Willing to help: Forth Valley Sensory Centre looks for assistance to secure its services for the future

Camelon-based Forth Valley Sensory Centre (FVSC) has supported people across central Scotland with sensory impairment and their families for more than 15 years and acts as a community hub, offering support, advice, practical help and social opportunities.

Although the centre, which helps around 20,000 people every year, receives some statutory funding, it could not help as many people without the kind donations it receives.

Last year the charity raised £20,400 from donations and community fundraising to support its work. Donations include gifts left in wills from kindhearted supporters who

want to make a difference after their death.

Gifts made in memory of a loved one can also make a huge difference to people living with sensory loss in the area.

FVSC’s overall objective is to help people who have a sensory impairment live as independently as possible.

Services supported by a gift left in a will include sensory awareness training, access to IT and tech support, cookery classes, visits and excursions and sign and lip-reading classes.

Leaving money to a charity can reduce the amount of inheritance tax owed by your estate to the government. Any gift left to a charity in your will is tax free and can also

reduce the overall inheritance tax that your loved ones will pay on your estate.

Jacquie Winning, chief executive of FVSC, said: “We are hugely grateful to all our supporters who help us continue our work to support people in the Forth Valley who have sight and/or hearing loss.

“We rely on donations to help us bring life-changing services to people with sight and or/hearing loss in the Forth Valley and help tackle isolation and loneliness.

“There are lots of different ways to help us and leaving a lasting legacy in a will can be a wonderful way to ensure we can keep supporting people in the area for years

to come.”