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About WCB.
Wales Council of the Blind is the umbrella agency representing vision impairment within Wales. We work to campaign, lobby and support the improvement of services for people with sight loss. [Read more...]
Latest news.
Christmas Greetings
Wales Council of the Blind would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy New Year.
Our office will be closed from Monday 23rd December and will reopen on Monday 6th January 2025.
Sight Village to return to Wales in 2025
The 2025 schedule for Sight Village, the free exhibition for people with sight loss, their families and professionals has been announced, and includes a return visit to Cardiff.
Sight Village Wales will be held at the All Nations Conference Centre in Cardiff on Tuesday 8th April 2025. For a list of all Sight Village venues, and more information about the Cardiff event, click here. Further details will be available in the New Year.
Eye Connect Cymru project - Survey for families and educators
Eye Connect is an RSBC Project in collaboration with WCB (Wales Council for the Blind), CWVYS (Council for Wales Voluntary Youth), and other partners designed to connect VI (visually impaired) children and young people (CYP) and give them a voice in their community. The project plans to achieve this in various ways, such as providing emotional well-being support, group support, practical referrals to professionals, family/CYP one-to-one online sessions, and ensuring that more children/youth-focused organisations are VI-inclusive.
We are seeking the views of children, young people and their families, and VI educators in Wales. By filling out this questionnaire, you will help us identify the best way to make this vision a reality:
- Questionnaire to children, young people and their families: click here
- Questionnaire to children, young people and their families (WELSH): click here
- Questionnaire to VI Educators: click here
- Questionnaire to VI Educators (WELSH): click here
Audio Described Christmas shows in Wales
This winter, some theatres in Wales are providing audio described performances of their pantomimes and Christmas shows.
These are the ones that we have found:
- New Theatre, Cardiff, Saturday 4th January at 2.30 pm, Cinderella
- Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Saturday 7th December at 7 pm, A Christmas Carol and Saturday 14th December at 1.30 pm, Little Red Riding Hood.
- Theatr Clwyd, Mold, Saturday 7th December at 2 pm and 7 pm, and Thursday 16th January at 7 pm, Mother Goose – The Rock ‘n’ roll Panto
- ICC Wales, Newport, Wednesday 18th December at 6.30 pm, Elf the Musical
- The Riverfront, Newport, Monday 30th December at 5.30 pm, Dick Whittington.
You can also find information about audio described performances in Wales on the Hynt website.
Are you eligible for Pension Credit?
As you may be aware, from this winter the Winter Fuel Payment will be linked to the receipt of specific means-tested benefits. As such, for many older people in Wales, Pension Credit will be the key to accessing their entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment.
Pension Credit is a benefit for anyone who has reached the qualifying age and has a relatively low income. You may get it even if you have some savings and modest retirement income. It can be paid on top of your state retirement pension. If you have built up a pot of money through a defined contribution pension, how and when you choose to draw money out of it will affect the amount of Pension Credit you can receive.
It is estimated that around 80,000 eligible households in Wales do not receive the Pension Credit to which they are entitled. As part of its ‘Here to Help’ campaign to help people with the cost of living, Welsh Government is encouraging older people to check whether they are eligible for Pension Credit. Advicelink Cymru is a Welsh Government funded Citizens Advice service designed to help people who are most in need of advice services, particularly those who would not usually seek advice. You can call Advicelink Cymru, on 0808 250 5700 for free and confidential advice about money you may be entitled to, and they can help you apply for welfare benefits, including Pension Credit. You can find out more on the Welsh Government support website. If you need information from the Welsh Government website in a different format like plain text, braille, BSL, large print, easy read or audio recording, you should contact them via email: customerhelp@gov.wales or phone 0300 0604400, stating the web address (URL) of the information you need, the format you would like to receive and which assistive technologies you use.
Some sight loss organisations provide a benefits advice service and may be able to help. These include:
- Vision Support (for north Wales): 01244 381515
- Sight Cymru Supporting People Services (Caerphilly): 01443 864548
- Deafblind UK Empowering Support: 0800 132320
- RNIB has information on benefits, including an online calculator on its website (Their helpline number is 0303 123 9999).