Local fundraisers pledge to complete 5K a day in support of sensory loss charity
Forth Valley Sensory Centre logo.
A team of fundraisers have pledged to complete five kilometres every day in May to raise funds for Forth Valley Sensory Centre.
The team of 17 people are running, walking and cycling the distance every day to support the centre to pay for extra summer activities for the people they support. The challenge was the brainchild of Forth Valley Sensory Centre sight loss ambassador Laura Cluxton, who represented Team Scotland in the Commonwealth Games. The team includes FVSC Chief Executive Jacquie Winning, as well as staff, trustees, volunteers, centre users and staff from Windsor Park School, and they have raised £2210 of their £2500 target.
Melissa, FVSC Youth and Family Support Worker with her fiance Michael walking at Linlithgow Loch on a sunny day. Linlithgow Castle is in the distance across the loch.
FVSC has supported people with sensory loss and their families who live in central Scotland, including Stirling and Clackmannanshire, for almost 20 years. It is as a community hub, offering support, advice, practical help, and social opportunities for people with sensory loss, their friends and families.
The centre has around 20,000 visitors every year and relies on community funding and donations to offer the range of added value services available. Its overall objective is to help people who have sensory loss to live as independently as possible, through activities, groups, and classes, including access to IT and tech support, cookery classes, visits to local accessible places of interest, BSL and lip-reading classes. The centre also offers volunteering opportunities to raise awareness of sensory loss and boost volunteer skills and confidence.
Matt Davies, chair of the Forth Valley Sensory Centre user group“I am both a volunteer and a service user having progressive sight loss. The centre provides a lifeline for people experiencing sensory loss and so when the opportunity arose to support the centre by doing 5K a day in May to raise funds for additional activities I jumped at the chance. I am a runner anyway but committing to do 5K a day takes me way beyond what I would usually do. It has been challenging, especially during the period of hot weather we have had lately. We are now over halfway through the month and the end is in sight. We are over 80% towards meeting our target of £2500, as a result of numerous generous donations from supporters of the centre. Many thanks to those who have supported us."
Laura Cluxton, Forth Valley Sensory Centre sight loss ambassador“It's a good challenge to take on and doable if you set your mind to it. Some days it's easy to reach your 5K goal and other days you have to push yourself. It's always good to raise much needed funds for the Centre so I was happy to get involved.”
Jacquie Winning, Forth Valley Sensory Centre chief executive“Huge thanks to everyone who has supported us so far with this challenge, either by taking part, donating or just cheering us on. As a charity, we rely on donations and fundraising from people who go the extra mile to support us and this challenge will help us pay for extra summer activities for the people we support, meaning we can do more to tackle loneliness and isolation and help people live their lives to the full.”
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