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Chair: Diane de Jersey, Vice Chair: Jim Cantle, Secretary: Jim Finch, Treasurer: Malik Javed, Members: Lisa Berry, Barbara Govey, Keith de Jersey, Dee Jethwa, Umran Rauf
Enfield Vision full membership is free for visually impaired people. Enfield Vision honorary membership is free for supporters, carers and family members of visually impaired people.
Enfield Vision welcomes donations, no matter how small, as these help fund its activities for visually impaired people.
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to our newsletter volume 48 to keep you updated on Enfield Vision's activities for the year 2024.
I am pleased to report that Thursday Drop‑in Mornings at Park Avenue Resource Centre are going on as usual. David Marke, Enfield Council Senior Rehab officer, regularly attends the drop‑ins to provide you advice and support and follow up assessment, if you are in need of it. Dee Churchill is providing gentle exercises at the drop‑ins and Patrcia Tanner is offering the healing therapy to our members.
I am pleased to report that Enfield Vision has received a grant of £2,500 from John Lewis Partnership Community Matters Grant for our Thursday Drop‑ins for the year 2024.
Enfield Vision's 25th Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 20th June 2024 at 12:00 noon at Park Avenue Resource Centre after Drop‑in Morning activities. AGM notice is included in this newsletter.
Please come and join the AGM to find out the performance of your charity during the previous year, and if you wish you can join the management committee to play an active role in running the affairs of the charity.
I am pleased to highlight that Enfield Vision's annual Focus Day will be held on Thursday 17th October 2024 at Community House, 311 Fore Street, Edmonton, N9 0PZ. Please note this date for your diary. We are putting a lot of efforts to make the event success so that our members can benefit from the equipment and gadgets exhibited at the event. Please don't miss it.
We are going through a difficult time where the voluntary sector is shrinking gradually due to lack of funding for the voluntary sector. It has come to our attention at the same time that some of the services offered to the visually impaired people in London Borough of Enfield may be withdrawn due to dwindling numbers of service users.
James Finch has done a real hard work to write a detailed list of all the groups and services which are still available to visually impaired people in this borough. Please peruse the Jim's article and make use of these services as much as you can.
Finally, Enfield Vision's management committee has decided that we arrange Summer Day Trips for our members. The cost of the Day Trips will be paid by Enfield Vision. Nevertheless, it will be offered on first come first served basis. Please don't delay to contact the Enfield Vision office if you are interested to join the trip.
We have received preliminary information that Enfield Council is increasing our office rent by 47%. Enfield Voluntary Action on our behalf is trying to negotiate this matter with Enfield Council as it will badly affect our finances. We may cease to exist within couple of years if we cannot afford the office rent. Whatever the outcome, we will update you in the next newsletter.
I look forward to see you at the 25th Annual General Meeting on 20th June 2024 at Park Avenue Resource Centre.
Diane de Jersey
Dear Colleagues,
You are invited to the 25th AGM of Enfield Vision which will be held on Thursday 20th June 2024 at Park Avenue Resource Centre, 65c Park Avenue, Bush Hill Park, Enfield, EN1 2HL, between the hours of 12:00 noon and 1:30 pm.
If you would like to receive an AGM pack, a copy of the minutes of AGM 2023 and a nomination form, please contact the office. If you are a full member of Enfield Vision, you can propose to nominate and elect the Honorary Officers and Members of the Executive Committee in the AGM.
In addition to the formal business, we will as usual provide refreshments. Please see below the agenda of the 25th Annual General Meeting.
Yours sincerely
James Finch
Secretary
Enfield Vision has arranged two Day Trips for its members for the year 2024. We will be hiring a seventeen‑seater van from Community Transport Waltham Forest. There will be no charge to our members for joining the trip as each trip's cost will be paid by Enfield Vision from its funds. However, if you miss the trip on the day of departure, you may be barred from joining any future trips arranged by Enfield Vision.
Please note that the places would be offered on first come first served basis. The day trips details are as follows:
Wednesday 19th June Broadstairs
Pick‑up time 9:00 am Enfield Town Station
Leave Broadstairs 4:30 pm
Return Enfield Town about 6:30 pm
Wednesday 17th July Southend‑on‑Sea
Pick‑up time 9:00 am Enfield Town Station
Leave Southend‑on‑Sea at 4:00 pm
Return Enfield Town about 5:30 pm
If you want to join a day trip outlined above, please contact our office at 020 8373 6260 and leave your name and contact number or send us an email at information at enfieldvision dot org dot uk as early as possible.
On 1st April 2023, at the beginning of the financial year 2023/24, Enfield Vision had an opening balance of £32,055. On 31st March 2024, at the end of the financial year, we had a closing balance of £37,258.
Enfield Vision's closing balance shows a net increase of £5,202, mainly accrued due to a grant of £2,500 received in January 2024 from John Lewis Partnership Community Matters Grant for Enfield Vision's Thursday Drop‑in Mornings for the year 2024. Further to that, Enfield Vision's office rent for the last quarter could not be paid to the Enfield Council due to closure of Enfield Vision's bank accounts by Barclays Bank, as mentioned previously.
I outline below the summary of Enfield Vision Income and Expenditure during the year 2023/24.
During the year 2023/24 we managed to raise a total income of £13,508 as detailed below:
Grants:
We received £2,500 from John Lewis Partnership Community Matters Grant and a grant of £50 from Middlesex Association for the Blind.
£2,550
Donations:
We received £3,760 in donations. It includes a specific donation of £3,200 from Edmonton Conservative Club and a donation of £500 from Waitrose & Partners, Green Lanes, Winchmore Hill.
£3,760
Collections:
We collected £6,424 by our fundraising collections at various TfL Underground stations and from three collection boxes placed at three shops, The Goat Pub, Chick King Fast Food Takeaway and Osman Stores, Edmonton. An amount of £143 was raised from a raffle draw at our Christmas Party.
£6,424
Bank interest:
We earned an interest of £153 on our Business Saving Account.
£153
Card readers:
We raised £273 using two card readers.
£273
Total income:
£13,508
During the year 2023/24 Enfield Vision spent £8,305 on all expenditure heads. The details are as follows:
Office rent and service charges:
We paid £2,948 on office rent and service charges for three quarters of the year 2023/24.
£2,948
Park Avenue Drop‑in expenses:
We spent £905 on Park Avenue Sessional Workers, room booking and refreshments.
£905
Office Running Costs:
We spent £4,453 on Enfield Vision's office running cost i.e. telephone and broadband bill, office supplies, transport cost and postage, annual insurance, refreshments, taxi fare, account examination fee.
£4,453
Total
£8,305
Enfield Vision does not have any staff costs as all the activities outlined above are carried out by management committee members which enable us to run the charity at the minimum cost.
Enfield Council is increasing our annual rent by 47% from the current year. Our office rent will increase from £3,930 to £5,777 per annum. We estimate that Enfield Vision may need £12,800 for annual budgeted costs for the year 2024/25 as detailed below:
Capital cost computer accessories software upgrade
£1,000
Park Avenue Drop‑in Morning activities reflexologist, sessional workers payments, Park Avenue Centre room hire and refreshments.
£1,800
Community House office rent service charges for the year 2024/25
£6,000
Enfield Vision office running cost i.e. telephone broadband bills, insurance fee, office supplies, refreshments, account examination fee, taxi fares, transport and postage.
£4,000
Total
£12,800
Enfield Vision is primarily run by its fundraising efforts i.e. small grants, collections and donations. We currently hold £1,800 John Lewis Partnership Community Matters Grant, but we will have to raise £11,000 during the year 2024/25 by fundraising efforts.
During the year 2024/25 we estimate that Enfield Vision may raise £6,000 from TfL Underground stations. Still there will be a shortfall of £5,000 in the Enfield Vision annual estimated income that we together have to raise to fulfil the annual estimated costs. We would appreciate if anyone could help raise these much‑needed funds.
Finally, Enfield Vision's accounts are scrutinised every year by an independent accountant. The copies of the scrutinised accounts are available from Enfield Vision's office; please contact our office if you need a copy.
People suffering with sight loss residing in the London Borough of Enfield are aware that there are not much service provisions for them. However, what is provided may disappear very soon if not used, due to falling numbers and shirking local authority funding for these groups. Some of the services and groups are listed below for your attention.
Enfield Vision's Drop‑in Mornings are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Park Avenue Resource Centre, 65c Park Avenue, Bush Hill Park, Enfield, EN1 2HL, between the hours of 10:00 am until 1:00 pm.
You are invited to join us for a cup of tea, coffee and biscuits with the opportunity to speak to Diane de Jersey, Chair Enfield Vision. You can meet the Enfield Council Senior Rehab officer, David Marke, who demonstrates small useful equipment; various talking gadgets to help in making your daily living easier. You can join the gentle exercises with Dee Churchill, and Healing Therapy by Patricia Tanner. All are welcome and you don't need to book your place to attend the drop‑ins.
If you want to travel to Park Avenue Resource Centre by public transport, St Stephens Church is the nearest bus stop at a distance of 30 metres from Park Avenue Resource Centre, it is served by bus route W8 and bus route 329. Stop at the Church stop. Anyone travelling by train may take bus route W8 outside Edmonton Green Railway Station or Enfield Town Railway Station.
Some of Enfield Vision's members take part in playing Bowls which are played throughout the year. We play on Thursday afternoons from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm, if you are interested. Bowls matches are played as scheduled below:
Summer: Bowls matches are played outdoors at Pymmes Park Bowls Club, Victoria Road, Edmonton, N9 9SU.
Winter: Bowls matches are played indoors at David Lloyd Leisure Centre, Carterhatch Lane, Enfield, EN1 4LF.
I may update you here that the Enfield Visually Impaired Bowls Club has now moved outside for the summer season, and we are now playing at Pymmes Park Bowls Club.
It is an easy game to play and we have a lot of fun. We will provide training and equipment, plus you don't necessarily need any sight to play. If we receive enough interest, we can lay on an open day with lunch.
I regret to say here that the Bowls group have also seen their numbers dropping since COVID‑19 and we would like to invite new members to come along and give it a try. Why not come and join us. We finish with tea and biscuits or a drink from the bar. Its lovely being on the green in the sunshine. Friends and partners also welcome. Contact Jim for more information on 07919 277890.
Did you know that Enfield Talking Newspaper service is provided weekly for people with sight loss. The talking newspaper contains articles of your interest and about local news. Enfield Talking Newspaper is provided on a USB memory stick and delivered at your home address by post under Article for the Blind label. Enfield Talking Newspaper also provide a magazine audio CD disk twice a year. There is no cost for joining this service and if you don't have a player for listening to the memory stick, I believe Enfield Talking Newspaper have a few spares with smart speakers, for those who don't have one.
Becoming a member is easy and there is no cost involved, so please contact Diane de Jersey on her mobile 07899 854582 for joining the Enfield Talking Newspaper. I believe that you should be able to access the Enfield Talking Newspaper by asking Amazon Alexa app as well.
The Geranium Club is a social club run for visually impaired people in Enfield on every alternate Tuesday afternoon in the Enfield Baptist Church, Cecil Road, Enfield, EN2 6TG, between the hours of 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm.
The club provides you a chance to befriend with other visually impaired people living in the surrounding area. You are offered tea, coffee with cakes plus good entertainment. Theatre trips and daytrips are organised throughout the year. Transport is offered for members who are picked up from home and dropped off home later in the afternoon.
The Merrion Club is also a social club run for people with sight loss and provides the same sort of activities as the Geranium Club, but runs on every other Tuesday evening from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm, transport is provided to the members who are picked up from home and dropped off home afterwards. The club meetings are held at the New Options Adult Day Care Centre, 25 Connop Road, Enfield, EN3 5FB.
Please note that New Options Hall, Connop Road is just behind the Albany Leisure Centre. Please come along for an enjoyable evening and you would be welcomed by the friendly members.
For further information and enquires about both the clubs, the Geranium Club and the Merrion Club, please call Sylvia Chapman on her mobile 07538 580161.
The Enfield Macula Society Support Group runs a monthly drop‑in morning on the second Wednesday of the month at Trinity Church, Church Street, Enfield, EN2 6AN.
They have Speakers, various entertainers, plus refreshments and an opportunity to meet with other people with the similar eye condition causing the sight loss. For further information and enquires about the Enfield Macula Society Support Group, please contact Alan Newson on 020 8886 5659. Please note that transport is not provided to attend the club.
For more information about any of the above activities please call Jim Finch on 07919 277890.
Held at Park Avenue Disability
Resource Centre, 65c Park Avenue,
Bush Hill Park, Enfield, EN1 2HL
Drop-ins run from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Thursday Drop-ins at Park Avenue 2024:
We are a self-help group run by volunteers who are blind or partially sighted.
The group aims to promote awareness and understanding of the needs of visually impaired people resident in London Borough of Enfield.
Please call us at the Enfield Vision office if you want:
