Volunteer update - April 2026
Deafblind UK volunteer
update - April 2026
Welcome to your Volunteers’ Update, designed to provide you with information and updates to support you in your role!
If you have any feedback about this newsletter, or if there is anything specific that you would like to read about then please contact our Volunteering team on 01733 973 466 or email volunteering@deafblind.org.uk.
Thank you to everyone who completed the volunteer survey back at the start of the year. Your comments and views are important to us and highlight what's working well and how we can improve and plan for the future. We've enjoyed reading through your responses and will be looking at how we can implement some of your suggestions. Every response really does make a difference!
Did you know we have a new Usher Helpline? This is a dedicated national support service for people living with Usher syndrome and for families, carers and professionals supporting them. Usher syndrome is the most common cause of congenital deafblindness, combining hearing loss with progressive sight loss, often leading to isolation, mental health challenges and barriers to education, employment and independent living. The new helpline aims to reduce these barriers by improving access to information, emotional support and specialist pathways.
The free helpline is open Monday to Friday, 10am-1pm and can be reached on 01733 973 500 or by text on 07800 008 088.
If you are volunteering with anyone with Usher Syndrome, please do make them aware of this new service.
Deafblind UK Advisory Group – Your Voice, Your Experience, Your Future
After a very productive inaugeral meeting in January, the Deafblind UK Advisory Group will be meeting online again in early June. The group is made up of people we support coming together to bring their voices and experiences to influence the work we do as a charity through to the campaigns we lead. Three subgroups have been established around technology, policy and reseach and these will feed into the work undertaken longer term. We are keen to hear as many voices as possible on as many topics as people feel we need to address and we want the group to reflect the full diversity of our community – different ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
If you are deafblind or you volunteer with anyone who may be interested in getting involved, please get in touch to find out more at advisory@deafblind.org.uk or phone /text our Helpline on 0800 132320.
Deafblind UK Chair receives OBE from the Princess Royal
We are delighted to share that Robert Nolan, the Chair of Deafblind UK, was recently presented with his OBE by the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle for services to people living with deafblindness.
Robert, who is deafblind himself and lives with Type 2 Usher Syndrome, has volunteered with Deafblind UK for more than 26 years and served as Chair of the charity’s Board since 2018. He has also previously served as Chair of Deafblind Scotland for 18 years. Robert’s OBE recognises his decades of tireless fundraising and lived-experience advocacy to ensure that people living with both sight and hearing loss are able to live full, independent lives.To read more about this great honour, click here
Thank you to everyone who supported at our recent Firewalk events in London and Peterborough either as a volunteer or a brave firewalker. It was brilliant to see so many people having a great time, conquering their fear and making a difference whilst learning more about Deafblind UK. It was especially wonderful to see a good number of participants with sight and/or hearing loss taking on the challenge.The events helped to raise much-needed awareness around deafblindness and the work of Deafblind UK too, and we even attracted the Lord Mayor of Westminster to take part! 
And it's not too late to get involved......If you are a Peterborough based volunteer, we'd love it if you could join us at our Rainbow Run in September. The Deafblind UK Rainbow Run is back on Sunday 6 September 2026 and this year the inclusive family-friendly event is set to be an even bigger explosion of colourful fun! Runners, joggers, walkers and wheelers will be making their way around either a 3k or 5k course at Ferry Meadows. You can find out more about the event here Deafblind UK Rainbow Run | Deafblind UK.
If participating is not for you, we are looking for volunteers who can help out on the day to set up and marshal the course. If you have any time free, we would love you to be part of the team. To register your interest go to https://deafblind.org.uk/event-volunteering/ and we'll be in touch!
And just a reminder.....
We hold bi-weekly Zoom sessions for on-the-spot tech support.
If you, or someone you volunteer with, has got a specific tech problem or question then come along and we’ll try to find a solution there and then. If we can’t fix it on the spot, we’ll arrange for you to have some more in depth support another time.
No need to register, just drop in when you need us!
These sessions will be held every other Friday, between 2pm – 4pm with our next session on April 17th.
Volunteer Learning & Training Dates
Deafblind Awareness Sessions
Our series of Deafblind Awareness open sessions continue this year hosted by a new team of Deafblind UK staff members. Each session, the host will be joined by one of our members who will be sharing their story and experiences of their own sight and hearing loss. These sessions are a great opportunity to increase your understanding about the impact of deafblindness and we strongly recommend that all volunteers attend a session if they can.
The next available courses will take place on:
- Tuesday 28 April 1.30-3.00pm
- Friday 29 May 2.00-3.30pm
To register to attend, simply use this link and add your details! https://forms.office.com/e/JQxcHiQJL2
