A WORCESTER-based charity supporting local people with visual impairments and blindness has launched a new fund-raising initiative to help ensure it can continue its work.

Sight Concern Worcestershire, which has its headquarters at the Bradbury Centre, in Sansome Walk, Worcester, has introduced a lottery to help it raise vital funds and offer supporters a chance to win £25,000 each week.

In 2014 the charity lost a third of its funding when Worcestershire County Council ended its contracts and had to review the way it operates and how it funds its activities.

The Sight Concern Unity Lottery was launched at the Bradbury Centre by Worcester Mayor Roger Knight, who has also supported the organisation throughout the year by naming it as one of his three charities for his year in office.

He said: “I chose Sight Concern as one of my three charities this year because my father used to come here and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I have always had a soft spot for Sight Concern.

“We have had some great fun this year raising money for the charities. Sight Concern is a wonderful local charity and I encourage everyone to enrol in its new lottery.”

Sight Concern chief officer Jenny Gage said: “This is an exciting new venture for our charity. It is a great chance for people to support the charity and everyone can get involved. It is also a chance to win from £5 to £25,000. That money is just waiting to be won.

“It will also help us raise vitally needed funds. The charity is working hard in Worcestershire to enable blind and partially sighted people to have the confidence to reach their full potential and the opportunity to play an active role in society.”

To take part in the lottery call into the Bradbury Centre and pick up a leaflet or visit http://www.unitylottery.co.uk/charity/display/sight-concern-worcestershire to download and complete the form. Anyone who signs up before the end of April is also in with a chance to winning £50 of supermarket vouchers.

The charity, which evolved from the Worcestershire Blind Visiting Service established in 1880, helps blind and partially sighted people in the county lead independent and fulfilling lives.

It has around 150 regular visitors to the Bradbury Centre each week, more than 200 people access its Low Vision Service, more than 200 people are helped one to one by its community volunteers, while more than 100 people enjoy social activities in their local area.

It runs Skills for Sight Loss courses and other courses, offers opportunities for people to keep active and enjoy new hobbies, it campaigns on local issues affecting people with sight loss and it runs social groups in Worcester, Malvern, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and Redditch.