0141 332 4632InSight Newsletter: Autumn 2024
InSight: Autumn 2024
Welcome to InSight, Visibility Scotland’s twice-yearly newsletter. Our autumn 2024 issue includes news, hints and tips, fundraising and future events. We hope you enjoy reading it.
There are six audio files at the bottom of the page if you would prefer to hear the contents narrated to you.
Visibility Scotland news
Staff changes
Since our last newsletter, we’ve welcomed new staff members and some existing staff members now have new roles.
August (Analytics and Digital Support):
I recently transitioned from being an Administrator with Visibility Scotland to a Digital and Analytics support role. I’ve been learning a lot in my new role and really enjoy meeting our service users and creating engaging social media content. There are so many amazing people, and it’s such a privilege to hear their stories.
Lydia (Patient Support):
I only started with Visibility Scotland at the beginning of July 2024, so I have been spending this time getting my bearings a little bit! Once I am a fully-fledged patient support worker, I look forward to listening to people’s stories and helping them to live fully and independently.
Ali (Assistant Neurological Vision Rehabilitation Specialist):
I started my role as Visibility Scotland’s Assistant Neurological Vision Rehabilitation Specialist in January. Before this, I was a Patient Support Worker and brought many skills from that role to this one.
I support people with any vision issues caused by neurological conditions, including stroke, brain tumours and traumatic head injuries. I offer compensatory scanning rehabilitation for those living with visual field loss to promote safe and independent mobility.
Behaviour change training
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new training course, Behaviour Change, developed by our team at Visibility Scotland in partnership with South West Scotland Cycle Training. The course empowers vulnerable road users and the public, focusing on those with vision impairment.
The training will increase your confidence when navigating busy urban areas. It will also help identify the different types of road users, their responsibilities, and the unique challenges faced by vulnerable road users. It will delve into streetscape design and modifications, making understanding and adapting to environmental changes easier.
There is also an emphasis on educating cyclists on being considerate and sharing the road safely. The training will feature a discussion of the recent changes in street design and how they impact road users.
A to Z of hints and tips
Colin from Dumfries shares his top tips for living with vision impairment:
Stairs: Ensure your toes or heels touch the risers to avoid losing your footing.
Talking books and newspapers:Several organisations provide talking books and newspapers. Call Visibility Scotland for more information.
Talking watch: provides the time by pressing a button on the side of the watch and listening to the speaker.
Telephone: big-button telephones are available for those with a vision impairment.
Typoscope: This is a handy signature guide for signing documents or bank cards.
Zebra crossing: At some traffic lights, underneath the box pressed to stop the traffic, there is a cone that goes round and round, indicating that it is safe to cross.
Thanks to Colin for all his great tips!
Focus on fundraising
Killiecrankie Garry Bridge Swing
One of our intrepid Trustees, Shivani Tandon, will be doing her best Indiana Jones impression on the 22nd of September as she swings 40 meters above the cold River Garry in Killiecrankie.
Shivani and her fellow fundraisers will be raising funds for Visibility Scotland. If you would like to support their efforts, then you can donate at the fundraising page below:
Swing For Ka-ching fundraising page
Over to you
Service user story
Image caption: Doug with his wife.
In January 2023, at the age of 53, Doug W began to lose sight in one eye. He struggled to get a diagnosis, but it was thought to be optic neuropathy. This came as a huge shock to Doug and his wife and jeopardized his job and wellbeing.
By February, he was told he should no longer drive. Doug’s sight in both eyes continued to diminish until he was certified ‘severely sight impaired’ in May when he sought help from Visibility Scotland.
Being ex-forces, we connected Doug with support services, including Sight Scotland Veterans, who supplied him with various key pieces of equipment. Doug quickly mastered the long cane to orientate himself around his local area on the Isle of Bute. Mind mapping and visual memory helped with his navigation skills.
Having an ex-RAF attitude bolstered his resilience and determination to adapt to such life-changing circumstances. Doug’s self-taught technology skills help him keep in touch with the world and be entertained by Talking Books.
Vision impairment will not hold Doug back. He and his wife love travelling and are excited about an upcoming Japan trip. Doug enjoys exercising and hopes to get into blind golfing and tandem cycling.
Doug’s tenacity and determination to adapt to vision loss this year have been amazing. It has led him to ask, ‘If not, why not?’ Doug is grateful for Visibility Scotland’s support and hopes to visit our Tuesday Café and Digital Suite one day soon.
Recipe – Clootie Dumpling
Barbara, a member of our Helensburgh peer support group, gave us her clootie dumpling recipe.
Image caption: clootie dumpling on a white plate
Ingredients
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of sultanas
1 cup of suet
1 cup of sugar
3 cups of self-raising flour
1 packet of cinnamon, 70gms
1 packet of mixed spice, 70gms
Method
Mix to a stiff consistency with water.
Put in a dumpling cloth soaked with boiling water and a sprinkling of flour.
Tie up the dumpling tightly.
Put into a pot of boiling water with a plate on the bottom of the pot Boil for 90 minutes with the lid on, keeping an eye on the water level.
Serve and enjoy!
B Positive
Do you know my story?
Why I’m this way?
What makes me happy.
Is that I live and rejoice every day.
The darkness is hard. Make no mistake.
It wasn’t always that way.
I saw people and colours.
Darkness and light.
The light had gone after an op.
The daylight replaced with black.
I could have sunk into an abyss.
Instead, I fought back.
I embraced my new life.
With joie de vivre and gladness.
This is why B positive.
Is my Mantra today.
I live a life full of pluses.
The negative isn’t an option.
I embrace each day as a new one.
And thank the Gods, I’m B positive.
Poem by Margaret Moylan
How you can help
Visibility Scotland is a national charity. We support anyone living with a visual impairment across Scotland. Last year, we supported 3,189 people.
We want to do more, but we need your help!
Every donation, big or small, helps us provide our life-changing support services.
Donate today:
By phone: 0141 332 4632
Online: Visibility Scotland donate online
Or scan the QR code image below:
We’re here for you
Thank you for reading the latest issue of InSight.
If you would like to find out more about any of our services, groups, or events, then please get in touch:
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @VisibilityScot
Follow us on TikTok: @visibility_scotland
Follow us on Instagram: @visibilityscotland
Email: info@visibilityscotland.org.uk
Glasgow: 0141 332 4632
Edinburgh: 0131 378 1874
Dumfries: 01387 267 131
Audio described newsletter
Please click play on the six files below to hear a narrated version of the newsletter.
