SWIMMING sessions are now being offered by a charity for Islanders with visual impairment.
The initiative from Eyecan, which has been developed in partnership with Jersey Cheshire Homes and has been funded by the government’s Connect Me grant scheme, aims to encourage physical activity and help those who might have trouble accessing a public pool to get into the water.
Swimming sessions take place at Jersey Cheshire Homes’ pool every four to six weeks. One participant – who had not been in the water for over 20 years – described a recent swim as “the best thing she has done in years”.
Another attendee said she “loved the confidence it gave her”, according to the charity, and said that the sessions had enabled her to book independent monthly swimming slots with a small group.
“Most public swimming facilities are challenging for individuals living with sight loss to access independently,” the charity said. “Eyecan believes that sight impairment should not stand in the way of someone achieving their goals.”
The charity also said that the swimming sessions were one of a series of projects they hoped would help to “meet the needs” of Islanders living with visual impairment. Members of the charity are offered transport to the sessions and are provided with support, with staff from Jersey Cheshire Homes remaining in the pool to help.
In addition to physical activity, Eyecan also said there were social benefits “both through doing an activity with peers, and through meeting and interacting with others using Cheshire Homes”.
The charity added: “The emotional benefits of having achieved something are also considerable and significantly increases individuals’ sense of wellbeing and belonging.”
Eyecan said they were “extremely grateful” to have received the grant through the government’s Connect Me programme, describing the scheme as a “fantastic opportunity to all third-sector organisations to be able to provide services, develop relations with partners and other service providers and, most importantly, to support the ongoing wellbeing of our community”.
