A Warwickshire charity which has provided support to blind and partially sighted people for over a century is set to open a new base in the centre of Warwick.

Warwickshire Vision Support is currently renovating a unit in Market Place.

Founded in 1911, the charity works across right across the county to provide support for people adjusting to, or living with sight loss.

"A generous gift from a grateful service user a few years ago has enabled us to relocate from rented accommodation on an industrial estate to a more prominent and accessible location in Market Place," chief executive officer Keith Eales told Nub News. 

"This is part of our strategy to raise our profile and make people aware of the services we provide.

"We also hope the raised profile will also help us attract new volunteers, without whom we simply couldn't function."

Warwickshire Vision Support works will more than 3,500 in the county who have some sort of permanent visual impairment.

Many of these people are registered as sight impaired (partially sighted) or severely sight impaired (blind). 

Warwickshire Vision is moving to Market Place from an industrial estate base (image by James Smith)

Dame Judi Dench - who has sight loss from macular degeneration - is a patron of the charity.

"Our new space in Market Place will provide a range of facilities including a resource centre, where people can try (before they buy) adaptive equipment, and a training kitchen, where we will teach skills to keep people safe and independent at home," Keith continued. 

"We want to share our function room with charities, community groups and others who share our vision for collaborating to benefit the people and communities of Warwickshire.

"Away from the premises in Market Place, we also provide support at hospitals and other eye clinics, in community settings across Warwickshire, and in homes, where we teach mobility and other skills."

Warwickshire Vision Support runs support drop-ins in Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon, Rugby and Nuneaton all on a weekly basis.

Find out more on the website here.