Warrington VIP - Visually Impaired People

10/10/2026

Waste not, want chutney! A little bit of Pat’s kitchen magic!

You know what they say, one person’s surplus fruit and veg is another person’s delicious chutney!

Over the last month or two, our wonderful Neighbourly and Aldi UK donations have brought us a fantastic supply of fruit and vegetables. Add in the abundance of tomatoes growing in our own gardens, and we’ve had plenty of ingredients to get creative with!

At Warrington VIP, we believe in making the most of what we have. Anything we can’t use straight away gets frozen for another day, and our brilliant chef Pat has been busy turning the surplus into a whole range of homemade goodies. Nothing goes to waste, and something delicious comes out of it!

Fresh from Pat’s kitchen and available to buy at the centre:
🥭 Mango & ginger jam
🌶️ Chilli, tomato & pear chutney
🍑 Peach sauce, perfect for pouring over ice cream
🍊 Ginger & orange marmalade

There’s something rather special about enjoying a homemade treat while knowing you’re helping your local community at the same time!

Every jar sold helps raise valuable funds for Warrington VIP, supporting local people living with sight loss. So, it’s good for your taste buds, good for reducing food waste, and good for VIP!

This weeks creations have already sold out!

09/10/2026

Did you know you can have an eye test at home?

For some people, getting to an optician isn't easy.

That's where our community partner, Specsavers Home Visits- Warrington, can help.

They offer eye tests in your own home, including prescription services and the ordering and fitting of glasses.

It's all part of making eye care more accessible for people who may struggle to get out and about.

Your eyes still matter, even when getting to the optician isn't easy.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from a home eye test, speak to the Specsavers Home Visits- Warrington team to find out more on 𝟎𝟏𝟗𝟐𝟓 𝟓𝟗𝟓𝟗𝟗𝟑 or please visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/home-visits/home-eye-tests

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09/10/2026

Yesterday, we were delighted to welcome Jill and Glenise from Guide Dogs for a lovely session learning all about the incredible work they do to support people living with sight loss.

Our members loved hearing more about the journey of a guide dog, from training to changing lives. But the star of the show? Glenise!

Glenise originally trained to become a guide dog, but it turns out she had an even higher calling as a Guide Dogs Ambassador! Her role is just as special, helping to raise awareness and bring a little extra joy wherever she goes.

A huge thank you to Jill and Glenise for spending time with us and sharing such an inspiring insight into the world of Guide Dogs.

Guide Dogs North West
Guide Dogs UK
Guidedogs Warrington Fundraising Group

09/10/2026

✨ A little patisserie perfection at Warrington VIP… ✨

This week, Pat kept the cream cake magic coming with her delicious raspberry turnovers.

Freshly baked, golden, flaky puff pastry, generously filled with cream and homemade raspberry filling, bursting with just the right balance of sweet and tart, all finished with a delicate dusting of icing sugar.

This is not just a lunch club this is the VIP lunch club!

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07/10/2026

When was your last eye test?

Looking after your eyes isn't just about whether you can see clearly.

Regular eye tests can help spot changes in your eyes and detect some conditions before you notice symptoms yourself.

So, when was your last eye test? If you haven't had one for a while, perhaps it's time to make that appointment!

Love your eyes. Book your eye test.

05/10/2026

MYTH: Blindness only affects older people

It’s easy to associate sight loss with getting older, but blindness and visual impairment can affect people of any age.

Some people are born blind or partially sighted. Others develop sight loss during childhood, adulthood or later in life.

Conditions such as glaucoma, Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), diabetic retinopathy, inherited eye conditions and eye injuries can affect people at different stages of life.

At Warrington VIP, we support people with sight loss across our community, and every person’s experience is different.

Sight loss doesn't have an age limit.

05/10/2026

Community teamwork in action!

The Old School now has a life-saving defibrillator, thanks to the support of London Hearts, The Grace Trust and some fantastic local community spirit.

After a social media shout-out, local electricians HMS electrical services got in touch and, just two days later, the defibrillator was installed.

Thank you to Warrington worldwide for helping to spread the word about this fantastic community initiative.

The defibrillator has been fitted externally, making it available 24/7 to the whole community in an emergency.

A huge thank you to everyone who played a part in making this happen.

Mayor of Warrington
Cllr Tony Higgins
HMS electrical services
The Old School

It’s a brilliant example of what can happen when a community comes together, and one day, it could help save someone’s life.

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Community partnership brings lifesaving defibrillator to Fairfield

04/10/2026

October is Blindness Awareness Month.

Throughout October, we’ll be sharing short posts to help raise awareness and improve understanding of sight loss.

Did you know? A common misconception is that being blind means seeing nothing at all.

In reality, sight loss affects everyone differently. Some people have no vision, some can see light and dark, and others may have a very small area of remaining vision.

This was one of the many important points discussed by Neil, Julia and Carl during our recent RNIB information session.

Understanding sight loss starts with understanding that no two experiences are the same.

Follow us throughout October as we share more facts, myths and tips to help create a more sight-loss friendly community.

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Image Credit: Thanks to Neil Baxter for showing how those with sight loss may view our centre entrance.

01/10/2026

🌟 Join the Mayor of Warrington for a Charity Dinner in Support of Four Fantastic Local Causes 🌟

We’re proud to be one of the Mayor of Warrington’s chosen charities for 2026/27 and would love your support at this special fundraising evening.

📅 Tuesday 27th October 2026
🕡 6.30pm
📍 Bombay Heath, Stockton Heath

For just £30 per person, £15 from every ticket goes directly to charity, supporting:

💙 Warrington VIP
🐺 Warrington Wolves Community Foundation
♿ Warrington Disability Partnership
🤝 Warrington Charities Trust

Enjoy delicious Indian cuisine, live entertainment and fantastic raffle prizes, all while helping local charities continue their vital work across Warrington.

Spaces are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment by contacting.

📞 Cllr Sagheer Zaman: 07776 353779
📞 Cllr Mo Hussain: 07814 037411

Thank you to the Mayor, Cllr Sagheer Zaman, for choosing Warrington VIP as one of his charities this year. We hope to see lots of our supporters there! 💙💛

30/09/2026

Today we were delighted to welcome our volunteers, trustees, home visitors and community partners to Warrington VIP for an informative and inspiring RNIB workshop.

A special thank you to Melissa from HomeInstead Warrington and lymm and Debbie from Vision Support Charity for joining us, alongside our fantastic VIP team and volunteers.

The session was led by Neil from RNIB’s Social Action Initiative, supported by volunteers Carl and Julia. Together, they helped us explore what sight loss really means, the different eye conditions that can affect vision, and how people with sight loss can continue to live confidently, independently and actively within their communities.

Did you know that 1 in 5 people will experience some form of sight loss during their lifetime? That’s 20% of us, making it highly likely that you know, work with, or are related to someone living with sight loss.

We also learned about RNIB’s new Social Action Community Group, which is encouraging communities to make small changes that can have a big impact on the lives of people with sight loss. Awareness is important, but taking action is what really makes a difference.

Simple acts can help create more accessible and inclusive communities, such as:

• Parking considerately and ensuring pavements remain accessible for all pedestrians
• Keeping pathways clear on bin collection days
• Letting someone with sight loss know the number of the bus that is approaching
• Offering assistance when appropriate and respecting independence
• Pushing your chair under the table to reduce the risk of tripping

These may seem like small changes, but they can make a huge difference to someone’s confidence, safety and ability to get around independently.

A huge thank you to Neil, Julia and Carl for delivering such an engaging workshop, and to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. By increasing awareness and encouraging positive action, together we can help create a more sight loss friendly Warrington.

We will be sharing more on how you can help soon!

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