Party Conference - the next big stop in the political calendar.

After raising our voices on pavement parking at Labour Conference, we’re now taking the message directly to Conservative politicians: cars blocking pavements are not just an inconvenience, they’re a danger.

Over 95% of people with sight loss have been forced into the road because of pavement parking - and one in five have even been injured.

This has to change.

Together, we can make our streets safer and more accessible for everyone. We’ll keep speaking up face-to-face with decision-makers, but you can help us from home too.

Add your voice and join our online campaign 👉 https://bit.ly/46YgSPo

[Visual description: Ambassador dog Luna, a golden retriever, wears a Guide Dogs harness. She sits next to a white car parked on the pavement, against a brick wall. On Luna’s right is a cardboard sign which reads, “Pavement parking puts pedestrians in danger!”]

01/10/2025

A big shout out to Utilita for donating loads of bread for our monthly Tea & Toast session 🍞🍞 Thanks to your kindness, we can keep everyone fed and happy. We really appreciate the support