A CHARITY which provides special radios for blind and partially sighted people is celebrating the start of summer with a funding boost thanks to players of a charity lottery.

British Wireless for the Blind Fund was awarded over £4,000 by People's Postcode Trust, a grant-giving charity, funded entirely by players of People's Postcode Lottery.

The organisation will use the money to provide specially adapted digital radios that also play CDs, cassettes and USB memory sticks. The radios are designed to be easy to use for people living with sight loss and all recipients receive a home visit and one-to-one support in order to be able to use their new radios independently.

The project will fund Okehampton-based volunteers to visit blind and partially sighted people in their homes to deliver, install and provide instruction on how to use all of the different features of their radio.

David Loveridge, regional manager for British Wireless for the Blind Fund, said: 'We are delighted that People's Postcode Lottery chose to support us. Radios are a lifeline to many blind and partially sighted people.

'Our recipients tell us that their radio entertains, helps to relieve isolation and keeps them in touch with what is going on in the world. It's essential that people living with sight loss have equipment that they are able to use independently and this funding means that our service can reach even more people across the local area.'

More information about the charity can be found by going to the website http://www.blind.org.uk">www.blind.org.uk