Services we offer

Advice, support and help - along with colleagues from within the Local Authority Sensory Impairment Team, WDSA offers general information, help, advice and support on matters related to sight loss. This is available to the individual and their family/carers on the phone and via planned visits. We can also link you through to other local, regional and national support agencies.

Telephone advice/support - we provide a telephone advice service during office hours and a helpline on Monday mornings.

Parkside Centre - At our office at Parkside Centre (open Mon - Wed 9.30am to 1.30pm; Thurs for telephone contact only, Friday - closed) we have a range of specialist demonstration equipment available for people to try out (and order if they wish). On most Monday mornings, we have a specialist officer available to provide help and advice. Please ring for an appointment first.

Volunteers – we are developing befriending support for service users and also looking to build up fundraising supporter groups around the District to help us to raise much needed funds in aid of WDSA. Both schemes will be supported by our Volunteer & Event (fundraising) Coordinator.

Wakefield MDC Contract — WDSA has a Funding Agreement with WMDC to assess for, provide and advise on the use of certain safety equipment through our Home Visiting/Outreach support worker.

Equipment - Symbol canes, White Walking Sticks, Liquid Level Indicators, Tactile Marking and British Wireless for the Blind Fund equipment. We provide advice and information to assist users in purchasing other equipment, from a range of external suppliers, this includes, for example, talking watches/clocks, magnifiers and telephones.

We also provide advice on Talking Book type services and may be able to assist you with queries and repairs.

Coffee mornings
Our next dates are as follows, all events run from
10am until 12noon:

NEW! Saturday social group: Saturday 2nd February 11am – 1pm in the Learning Zone, Wakefield Library, Wakefield One, Burton Street, Wakefield, WF1 2DD. Free tea, coffee and biscuits! This is our first ever Saturday social in central Wakefield, and we will look to make it a regular event if it proves popular so please drop in and help us make it a great success!

Outwood: Parkside Centre, Leeds Road, Wakefield, WF1 2PN
Mondays: 4^th February, 4^th March, 1^st April (no May date due to Bank Holiday), 3^rd June, 1^st July

Horbury: Cluntergate Centre, Cluntergate, Horbury, WF4 5DA
Tuesdays: 15^th January, 12^th February, 12^th March, 9^th April, 14^th May, 11^th June

Pontefract: St.Giles’ Church, Market Place, Pontefract, WF8 1AT
Saturdays: 19^th January, 16^th February, 16^th March, 20^th April, 18^th May, 15^th June

Equipment Demonstration and Advice Days

The charity hold regular Equipment Demonstration and Advice Days at its centre in Outwood where people can come and try out equipment, get information, order items, meet others and learn about other issues, such as safety in the home.
Many other local service providers such as the Deaf Society, Healthwatch Wakefield and equipment suppliers also join us on a regular basis.
The Days are open to all members of the public involved with sight loss issues.

Wakefield District Sight Aid’s popular demonstration days will take place on the following Mondays:

• 28th January 2019
• 29th April 2019
• 15th July 2019
• 4th November 2019

All the events are 10.30am to 2.00pm and held at the Parkside Centre, Leeds Road, Outwood, Wakefield, WF1 2PN
(attached to Parkside Methodist Church)

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Demonstration Days are open to ALL members of the public, whether you are visually impaired or not. We have a full range of equipment on show which you can try out and then discuss options with experienced staff and volunteers. We look forward to seeing you soon.