A Wolverhampton charity that encourages people with sight loss to take part in activities such as water ski-ing and rock wall climbing has been awarded a £4,000 grant by the West Brom building society. The Beacon Centre is using the funding to further its ActivEyes programme, which facilitates participation in a variety of leisure and social activities.

The programme’s primary goal is to encourage independence and confidence, while also contributing to a valuable community spirit. ActivEyes has 300 registered members from around the local area.

Annamarie Balram, Innovations Development & Funding Officer for Beacon, said: “The money will be put towards furthering ActivEyes and its activities in the community, with a particular focus on our allotment area at Boundary Way in Lower Penn.

“The West Brom has been very supportive of the ActivEyes programme, not just through its generous donation but also undertaking regular voluntary work.”

Three teams of volunteers from the Society – 25 colleagues in total – visited the allotment to prepare it for use by ActivEyes members, clearing rubble and soil, creating planting space, laying a new patio and putting up fencing.

Annamarie added: “The volunteers worked really hard and have been a wonderful help to us at Beacon ActivEyes, far exceeding what we thought was possible in the time available.

“We now have a space where people with varying degrees of sight loss can become involved in tending plants, growing fruit and vegetables, or simply enjoy using it as a place to relax outdoors.”

For more information on Beacon, as well as the ActivEyes programme visit www.beaconvision.org.