Optimise In the spring of 2015, HERIB was awarded a share of £400,000 from the Big Lottery Fund which equated to £18k per year for two years to launch a new project called ‘Optimeyes’.The grant was awarded following a successful bid from the national sight loss charity RNIB. The project ran across Yorkshire and South Lincolnshire in partnership with other sight loss organisations including York Blind and Partially Sighted Society (YBPPS), Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind (SRSB), Sight Support Ryedale, Selby District Vision and South Lincolnshire Blind Society. The key aims and objectives of ”Optimise” were to identify older people aged fifty and over who were experiencing problems with their sight, and to refer them on to the local health, social and charity services to provide them with additional support, offer eye health advice and help them to have a better understanding of how to manage their own eye health whilst addressing the emotional and practical impact of sight loss. The project was coordinated by our Training Officer Tracy Atkinson and has been a resounding success. From hosting eye health and information stands to visiting sheltered housing schemes, undertaking vision screening using the Eyes Right Toolkit to delivering talks to local groups, offering training on assistive technology such as smart phones to
Family Ancestry courses, over the two years, HERIB was able to support 1,361 older people, deliver visual impairment awareness training to 247 people and recruit and train 14 new volunteers. In addition, Optimeyes funding allowed us to purchase additional IT equipment and set up a new IT suite. The legacy of the project is that we can continue to use this facility and offer these services.
“Optimise” partner organisations came together to celebrate their combined achievements at a grand finale event held at the Mercure Station Hotel in Hull at the end of March.
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