Mayor’s ‘blind tour’ for sight awareness day

Melksham Lions Club World Sight and Diabetes Day was a great success with the mayor bravely volunteering to walk around the town blindfolded.

Soon after cllr Terri Welch arrived at the Town Hall, she was taking back onto the street and blindfolded. She was then guided around town by the Lions secretary, Sue Whyborn and  Lions president, Jim Whyborn.

Mayor Terri Welch said, “It was weird being blindfolded, I felt that when I was walking, I was veering towards the right but in reality I was walking straight. Somebody said that is why in the desert people walk in circles. Distances also seemed shorter, but perhaps that was due to the company and talking as I walked.”

Town crier Peter Dauncey also attended the day and issued forth a cry about the event, letting the public know what was taking place and encouraging people to go along to the town hall.

Angie Chatham, a member of the Lions said, “The day was a great success with many people visiting and having diabetes and blood pressure checks  courtesy of Gompels pharmacy. The World Sight and Diabetes Day was well supported by charities and companies within the Melksham and Wiltshire areas.

“Specsavers came along  to support the event. They set up a vision testing station where people could wear different vision glasses and try to accomplish everyday tasks like pouring a drink with impaired vision, which was a rather difficult task.

“The event was also supported by Diabetes UK who were on hand to answer any diabetes-related queries and questions, they also had various literature packs available.

“Wiltshire and Swindon Users Network had information available for people. The network supports people who use health and social care services and help raise concern and are involved in diverse projects to influence our communities.

“Wiltshire Sight also had various spectacles to try on, these were to demonstrate what it is like to live with a certain sight illness like glaucoma. Lastly but by no mean the least, the Lions’ sight officer and diabetic officer visited us from Calne.