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Happy New Year!
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The year has certainly started at a lively pace!
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Our President, Belinda, has been out and about in the local community, delivering two wonderful talks; one at Buckden Church and another at Meridian Lodge. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to both venues for their warm welcome, generous support, and kind donations.
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Our social groups have also been off to a fantastic start, with a fascinating visit from Susan from the Norris Museum in St Ives. She brought along a box of intriguing historical objects, giving each of our clubs the chance to enjoy a hands-on object handling session. These meetings were lively, interactive, and thoroughly enjoyable, sparking plenty of conversation and curiosity all round.
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Finally, if you’re shopping in Waitrose, don’t forget to pick up your green token and pop it into the box for Hunts Blind. We’re delighted to be a featured charity this quarter at both the St Ives and St Neots stores; every token really does make a difference.
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For more regular updates follow us on Facebook!
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Our newsletter is also available in an audio format, which you can access below.
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Adlam & Coomber
Back in December our Executive Manager Beccy and Fundraiser Alex were invited to visit Adlam & Coomber Optometrists in St Neots because, very excitingly, they have chosen Hunts Blind to be their charity of the year for 2026!
After meeting with Director Nichola Mason and her lovely team, Beccy and Alex were taken for a demonstration of their equipment by Paaras Shah, Optometrist and Co-Director.
During the visit, Beccy had an eye examination with Paaras.
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Beccy said: ‘Paaras took so much time to explain what he was doing, I didn’t feel rushed or pressured - and the chairs were very comfy!’
One of the most impressive pieces of equipment Beccy got to test was their Optomap retinal imaging machine. This revolutionary technology takes an ultra-wide image of the retina and helps to detect potential problems at an early stage.
As well as making a generous donation to kick-start the year, Adlam & Coomber will also be doing some exciting fundraising throughout the year. We’ll be sharing more details soon!
“We are very excited to be working with Hunts Society for the Blind. We see first hand the amazing difference the charity makes to peoples lives through their caring support and expert help, whether through visual aids or just someone to talk to”.
Paaras continues “We look forward to being able to help them continue their incredible work supporting Huntingdonshire to minimise the impact of vision loss”.
Find out more about Adlam & Coomber here!
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New Years Eve Disco
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The Great Staughton New Years Eve party, organised by Hunts Blind member, Andy Prince, and supporter, Stephen Hoy, was a great success with £315.00 raised for the Society. We would like to say a huge thank you to Andy and Stephen for their support and for raising funds for Hunts Society for the Blind.
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Andy & Stephen would like to thank everyone who purchased a ticket, with a super special thank you for the clean up crew who managed only a few hours’ sleep to help clear up the hall on New Years Day.
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Thanks also to Lynne Anne Windle for the endless patience, support, and decorations and to Kevin at The Crown, Little Staughton, for providing the ale.
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A wonderful night was had by all. The hall is already booked for New Years Eve 2026. We will provide more details for this year’s event later in the year.
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Optalec Day
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Optelec Clinic Ben Harrison returns to Hunts Blind on the 5th of March to run the Optelec Low Vision Clinic. Try out products like the Orcam pen and screen readers and get one-to-one advice for you or your family.
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You’re welcome to bring along a friend, carer or family member to your appointment.
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Social Clubs
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Stay up to date with our upcoming social activities by visiting our website here. Our monthly clubs in St Ives, St Neots, Huntingdon, and Ramsey offer members a chance to connect, socialise, and build friendships in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. At each session there is entertainment, light refreshments, and transportation when needed, for a small fee.
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Equipment
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We can supply and set up a variety of equipment, designed to assist those experiencing sight loss. From practical items like lamps, magnifiers, and over-specs to kitchen aids such as talking scales, microwaves, and liquid level indicators, we're here to help.
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Visit us at 8 St Mary’s Street, Huntingdon, or contact us for advice and demonstrations.
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200 Club
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The 200+ Club Lottery Scheme raises funds for the Society and gives our supporters the chance to win a monthly cash prize.
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The winners of January's draw are:
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1st prize - £25 – Mr G Mack
2nd prize - £15 – Mrs B Yare
3rd prize - £10 – Mr D Atkinson
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Member News
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The following members are celebrating a special birthday in February:
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Ms M Brady, Mrs M Crook, Mrs A Luntz, Mrs F Quinn, and Mrs B Wallace
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We are sorry to report the deaths of the following members:
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Mr Christopher Critchley, Mr Richard Fox, Mrs Eileen Barber, Mrs Patricia Laing, and Mr Ronald Maith (ex-trustee)
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Upcoming dates:
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Coffee Morning is the 2nd Friday of each month at Huntingdon Library.
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The next one is on Friday 13th February - 10.00-12.00
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Optalec Day 5th March, contact the office to make an appointment.
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For more details of all our fundraising events please click here!
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Useful Information:
Join your local Officer at the
Broadway Cellars, St Ives for Coffee with a Cop, 10th February at 11.00am-1.00pm.
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Hunts Community Cancer Network, have a monthly drop-in morning in St Ives at the Burleigh Hill Community Centre, the next one is 18th February 10.00am-1.00pm.
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