Group's centenary gets a royal touch
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- Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 20:40:36 -0400
Bradford Telegraph Argus (UK)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Group's centenary gets a royal touch
By Newsdesk
Caption: The Duke of Gloucester, second right, meets association chairman Frank
Wells, left, and Kevin Baldwin
Centenary celebrations at Keighley Blind Centre have been given the royal touch.
The Duke of Gloucester visited the Keighley and District Association for the
Blind yesterday to unveil a plaque celebrating 100 years since its
establishment.
His visit also marked the official opening of the Lena Anderton Room, created
with money left to the association in a member's will.
The Duke, who has had problems with sight all his life, said that without his
glasses he "really gets an idea of what it is like to not know what's going on"
and sympathised with this situation.
He said: "Blindness is something that is alarming for any of us that try to
think of life without sight.
"Understanding and experience, the right equipment and right technology allows
many people to live a relatively normal life."
He told the association that it was a pleasure for him to come to Keighley, and
he commended the organisation on its work.
"It needs organisation and it takes volunteers to make an organisation like
this work. I wish you luck for your next 100 years," said the Duke, who is 18th
in line to the throne.
Kevin Baldwin, chief executive of Keighley and District Association for the
Blind, said the Duke's visit would help to raise its profile in the community.
He said: "I think it is an honour to have the Duke of Gloucester visit us in
our centenary year.
"From a charity point of view it is always prestigious to have a royal come.
"To last a hundred years it is about being in touch with the needs of blind
people.
"If you do not do that, you lose you purpose really. We visit people in their
homes and see what their needs are.
"We would like to think we are doing that, and that is why people keep coming
back to us."
The centre - based in Scott Street - gives help and support to blind and
partially-sighted people across the area.
As well as a £6,000 Braille transcription service, new computer equipment and a
shop which provides items like talking clocks and watches, the centre has its
new meeting room dedicated to a former member, Lena Anderton.
Miss Anderton, who was partially sighted and used to socialise at the centre,
left the association about £330,000 in her will.
Miss Anderton died in October 2004. Her carer Kathryn Barrett said she never
spent any money on herself, had never married and had no children, so had
decided to leave her money to the centre she so greatly enjoyed.
6:27pm Wednesday 24th October 2007
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/newsindex/display.var.1784141.0.groups_centenary_gets_a_royal_touch.php
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