As part of Volunteers Week, the sight loss charity is shining a light on Mary\u2019s extraordinary journey and the powerful difference she continues to make, and help others make too.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s not all about great art and music. It\u2019s also about the incredible connections and friends she has made on her journey.<\/p>\n
Mary Gifford
\n![\"Mary](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Mary-Henshaws-Charity2.jpg\")
Photo of Mary Gifford and Azam Dossajee. Credit: Henshaws<\/p>\n
Mary, 77, from Withington,<\/a> broke barriers as a female economist in the 1970s. A self-described feminist she dedicated her life to her career and bought her own house in 1975 \u2013 a rare feat for a woman at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cIn those days you did not get married and did not have children otherwise, your career was over,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Then aged 45, Mary met \u2018the love of her life\u2019 John while on holiday in Egypt. On their return to England, the couple continued to see each other and five years later, John moved from Birmingham to live with Mary.<\/p>\n Not long afterwards John was diagnosed with kidney cancer and Mary began caring for him full time. The couple got married in 1998 and 14 weeks later John\u00a0tragically\u00a0passed away.<\/p>\n Following John\u2019s death, Mary returned to work part time before being made redundant aged\u00a053.<\/p>\n \u201cI lost my 30-year career, my love of my life and husband and couldn\u2019t have been more at rock bottom,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Mary Gifford at the Commonwealth Games Manchester<\/p>\n In 2002 Mary decided to give volunteering a try and began working at the Commonwealth\u00a0Games\u00a0in Manchester where she helped wheelchair users access the venue.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter my husband died, I knew I wanted to volunteer but I thought I can\u2019t help people with cancer because it\u2019s too near the bone, but I wanted to work with people with disabilities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n It was while volunteering at the Commonwealth\u00a0Games\u00a0that Mary saw a leaflet for Henshaws and applied to become a volunteer at the charity.<\/p>\n Mary, who used to be a potter and had her work featured in exhibitions including Gallery Oldham, was contacted by the team at Henshaws and asked whether she would like to help take visually impaired people to museums and galleries.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought I can do that! I love classical music, I go to the theatre, love art, go to the Hall\u00e9<\/a> and used to make pots. To me art is a spiritual experience and it means a lot to me. I want to help people tap into that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n After John\u2019s death, Mary attended a concert at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. She said the experience was a turning point for her.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the first moment that I felt a spark and that I could live again,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n In 2003 Mary became a volunteer at Henshaws and began organising trips to galleries and museums across Greater Manchester\u00a0with the help of volunteer drivers and guides.\u00a0Now more than 20 years later she has never looked back and in a recent full circle moment took her Art Galleries and Museums Group to Gallery Oldham.<\/p>\n Mary said: \u201cI know what it\u2019s like to be rock bottom and I know a lot of these people who have been diagnosed with sight loss are going through a similar experience. I empathise.<\/p>\n \u201cVolunteering gave me a purpose in life, and it replaced my career. The people I help are my friends and family. I get so much pleasure from seeing what they get out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Working with Manchester Museum The Art Galleries and Museums Group\u2019s latest event\u00a0was a Soundscapes Session at Manchester Museum<\/a> that focused on biodiversity and wildness. The session included a full audio description and saw the group handle items, including a taxidermied badger and models of an ammonite, ladybird and woodlouse.<\/p>\n One of the attendees at the session was\u00a0Fred\u00a0Hernandez,\u00a0who has no sight and is now retired.<\/p>\n Fred said it means a lot to him to be able to meet other people with similar experiences at the group and that he would feel isolated without it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I retired, I thought \u2018What am I going to do with myself?\u2019 You become isolated and lose the art of conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n Paralympic champion Lora Fachie<\/p>\n Also at the session was Azam Dossajee. Azam has been part of the group since 2022 after hearing about Henshaws through his neighbours, the cyclists and Paralympic champions Lora Fachie, and her husband Neil.<\/p>\n The Fachies, who both have visual impairments, recommended Henshaws to Azam.<\/p>\n Azam said: \u201cI got to know Mary and have been involved in this group ever since. For me I had sight for all my life so now living without it is a huge adjustment. My family has been amazing but it\u2019s hard for them to understand and coming here and meeting people with similar experiences and that understanding means a lot.<\/p>\n \u201cI always get inspired and learn, it motivates me to take to the next step in my journey. Henshaws\u2019 support has been huge.\u201d<\/p>\n Also at the session was Pat Martin, from Stockport, who is medically retired and has been attending the group for eight years. Pat said she comes to the group to experience things she wouldn\u2019t normally.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me it\u2019s about seeing something I wouldn\u2019t normally see. In a gallery I can\u2019t see the pictures that well and have tripped over the wires because I\u2019ve got too close to be able to see. At the group I can see things that sighted people see.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople say to me you \u2018used to do this\u2019 and \u2018you used to be so good at this\u2019, and I say \u2018yes, it\u2019s because I had sight then. It\u2019s not that I can\u2019t do it now it just takes me longer now\u2019.<\/p>\n Pat has been supported by Henshaws since 2013 when she was first diagnosed with sight loss.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was diagnosed, I was devastated that my sight was going and it was frightening. Henshaws literally held my hand,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Mary is always looking for volunteers, including drivers, to make the Art Galleries and Museums Group\u2019s trips possible and welcomes more venues offering their staff Visual Impairment (VI) Awareness Training through Henshaws.<\/p>\n Henshaws Visual Impairment Awareness Training<\/p>\n The charity\u2019s Visual Impairment Awareness Training helps businesses adapt their spaces so that more venues across Greater Manchester become truly VI friendly.<\/p>\n Henshaws has also created the VI Friendly Guide, a free and growing online resource funded by Fight for Sight, to help visually impaired people find accessible businesses, services, and community groups across Greater Manchester.<\/p>\n VI-friendly places can be found through the online\u00a0VI Friendly Guide on the Henshaws website. You can check that out here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Activities include touch tours with the Hall\u00e9 Orchestra at The Bridgewater Hall and inclusive cycling sessions with business and activities constantly being added.<\/p>\n To add your VI-friendly business or activity to the VI Friendly Guide contact the Henshaws team on their website.<\/p>\n Volunteering at Henshaws<\/p>\n
\n![\"Mary](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Mary-Henshaws-Charity1.jpg\")
Photo of Frank Hernandez. Credit: Henshaws<\/p>\n