0800 987 1087InSight Newsletter: summer 2025
InSight: summer 2025
Welcome to InSight, Visibility Scotland’s twice-yearly newsletter. Our summer 2025 issue includes news, fundraising, service user stories and more. We hope you enjoy reading it. There are five audio files at the bottom of the page if you would prefer to hear the contents narrated to you.
Visibility Scotland news
New freephone number
Visibility Scotland has a new freephone number that is free to call from mobiles and landlines.
Tel: 0800 987 1087
Extended opening hours
We are pleased to announce that our head office in Glasgow is now open until 8 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday. Our phone line will also remain open until 7 PM on both nights.
We believe we are the first vision impairment charity in Scotland to offer late opening two days a week. We have decided to stay open late so that our services are available and accessible to people who cannot attend or access or services during morning or afternoon hours.
Humanitix
Humanitix is an ethical ticketing platform for events of all sizes. They launched in Scotland in May. Visibility Scotland supported Humanitix with their application for charitable status here in the UK.
What we love about Humanitix is that they prioritise accessibility. They are a ticketing company that are not for greed, they are for good and social impact.
You can learn more at Humanitix
Pioneers Post
We were mentioned in the Pioneers Post, the social enterprise magazine. They covered the official Humanitix launch, with particular attention given to our CEO, Laura Walker. The following is an extract from David Lyons’ article:
It was the socks that really made the message land for me. How do people with visual impairments make sure they’re wearing matching socks?
This realisation was brought to me by Laura Walker, CEO of charity Visibility Scotland, speaking at the launch of social enterprise ticketing platform Humanitix UK, an event held in the National Museum of Scotland on Wednesday evening.
Walker invited the audience to shut our eyes, then walked us through the process of attending the event as a person with a visual impairment.
How would you accept the digital invitation? How will you find your phone and keys, that are never where you last left them? How will you dress (and make sure your outfit is coordinated)? How will you travel?
It was a powerful exercise which drove home a message both Visibility Scotland and Humanitix UK were keen to highlight: the importance of considering accessibility at every stage of event hosting.
Walker quoted Vernā Myers, an internationally recognised expert in equality, diversity and inclusion, who said: “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”
You can read the full article online at:
Pioneers Post Humanitix Launch
Upcoming webinar – Power of Attorney
We are running a webinar on Power of Attorney with Mark McGoran from Thomas Bradley & Co on Thursday, 28 August at 10.30 AM. Mark will be able to answer any questions on Power of Attorney and the steps to take.
The power of attorney is especially important for vulnerable people because it allows a trusted person to make decisions on their behalf when they’re unable to do so themselves.
To find out more, please join our topical discussion, which is held on the digital platform Zoom and is also available by telephone.
External news
Scotrail companion pilot scheme
Holders of a National Entitlement Card bearing the C +1 symbol at the bottom right (given to people registered as Severely Sight Impaired) can now travel with a free companion on all Scotrail services.
This pilot scheme runs until April 2026.
Wills
Have you thought about preparing a will?
This year we received over £191,000 in legacies. This is a fantastic amount, and we are so grateful to those who chose to include a gift to Visibility Scotland in their will.
Visibility Scotland has partnered with Thomas Bradley & Co. Their Will for Charity scheme allows Visibility Scotland service users, supporters, staff and volunteers to benefit from a free will offer.
Get in touch with Mark McGoran at Thomas Bradley & Co. for more information.
Telephone: 0330 390 9200
Email: m.mcgoran@thomasbradleylegal.co.uk
Website: Thomas Bradley
Staff spotlight: Steph (Dumfries and Galloway Community Support Worker)
Steph delivers our community service in Dumfries and Galloway. Steph joined Visibility Scotland in August 2024. Here’s Steph, in her own words, on how she’s found things since joining the team:
ID: Steph smiles while standing outside near a grassy field. She has blonde hair and is wearing a blue Visibility Scotland fleece and t-shirt.
Before becoming a Community Support Worker with Visibility Scotland, I knew very little, if anything, about the organisation. Since then, I have been on a steep but extremely rewarding learning curve!
My working life started in healthcare, supporting individuals living with Dementia and Parkinson’s disease. I then made a giant leap across the species barrier and became a Registered Veterinary Nurse, working in large and small animal practice.
Most of my knowledge about eye conditions came from my previous years in veterinary nursing. Just like humans, animals can present with conjunctivitis, uveitis, glaucoma, cataracts, etc., to name a few. My present role as a community support worker has taken me in a different direction; however, there is a crossover with my previous role, especially regarding empathy, communication and care.
I deliver the Out and About service in Dumfries and Galloway. I promote independence and confidence in everyday life to people with vision impairment, including accessing information and advice, using public transport, shopping, and attending appointments.
I encourage people to reconnect with activities they once enjoyed while finding ways to adapt to the challenges of vision impairment.
I’m learning about the large network of services available in Dumfries and Galloway, and I help people navigate the service offerings.
We have been working closely with Dumfries and Galloway’s ‘Mostly Ghostly’ team to create an engaging, accessible ghost and local history tour experience tailored to people with vision impairment.
The new tour includes sighted guiding for individuals, where needed, along with sensory-rich descriptions and the option to participate during daylight hours.
Any rural-based service comes with challenges, not least the difficulties of public transport in rural areas, which can leave individuals feeling “isolated” or “forgotten.” That’s why it’s so important that the Out and About service exists to combat feelings of isolation.
I’m delighted to say that the Out and About service has been met with great positivity, with strong community engagement and support. While unique challenges remain, the encouraging community response keeps driving us forward.
Focus on fundraising
Thank you to all our supporters
We want to use this newsletter to say a big thank you to all our supporters. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.
We mean it when we say that Visibility Scotland would not exist without our incredible supporters. From all of us to all of you – thank you.
If you would like to help support our work, please get in touch with a member of our helpful team.
Over to you
Alison’s story
ID: Alison smiles while standing next to a Visibility Scotland banner
My name is Alison. I have hemianopia. I’ve lived with it all my life, but I didn’t know I had it until I was 44. My hemianopia is due to an underdevelopment of a lobe in the brain. This means that I can see on the left-hand side of both eyes, but I can’t see anything peripheral on the right.
Growing up, I didn’t know that I was seeing differently. I wasn’t very bright and was quite clumsy. I was frightened of roads, as I was hit by a car when I was four years old. We moved to the Isle of Lewis, where I lived until I was 16. Moving back to Glasgow was a massive change.
I’ve never been a good reader; I was very slow. And I thought everyone saw half a face. That was normal. Eventually, I went for an eye test, where the condition was diagnosed. I was referred to the hospital for a scan. I was given a GP letter and a Visibility Scotland leaflet.
I called Visibility Scotland in 2024 and was referred to Alister Lees for vision support. He got me. I remember thinking that. I was in tears. Things finally made sense. I felt that I was going to get a new life.
Sometimes I didn’t have the confidence to leave the house on my own. I’ve always made silly mistakes – bumping into people, spilling drinks, and having falls all the time. Now I have a symbol cane to warn others.
I learned scanning techniques and got anti-glare glasses from the Glasgow Caledonian University vision clinic. These have made a huge difference. Things appear sharper, and I feel calmer wearing them. They help me get around safely.
The University clinic is fantastic. It’s been a real eye-opener, if you pardon the pun. I’m now registered as visually impaired, have my travel pass, and feel more confident.
It feels like a different world: a world I understand now. One thing I’ve said all my life is, “I don’t get it.” I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what.
I didn’t expect to get this far, and I didn’t expect things to change inside me. That’s precisely what it’s done—it’s given me a life. All the techniques I’ve been taught benefited me not only on the outside but also on the inside.
How you can help
Visibility Scotland is a national charity. We support anyone living with a visual impairment across Scotland. Last year, we supported 3,016 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: 0800 987 1087
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 Facebook: @VisibilityScot
Follow us on Bluesky: @visibilityscotland.bsky.social
Follow us on TikTok: @visibility_scotland
Follow us on Instagram: @visibilityscotland
Email: info@visibilityscotland.org.uk
Freephone: 0800 987 1087
Audio described newsletter
Please click play on the three files below to hear a narrated version of the newsletter.
