Published: Friday, 5th February, 2010 4:19pm

Cash drive marks 100 years of blind society

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We have lift off: From left, chief executive Tom Conlin, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire Mary Bayliss, Honorable Jessica White (president) and chairman Diarmid Williams OBE.

BERKSHIRE County Blind Society is celebrating 100 years of helping people with sight problems by asking companies to find 2,010 ways to support its work.

The society, which has clubs across the royal county, launched its centenary programme in Reading on Friday with its most ambitious fundraising drive ever aiming to raise a £210,000 "cushion" in the next year.

Chief executive Tom Conlin said the money is vital to continue to help the society's 2,100 members across Berkshire.

He said: "We are hugely thankful to all our volunteers because without them we wouldn't exist. Our aim in this centenary year is to raise £210,000 over and above normal fundraising activities to effectively provide one year's cushion against a background of increased demand for our services and deteriorating support from funding sources."

The society's three-pronged drive will involved approaching 100 Berkshire businesses to raise £2,010 each, it will ask members, staff and volunteers to raise or donate £21.10 each and it will invite Berkshire's 290 schools to adopt the BCBS as their charity for the year with each setting a target of £2,010.

Speaking at the launch attended by Mary Bayliss, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, Mr Conlin said: "In Berkshire there are 3,825 people who are registered blind or partially sighted and at the moment we're only reaching about two thirds of them, which is something we've got to do some more about in the next 10 years.

"We've commissioned Thames Valley University to carry out a study across Berkshire to talk to people with visual difficulties and from that study, we can build up a picture of what we do well and what we could do better."

If you are interested in joining the society or helping with the fund-raising, contact 0118 987 2803 or visit www.bcbs.org.uk