Rebecca went along to the RNIB, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, event at Conservative Party conference this week.
The RNIB is the UK's leading sight loss charity since its founding 150 years ago. They offer practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and carers. They also raise awareness of the experiences of blind and partially sighted people and campaign for change to make society more accessible for all.
Rebecca was offered the experience of doing daily tasks whilst fully blindfolded, simulating total blindness as experienced by thousands of people up and down the country- such as making a cup of tea.
Rebecca said: ‘It was great to meet the team from RNIB, they were inspiring in their quest to improve the lives of people living with sight loss up and down the country. It is important that people are encouraged to get their eyes tested on a regular basis, with clinical advice stating that most people should get their eyes tested every two years. Free NHS eye tests are available for all children, for those diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma and for those aged 60 or over. This helps to encourage people at particular risk of developing eye disease to have their condition checked regularly.”
The RNIB do more than raise awareness, they also offer practical support. If you or a loved once is affected by sight loss, RNIB is there for you. They can help you find the right assistive technology, support you in education and work, access financial help and much more. You can find more information here - https://www.rnib.org.uk/living-with-sight-loss/
Alternatively, you can call them on 0303 123 9999 Their Sight Loss Advice Service offers emotional, practical support and information to those living with sight loss and in 2021 alone they answered 200,000 calls and responded to 35,000 emails.
RNIB also provides specific support for jobseekers with sight loss and has range of resources for blind and partially sighted people who are looking for work.
If you would like to donate to the RNIB you can here https://www.rnib.org.uk/get-involved/donate/ alternatively, you can find your closest volunteering hub here https://www.rnib.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/volunteering-hub-for-current-volunteers/.
