RNIB Scotland’s Paws In The Park group is a social group for visually impaired people and their guide dogs.
They meet fortnightly at Inverleith Park to let the dogs have some off-duty fun!
The group is open to other guide dog owners who wish to join.
The group meets fortnightly on Wednesdays, promptly at 11am until 1pm at the corner of Raeburn Place and Portgower Place (opposite the Raeburn Hotel) to walk to Inverleith Park. The meeting will be 2nd November.
Anyone wishing to join should contact RNIB’s Dan Meikle to arrange this:
Are you aged between eight to 14, have a visual impairment and would like to play football?
Then come along to a free, one-hour introductory session on Sunday, October 16th, from 9 to 10am at the Oriam Sports Centre on Heriot Watt University’s campus in Riccarton, west Edinburgh.
This taster session is aimed at partially sighted young people. No previous football experience is necessary and the session will be tailored to include all footballing abilities.
It has been organised by national sight loss charity RNIB Scotland, Bathgate Thistle Community Football Club and the Scottish Football Association.
Neil Atkinson (24) from Livingston, who was diagnosed with the condition Stargardt’s macula dystrophy at the age of eight, is the coach.
“This session will be pitched towards players with some level of sight,” he says. “We have regular footballs as well as bell-balls. And it’s an indoor court with a hard surface so that the ball can be located more easily by sound.
“The hour-long session will consist of a short warm-up then some focused training, working on fundamental skills; bulwark, passing, movement, finishing and some game situations. We will try to meet the individual level of each player. The session will be focused on fun, and on developing the players’ skills and confidence.
“For the last portion of the session, we’ll have an open game, allowing players to use some of the skills they’ve learned in the previous exercises. Players are free to make it competitive, but ultimately the focus is on enjoyment.
“Family members and friends are also welcome to come along and participate and support a partially sighted individual. It’s only an hour long session but I will be there after the session for any questions and to help with advice for any participant. If there are players and parents who aren’t sure if the session would be appropriate, I’d be more than happy to talk to them to find out if it is accessible “
There will also be a small number of follow-up sessions in the weeks following for anyone who cannot make the 16th October.
For further information, contact Neil Atkinson on 07858 687 528, email neil.atkinson@rnib.org.uk, or book a place:
To mark Volunteers Week this week [June 1-7], Richard Asher from Leith has spoken about being a volunteer for sight loss charity RNIB Scotland.
Richard (29) is part of the Edinburgh-based charity’s Technology for Life team, advising blind and partially sighted people on the accessibility features now built-in to new technology that can help maximise their independence.
Such features include software that reads text as speech, enlarges the size of fonts, and adjusts background colour contrast.
“In my volunteering role, I help customers with technical devices like iPads or mobiles,” explains Richard, who studied IT at Edinburgh College. “They bring these into RNIB Scotland and can either have issues with them and need something looked into, such as their settings, or I can teach them how to first use their devices.
“I volunteer because I want to make a difference in people’s lives. It is vital to make that difference, just seeing someone happy at the end of it and seeing that they are confidently using their devices. A person can get the most out of their time with me in learning. Or, if they come up with a problem, that problem is sorted for them.
“Some people have been born without sight, and they might have an older device or might not have had a device before. I train them with the accessibility features and how they can use the phone.
“Other people may have lost their sight in later life, having known how to use a phone. And now they’re saying, ‘Oh my goodness, what will I do? I depend on this phone; I use this every day.’ So, we focus on training them to use their phone differently.
“I’m a firm believer that anyone can use a phone. It’s just about finding the right way. There is sight loss in my own family, so this volunteer role is important to me, and that’s what we focus on here – making them independent in using these devices.
“The important thing for me is someone’s walking out, feeling they have gained from it, and they’re happy.”
Players of the People’s Postcode Lottery support the running of the RNIB Connect groups, which provide a supportive online space where people with sight loss can use technology to connect and share experiences.
With the elections for Scotland’s local authorities happening on May 5th, it is important to emphasise the vital role councils play in helping blind and partally sighted people to live as independently and inclusively as possible.
People with a visual impairment are more likely to depend on services from their local council, for information that’s readily available in alternative formats, public transport that’s accessible, streets and thoroughfares that allow people to walk safely and without obstacles, education that allows every child to reach their full potential, and employment that’s informed by a better understanding of what those with sight loss can do.
Around 178,000 people are currently living with a significant degree of sight loss in Scotland, of whom over 4,000 are children and young people. Our ageing population and the increase in sight-theatening conditions such as diabetes means this number will, inevitably, grow.
Let’s make one positive legacy of the upheaval we’ve all been through a resolve to make sure we re-emerge as a society in which no one is left at the margins.
Our local authorities are absolutely key to this.
James Adams
Director, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland
Disability campaigning groups have written to the city council’s Transport and Environment Committee to express concerns over controversial proposals to make changes to the capital’s streets permanent.
The Committee meets today to consider the findings of its recent ‘Retaining Spaces for People’ consultation, a review of how the Council has implemented the Scottish Government’s push during lockdown to reduce the number of cars and vehicles by creating more cycle-lanes and pedestrianised areas.
But the campaigners’ letter warns that measures put in place too hastily and without adequate consultation could inadvertently make going outdoors more hazardous for wheelchair users and pedestrians with other disabilities.
The letter, jointly signed by members of Edinburgh Access Panel and the sight loss charities RNIB Scotland and Guide Dogs Scotland, says: “We want to reiterate our concerns about the implications of making temporary Spaces for People measures permanent.
“Any decisions taken will have serious and long-term implications for the citizens of Edinburgh in terms of how they access their city and its amenities.”
An online petition to ‘Stop Edinburgh council making dangerous road changes, cycle lanes & parking cuts permanent’ has attracted more than 16,800 signatures.
Guide-dog owner Ian Drysdale of Corstorphine said “The changes have taken away my independence and mobility. Before the Spaces for People changes, I had no problem getting out and about. But now the areas I feel safe in are getting smaller and smaller.”
Catriona Burness of RNIB Scotland said: “We are concerned that momentous decisions about changing the way we walk, wheel and cycle are being made before any of us know what the future, post-Covid, Edinburgh will look like.”
The safety of pedestrians, particularly those who are more vulnerable, must be the deciding factor when determining changes, the letter emphasises. “The current wave of temporary measures show a greater regard for the interests of cyclists than those of pedestrians,” says Anne-Marie Barry of Guide Dogs Scotland.
The campaigners are concerned that some of the measures introduced have made things more challenging and potentially dangerous for blind and partially sighted people and wheelchair users. For example, poorly designed ‘pop-up ‘cycle lanes which incorporate ‘floating’ bus-stops do not take account of disabled people getting on and off buses.
RNIB Scotland and Guide Dogs Scotland are urging the Transport and Environment Committee to postpone making any decisions this week and to support having an independent, third-party national review of the Spaces for People initiative.
As the covid crisis hopefully eases, concerns are being focused on the impact of lockdown on other health conditions. With health centres forced to postpone routine screenings last year, there are fears some conditions may have worsened in the absence of early diagnosis and treatment.
During Diabetes Week this week [June 14-20th], the national sight loss charity RNIB Scotland is emphasising it is more important than ever that people with diabetes attend their regular check-up appointments, now that these have resumed.
RNIB director James Adams said: “Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes, can affect the small blood vessels at the back of the eye and is a major cause of sight loss among working-age adults. But damage to vision can be arrested if detected early enough.
“While it’s possible that diabetes won’t cause any changes to your sight, the most effective thing you can do to prevent this is to go to your retinal screening appointments and eye examinations, where safety measures are in place.”
The message is also being emphasised by NHS Scotland. Dr Mike Gavin, clinical lead for the national Scottish Diabetic Eye Screening Programme said: “We are working hard to see patients for screening, after the service was temporarily paused during the first lockdown in 2020. Patients should always attend screening whenever they are invited to prevent avoidable loss of sight.”
Each year, 5,500 patients with diabetes in Scotland need to undergo further imaging or see an NHS eye specialist for the first time due to worsening in their retinopathy.
There are 3.5 million people in the UK who have been diagnosed diabetes, and an estimated 500,000 people living with undiagnosed diabetes. Within 20 years of diagnosis, nearly all people with type 1 diabetes and almost two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes will have developed some form of diabetic retinopathy. People with diabetes are also at increased risk of glaucoma and cataracts.
People from a South Asian or African-Caribbean background are two to four times more likely to get type 2 diabetes. They tend to develop it at a younger age which means they live with the condition for longer.
The risk of complications increases with the length of time people have the condition. It is not known why this is the case, but it is likely to be a mixture of genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
RNIB Scotland is on the steering committee of a five-year study that is following 1,100 retinopathy patients from across Scotland.
The LENS (Lowering Events in Non-proliferative retinopathy in Scotland) trial is testing whether a cholesterol-lowering medicine, fenofibrate, can slow the progression of retinopathy.
LENS is being co-ordinated by the Universities of Oxford and Glasgow in partnership with Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, and with NHS Scotland’s Retinal Screening Service. More information about the trial is available at: www.ctsu.ox.ac.uk/lens.
* If you’re worried about your vision, contact RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk/eyehealth.
Online video gamers are being encouraged to fundraise for sight loss charity RNIB in May while they play, as part of a drive to highlight the need for more inclusion in gaming.
This will tie in with Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 20th, a day which focuses on digital access and inclusion for people with disability and impairment.
The charity is inviting supporters who enjoy online gaming to host ‘Gaming for RNIB’ fundraising livestreams on or around this date.
Gamers with sight who wish to experience how games might look to those with different sight loss conditions can be provided with helpful materials, including overlays and simulation glasses.
RNIB’s community giving manager Becca McRow-Brewer said: “Games rely largely on visuals. But blind and partially sighted people are also active gamers, they just need the help of accessibility features. Sight loss doesn’t have to mean losing your passions.
“We are encouraging gamers from across the UK to support RNIB by hosting a fundraising stream around Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Every pound raised will help create a world without barriers for people with sight loss.”
RNIB currently supports gaming groups for blind and partially sighted players across the UK that were set up at the beginning of the year, with a group in Scotland among the first.
Members meet weekly on an online telephone call and share their experiences of the games they’ve found most accessible. They’re also challenging software developers to consider blind and partially sighted people when designing new games.
Conor Joseph (24) who lives in Livingston is visually impaired with a rare genetic condition called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy.
“I lost my sight around the age of eight,” he said. “For the most part I am able to get around and live independently. I love all forms of media from gaming to movies and music and even graduated with a degree in film and media.
“I’ve loved gaming my whole life and have an interest in a range of genres with first-person shooters and open world games being among my favourites.
“While I have been fortunate in having a lot of useful sight left, becoming visually impaired forced me to make adjustments in most aspects of my life which included gaming. I frequently avoid games heavy in text and dialogue as sitting close in to read everything can become extremely tedious and tiring.
“Joining RNIB Scotland’s gaming group has allowed me to chat to other visually impaired gamers, many of whom have similar experiences to me. I would definitely urge other disabled gamers to become part of the community and talk to others with similar experiences.
“Accessibility in gaming is extremely important and the industry has already seen a great shift towards being accessible within the last few years. Creating focus groups and directly working with disabled gamers in order to discover what user experience settings are most effective. In a general sense, I would say giving people as many options as possible is the best thing a developer could do.
“Gaming as a whole is very important to me and a big part of my life and I can’t imagine what it would be like if I lost more of my sight. Playing games is a great stress reliever, both as a solo gamer and a fun social activity when playing with friends. All games are created to let the player have fun, and all disabled people should have the chance to have fun just like anyone else.”
For more information or to register to host a fundraising gaming stream for RNIB visit rnib.org.uk/gaming-for-rnib
Lockdown restrictions that ease today [Monday 26 April] must not inadvertently create new barriers for blind and partially sighted people and those with other disabilities, says the national sight loss charity RNIB Scotland.
RNIB Scotland director James Adams said: “With lockdown restrictions easing further today, we’re all looking forward to getting outside to see loved ones and enjoy the warmer weather.
“But we are hearing from many blind and partially sighted people who have lost confidence in going outside after a year of covid restrictions and are anxious about public spaces becoming busier and more cluttered with café and bar tables and chairs.
“Social distancing often relies on being able to see things such as signs, queuing systems or barriers. When you can’t see these changes, they can create new obstacles to navigate and further erode confidence.
“So we’re asking the public to be aware of the challenges people with sight loss might face, and help them to safely social distance as the restrictions change. We’re also reminding local authorities and businesses that the measures in place to protect us must be inclusive to everyone, not just to those who can see them.
“This is the ‘new normal’ we should aim to return to in Scotland.”
* RNIB’s website (www.rnib.org.uk) and helpline (tel 0303 123 9999) has more information on this.
Scotland’s Virtual Kiltwalk is taking place from April 23rd to 25th and Leith couple Annette and Warren West plan to put their best feet forward in aid of sight loss charity RNIB Scotland.
“Our proposed route is from my house in Leith to Portobello and back again,” she says, “approximately six miles, which is in similar length to the traditional Kiltwalk’s ‘Wee Wander’ option.”
Annette (61) has experienced sight loss herself for over 30 years but has always been helped and supported by RNIB Scotland. She thinks lockdown has made the Edinburgh-based charity’s services even more vital.
But rather than join her on her walk, where social distancing rules still apply, she suggests people might want to sponsor her, or organise their own activities and donate any funds raised to her Just Giving page.
“The great thing about the Kiltwalk has always been that any money raised is topped up by 50 percent by the Tom Hunter Foundation,” Annette says. “So any donation can lever in even more money, increasing the impact.
“I’m now into my fifth year of doing the Kiltwalk and fundraising on behalf of RNIB Scotland is more important than ever, as it enables blind and partially sighted people to stay connected with each other at a time when many are feeling very isolated.
“I’m also passionate about health and wellbeing and I try to maintain regular exercise, which isn’t always easy due to the restrictions currently in place. Having the Virtual Kiltwalk gives me something to focus on and keeps me motivated. It helps me, too, to develop good eating habits and take regular exercise.
“So, for me doing the Kiltwalk is not just about walking but a way of maintaining a healthy balanced life-style.”
Tuesday, March 23rd, marks the anniversary of the day the UK was officially plunged into lockdown. We have lived through what is probably the most extraordinary year in most people’s lifetimes.
Blind and partially sighted people have had to adjust like everyone else to the daily challenges this has created. Thankfully, there’s now light at the end of the tunnel. But some ongoing measures could continue to be barriers to their independence and confidence.
People with sight loss can sometimes find it difficult to judge space, so we’re asking everyone to maintain their own distance, be patient and be helpful.
Just getting out and about can be more hazardous for those without sight. The Government’s ‘Spaces for People’ initiative has already transformed many of our streets and thoroughfares. We must take care that this doesn’t inadvertently create new obstacles for those with disabilities.
The covid crisis has given all of us a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability, of what it’s like to depend more on others.
So let’s make one positive legacy of this crisis a resolve to make sure we re-emerge as a society in which no one is left at the margins.
James Adams
Director, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland
