'Wonderful' new group set up in Portsmouth to support families with visually impaired children

A ‘WONDERFUL’ new group has launched to support Portsmouth families with visually impaired children.
20-month-old Nathan from Eastleigh with Nicky Wilmot at the Portsmouth Open Sight support group. Picture: Open Sight Hampshire20-month-old Nathan from Eastleigh with Nicky Wilmot at the Portsmouth Open Sight support group. Picture: Open Sight Hampshire
20-month-old Nathan from Eastleigh with Nicky Wilmot at the Portsmouth Open Sight support group. Picture: Open Sight Hampshire

Charity Open Sight Hampshire has branched out with an early years family support group at the Somers Town hub, which will provide sensory games and activities for children aged up to four as well as information and guidance for parents and carers.

Mum Sabrina Turner, from Eastleigh, has attended sessions with her 20-month-old son Nathan who has septo-optic dysplasia, a condition that means his optic nerve did not develop properly.

‘The group in Portsmouth has been wonderful,’ she said.

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‘Having a baby with sight loss can be incredibly difficult but the group has been so supportive. I’ve been able to talk to other parents who have similar challenges and realise that I am not alone.

‘We went to the first session and have kept coming back. Nathan was born in the first lockdown and so hasn’t had much interaction with others, but he loves the group and being with other children. We wouldn’t be without it now.’

The group meets on the second Friday of every month, with representatives from Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council also on hand to help.

Nicky Wilmot, a lead co-ordinator at Open Sight Hampshire, added: ‘Raising young children can be daunting and challenging for any parent but when the child has a visual impairment, it can make dealing with even everyday tasks, much harder.

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‘Our clients have reported that due to the pandemic, it has been extremely isolating for families who experience sight loss, so we wanted to provide a service where parents could feel supported, and their children could enjoy some exciting and fun activities they may not have done before.

‘The group has been very popular with families from all over Hampshire, with some travelling miles to attend; this proves how beneficial and needed this is.’

To find out more about the charity and its sessions visit opensight.org.uk. The Portsmouth group meets from 10.30am to 12pm on the second Friday of the month in room three at the Somers Town Central Community Hub, Winston Churchill Avenue.

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