Local sight loss charity pulling out all the stops to make double the difference this Small Charity Week

Credit: Sight Support Derbyshire

Local sight loss charity pulling out all the stops to make double the difference this Small Charity Week.

Sight Support Derbyshire are taking part in the Big Give Small Charity Week campaign to raise £1,250 in just 1 week!

It’s all things double at Sight Support Derbyshire this week, with staff pulling out all the stops to raise as many donations as possible to support local older people living with sight loss who are feeling lonely and isolated.

Abigail Beaney, Fundraising and Marketing Lead at Sight Support Derbyshire, said: “We are thrilled to have been given this amazing opportunity to raise double donations towards our Befriending Project as part of the Big Give Small Charity Week campaign. It’s going to be a busy week letting everyone know that their generous donations can be doubled – but only for this week!”

Following a competitive application process, Sight Support Derbyshire has been selected to take part in the Big Give Small Charity Week Campaign. With 1,108 small charities applying from across the country, Sight Support Derbyshire were one of just 257 chosen to benefit from this match funding campaign.

All donations made to the campaign will be used for Sight Support Derbyshire’s Befriending project.

Loneliness can often go hand in hand with sight loss, especially in older people who may have other health or mobility issues which can further contribute to feelings of isolation. Sight Support Derbyshire’s Befriending Project aims to address this by providing one to one befriending support. A trained befriending volunteer visits typically once a week for a chat, or calls on the telephone, breaking the silence and bringing the outside world in.

Feedback from the people who take part shows what a positive impact it has on local older visually impaired people: “At 2 o’clock on a Thursday afternoon, my doorbell goes and in comes my lifeline. Whoever put us together, they are an angel!”

“I really look forward to his visits as we always have a good chat. We have shared interests so there’s always plenty to talk about. I feel less lonely now I know I will have him visit me every Monday.”

Donations to Sight Support Derbyshire’s Befriending Project will be generously matched by the Postcode Places Trust, thanks to players of the Postcode Lottery – but only if they are made via the Big Give website between 12 noon on Monday 22nd June and 5pm on Monday 29th June 2026.

Abigail Beaney, Fundraising and Marketing Lead at Sight Support Derbyshire, said: “It’s actually quite fun making a donation and seeing it doubled before your eyes! For example, if you make a £10 donation it will be doubled to £20, and then if you’re a UK taxpayer it will also be eligible for Gift Aid. So a donation of £10 suddenly becomes £22.50!”

Kathy Kozlowski, Chief Executive Officer at Sight Support Derbyshire, said: “We are so grateful for this opportunity to raise extra funds to help visually impaired older people who are feeling isolated. Loneliness can have such a negative impact on wellbeing and it’s only thanks to the generosity of the public and the kindness of our volunteers that we are able to make a difference to people’s lives through our Befriending Project.

“We really hope that the generous people of Derby and Derbyshire will help us raise £1,250 in online donations which could mean we raise up to £2,500 by the end of Small Charity Week!”

How can you get involved?

• Visit the campaign page here and make a donation from noon on Monday 22nd June. The campaign will close at 5pm on Monday 29th June
• Hold a coffee morning, cake sale or dress down day and ask for all donations to be made to the campaign page here.