Biscuit or a big kiss?

[Photo from left to right:  Christine Wilmshurst, Chair of Trustees; Cllr Tim Hall, Chair of Surrey County Council; and Cllr Bob Hughes, former CEO of Sight for Surrey]

A project which had been years in the making finally came to fruition on 2 July:  Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey celebrated the official opening of its new centre in Ashtead – having spent the last 50 years at Rentwood in Fetcham.

A bright, light, spacious and highly functional building will allow this fantastic charity empower adults and children who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind to live full and independent lives.

Founded in 1922, Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey currently supports over 8,000 people in Surrey to gain and retain independence, so that they can thrive in their communities and achieve their aspirations.

It was a fascinating afternoon. We were given a tour of the new centre; met various members of the Sensory Services team; and were able to get a glimpse of what life might be like for people who have lost their sense of sight or hearing or both. We could try out glasses mimicking different stages of sight loss, handle new technology intended to make everyday tasks more accessible; observe the mesmerising speed of sign language being “spoken” and learn about potential pitfalls in lipreading…. Next time you offer a biscuit to a person who relies on reading your lips, make sure that you provide appropriate context – otherwise they might think you are proposing to give them a Big Kiss!

For more information visit: https://sightforsurrey.org.uk