Insight Gloucestershire What’s On E-Newsletter for February 2025
Find out about local notices, groups and events that are accessible to anyone living with sight loss.
Monthly What’s On Guide
Welcome to your monthly update of accessible services and events in Gloucestershire covering February 2025.
If you are interested in What’s On e-newsletters from our partner charities Wiltshire Sight and Sight Support West Of England, as well as our Children and Young People What’s On e-newsletter, you can find links to them on our 2025 What’s On E-Newsletter webpage
Insight Gloucestershire Events and Notices
Last Chance to Apply: Community Sight Loss Advisor (Cotswold)
We are recruiting for a Community Sight Loss Advisor (Cotswold), but there’s just enough time to apply!
Key details:
- Salary: £25,000 pro rata
- Hours: 21 hours per week (0.6 FTE)
- Location: Cheltenham office-based with work across the Cotswold region
- Contract: Permanent (following probation)
In this role, you’ll lead on providing information, advice, and guidance for people with sight loss in the Cotswold district. You’ll help individuals access support, equipment, and training, while also organising community hubs in key locations.
Comprehensive training is provided, so no prior experience working with sight loss is required.
Closing date: Monday 27th January at 5pm.
For more details and how to apply, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification linked on our website
Connect Online with Virtual Hubs
Our Virtual Hubs provide a welcoming space for those living with sight loss to connect, share experiences and have a chat. Open to anyone affected by sight loss, these online groups are hosted on Microsoft Teams with training available for newcomers.
Groups Available:
- Parent Support Group: Fortnightly on Thursdays at 7:30 pm.
- University Students Group: Fortnightly on Wednesdays at 7 pm.
- Working Age Group (25–65): Third Thursday of each month at 7 pm.
- Young Adults Group (18–30): Start date to be confirmed.
Contact us to sign up – 0117 322 4885 / info@sightsupportwest.org.uk.
Seeking Trustees
Insight Gloucestershire is currently looking for interested people to join our Board of Trustees. The Board meet four times a year, either in person or on Zoom, to review progress and finances and ensure the organisation is moving in the right direction. We would welcome any members of the sight loss community who are interested in being part of the team – if you would like a brief chat about what is involved, please do give us a call and ask for Mike Silvey, or email us and we can send you a role description.
Insight Gloucestershire Hubs and Social Groups
Our sight loss advice hubs provide a space for consultations with your local advisor, offering information, guidance, and advice on all things sight loss related. You can explore a selection of helpful aids at the hub and your advisor can suggest what equipment and technology might be useful to help you meet the challenges sight loss can pose. Additionally, some hubs host social groups where you can meet others, share tips and tricks, and enjoy a chat.
For full details of our sight loss advice hubs and social groups, see our website which has the latest information, or you can call our office on 01242 221170. Click here for our website hub and social group listing. You can put your postcode in the search bar to find your nearest hub.
Changes to Note for Upcoming Hubs
- Cheltenham Coffee morning has changed, it will now ruin on the 4th Friday of each month. Date this change is effective from: March 2025 (First new date will be Friday 28th March)
- Dursley Hub – has changed time and monthly date – it will now run on the 1st Friday of the month. Drop-in time is 11am to 12pm and we have a social group running from 11am to 1pm. appointments are also available. Date this change is effective from: Friday 7th March.
- Gloucester Hub – has changed venue, time and monthly date. The new venue is St Mary de Crypt Church, Southgate Street, Gloucester. GL1 1TP. This will be running om the 2nd Wednesday of the month. We have a drop-in time from 1pm to 2:30pm, the social group will be running at same time. Appointments will be available. Date this change is effective from: Wednesday 12th March.
Events & Notices From Other Organisations
Guide Dogs’ Policy and Campaigns Advisory Board
Guide Dogs is seeking passionate individuals with lived experience of sight loss to join their new England Policy and Campaigns Advisory Board. Members will provide invaluable insights, sharing perspectives on vision impairment and contributing to campaigns that champion accessibility, safety, and equality for people with sight loss.
The role involves quarterly meetings (approximately three hours each) and no prior experience with Guide Dogs services or campaigning is required. Applicants must be 18 or over, live in England, and be enthusiastic about advocating for the rights of vision-impaired individuals.
For more details, contact livedexperience@guidedogs.org.uk
Local Leisure and Sporting Activities / Events
Track Day Opportunities at Llandow Circuit
Llandow Circuit in the Vale of Glamorgan offers accessible driving experiences for individuals of all abilities, including those with sight loss. Speed of Sight provides the opportunity to drive custom-built, dual-controlled cars on this well-known track.
Places are still available for the 3rd and 4th of June.
For more details or to book, visit Speed of Sight’s website or contact them at info@speedofsight.org.
Gloucestershire Growlers
The group aim to give visually impaired people in and around the county the opportunity to take part in sport and create an environment where they can socialise with people who truly understand the daily impact of having a visual impairment. Although the group aim play to win, team spirit is more important than results and the group pride themselves on their unique “Growler camaraderie!
Although finished for the season, they are organising two indoor sessions at Gloucestershire’s Nevil Road ground in January and March of next year. If you would like any more information contact Phil Gingell at bristolbluephil@googlemail.com
Support Groups and Courses
RNIB Living Well with Sight Loss Phone Group
Living Well With Sight Loss – February
Session 1: Monday 3rd February
Session 2: Wednesday 5th February
Session 3: Monday 10th February
Session 4: Wednesday 12th February
Times 11am
Money Matters Focus Group
Session 1: Tuesday 4th February
Session 2: Thursday 6th February
Session 3: Tuesday 11th February
Session 4: Thursday 13th February.
Times: 11am
Email: communityconnectionsouthwest@rnib.org.uk
Call Trish Sail 07843 979975 / George Hinton 07711 188292 / Bernice Cocking 07761 328571
Deafblind UK Talk Tech webinar
Deafblind UK has scheduled some more free ‘Talk Tech’ webinars, intended to provide practical tech advice to people with sight and hearing loss. Details are:
Thursday 20th February – Find out about RealSAM voice-controlled smartphones for people who are blind, visually impaired, or who would simply find it easier to operate technology by voice.
Thursday 17th April – A demonstration of VisionAid’s most interesting products.
You can find out more and book a place DeafBlind UK Website
Macular Groups
See list below, but please contact before attending, as groups may have an alternate venue, or an outing planned.
Call 0300 30 30 111
Gloucester Macular Group
Meet on the first Wednesday of each month, 10am to 12pm at Gloucester Deaf Association, Colin Road, Barnwood, GL4 3JL
Cheltenham Macular Group
Meet on the third Wednesday of each month 2pm to 4pm at Christ Church, Malvern Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2JH
Stroud Macular Group
Meet quarterly, 10am to 12pm in March, June, September and December
At Stroud Hospital, Trinity Road, Stroud, GL5 2HY
See Differently Support Group
An 18+ support group for the blind and visually impaired, along with their family members and / or carers. Come along to chat, socialise and maybe play a few games or two.
Takes place every other Tuesday, 1-2.30pm
Location: The Redwell Centre, Matson, GL4 6JG
Email Harvey on: seedifferently@hotmail.com
Stroud Visually Impaired Club
Meets on the first Thursday morning of the month in Sherborne House, Stonehouse. Members come from the Stroud area and Cam and Dursley. Transport maybe available.
Please contact Celia on:
07770 146536 / 01452 864645 or email: celiakelly1961 for more information.
Local Audio Described Arts Events
The Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham
The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, is delighted to be offering audio described performances for:
- The Girl on the Train on Thursday 27th March at 2.00pm
- Dear Evan Hansen on Saturday 10th May at 2.00pm
- The Midnight Bell on Friday 16th May at 7.30pm (touch tour at 6.00pm TBC)
Touch Tours on stage at 11.30am (unless otherwise stated)
Please contact Sally-ann if you would like further details or to book the touch tour or tickets:
Sally-ann 01242 695574
sally-ann.rhodes@everymantheatre.org.uk
Please let Sally-ann know if you would like her to regularly post you a large print season brochure or if you would like to be removed from this mailing list.
Online Notices / Support Groups / Webinars
We have some information about online support groups / webinars / social groups / resources and events that might be of use or interest for anyone living with sight loss.
Online Resources From Other Organisations – Insight Gloucestershire
The What’s On E-newsletter as a Word Document:
Click the link below to download the newsletter as a Word document