URGENT funding is needed to ensure Romsey's poor sighted don't become housebound.

That's the message from Romsey and Waterside Visually Impaired Group's secretary Diane Dawkins.

Diane said members rely on fundraising to provide cash for transportation cost.

During outings to tourist attractions the group has to hire minibuses or rely on cars to transport people.

And the group has to fundraise for this. Sometimes the group's called on Southern Test Valley's Voluntary Transport Scheme to help it out but it still has to pay for hire of the minibus.

Diane said in an ideal world the perfect answer for the group would be for it to have a minibus of its own but it cannot afford it.

"Our main difficulty is the group is so spread out and we have to rely on voluntary transport to get members out and about and we are not always able to find family and friends to help out.

"We've applied to four trusts and Hampshire social services for funding and are waiting to see what happens," said Diane, adding that without the trips, people would be isolated in their homes.

She added: "To have our own bus would be amazing but I don't think it's likely to happen."

Romsey and Waterside Visually Impaired was set up about six years ago and has between 35 and 40 members and the group has a number of trips lined up for the summer months.

Members were due to visit the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens at Ampfield yesterday. Other places RAWVIG will be visiting include the New Forest Museum and Visitor Centre at Lyndhurst.

During the Lyndhurst trip, the group will also be learning and hearing about the New Forest Commoners' ancient rights, the New Forest Verderers Court and looking over a smallholding at Bolderwood.

"We are hoping to watch some deer while we are in the New Forest," added the group's secretary.

Recently the group visited two of Britain's top tourist attractions - Cornwall's Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.

And on Sunday, May 22nd there is a sponsored walk from Bucklers Hard to Beaulieu in aid of RAWVIG.

Other social activities include a wildlife walk and a July trip to the Isle of Wight. Later in the year RAWVIG is visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the group's 2005 activities come to an end in December with a Christmas dinner.

Members of the group suffer from different levels of visual impairment said Diana, including two who are deaf and blind.

People with RAWVIG come from Romsey, Totton, Chandler's Ford, Hythe, Dibden, Blackfield and the surrounding areas.