Staffordshire homebuilder hosts dinner in the dark for charity
Barratt Homes has hosted a ‘dinner in the dark’ event at its Waterside development in Stoke-on-Trent to help raise awareness of Guide Dogs.
Attended by the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Lyn Sharpe, alongside her consort, Kevin Sharpe, the event was held by the housebuilder to support the national sight loss charity.
Guests at the Chessington Crescent development enjoyed a three-course lunch whilst wearing a blindfold to raise awareness of those living with a visual impairment. In attendance from Guide Dogs was Ann Moorhouse, a volunteer, fundraiser and fosterer for the charity, along with Janice Burton MBE and her guide dog, Peggy.
Janice said: “There was much discussion over the meal’s content, which illustrates the major part sight plays in the enjoyment of eating. Having lunch with a lovely team eating a delightful meal, we all found every mouthful haphazard, the chatter around the table was most enjoyable and there was a greater understanding at the end on how those living with sight loss can’t necessarily relish a meal.”
Hosts from Barratt Homes included Elaine Caulfield and Kirsty Wernham, Sales Manager and Sales Adviser at Waterside, respectively.
Janice Burton MBE is a retired British Paralympic swimmer, who competed in B1 events having completely lost sight in both of her eyes. With 65 full international medals, Janice remains among the most decorated British Paralympians in a single sport.
Everyone at the dinner was able to learn of Janice’s experience of living with a visual impairment, and her achievements despite the challenges she faces daily.
Designed to raise awareness of the tasks people with visual impairments face every day, the aim of a ‘dinner in the dark’ event is to encourage people to rely on their taste and hearing senses, whilst engaging in more thought-provoking conversation.
Rhys Nicholson, a Managing Director at Barratt Homes, said: “We are always proud to partner Guide Dogs and celebrate the charity’s fantastic work. The event at our Waterside development was a wonderful opportunity to bring people together to learn more about the charity.
“We’re very grateful to Janice for attending to discuss her experiences and successes, and give everyone a new perspective on life with a visual impairment. Events such as these are brilliant, and we hope to continue our close relationship with the Guide Dogs in the future.”
Cllr Lyn Sharpe said: “To experience another's world was truly amazing and thought provoking. I value my sight so much more now.”
Waterside is an established development of brand-new homes and currently has a collection of three bedroom properties available.
To help make a difference to people living with sight loss, it costs around £38,000 to provide all the expert training needed to train a guide dog, transforming them from a pup into a partnership. Following the event, Barratt Homes made a £500 donation to Guide Dogs to support its work.
To learn more about the services of the charity, visit the website at Guide Dogs.
For more information on any nearby developments, visit the website at Barratt Homes in Staffordshire.
