Providing activity packs for people with sensory loss

A grant from the Community Fund set up by Cheshire West and Chester Council company Vivo Care Choices has helped the Deafness Support Network put together activity packs so people with sensory loss can keep occupied throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

DSN, which was founded in 1976, works towards a world where people with sensory loss can communicate effectively and live healthy, independent and fulfilling lives. It provides a wide range of support and services for deaf, deafblind and people with a visual impairment in Cheshire and the surrounding areas.

Like many other charities and community groups, the way DSN delivers its services has changed over the last couple of months because of the pandemic.

With support from Vivo’s Community Fund, DSN has produced activity packs and delivered them to people with sensory loss isolating at home. While some people have completed their packs on their own, others have been supported by their carers.

One person who receives support from DSN said: “I was pleasantly surprised when I received my first activity pack in the post.

“It was something to enjoy at a difficult and worrying time for everyone. Having something to distract me from COVID-19 and keep me occupied was perfect.

“The pack with the watercolour paints was ideal for me because I love painting.

“I’ve also been receiving weekly calls from Carol at DSN and have been getting to know her better.

“I’d like to thank DSN and everyone else who has been involved with putting these packs together.”

Alistair Jeffs, Managing Director of Vivo, added: “The reason we set up our Community Fund was to support worthy initiatives that make a huge difference to the people they support.

“COVID-19 has changed the way we all live our lives and it’s clear these activity packs have been really useful for people who now have more time on their hands at home.

“It’s great to see so many people using the packs as they’ve no doubt been helpful for their health and wellbeing.”

The Community Fund is worth £20,000 in total and has been split into two rounds of applications, with around £12,000 handed out so far and a second round of applications planned for September 2020. Full details for the second round of applications in September will be available in the coming months.

For more information about Vivo and its range of different services, visit: vivocarechoices.co.uk.

Pictured - The Deafness Support Network prepare the activity packs ready to be distributed.