Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore has visited local sight loss charity Sight Airedale to meet with the team and learn more about their work and future development plans.
As one of the oldest charities in the Keighley area, Sight Airedale has a long-standing history of supporting visually impaired people from the local community.
Established in the early 1900s and originally known as Keighley Institution for the Blind, the charity began as a space where blind people could go one evening a week for entertainment, including music and reading, and later learning skills such as knitting, basket work and Braille reading.
In 2007, then known as Keighley and District Association for the Blind, the charity celebrated its 100th year of supporting blind and partially sighted people in the local area. It then became Sight Airedale in 2011.
Today, the charity provides a wide range of services and resources for people with visual impairments, including social events, technology training sessions, an extensive audiobook library, and a daily living shop with over 150 sight loss aids and products.
During his visit, Mr Moore met with the Chairman, Manager and volunteers, praising the team for their hard work and dedication and paying tribute to the charity’s rich history within the town, as it prepares for its 120th year in 2027.
Commenting on the visit, David Ogden, Chairman of Sight Airedale, said:
“It was a pleasure to meet MP Robbie and his team. We were very pleased to show them the services we offer in our community and also inform him of our National Talking Books Service. If anyone is interested in joining our Board of Directors, please contact Sight Airedale on 01535 602354, Monday to Thursday, 9.30am–12.30pm.”
Robbie Moore MP also shared his thoughts:
“It was fantastic to visit Sight Airedale to meet with their brilliant team of volunteers and to learn more about the incredible work they do, as well as their plans for the future. The charity is an cornerstone of our town with over a century of history, and it continues to provide such vital support and guidance to local people living with visual impairments. A big thank you to the team for inviting me and I wish Sight Airedale many more years of success!”
