We’re very proud and appreciative of our team of volunteers who give their time and enthusiasm to support our work.
Here we meet some of them…
Derek is one of our Tech Buddies, he helps other visually impaired and blind people get to grips with technology. This is what Derek said about volunteering for Berkshire Vision. "Some of the people I help are very tech savvy, others have been in the past but are now visually impaired so it presents new challenges, especially with using new software such as magnifiers, text to speech or similar. I get a lot of satisfaction when someone that you are working with gets to achieve what they want out of technology. I helped a lady use an iPad to get onto the coffee mornings that Berkshire Vision have been running, it turned out that one of her neighbours, also a visually impaired person was on the coffee morning and they had not been able to talk for several months. I also helped someone who wanted to be able to read and send emails, once we had her set up she sent me an email to show how well she was doing. Technology is not usually designed with blind or visually impaired people in mind so it can take some working out what the best way is for people to achieve what they want with it, it usually has to be very step by step and clear. I also enjoy working with the team of other tech buddies, they are all very good and I have learned a lot from them myself."
I started doing telephone befriending during the first lockdown. I have had quite a lot of experience in phone work so I hoped I might put these skills to good use. I now have four people from Berkshire Vision that I ring regularly at least once a week. Sometimes the calls can only be for five minutes and sometimes much longer. Although it’s just telephoning and not meeting face to face, it’s nice to feel that you might be making a little bit of difference to someone’s day. I do enjoy talking to people and hearing about their lives and it is important to listen as well as talking. Feeling that you might be making a difference is one of the best things about volunteering and it is very interesting to meet people, albeit remotely, and feel that you are getting to know them.
How to get support if you or someone you’re close to is affected by sight loss.
