ONE of the biggest charities in Dudley is expanding its services into Stourbridge after taking on another organisation’s operations.

Sedgley based sight loss charity Beacon has absorbed the Hagley Road facilities and services formally run by the Thomas Pocklington Trust.

Housed in the Mary Stevens Centre, the trust’s resource centre offers local people with sight loss the opportunity to learn new hobbies and make friends in a friendly and supportive environment, helping to reduce social isolation, as well as a range of other advice and information services.

Arwyn Jones, chief executive of Beacon, said: “The Thomas Pocklington Resource Centre provided a variety of information, advice and support services to people with sight loss.

“Following a change of focus for the Thomas Pocklington Trust, activities will now be delivered under the Beacon umbrella, allowing us to develop new programmes which build upon the previous good work done at this centre, coupled with the exciting developments Beacon is already doing.

“This amalgamation of operations will enable us to provide consistently high standards of practical support and resources to service users across the Black Country.”

Beacon provides facilities and support to visually impaired people across the Black Country, including a mix of re-ablement and health, sporting, advice, residential, day care and community services, and now also offers a full optician service available to anyone at its Sedgley site.

For more information about the services Beacon provides visit www.beaconvision.org