APPEAL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Homecall is a home visiting scheme for the visually impaired and severely visually impaired. Established in 1985, Homecall continues to provide its home visiting scheme in Bexhill and surrounding areas. However, we are in urgent need of new volunteers to join our award winning volunteer visiting team. We have over 10 clients awaiting help from a volunteer visitor.

The role of Homecall volunteers is to help keep our clients independent in their own homes by helping with tasks that have become difficult as a result of sight loss. This might include reading and writing correspondents, looking for lost things or checking for out of date food, to name but a few of the tasks.

However, the impact that volunteer visitors have is so much more than the assistance with practical tasks and weekly visits. Our volunteers are able to provide some relief to the social isolation that may be experienced due to sight loss. We are able to enhance the quality of their lives and offer the much-appreciated support of someone who understands their sight loss. The voluntary visiting is very rewarding, often volunteers develop close friendships with their clients.

The amount and type of visual impairment varies from one Client to another. Some may need help with tasks made difficult by loss of central vision, such as reading and writing whilst others may have problems with loss of wider vision, such as getting out and about. Many find themselves isolated by their loss of sight and for them the priority may be companionship. The opportunities to help are many and varied; the Scheme Manager will discuss the needs of your Client with you and the ways in which you may be able to assist. The flexibility of home visiting makes it easy to fit around other commitments and you do not need previous experience of sight loss, home visiting or voluntary work. We provide training that covers sighted guiding techniques, visual impairment and the role of the visitor. We also reimburse our volunteers for expenses incurred within their visiting role.

Further information about Homecall is available on our website www.myhomecall.org or please contact Claire Prime – Homecall Scheme Manager on 01424 845812 or email claire.homecall@gmail.com should you want further information about becoming a member of our volunteering team.