Welcome to Carlisle Sight Support

Current opening hours are Wednesday and Thursday 11am - 3pm. You can also speak to someone or make an appointment by calling 01228 593104

Who we are

We are a local Registered Charity for visually impaired people and depend largely on donations and grants to carry out our work.

Vacancy

Carlisle Sight Support (Carlisle Society for the Blind)
Charity No. 1203340

Vision Support Officer
18.5 hours per week worked over 2 to 3 days.
Actual salary £12,000 per annum + 7% pension contribution

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the right candidate to join the team at Carlisle Sight Support.
In this role, you will be providing information, advice and practical and emotional support to visually impaired people in our community.
This is a wonderful opportunity, and the successful candidate will be providing invaluable support for our members to assess and meet their needs and build independence and resilience.

An awareness of sight loss conditions is desirable but not essential.
You will need to have good communication skills and an empathic nature. As well as a good standard of administration and IT skills, which are required for this role as you will be creating and maintaining client records.

You will also build relationships and links with other organisations, promote the service and provide wider and meaningful opportunities for our members.
The ability to travel throughout Carlisle to support our clients is also essential.
To apply for this vacancy please submit a CV and covering letter in person or by post to Mark Costello. Carlisle Sight Support. 9 Brunswick Street, Carlisle, CA1 1PB. Or you can send via email to carlisleblindsociety@gmail.com

Closing date for applications is Monday 1st September 2025.
Interview date: tbc

What's On! 
...Come along to one of our get togethers and activities.

Support Group Meeting Dates

Glaucoma Group - at Carlisle Sight Support, 9 Brunswick Street, Carlisle 
Tuesday at 10.30am on August 26th

Macular Group - at Vineyard Hub, Lorne Street, Denton Holme, CA2 5DU
Second Thursday of the month at 11am to 12.30 (except January and August) Run by the Macular Society

Regular Activities

Coffee time at number 9 at Carlisle Sight Support, 9 Brunswick Street, Carlisle
Thursday at 11am - 12 noon on August 7th

Brampton Tea & Chat at St Martins Cottage, Brampton
Tuesday at 11am - 12 noon on August 12th 
                                                                                                             
Gourmet Gossip lunch club at Carlisle Sight Support, 9 Brunswick St. Carlisle
Thursday at 11am - 1pm on July 17th, August 21st

Dalston Tea & Chat at the Victory Hall, The Green, Dalston
Friday at 11am - 12 noon on July 25th, August 29th, 

Goalball
Have a go at this fast-paced inclusive sport.
St. James Parish Hall, Denton Holme, Carlisle
Thursday 1pm - 2pm on July 31st, August 28th

Tech for All
Join Steve from Lakes Vision to get help, information or guidance on mobile phones, tablets and PC’s.

Every week on Friday 10am - 12 noon 
at Carlisle Sight Support, 9 Brunswick St. Carlisle
Call Steve on: 07360 091312 

Training and Learning

Living Well with Sight Loss -  Join us for 2 x 2 hour session. This free, informal course aims to help you increase your independence, boost your confidence and connect with others to share experiences. 
Next sessions TBC in Autumn.

Who we support

We work with blind and partially sighted people of all ages. We endeavour to work together to promote independence, choice and confidence and aim to provide the services our members tell us they require. Watch Raymond below as he gets out on a bike .

If you would like to support us with a financial donation, please find details of how you can do this HERE 

Have a Go session

Carlisle Sight Support teamed up with Carlisle United Community Sports Trust to deliver a Goalball inclusive sports session.

Listen to the BBC report below. If you are interested in finding out more about opportunities like this, please give us a call.

Priority Services Register

Carlisle Sight Support have teamed up with Northern Gas Networks and Leeds Community Fund to encourage our members to sign up to the Priority Services Register with their energy company. If you have a disability or illness which means you might struggle without your electricity, water or gas supply, even for a few hours, it’s a good idea to get added to your supplier’s Priority Services Register. To find out more and to register, go to: https://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/network-supply/priority-customers/ 

Carlisle See/Hear

Carlisle Sight Support partnered up with Some local Carlisle writers to put together a selection of short stories and poetry, narrated by the authors themselves. You can listen to all on Spotify HERE. Or at Facebook  - Carlisle See/Hear | Facebook 

Donors and Funders

As well as our kind donors, we have also been supported by Cumberland Council , Cumbria Community Foundation, The Hadfield Trust, The Albert Hunt Trust, The National Lottery Community Fund, HM Government/National Lottery - Covid 19 Emergency Fund, The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund, Leeds Community Foundation, Lakes and Dales COOP, The Arnold Clark Community Fund, Screw Fix Foundation, W.G. Edwards Charitable Foundation, The Fibrus Fund, Home Instead Charities, Travel Actively Grant (Active Cumbria), The Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 

Our Society was formed in 1992 and in March 1993 we opened our Resource Centre in Finkle Street and our present Resource Centre opened in Sept 1996 thanks to a lottery grant. In 2024 we converted into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Charity No. 1203340