Stories
‘I feel privileged to be involved with such a worthwhile organisation’ – Trustees’ Week 2022
Taking place between the 7th – 11th November, Trustees’ Week is a celebration of the commitment, effort, and enthusiasm of over 500,000 voluntary trustees across the UK.
Now in its 12th year, 2022’s theme is making a difference in changing times. In this period of uncertainty, charities are a beacon of community and hope. Trustees provide oversight, leadership, and play an integral role in supporting us through challenging times. Now, more than ever, we lean on trustees for advice and guidance.
It can be hard to know where to turn when a child is diagnosed with a visual impairment. At Useful Vision, our mission is to support visually impaired children and their families across the North East, helping to reduce social isolation, improving quality of life now, and encouraging a positive future. We provide free, exclusive activities and events to enable visually impaired children of all ages and abilities to have fun, make friends, and learn new skills. Not only do we provide the best days out ever for visually impaired children, but a vital support network for families, including wellbeing events, skills workshops, and expert advice. We aim to instil confidence and self-esteem, equipping families with the skills and knowledge to succeed.
This trustees’ week, Useful Vision want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our wonderful trustees’ for sharing their time, expertise, and passion. Our trustees are dedicated to championing the ethos and values of Useful Vision and their contributions are the driving force behind everything we do.
Our founder & trustee, Rebecca, told us:
“We started Useful Vision when my late son, Ben, went blind due to his treatment for cancer, there was very little support for him or us as a family. 18 years later, I am delighted to still be volunteering for a charity that supports so many visually impaired children across the north east. Our intention was to help other families in the same situation, and the Trustee board have used their broad range of skills and experiences to make this happen and I am very proud of what we have achieved.’’
Useful Vision’s board of trustees work collaboratively to make decisions about how to run the charity, what we offer, and how to effectively deliver our mission. Our trustees have a wealth of knowledge and understand the challenges facing families of children with a visual impairment. Each member offers their personal skills and experience to benefit Useful Vision, providing expert advice in fields such as education, media, ophthalmology, and business. Angela, an optometrist, tells us:
“I have been on the Management Committee of Useful Vision since it was started in 2005. More recently, I have become a Trustee and my husband Mike joined us which has been very helpful. Our son Angus was a close friend of Nick and Rebecca’s late son Ben in his final years and whilst it was an incredibly sad and tragic time, I feel privileged to be involved with such a worthwhile organisation created in Ben’s memory.”
Although the role can be challenging, the experience has been incredibly rewarding for our trustees. Susan, a teacher, tells us:
“To me, being a trustee of Useful Vision is a privilege. It enables me to make a small difference to the lives of children in our community.”
We are so grateful for our dynamic, experienced team of trustees. Their valued contributions enable Useful Vision to thrive. Thanks to their continued support we can keep making a difference in changing times.