170 candles on the cake - ISightCornwall celebrates a big birthday with friends
Monday 2nd November, 2026
It’s always lovely to celebrate a birthday with friends, and Newham businesses came together to help charity iSightCornwall commemorate its 170th anniversary.
Staff from Cornish Mutual, Kartha cleaning services and WorldWide Financial Planning volunteered their time to assist at a special event for iSightCornwall’s members, which was held in September to coincide with the date the charity was founded in 1856.
More than 120 people attended the event at St Erme Community Centre, so the volunteers - who were also joined by staff from Reynolds and Slater Opticians - were kept very busy topping up refreshments, serving lunch and making sure everyone was well looked after.
Following lunch, attendees were entertained by sea shanties and Cornish classics from Newquay singing group Oll an Gwella, ending with a rousing performance of Cornwall My Home; and a hotly contested quiz which saw the Saltash BAPS team crowned the ultimate winners.
iSightCornwall chief executive Carole Theobald said: “We hold an annual event to bring members together, but this year was particularly special. With so many people attending, we couldn’t have done it without the help from our Newham neighbours and everyone else who volunteered on the day. Thank you to everyone who helped to make the event such a success.”
iSightCornwall is an independent sight loss charity that has been based in Newham for over 30 years. It was founded in 1856 to help Cornish miners who had lost their sight in blasting accidents to live independent lives.
Back then, it was known as The Society for the Itinerant Teaching of the Blind in The County of Cornwall to Read the Sacred Scriptures and to Write; but while the name has evolved, the spirit of the charity has remained the same: a commitment to helping people with sight loss live independently, stay connected and thrive within their communities.
iSightCornwall,Sight Centre, Newham Rd, Truro TR1 2DP. Tel 01872 261110,http://www.isightcornwall.org.uk