iSightCornwall has been awarded funding by local water supplier, South West Water to help tackle the loneliness epidemic amongst those in the county who are blind or visually impaired.

The charity, which is the oldest in Cornwall, has been working throughout the pandemic to offer help and support to blind and visually impaired people. One of the many ways they have done this is with their new My Friend befriending service and their Living Needs services.

These two services will now be able to continue to grow thanks to grant funding from South West Water’s Neighbourhood Fund, which was set up to support community groups and initiatives to improve the lives of residents in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.

During the Pandemic

iSightCornwall has felt a big hit during the pandemic, with elderly citizens who have been left alone without carers or family members relying on the support of their team.

This includes the organisation’s commitment to providing face-to-face contact where needed since September.

This work is clearly needed as nearly two-thirds of disabled people have experienced chronic loneliness during lockdown.

The charity’s virtual befriending has been needed by all age groups in a bid to combat the worrying trend of loneliness during the pandemic. The overwhelming support of volunteers has meant often they have been able to match volunteers and the recipients based on hobbies and interests for everyone to get the most out of the service.

South West Water’s Role

Keeping this the service going has included self-funding PPE and use of the flexi-furlough scheme, meaning iSightCornwall have been more reliant than ever on their volunteers, the admin of which will be paid for South West Water’s significant donation.

As a South West Water customer, Carole Theobald of iSightCornwall spotted the scheme in her newsletter.

Carole said: “South West Water’s Neighbourhood Fund is simply fantastic and it is commendable by such a large organisation.

“They are playing a vital role in local communities and I thought the structure of the application process was very good.

“We can’t imagine fundraising will happen for a while, so this very much came at the right time, thank you!”

Jo Ecroyd, Customer Service Director of South West Water, said: “We are thrilled to help such a fundamental organisation in Cornwall.

“They are a pillar to the county’s community and provide an invaluable service.

“The My Friend and Living Needs programmes are great initiatives which South West Water is proud to be aiding.”

To find more about iSightCornwall’s befriending service, click here to open information in a new tab.