A donation by Burton based pub company Punch Taverns has enabled a group of local visually impaired youngsters from Staffordshire to learn to swim.
Punch made the £500 donation through its Punch Community Promise initiative to Sight Support Derbyshire – a charity that is dedicated to improving the lives of people with sight loss throughout Derbyshire.
The funds covered the cost of specialist swimming lessons for five children for a ten week period, enabling them to benefit from one to one tuition.
Kevin Gregory, Children’s Service Leader from the charity explains: “Sight Support Derbyshire works with children whose sight is limited but who want to gain all the experiences in life that their sighted peers have access to. The opportunity to learn to swim is something which most families take for granted. However, for children with a visual impairment, there may be a number of barriers to participation in these activities, which usually take place in a group setting.
“We are delighted that the donation from Punch has enabled five local youngsters to enjoy one to one tuition. This will act as a springboard and help them to join mainstream classes when they are ready and able to.”
The Punch Community Promise involves Punch donating time and money to a variety of local causes such as charities, schools, sports clubs, welfare groups and hospitals. To qualify, charities or causes must be located within a 15-mile catchment area of Punch Taverns’ support centre in Burton.
To find out more about the Punch Community Promise and to make an application, please visit www.punchtaverns.com and select ‘CSR’ and then ‘Our local causes’.
Punch is a leading pub company in the UK with around 4,300 leased and tenanted pubs nationwide.
For more information about Sight Support Derbyshire, contact Kevin Gregory, Children’s Service Leader on 01332 292262.