Scheme to improve lives of blind people is launched

Grant of nearly £300,000 has allowed befriending project to be set up in north-east

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BOOST: Grampian Society for the Blind user Amanda Burt at the branch’s gym with David Green of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Colin Rennie

A SCHEME aimed at improving the lives of blind people throughout the north-east has been launched thanks to a grant of nearly £300,000.

Grampian Society for the Blind has received an investment of £290,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to help the charity set up a befriending scheme.

The service will be the first of its kind in the north-east, and will involve a team of volunteers being trained to support visually-impaired people with activities including dealing with mail and shopping.

The society’s chief executive, Graham Findlay, said: “This befriending project is a much-needed addition to our services.”

It will benefit many of our 2,500 clients in Aberdeenshire, Moray and Aberdeen city who may be house- bound or in need of additional support due to their sight loss and additional ailments.

“Thanks to the Big Lottery Fund, and our staff and volunteers who played a part in the development of this application, we will now be able to move for- ward with this new initiative.”