Macular Society Northern Ireland
Our regions
You can access a variety of Macular Society support and services across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
On this page:
Regional support
We are proud to have staff based around the UK to give you localised support; including regional managers, peer support coordinators and a groups admin team based at our head office in Andover.
The regional teams play a very varied role, which includes:
- Overseeing over 335 face-to-face and online peer support groups to help you better understand your condition and grow your confidence. These groups are also a great opportunity to make friends and connect with people who understand living with sight loss. To find out more, go to About our support groups - Macular Society or to search for your local group visit Local support groups - Macular Society.
- Providing helpful information and advice about living with macular disease.
- Managing, recruiting and supporting a large team of volunteers.
- Networking and influencing local, regional and national bodies and attending local and regional sight loss events.
- Working closely with sight loss organisations within their region.
Contact details for our regional services' team in England can be found below.
Regional patient information events
The teams also develop and run regional patient information events. These run in partnership with local eye clinics and bring together patients and local clinic professionals.
You can access these events either face to face, online using Zoom, or via teleconference. They can be a good opportunity to ask questions to clinicians, ECLOs, nurses or ROVIs.
These events may cover topics such as:
- What can I do to prepare for my injection?
- Should I be taking supplements to slow my age-related macular degeneration?
- Will stem cell therapy repair my vision?
- How will clinics keep me safe during a pandemic?
- What local support is available to help me adapt to my sight loss?
The regional services team run various events across their local area. To find out what is happening in your area, please contact our groups admin team on 01264 560 259.
Our team in England
Head of regions
Maria van de Vorst maria.vorst@macularsociety.org
For contact details of your local regional manager please call the groups admin team on 01264 560 259
England (North)
Amanda Read – Senior regional manager for the North
Paul Holden - Regional manager for Central Midlands
Carl Harrison - Regional manager for the North West
Vicky Thompson – Regional manager for Yorkshire & North East Lincolnshire
Katherine Young - Regional manager for the North East
Yvonne Coalbran - Peer support coordinator for the North
Groups admin team - Based in our head office in Andover, Hampshire
Angela Jackson – Office and regional administration manager
Charlotte Fogerty - Regional administration supervisor
Melinda Boardman – Regional administrator
Olivia Gray - Regional administrator
Kerry Wileman - Groups coordinator
Tel: 01264 560 259
groupsadmin@macularsociety.org
For team contact details in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, please see the relevant pages.
Support for you
We provide free information and support to those with macular disease, along with their family and friends, to help people keep their independence.
Find your local support group
Our support groups are for people of working age and older, and provide information, support and friendship to people with macular disease and sight loss. Find your local support group today.
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