Macular disease Christmas tree rounds off church’s 2025 fundraising

A Christmas tree with a difference has rounded off a church community’s year of fundraising - putting macular disease in the spotlight.

The All Saints Church in Cheadle Hulme, Manchester, has raised hundreds of pounds for the Macular Society in 2025, after it was put forward by committee member Jenny, who has dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In the run up to Christmas, Jenny bought items from the Society’s online shop including ‘I’m visually impaired’ badges and lined paper to decorate a small branched tree, as well as more familiar festive items such as Santa, a yellow star and Rudolph decoration.

It was one of 15 to be displayed as part of the church’s Christmas Tree Festival but the only one not in the traditional style.

Jenny said: “I was absolutely over the moon to hear the Macular Society had been chosen this year.

“As part of that, we've done things like a harvest lunch, beetle drives, coffee mornings and so for our Christmas Tree Festival, I wanted this one to stand out and I think people liked the tree because it was different.”

Visual impairment badges 'work really well'

The Macular Society's yellow visual impairment badges are a particular highlight for Jenny, who has seen the benefit of wearing them herself.

She said: “The badges are absolutely brilliant when you're out and about. People have stopped me to say what a good idea that is and ask if I need any help. It’s the badge that brings people to you, I have used many and they work really well.”

Retired midwife Jenny has been with the church for the last 30 years but she has been fundraising and volunteering since she was a teenager.

She also spent 10 years as a British volunteer in Guatemala, for which she was made an MBE in 1981, for nursing and welfare services to the community.

“After all I had done in my life, to be told I had this condition was absolutely shattering, I was in shock,” she recalled.

“What I realised I had to do was find ways to keep my independence and I have got good friends to help with that. I think where there's a will, there is that way you can adapt.”

Information, support, and being inspired by others

Jenny also became a Macular Society Member shortly after her diagnosis, when she received information from the hospital about how the charity helps people like her.

The Macular Society has helped provide Jenny with information about her condition, research updates and helped show her she is not alone.

Now sharing her own emotions of living with AMD, Jenny revealed how she is inspired by how others deal with macular disease.

Jenny said: “I receive the member magazine and I get to read and listen to how other people are coping, it keeps me updated.

“I love to read people’s stories because they help me at the same time. You know you're not the only person suffering, even if it’s a different symptom at the time.

“The biggest challenge is realising that your sight won't come back. I knew it wouldn’t but there’s always that thought of ‘somebody will find something to get it back.’ That’s when I started to think, to realise that actually it’s only getting worse so I’ve got to learn to cope. I’ve got to get on with life.

“Then you see people going around with worse sight than myself and you think, ‘wow, they're doing very well, they are coping so I can cope too.”