A Black Country sight loss charity is calling on businesses to come forward and sponsor a charity ball to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
Beacon Centre for the Blind is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025 and is asking Black Country businesses to support a charity ball to help continue their vital services.
The charity which supports people living with a range of sight conditions across the Black Country is marking their 150th anniversary with a glittering charity ball together at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton on Friday 19th September.
The charity has a number of sponsorship opportunities on offer including corporate VIP packages, event programme and entertainment sponsorship as well as headline partnership opportunities.
More than 37,000 people across the Black Country are affected by sight loss and sight conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, tunnel vision and glaucoma.
Beacon’s vision is a society where individuals value and protect their sight and where visual impairment does not limit or determine opportunity.
In addition to the ball, the charity Fundraising activities taking place throughout 2025 include a loose change appeal, Easter raffle, colour run and bright for sight event to ensure the vital support they provide to those with sight loss can continue.
Over the last 12 months Beacon has run 280 activity sessions including bowling, swimming, cookery and pottery in addition to facilitating 180 employment and skills referrals to help individuals secure meaningful work and financial independence.
Beacon Centre for the Blind chief executive Lisa Cowley Helen said:
“We have been supporting people living with sight loss since 1875. From teaching blind people to read and write through braille in the 1800’s to training in modern manufacturing techniques today, we help people in the Black Country and Staffordshire to live well with sight loss.
“Our yearlong programme of fundraising to celebrate our 150th year will allow us to continue providing support to the sight loss community for another 150 years.
“Our charity ball will be a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our achievements, our volunteers and the businesses and individuals who support Beacon.”
Labour Party politician and first blind cabinet minister, Lord David Blunkett congratulated Beacon Centre for the Blind on their 150th anniversary:
“Congratulations to the Beacon Centre for the Blind on 150 years of support and outreach to thousands of blind and partially sighted men and women. I was very pleased, some years ago, to be able to visit and learn more about the work at the centre.
“The late, and much lamented, Dennis Turner – who was one of Wolverhampton’s Members of Parliament, but importantly a local figure and driving force of note – was a tremendous advocate and never let a time go by when he didn’t remind me of what was taking place in the community he loved.
“I am so pleased that this anniversary will be celebrated properly, and I offer my thanks to everyone engaged in this venture and in promoting this milestone.”
If you would like more information on Beacon’s charity ball please contact: Gemma Hall ghall@beaconvision.org or 01902 880 111.
https://beaconvision.org/