Help for People with Blepharospasm

I was recently put in touch with a charity called Action for Blind People who are based in Middlesbrough. The charity helps visually impaired people to find opportunities for work, either paid or voluntary, depending on what they prefer.

A very nice man from Action for Blind People came to my home to see me and discuss how he could help me. He was very helpful, very pleasant and also very understanding and explained that you do not have to be actually blind in order to receive help from this charity, they will also help people like myself who have interrupted vision due to blepharospasm. I found the meeting very useful and am now in the process of increasing the amount of voluntary work that I do.

As I already said, they will help you to find suitable opportunities for work and will also help with applications and the interview process. Along with the employment support, Action for Blind People also offers help and guidance with self-employment, housing, welfare rights and support with assistive computer technology.

All-in-all it was a very productive and enjoyable meeting.

The young man from Action for Blind People then put me in touch with the County Durham Sensory Support Team and a young man from that team also came to see me in my home. This team help people with hearing and visual impairments including people with blepharospasm. As with the previous young man, this man was also very pleasant and helpful. He gave me some excellent practical advice on how to manage better in and out of the home. He also left me with a couple of gadgets designed to help visually impaired people and a contact number in case I needed any more help or advice in the future. This service is provided by Durham County Council for people living in that county, however for those who live outside County Durham your local council will have an equivalent team and your local council office should be able to give you the contact details. You do not need a referral to this team, you can simply get in touch with them yourself and ask for an appointment.
Both of the young men who came to see me were very pleasant and helpful and very understanding of my condition, it was a pleasure to speak with them. They each offered different sorts of help and if you think you would benefit from a meeting, then get in touch with them on the following numbers:

Action for Blind People North East
Garland House
144-146 Borough Road
Middlesbrough, TS1 2EP
Telephone: 01642 233 439
National Freephone Helpline: 0800 915 4666

Durham County Council Sensory Support Team:
Adult and Community Services
0845 850 5010

^{Gill Ainsley, Committee Member}