The event in Whaley Bridge was attended by the Mayor of High Peak Borough Council, Councillor Stewart Gardner, and the Mayor’s Consort, Melissa Gardner, who joined the homebuilder to celebrate the work of the national sight loss charity.
Guests were encouraged to enjoy a three-course lunch whilst wearing a blindfold to raise awareness of those living with a visual impairment. In attendance from Guide Dogs were Roy Herbert, one of the charity’s fundraisers, and Paula Hunt, who is visually impaired herself.
Hosts from Barratt Homes were Stefan Phillips and Cherry Pomfrey, Sales Advisers at the Midshires Meadow development. Everyone at the dinner was able to learn of Paula’s experience of living with a visual impairment, and the challenges she faces daily.
The housebuilder has also pledged a £1,000 donation to Guide Dogs to support its important work.
Cllr Stewart Gardner said: “As a long-time supporter of the Guide Dogs charity, this was an event that I loved attending. Trying to do something as simple as eating a meal and using cutlery becomes a massive test when you are wearing a blindfold.
“The whole experience gave us a very useful sense of the many challenges partially sighted people face every minute of every day. Thanks to everyone involved in a memorable day.”
Paula added: “It was a pleasure to attend this event. All the guests embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and genuine interest in my sight loss challenges. Each guest shared their own techniques for finding and eating food, despite the temptation to remove their blindfolds. They were aware that those living with sight loss cannot do that.
“There was a lot of respect in the room for the visually impaired, and I thank them all for their willingness to step into our world and support our charity.”
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, Managing Director at Barratt Homes Manchester, said: “We are thrilled to have supported the Guide Dogs in raising awareness of its work and we hope everyone enjoyed the event at Midshires Meadow.
“We’re very grateful to Paula for attending to discuss her experiences and give everyone a new perspective on life with a visual impairment. Events such as these are fantastic, and we hope to continue our close relationship with the Guide Dogs in the future.”
Now over 90% sold, Midshires Meadow is an established development of brand-new homes on Dowry Lane and has a final collection of four bedroom properties available before it is completely sold out.
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.
To learn more about the services of the charity, visit the Facebook page at Guide Dogs Midlands and East.