24/10/2026
We were delighted to welcome Tanya Stimpson to our club meeting on Wednesday at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate. Tanya is the Director of Vision Support. She told her story about how, thirty years ago, when only aged twenty, she lost 80% of her sight. She questioned “What do I do now? and that’s what first brought her to Vision Support. The pragmatic positive approach to vision loss introduced her to classes ranging from basket weaving to ceremics as well as many social activities. And, to give her the confidence to work and ultimately marry and raise a family. She became an assistant director at the Centre and then, 10 years ago, the director. She’s now training others to succeed her. . The Vision Support team looks after 900 people +300 people who are newly diagnosed with sight issues. Vision Aware receives no government funding so everything is raised by the charity. It provides a wide range of activities; for people who are newly diagnosed with vision loss to those who have been attending the centre for a long time.
The Club has links to Vision Support. Mary Fisher, the first woman Mayor of Harrogate, was the chair of the forerunner of Vision Support, Harrogate and District Blind Society for many years. She was also a member of the club in the 1930s and 50s. Vision Support kindly hosted the event to celebrate the unveiling of a Civic plaque in her name.
We really appreciate all the work Vision Support does to help people with visual loss. They received the Kings Award for Community Service in recognition of over 100 yrs of service in 2023.
Vision Support Harrogate District The Crown Hotel, Harrogate
Photo Tanya with President Heather.
