HIP HIP HURRAY It’s Sight for Surrey’s 100 Birthday
HIP HIP HURRAY IT’S OUR 100th BIRTHDAY!!
In 2022 Sight for Surrey celebrates a staggering 100 years of supporting blind, vision impaired and deafblind people in Surrey, and more recently Deaf and hard of hearing, and we would love to hear any stories or receive photographs from Surrey residents that have been supported by us over the years.
Do you have a connection with Sight for Surrey? Do you know someone who might have been supported by us many years ago? Do you want to tell us your story?
Back in 1922 we were known as the Surrey Voluntary Association for the Blind, and our main role was providing assistance through grants to anyone registered blind or vision impaired. Some of the applications for monetary assistance are heart breaking to read including coal to help keep a family warm, a pair of glasses to help a person keep employment and a place at a children’s home for a blind 2 ½ year old child.
The charity HQ was in Kingston back then and our links in the area grew over the years with the purchase of three residential homes for vision impaired people; 10a Claremount Gardens, Surbiton; Camden House, 48 Wolsey Road, East Molesey; and then Walden, 17 Corkran Road, Surbiton. Blind and vision impaired couples and individuals lived in these large properties in bedsits. Do you know anyone that lived at one of these properties maybe a Grandparent, Uncle or Aunt? Or maybe you live at one of the properties now? Whoever it was we would love to hear from you!
Perhaps you knew William Groombridge from Epsom? In 1938 William became the first person in the county to receive a guide dog, supported by SVAB and sponsored by Epsom Scout Rangers. If William is part of your family history then please get in touch with us at communications@sightforsurrey.org.uk
Sight for Surrey has had a connection with the local area since 1922 as its first President was Lord Ashcombe, Henry Cubitt, the previous owner of Denbies, the Great Grandfather of The Duchess of Cornwall.
Sight for Surrey supports people who are blind, vision impaired, Deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind and during 2022 will be holding a series of events for local businesses, the people we support, and the wider community. Keep a look out on our social media pages for the latest news, or sign-up for our e-news updates via www.sightforsurrey.org.uk
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