Latest News
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
APRIL 2022
APRIL COFFEE MORNING - EASTER RAFFLE
SUNDERLAND COFFEE MORNING - Wednesday 13TH APRIL 2022 10am - 12:30pm. EASTER RAFFLE - Lots of goodies up for grabs at our Annual Easter raffle. Refreshments and good company included. Coffee mornings are every 2nd Wednesday of the month thereafter. 53 St Lukes Tce, Pallion SR4 6NF
AFTERNOON TEA - Thursday 7th April 2022 at 1pm. Booking is a must as numbers are limited. £2.00 per person for an afternoon of music, light refreshments and good company. We run these every 1st Thursday of the month so don't worry if you miss this one. There will be more.
SEATED DANCE - We have teamed up with Tailored Leisure to deliver 6 weeks of accessible seated dance to help you keep active and meet new friends. The classes are tailored for all abilities and ages and also free of charge to members of the Society. Places are going quickly and booking is essential. Please call Julie Stormont on 0191 5673939 for more information.
DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP - Monday 25th April, 1:30pm - So many people suffer from Diabetes, and it appears more and more are being diagnosed every day. If left untreated diabetes can have dreadful effects on ourbodies and our health, including sight loss. We are setting up a diabetes support group to provide information, advice and practical support to anyone who needs it. We will meet monthly at our Pallion offices. Please call the office on 0191 5673939 or email richard.wood@sundrsb.org.uk
OPTELEC 1:1 APPOINTMENTS WITH A LOW VISION SPECIALIST - CANCELLED
MAY 2022
MENS GROUP - Many of our events attract more female members than male but there is a desire to provide an opportunity for men to come together and share their thoughts, feelings, concerns and interests within the confines of a support group. Our first meeting is Monday 9th May 2022 at 1:30pm.
Bowling is Back
Sunderland Visually Impaired 10 Pin Bowling Team are now meeting every week at The Sunderland Bowl, 141 High St West, Sunderland at 11AM. New members welcome. Please call Julie Stormont at the Society on 0191 5673939 for more info.
LIVING WITH SIGHT LOSS EVENT
MONDAY/TUESDAY 11th & 12th July 2022 we are running our 2 day Living with Sight Loss event. Places now available for 2 days packed with information regarding sight loss and advice regarding services and support provided by both ourselves and othe service providers. The course provides help and avice to support independent living and equipment available along with expert advice how to access this. Booking essential. Please call Julie Stormont to book your place of for more information about this event.
Helping Sunderland’s foodbanks
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, food banks across Sunderland have provided an essential service to those most in need of support in the community. They are currently in very high demand with a reduction in supplies and are working tirelessly to help support our vulnerable residents not only in this crisis, but also in the longer term. We recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to help provide financial support through match funding. To find out more and pledge your support visit https://www.spacehive.com/sunderland-communities-appeal
Pallion Action Group (PAG)
Volunteers available Mon – Fri 10am – 2pm
Can help with collecting prescriptions, shopping, benefit/welfare advice
Please contact, Karen Wood on either 07534 983971 or 0191 5142011
BT Skills for Tomorrow Support for Society
BT Skills for Tomorrow aims to give people the skills they need to flourish in the digital world. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, having these skills is more important than ever.
Large numbers of people are self-isolating or are confined to their homes. It is vital that people with low or no digital skills can keep in touch with family and friends and access health services. The spread of the coronavirus presents significant challenges to small businesses. Families with children at home from school need to get the best out of technology to help their children to learn and play. And many people need support as they work from home for the first time.
Working in partnership with leading digital skills organisations, BT Skills for Tomorrow has free resources and information to help people with each of these challenges: www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow
This briefing outlines the support available during the spread of the coronavirus. We want as many people as possible to have access to this help for themselves and to be able to support others during this challenging time.
Help for older and vulnerable people and those with lower digital skills.
Working with the Good Things Foundation, we’re supporting older and vulnerable people and those with low or no digital skills to stay in contact with family and friends, to keep up to date, and to be healthy during the spread of the coronavirus.
Key information includes:
How to access GP services online – providing key information on how to find and register with your local GP surgery, apply for repeat prescriptions and look up health records online.
How to use the NHS website – outlining how to make the most of the NHS website to find advice and local health services like GPs and hospitals online.
Using public services online – how to understand what public services are available online, how use the GOV.UK government website and find local council services.
This information can be found at: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/daily-life/accessing-public-service...
Video calling – learn how to use video calling to connect with family and friends https://www.learnmyway.com/courses/video-calling
Online and mobile banking – providing tips on how to do internet banking using either a computer, tablet or mobile phone, and how to keep track of your money https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/daily- life/managing-your-money.html
Online shopping – helping on how to shop online, compare prices, use secure payment methods and understand your rights when buying online. https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/daily-life/mastering-the-basics/mak... the-most-of-the-internet.html
Socialising online – learn how to use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to connect with family and friends and to share things online https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/daily-life/mastering-the-basics/dis... social-media.html
Watching and listening online – support to watch TV and listen to radio online, and to use services to listen to music: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/daily-life/mastering-the-basics/dig...
For more information on BT Skills for Tomorrow, go to bt.com/skillsfortomorrow
Supporting small businesses
At a time when many small businesses may struggle to survive, we’re working with Google Digital Garage, Small Business Britain, and LinkedIn Learning to provide guides for people to do business online and to build their digital skills.
Key information includes:
Make sure customers find you online – setting out how search engines and online advertising can help small businesses to connect with more customers.
Connect with customers over mobile – providing information on how to grow an online presence and start reaching new customers on their mobiles.
Promote a business with content – supporting small businesses on how to get noticed and to connect with more customers through social media, video, and content marketing.
Promote a business with online advertising – outlining the online tools small businesses can use to promote their business online, create a marketing strategy, and attract the right customers.
This support can be found at: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/business/promoting-your-business.html
We’re also offering support to small businesses via webinars, covering topics such as Online Presence, Digital Marketing, Data Analytics, Social Media and Collaboration Tools. The full list of live webinars can be found at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/bt-skills-for-tomorrow-26823592931
Helping families to get the most from technology
With many families self-isolating or with children at home from school, parents are looking for ways to help children continue learning from home. In partnership with Internet Matters, we are also providing support to help kids to balance the opportunities that tech brings, along with challenges as they spend more time online at home.
Key information includes:
BT Learning at Home resources - we have engaging activities for children aged 4-11 year old to keep developing their computing and digital skills at home: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/parents/learning-at- home.html
Supporting your children - information and activities to help parents keep their kids safe online and to feel better equipped for conversations about the online world: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/parents.html
Supporting people working from home
Many people will find themselves working from home for the first time and will need support in remaining productive outside of their usual workplace. Working with LinkedIn Learning and Google Digital Garage, we have guides to help people to build their digital skills and work online effectively wherever they are.
Key information includes:
How to increase productivity at work – providing tips on how to be better at time management, and how prioritisation can help people work more efficiently.
Business communication - advice on writing for business and how to make communications concise, easy to read and engaging.
This help can be found at: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/work-life.html
For more information on BT Skills for Tomorrow, go to bt.com/skillsfortomorrow
Email this page to a friend