Membership

Are you blind or partially sighted, over the age of 18 and live in East Sussex? Become a member of ESAB – members can benefit from our full range of services as well as receiving our seasonal bulletin – in a format of your choice. We don’t ask for proof of disability at point of registration, just a few simple questions and your contact information.

When joining, not only will you benefit from our full range of services, but become part of an enthusiastic, driven and member focused organisation, committed to providing members with unbeatable support, care and service.

Please call us on 01323 832 252 to become a member.

Leave a Legacy

Did you know that over 50% of all charities on the official register of charities are run entirely by volunteers?

One of ESAB’s volunteers visited a partially-sighted lady in Brighton called Margaret for five years. Margaret was so grateful that she left a very large sum of money to ESAB in her Will. This has made a massive difference to ESAB and enables us to improve and expand our services to people like Margaret. It may be that you know someone, a family member, friend or neighbour, who has a visual impairment as Margaret did. We would like, indeed ESAB was set up, to help people like that and we would like to think that you too would like to help such people.

ESAB helps blind and partially sighted people with training, advice and support in East Sussex including Brighton and Hove. We have offices in Hailsham and Hove, with a small but dedicated group of staff. However, ESAB relies for many of its services on volunteers.

To enable us to provide these services, we depend to a very large extent on voluntary donations and legacies. There are 800,000 people in the UK with a visual impairment – 6,500 in Sussex.  With all the pressures there are on our health and public services and with an aging population, more and more people, of all ages, rely on the services that ESAB provides.

We would love to be able to provide a greater range of services but do not currently have the resources to do so.  Maybe you could help us?

• Provide a county-wide home visiting service
• Give a better resources service in Brighton and Hove where there is a high level of need.
• Reach out to more people – at the moment we only have 1,700 people actually accessing our services

Any gift, big or small, helps make sure blind and partially sighted people in Sussex have the facilities and support to live their lives to the full.

• £500 would fund a home visitor for a blind person for 6 months
• £2,000 would support a social group giving advice and friendship to up to 50 people for a year
• £12,000 would provide an Aids and Equipment Officer helping blind people make the most of their lives for a year
• £25,000 would fund a full time low vision support worker giving training to partially sighted people across Sussex for a year

You Can Make A Difference – Will You?

Any legacy (however small) to ESAB will be greatly appreciated by ESAB but more importantly by people like Margaret who receive its services.

It is strongly recommended that you seek the advice of a solicitor or other professional adviser before you make, or (if you have already made one) amend, a Will.

Gifts can be for a specific amount, or for the balance or a percentage of it after all the other gifts you wish to make have been specified. You can also leave possessions for use by the charity or even other possessions such as a work of art which the charity can sell and use the proceeds.

If you would like to discuss anything raised or referred to in this leaflet, please contact in the first instance our Chief Executive.

You can download a ‘Specimen to Codicil Will’ document by clicking on this link.

Donating

ESAB needs to raise £300,000 a year to continue providing services for people who are blind or partially sighted and living in East Sussex. Raising money is challenging at the moment so we seek to raise funds from lots of different sources including donations from individuals, applications to grant-making Trusts and Foundations, fundraising events and contracts from East Sussex County Council.

Making a one-off or regular donation will help ESAB to continue our work with local people who are blind or partially sighted.

Why not fundraise?

ESAB has been supported by all sorts of wonderful fundraisers over the years. Some people have hosted raffles and tea parties while others have jumped out of planes and trekked across the desert! There are countless ways to raise money for charity: you can challenge yourself or play to your strengths, or just have a fun time while helping other people.

If you’d like to do something to support ESAB then please contact our office using these details:

Email: info@eastsussexblind.org
Phone:  01323 832 252

The Friends of ESAB are a group of dedicated volunteers who organise fundraising events throughout the year to support ESAB. Please contact our office if you’re interested in coming to a Friends of ESAB fundraiser as these particular events are ticketed.

Below is the full list of events that ESAB will be taking part in throughout the year.

Events & Fundraisers

Saturday 17^th June

Hadlow Down Village Fayre – Outreach Vehicle
Tinkers Park
Uckfield
TN22 4ES

Saturday 22^nd July

Eastbourne PRIDE – Outreach Vehicle, with Eastbourne Blind Society
Princes Park
Eastbourne
BN22 7LL

Sunday 23^rd July

Hailsham Lions’ Fun Day – Outreach Vehicle
The Recreation Ground
Western Road
Hailsham
BN27 3DY

Wednesday 2^nd August

Wealden District Council summer activity day – Outreach Vehicle
Goldsmith Recreation Ground
Eridge Road
Crowborough
TN6 2TN

Friday 4^th August

Wealden District Council summer activity day – Outreach Vehicle
Wannock Road Recreation Ground
Polegate
BN26 5JG

Wednesday 9^th August

Wealden District Council summer activity day – Outreach Vehicle
Sheepsetting Lane Recreation Ground
Heathfield
TN21 0XG

Saturday 9^th September
Pop-Up Italian café – Friends of ESAB Fundraiser
St Augustine’s Hall
St Augustine’s Close
Bexhill
TN39 3AZ

Monday 18^th September

National Eye Health Week – information day
St George’s Church
St George’s Road
Brighton
BN2 1ED

Saturday 11^th November

Concert at Herstmonceux Castle – Friends of ESAB Fundraiser
Herstmonceux Castle
Herstmonceux
BN27 1RN