Carol is one of SRSB’s clients who has been with us for around 2 years since moving to the area. She embraces lots of our services and is also a very passionate supporter and volunteer too. Carol was blind from birth, and is an amazing mentor for lots of people including SRSB’s Youth Club where she volunteers.  Carol speaks so enthusiastically about our services, and this comes from her involvement with several groups. She walks with the Sheffield Visually Impaired Walking Group, attends the Activities Centre, writes with our Creative Writing Group, sings with our SRSB Singing Group and goes on a variety of trips with our Culture Club, who visit the theatre, museums, stately homes and gardens etc.

But Carol’s involvement isn’t limited to being an active service user, she has become a volunteer which means that she also supports other clients. She is running a very popular Reminiscence Group with some of our older clients, who have been involved in research at the Sheffield Museums and with Sheffield Hallam University. She also supports the Youth Club and encourages the group to get involved in different activities. 

As a supporter, Carol has given back to our charity by attending fundraising events, enjoying Pub Quizzes, a Night at the Races and Flower Arranging events.

In 2016 she was one of 6 blind and partially sighted people who trained and then took part in a Velodrome Challenge, organised by one of our other supporters raising over £1,700 in total for SRSB. 

The group visited Manchester’s National Cycling Centre to train for several weeks, which culminated in the challenge taking place in November. Each rider (stoker) had a sighted pilot and rode a tandem, with 2 on the track at a time, in 10 minute sessions, over 1 hour. The group covered an incredible 63km over the hour. 

Carol recently featured on a movie that Sheffield Hallam University students filmed for SRSB and when asked for a comment about our charity she said: “Thank you SRSB, you have put into my life what I needed and you have made my life complete.”