Our Services and Support

MACS welcomes all UK-based children and adults, parents and carers as members to our warm and supportive community. Our services provide a lifeline to those who experience the impact of MACS conditions and we exist to help the whole family.

My parents were told that I was blind. They wondered if I’d ever make friends or live independently. Through meeting other families, MACS told them the answer could be ‘yes’.

Emotional Support

• We have a helpline, which is manned by MACS volunteers ready to offer a listening ear to anyone who may feel overwhelmed or isolated, particularly during the early stages of their journey.
• We also have online community groups, facilitating a safe space for parents, carers and MACS adults to share experiences and answer each other’s questions, with inclusivity and support at the heart of all interactions.

Information and Advice

• We provide resources and signposting to our MACS community on a variety of topics.
• From preparing for the first day of school to taking the first step on the career ladder, we work closely with members and professionals to provide support at all stages of the MACS journey.

Adventure and Activity

• We help to increase the confidence and self-esteem of our young MACS members through residential adventure activities.
• Our annual activity trip brings together children aged between 10 to 18 years old for 5 days of adventure, challenges and no parents. We also arrange a sailing voyage each year, where crewmates aged 16-25 learn teamwork, independence, communication, maths and nautical terms.

Regional and National Events 

We provide opportunities for members of all ages to connect with the wider MACS community, through volunteer-led regional events and our larger annual national overnighter event.

The MACS annual get-together is the only place we are confident to allow our son to run around with the other children and feel he is safe and understood.

Helping Hand Grants

Making life easier for a visually impaired person can be costly. Our Helping Hand grants can assist members with these costs and make a positive difference to the lives of the adults and children we support.