Organised by Northamptonshire Association For The BlindWe want as many visually impaired people in Northamptonshire to be able to see the joy of Christmas this year. Please donate to help us make this happen.
At NAB Sight Support for Northamptonshire, we are helping more and more people with visual impairments to live life to the full.
Our service helps people with visual impairment to come to terms with their diagnosis and provides the support and tools they need to navigate life.
Nystagmus is an uncontrollable eye movement disorder of the eyes, either side to side, up and down, in circles, or a combination of these. It affects around 1 in 1000 people. Those with nystagmus describe the eye movements as a ‘shake’ or ‘wobble’.
One of those with nystagmus is 12-year old Kye Holman who has been supported by NAB since he was just 6-months old.
Kye is a year 7 pupil at Northgate School.
He is severally visually impaired and uses a cane to get around and still struggles in unfamiliar surrounding or when there are obstructions on the pavements such as parked cars or bins.
Kye’s mum Lizzie said:
“I was scared when he was first diagnosed. I didn’t know what the world would be like and I didn’t know what the world would be able to offer him.”
Lizzie said that Kye sometimes missed out on being able to do things, particularly in school holiday times, as it can sometimes be too busy for him.
“It’s hard because you want [your children] to have everything they want and to think that everything is possible for them - you don’t want them to miss out.
When you know they can’t do things it does make you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom.”
NAB runs events specifically for children including rock climbing, sledging, bowling and Christmas parties.
Kye attends lots of these events and Lizzie has used NAB to ask questions and get advice and support.
Lizzie said that attending NAB’s family events have really boosted Kye’s confidence.
“It’s so nice to see all the children smiling.”
On average people spend £430 per person on Christmas gifts, £150 on Christmas decorations, £60 seeing a Christmas pantomime and £33 on a Christmas dinner.
Instead of this, could you donate:
£10 – to keep our mobile sight centre on the road
£20 – to contribute to a home visit from our community support worker, improving the life of someone living with sight loss
£50 – to help run our regular activities such as social groups and book clubs
£100 – to help subsidise day trips such as Christmas Markets or a day at the seaside
£250 - to contribute towards the cost of an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer at your local eye clinic
Take part in our Christmas campaign and help us to support visually impaired people, especially visually impaired and blind children, to be able to see the joy of Christmas.
Charities pay a small fee for our service. Learn more about fees
