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About WCB.
Wales Council of the Blind is the umbrella agency representing vision impairment within Wales. We work to campaign, lobby and support the improvement of services for people with sight loss. [Read more...]
Latest news.
Guide Dogs 'My Time To Play' taster session in Caerphilly
Local to Caerphilly? Do you have a child with sight loss? If so, you’re invited to a taster session of Guide Dogs My Time To Play, a programme of fun and supportive group sessions led by qualified Habilitation Specialists.
The event is visiting Caerphilly for the first time after successful sessions in Cardiff and Llanelli. It is completely free and is designed to help children with sight loss to develop a broad range of skills and encourage them to use their non-visual senses. The session is based around a sensory story and includes songs, movement and related activities. Habilitation Services Manager, Branwen Jones, said: “Guide Dogs My Time To Play helps children with sight loss to develop the practical skills and confidence to explore their world, all through the power of play. Habilitation Specialists understand the importance of early intervention for babies and young children with a vision impairment, and Guide Dogs My Time to Play is designed to give them the best possible start in life. We offer structured, fun, and supportive sessions for children and their families, each based around sensory stories and related activities including songs, crafts, yoga and music. Parents will be able to meet others in a similar situation, share experiences and pick up skills and knowledge to support their child’s early years development with confidence.”
The programme includes an assessment with a Habilitation Specialist. This is designed to help identify any additional support a child may need and is of particular value for older children moving on to nursery or pre-school. Free online resources complement the group sessions and contain useful information and guidance, as well as a nursery rhyme songbook with fun actions, and activity sheets.
Guide Dogs My Time To Play visits Caerphilly on Friday 21st November at 10.30am in The Old Library, Nantgarw Road, CF83 1AP. Parents can register by emailing children@guidedogs.org.uk or ringing 0800 781 1444. More information is available here.
Sight Life Financial Wellbeing Roadshow in Pontyclun
Sight Life is running a Financial & Wellbeing Roadshow on Tuesday 18 November.
Sight Life is holding a free Financial Wellbeing Roadshow in in Bethel Baptist church, Pontyclun on Tuesday 18th November. Stands include:
- Sight Life – Sight Loss advice
- Robertsons Solicitors – Wills and Estate Planning
- , Monmouthshire Building Society – mortgages and savings
- Utility Warehouse – utilities
- Mollam Wealth – Pensions and investment planning
Seasonal support for people with sight and hearing loss from Deafblind UK
Deafblind UK's Winter Wellness programme returns this winter, offering extra support to keep people healthy and connected through the winter. The service is available to anyone affected by sight and hearing loss, and their families and carers and will be available until February 28th 2026.
Services include extended helpline hours, extra holiday support, telephone and video groups, Christmas Day and Boxing Day calls, and winter befrienders. You can find out more about the service and how to apply on the Deafblind UK website.
Revolutionary new PRIMA implant restores some vision to patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
A group of blind patients can now read again after being fitted with a life-changing implant at the back of the eye. The microchips were inserted in five patients at Moorfields Eye Hospital as part of a clinical trial.
You can find out more about this development, which offers hope to people with an advanced form of dry AMD, on the Macular Society website. The story has also been featured in a report by BBC News.
Following the announcement and the publicity surrounding it, the The Macular Society has also produced a Q&A list to give an explanation of how the PRIMA system works and what could happen next.