Royal Blind iSite magazine Summer 2020

In this issue:

iSite

The portrait that replaced Napoleon Page 2-3 The emotional impact of sight loss Page 4-5 Mammoth response to call for help Page 12

Summer 2020 RoyalBlind.org

Page 7-11

Our services’ response to the Coronavirus

A

Dear Supporter,

Our Next Chapter

This year has been a difficult time for all.

As a charity, we have had to act and respond with urgency and diligence to meet the challenges we have faced. The care of those in our services and the safety of our staff has been our utmost priority.

We mobilised our teachers to ensure that the majority of pupils attending the Royal Blind School could be taught online from home; you can read more about this on page nine. Pupils who stay with us at our 52-week residential care service continued to be taught and cared for by us.

Our care homes for older people with visual impairment are home to some of the most vulnerable people at this time. Therefore, it is imperative we continue to focus our energy on keeping them safe and making sure we have sufficient Personal Protective Equipment to do so. Our teams have worked extra hard to keep everyone busy with activities and singing songs as they are desperately missing their loved ones. Read about how our Care for Older People service has risen to fight this virus on page 10.

In our Adult Services, residents and staff have been keeping everyone’s spirits up by taking part in weekly videos singing and dancing along to their favourite songs. More information on the Adult Services’ response to the COVID-19 crisis can be read on page 11. As an essential service, the Scottish Braille Press has remained fully operational throughout the crisis, transcribing vital documents such as bank statements.

To keep up to date on how we are adapting through these challenging times, visit our website at www.royalblind.org or follow us on social media, where you can see some wonderful videos our care staff are making. Thank you for reading our magazine. Best wishes to you and your loved ones.

Kind regards, Davina Shiell, Director of Marketing and Communications P.S. Did you know there are over 175,000 people living with sight loss in Scotland.

Royal Blind supports people of all ages. We also run the Scottish Braille Press a leading UK provider of accessible media. www.youtube.com/TheRoyalBlind

@royalblindcharity @Scottish.War.Blinded @RoyalBlind

@ScottishWarBlinded

Royal Blind, 50 Gillespie Crescent Edinburgh, EH10 4JB

iSite in alternative formats To receive iSite in large print, Braille or audio CD please contact us on 0131 229 1456 or e-mail events@royalblind.org

Royal Blind is a registered charity SC017167 Scottish War Blinded is a Scottish charitable incorporated organisation charity number SC047192

The first half of 2020 has seen unprecedented challenges for our charity and especially for our residential services as we respond to the Coronavirus outbreak. We have met these challenges face on to support those in our care and residential services.

Before the outbreak of COVID-19, we were looking in great detail as to how we can adapt as a charity to reach more people.

The current crisis has reinforced our need and ambition to be there for everyone with sight loss in Scotland.

treated equally. We believe every one of those people should be able to live a life free of boundaries.

Later this year we will launch the next chapter in our organisation’s history. For over 225 years we have been leading the way in caring for people who are blind or partially sighted, predominantly in the central area of Scotland.

We know we need to broaden our reach to support everyone who needs us.

Sight loss causes isolation and significantly alters lives. Despite this, less than one in three adults get help within the first year after their diagnosis, and they are at high risk of unemployment, mental health problems, loneliness, poor education and financial challenges for the rest of their lives.

With the growing number of people in Scotland starting to lose their sight, we know we need to act now to be there for all those across the country who are living with sight loss to make sure that they are fully included in society and

We know our current range of services cannot support the number of people who will need our help in the years to come.

We have invested and worked hard over the last few years to look in detail at how our charity needs to change to be better positioned to help all those who need us. We have, and still are, consulting with stakeholders to ensure we are able to support people in a way that they need us to.

Our new ambition will seek us to offer support in five different areas, in which we will lay out our plans in more detail in the near future. During 2020, we are considering options for rebranding our charity to reflect our new ambition.

Our first priority will be to develop a community focussed service across Scotland, for all ages at all

stages of sight loss. This will involve significant financial investment and also joint working with our partners in the charity sector and local organisations. We need to embed ourselves in every community and be there to support your friends, family and neighbours who need our help.

We will continue to increase our fundraising efforts to help us in our mission – to provide the care and support that will make sure every person with a visual impairment in Scotland is empowered to overcome barriers and achieve their maximum potential.

While we look to expand our offering to include new services, we will continue to review our existing services to make sure that they are operating in an effective manner to best address the needs of the service users.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Royal Blind. I very much look forward to entering our new chapter with you and updating you again shortly as our plans develop.

Hawys Kilday, Director of Services iSite Magazine Summer 2020

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The painting that replaced Napoleon’s portrait A treasured Raeburn painting of Royal Blind’s founder, Rev Dr David Johnston, was thought to be one of a kind. The oil portrait watched over Royal Blind’s boardroom for decades.

However, the portrait has been discovered to be just one of three paintings of Dr Johnston done by the esteemed Sir Henry Raeburn – and not the original painting, either. According to records, the original painting was commissioned in 1803 to replace a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, Britain’s enemy, which Dr Johnston’s son-in-law had displayed in his dining room.

Royal Blind learned about the additional Raeburn paintings of the charity’s founder from bookseller Charles Dixon in London.

Charles is Dr Johnston’s greatgreat-great-great grandson and has been searching for the paintings since January.

“I’d love to find the two missing paintings,” Charles said. “Their whereabouts is a mystery but we hold out hope of tracking down the family members that have them, in due course.

“The Scottish National Gallery are looking to hold a Raeburn exhibition at some point, and they may display Raeburn’s original painting of Dr Johnston.”

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iSite Magazine Summer 2020

Dr David Johnston was born in Fife and lived from 1734 to 1824.

He became pastor of the Parish of North Leith in 1765. That same year, the University of Edinburgh awarded him a Doctor in Divinity, making him Reverend Dr David Johnston.

“During the Napoleonic war, David’s parishioners were kept in constant anxiety about their loved ones at sea. Should a parishioner be taken prisoner, David would promptly set about obtaining a release. It is said that Dr Johnston’s handwriting was well known in Government offices in London. On one occasion, Rev Dr Johnston went on to found he humbled himself to write to Royal Blind in 1793 with Dr Thomas Napoleon, the hated tyrant, on Blacklock and Mr David Miller. This behalf of a sailor. Rumour has it was a time of progressive societal that Napoleon laughed at the old attitudes towards the provision of man’s simplicity.” care and support to disabled people in Europe. Royal Blind was only the The story behind the portraits third foundation in the world that is that Dr Johnston’s son-in-law, was dedicated to improving the Robert McBrair, hung a portrait welfare of blind people. of Napoleon in his dining room.

Dr Johnston’s biography, written by his granddaughter Margaret Forster in 1878, tells of the Dr Johnston’s patriotic spirit.

“When the invasion of Britain was threatened by France in 1803, David earnestly exhorted his people not only to pray, but to lend themselves as volunteers for the defence; this brave old man of 69 years proposing himself to be one of them.

“Elizabeth was jealous, so she had a second portrait of Dr Johnston done for her family, where he is wearing a pulpit gown,” Charles said.

“Every man would lift his hat and every woman would curtsy, on meeting him. David was, in things both secular and sacred, a man of his own time.

Raeburn painted a third painting of Dr Johnston and gifted it in kind to Royal Blind.

“David persisted in the old style of dress, wearing his hair curled and powdered, knee breeches and buckled shoes with black Royal Blind’s Administration stockings. A handsome man, he Assistant, Louise Cunningham, was called “the bonnie doctor”. found minutes from an 1805 He walked very rapidly, with a committee meeting. strong silver-headed stick under “The meeting’s secretary produced a his left arm – a weapon, not a letter from Henry Raeburn himself, support. He was known to lay his stick smartly across the shoulders which reads: ‘Gentlemen, I have sent Dr Johnston’s portrait painted of men whom he heard using profane language. Stagecoaches at your desire, and request you will ran between Edinburgh and Leith, do me the honour of accepting it but he scorned to use them, from me as a small testimony of even on very wet days. the respect I bear the society’.”

The meeting moved that Mr Raeburn should be made a member of the Royal Blind society, with no delay, as a way of thanks, Louise said.

Charles said Dr Johnston’s standing in society is described in his 1878 biography.

“David visited the Royal Blind buildings every day, except Sunday, until his death. Little did he anticipate the magnitude that this institute was to attain.”

“David visited the Royal Blind buildings every day, except Sunday, until his death.

Little did he anticipate the magnitude that this institute was to attain.”

original Raeburn portrait, painted for the McBrair’s dining room, could be in the Shetland Islands. One of Robert McBrair’s descendants lived there and their property, Halligarth House, was gifted to the National Trust of Scotland.

“I’ve had correspondence with the National Trust of Scotland, but we haven’t unearthed it yet,” Louise said.

“Of course, it might not be there at all. It could be with another relation.

While Royal Blind’s Raeburn portrait If anyone has cleaned out their attic or garage during the lockdown and is stored safely, the search for the other two paintings continues. found an oil portrait that looks like the one we have, do get in touch.”

Louise and Charles believe the

“David so objected to the portrait of Napoleon – or as he called him, ‘the Corsican Tyrant’, that he consented to sit for Sir Henry Raeburn. The resulting portrait was hung in Napoleon’s place,” Charles said.

A second portrait of Dr Johnston was done by Raeburn to appease his other daughter, Elizabeth Penney, according to Forster’s biography.

iSite Magazine Summer 2020

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Emotional Support for Sight Loss Before Coronavirus struck, Royal Blind surveyed nearly 400 people with visual impairment.

The research found that 85 per cent of those surveyed said they had experienced challenges to their mental health as a result of their visual impairment.

pandemic began, people with visual impairment faced a range of mental health challenges as a result of their sight loss.

Royal Blind Policy Manager Richard Baker said the report indicated that even before the COVID-19

“Our report ‘Emotional Support for Sight Loss’ showed the emotional toll that living with visual impairment can take.

“We were also concerned to find that two thirds of people who took part in the study had

Question 1: Did your sight loss have an impact on your emotional wellbeing?

PERCENTAGE

100

not been offered support to help with the emotional impact of sight loss,” Richard said.

“We are highlighting this research to make the case for more support for people who are managing the emotional challenges of visual impairment, particularly when they are also dealing with the impact of COVID-19 on so many aspects of their lives.”

Question 2: Were you offered any support to help with the emotional impact of your sight loss?

80 60

68%

YES: 37%

55%

40

45%

20 0

30% Worried about the future

NO: 63%

Kirin Saeed: “Sight loss can have a massive emotional impact” Kirin Saeed is a Braille Proof Reader at the Scottish Braille Press. Kirin was born partially sighted. At the age of 11, she lost her sight entirely, retaining only some light perception.

Kirin said she learned to cope with losing her sight as a child. However, when her sight deteriorated further in her adult years, she found it very difficult.

“This had a massive emotional impact for me.

It started with a physical impact of losing my light perception. It meant that when I walked downstairs, I felt like I was going to be tipped over. This made me anxious and affected my confidence, but people still expected me to be able to cope, which put further stress on me,” she said.

Kirin was never offered counselling to deal with the impact of her visual impairment. Kirin believes there is not enough awareness of the impact a disability can have on mental health.

“Emotional wellbeing is not recognised enough in the disability community. Too often people think they just have to get on with it, and yet you have to fight battles at all levels so much of the time.

You have to constantly argue for support, argue your case for equipment, argue your case for help with access to work. This is stressful in itself.”

57% said: Sight loss affected how confident I felt

73% said: Sight loss affected my ability to be independent

66% said: Sight loss affected being able to get out and about

43% said: Sight loss affected being able to socialise

“It’s harder to navigate everyday interactions with people and that can be quite emotionally stressful.

Even when a parcel arrives or a neighbour drops off some cake. That interaction relies so much

Upset

iSite Magazine Summer 2020

Worried

more on being able to see. You’ve lost a lot of independence and that has a massive emotional impact on people.”

Kirin said many blind and partially sighted people are isolated from their friends, family and support networks. “I’m staying at home and using email, Teams and Facetime to contact people. You can’t just pop out and meet somebody so that oneto-one contact is lost.

Kirin believes, however, that the general public’s experience of the lockdown could lead them to be more supportive of policies that enable better access for people with visual impairment, or disabilities. “Shops have been willing to try different ways of doing things to make their businesses accessible to people during the lockdown. For example, supermarkets have put all their products in a set, ordered layout and introduced a one-way system so people don’t walk around the supermarket several times. This system makes things accessible for all of us,” she said. “It gives me hope that when I say, ‘this way would be more accessible for me’, in the future, that people will understand how important accessibility is. I’ve got hope there’s going to be a new way forward.”

Coronavirus and its impact Kirin worries about the Coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the emotional wellbeing of people with visual impairment. “The uncertainty is even greater now. In the past, you could ask for assistance crossing the road and someone could take your arm,” she said. “But now, two-metre social distancing has made asking for assistance much harder. I think life has become a lot lonelier and trickier to navigate,” she said.

Anxious

Question 3: Did your sight loss have an effect on the following?

4

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stressful time for everyone. However, the crisis has been particularly difficult for people with visual impairment.

iSite Magazine Summer 2020

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Q&A

with Scotland’s National Clinical Director Mark: A student named Summer asks, how will visually impaired students who attend mainstream schools be able to social distance safely when they return to school?

Professor Jason Leitch (left), the Scottish Government’s National Clinical Director, spoke with Royal Blind Chief Executive Mark O’Donnell and asked him questions that had been put forward by our community.

Mark: Why weren’t people with visual impairment defined as being a vulnerable group from the beginning, so they could access online supermarket shopping?

Mark: How can we be sure that people with visual impairment will have adequate access to emotional support and mental health services as we come out of lockdown?

Jason: This is a really tough one.

Jason: The clinical choice at the Jason: This is a crucial area. I’m We will need to think through beginning was that the vulnerable not sure I can be completely sure. what the guidance will be to reduce are those who are most at risk We are endeavouring to do what the risk. We’re not going to tell of dying from the virus, and visual you’ve asked. We have invested Summer to stay at home longer impairment does not make you heavily: we set up new helplines, than her pals because she’s visually die of the virus. Immune disorders there’s a lot more online resources impaired; that would be immoral. puts you at higher risk of dying and breathing space in YoungScot But we have to think about, for from the virus. We added these and other places. I can tell you Summer, what it means for her to people to the shielded group. remobilisation is being planned be as low risk as she can when she now; I have had conversations The person who asked the question today about how we restart re-enters society with her mates. is quite correct though: the support some hospital-based services in And I don’t think that’s impossible. system for online shopping hasn’t I think we’re able to do that. But both mental health and in elective been quite as slick as we would it may be that Summer has to surgical care. The organisations have liked. It’s got a lot better and take a little bit more risk than that run mental health services most people will have family, friends are ramping that up thinking her best friend. That may be an inevitable consequence of this virus. and neighbours who will help them about how that happens. I worry out, but not everybody does, or a bit about what will happen lives in a community where that is when we ask people to go back accessible. I think we can do more to work and we ask people to for people who need support, but re-engage with society. I can tell it’s a slightly different request. you that people are very alert to it and we’ll do our absolute best.

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iSite Magazine Summer 2020

Learning during the lockdown

Royal Blind School pupils are making the most of the Coronavirus lockdown, with pupils such as Amy learning new skills at home.

The school campus closed to day pupils in mid-March following government advice, though care and education continues to be provided for our 52-week residential pupils.

Gillian and her 15-year-old daughter the work and then sending it Amy (above), have been participating back to her teachers. She loves in online video lessons with Amy’s doing her homework.” classmates and teachers.

The BrailleNote Touch is an “Amy looks forward to the lessons electronic braille note taker she has on Microsoft Teams and with the efficiency and power Class teacher Pam Young (above really enjoys the group lesson on of a modern tablet. Pupils can right) said teachers have been Wednesdays,” Gillian said. use the device to create and supporting parents to continue edit documents, read books, During the lockdown, Amy has education at home. send/receive emails and browse learnt to use email and to send the internet.

“It’s a big ask for any parent to be documents as attachments cast in the role of a teacher in the to teachers.

“Seeing how motivated Amy was home environment,” Pam said. to learn how to do this has led “Amy is so proud of her achievement me to understand how important “Royal Blind School parents have and I am amazed by her progress,” a BrailleNote Touch will be for her really embraced the opportunity.”

Gillian said. future, as sending and receiving emails is a skill we all need to The school’s Habilitation team have “Amy has been completing English, have,” Gillian said. offered advice on maintaining pupils’ Maths, Science, History and long cane skills. Other teachers Geography work. She is enjoying “Just watching her on her have used video conferencing to being able to independently access BrailleNote really lifts me. The hold remote drama, music and assignments sent by her teachers to difference I have noticed is unreal.”

PE lessons. her BrailleNote Touch, completing iSite Magazine Summer 2020

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Care staff rise to the challenge The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult, but Royal Blind staff have risen to the challenge. Our priority has been to look after the health and wellbeing of both our residents and our care staff.

Following Scottish Government “Maintaining communication with guidance, visits to our residential residents has been very important. services have been restricted to We reassure our residents that key staff and essential medical our staff are wearing face masks personnel only since shortly before at work as a precautionary the national lockdown started. measure, not because a resident This eliminated the risk of visitors has the virus.” passing the virus on to residents or staff. Staff have stayed home Morag said staff kept a close eye if they – or someone in their on residents’ state of health. household – have had any suspicious symptoms.

“Older people do not show the classic COVID-19 symptoms of Morag Francis, Head of Care for a cough and a fever,” she said.

Older People, says many changes have been made to protect care “Compared to the general home residents as much as possible. population, older peoples’ symptoms tend to be quite subtle.

“We’ve used visitor restrictions, PPE, It could be vomiting, stomach social distancing and barrier nursing problems, or they could be more to reduce the risk of transmission,” tired than they usually are. she said.

“Fortunately, our staff know the residents very well, so they know what’s unusual for them.”

Emma Scott, a Charge Nurse at Braeside House, said residents who presented any unusual behaviour or health complaints would be tested.

“A nurse will take a nasopharyngeal swab of the resident’s throat and send it to the Royal Infirmary for testing. We receive the result within 48 hours.”

no-one goes in or out without being fully kitted up with PPE, such as a fluid-resistant mask, an apron, gloves and a face shield.

Residential Care for Children, Young People and Adults

organising socially distanced music videos. Those have been very popular on Royal Blind’s Facebook page. We’re trying to keep things as normal as possible.”

Julie Jamieson is Royal Blind’s Head of Care for Children, Young “If residents are being barrier nursed, People and Adult Services. Julie Staff were ensuring social we offer them plenty of emotional says the COVID-19 lockdown distancing between people in their support, as well as medical care. has showcased staff members’ care as much as possible, Julie said.

While we are in the room, we have problem-solving abilities. a chat with them and help them “We schedule times for people voice any concerns they’ve got.

“There’s been a can-do attitude. to spend in different parts of the People have been keen to find house so they’re not just in their “We’re working hard to make solutions, rather than focus on bedrooms, which was the advice sure residents aren’t feeling lonely the problems.” in the beginning. We obviously had or isolated. Families are unable great concerns about the impact to visit, so the emotional support Julie oversees the Royal Blind on people’s mental health. We’re we provide is very important.”

School’s residential service, as well making sure everyone has time as our care services for adults with outside every day and we facilitate Emma leads a team of seven visual impairment and additional video calls with family members,” nurses and 21 care staff. complex needs.

Julie said.

“Without a doubt, this is the Julie said staff had found “The lockdown has been a challenge toughest thing I’ve ever had to go creative ways to deliver highbut it’s one the staff have risen to through in my 13 years as a nurse,” quality care safely. and I’m really proud of how they’ve she said. adapted. Staff have done whatever “We’ve had music lessons via they could to continue providing “A shift at Braeside House can Microsoft Teams, we’ve celebrated a safe service. That matters more leave you feeling quite exhausted, birthdays and we’ve done than anything.” but it’s definitely worth it because mindfulness sessions with the Royal it makes you feel like you’re making Blind School. Singing and dancing a difference.” has taken place too, with our carers

Barrier nursing, also known as isolation nursing, is implemented if a Coronavirus infection is suspected.

“All healthcare and personal care is carried out in their bedroom and

9

Thank you for helping us through this crisis

These are only some of the ways your donations have helped support us during this crucial time.

We can’t thank you enough for your support.

When the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic were first starting to be realised, we had no idea what the scale and depth of the crisis would be.

Thank you from everyone at Royal Blind.

We have never had to launch an urgent appeal before, however with our spring and summer programme of events and community fundraising cancelled overnight,

we knew we had to act. Act, to ensure that the service provided to all those in our care was not compromised.

We were astounded with the response we received. With donations of money, electronic equipment, personal protection equipment and food items for staff and residents it all has meant so much to us – thank you.

Technology Care Our first immediate need was for additional resources to ensure we had enough carers, nurses and therapists available, making sure that at no stage care was compromised.

This was especially the case in our care homes where we had to barrier nurse several residents – this is a term used for when someone is being nursed, one to one in their room.

The immediate donations we received allowed us to do this.

“I am very well looked after day and night, and very well fed. You are always asked if you want to do anything.”

Jessie, care home resident

10 iSite Magazine Summer 2020

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) was also a huge issue in the early months of the outbreak as we were using up to 200 masks per day in our care homes. Our team did an amazing job ensuing there was always a supply available where needed, even though sometimes this was incredibly difficult. We have achieved this thanks to donors and companies who donated PPE to us. We are delighted that our supply and availability of PPE is now stable.

“We don’t want to spread the virus and it is sensible to wear masks and gloves so it’s not spreading the virus.”

Frances, care home resident

Activities As residents across all our residential services have been unable to see friends and family, it has been essential that we kept everyone active and busy to take their minds off missing their loved ones. We quickly had to buy new art supplies to help with the activities and at Braeside House care home, we received a donation of £500 to create a special art room. The residents have loved taking part in a range of activities to keep their spirits up.

“I have also enjoyed all the activities I have taken part in. These are done differently as we can’t really take part in groups, but I think the activity team are doing a really good job of finding activities to suit everyone’s needs.”

Mary, care home resident

We knew keeping in touch with relatives was going to be essential and this is even harder for someone with a visual impairment as they may not be able to see their loved one on a screen.

However, it was equally as important that the family members could see their loved one.

Therefore electronic devices like a tablet or iPad were essential. We were truly amazed by the generosity right at the start of this pandemic of all those who donated tablets for all our services, allowing families to stay connected. We were thrilled to receive funding for a touch table at Jenny’s Well to complement the existing one at Braeside. This is like a giant iPad and has been essential for those with sight loss at this time.

“We are missing Jess like crazy but it’s made a little easier by knowing how well she is being cared for. Whenever we FaceTime she seems happy so that makes us feel a bit better.

Nadine & Michael, family members

iSite Magazine Summer 2020 11

Mammoth response to call for help Several of our staff members took on the 2.6 Challenge in April and May, raising nearly £2,000 for Royal Blind’s services.

The 2.6 Challenge was a UK-wide challenge set up by the organisers of the London Marathon. It encouraged members of the public to raise funds for charities by committing to a challenge during lockdown that involved the number 26.

“All our staff at Royal Blind, especially our nursing and care teams, have been going that extra mile to care for residents across our five services during this pandemic,” Mark said.

“That knowledge urged me on during this challenge.”

Royal Blind School teacher Pam Young committed to an unusual challenge too: climbing her tenement’s 126 stairs 26 times in a day.

Members of the Edinburgh Northern Rugby Football Club also got in behind Royal Blind.

Coordinated by club member and Royal Blind staffer Jamie Kindness, the rugby lads made the 2.6 Challenges part of their weekly fitness competition. The team raised £301 over seven days – a phenomenal effort.

Royal Blind is hugely grateful to all our supporters, helping our services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was pretty tired by the end and walking was absolute agony the next day,” Pam said.

Royal Blind’s participants included “My iPhone’s health app said I’d Chief Executive Mark O’Donnell done 10,618 steps that day, which rowing 26,000 strokes on his is pretty normal for me because indoor rowing machine over I walk to and from work, but 26 days; Director of Corporate Resources Stephen Coulter running I’m not used to quite so many a marathon over 10 days; and steps on stairs!”

Hawys Kilday, Director of Services, burning 260 calories a day for 10 days in Body Combat sessions.

Fundraising Events Since the lockdown began we have had to postpone or cancel many of our events and fundraising plans. However, there are still many ways in which you can support Royal Blind at this time.

Many events like the Edinburgh Marathon, the Kiltwalk and the Forth Rail Bridge Abseil have been postponed. If you have already signed up with us to take part in one of these events, don’t worry, your place is still valid. Keep an eye on the Royal Blind website for up-to-date information on a new date.

Be an ‘at home’ hero More than ever we really appreciate all the fundraising that you are doing. There are lots of way you can still fundraise for Royal Blind at this time while staying local to your home. Here’s just a few ideas:

Birthday fundraiser If you are able to support our 2.6 Challengers with a small donation, helping to tip our effort over the £2,000 mark, we would be incredibly grateful. Visit bit.ly/ TwoPointSixRoyalBlind.

Don’t forget if it’s your birthday you can set up a birthday fundraiser on Facebook asking friends and family to donate. To find out more drop us an email at fundraising@royalblind.org

Virtual Quiz Hold an online quiz and ask your friends to donate online and text to give and take part.

Lockdown jar Whether it’s for swearing, not doing chores or even mentioning Coronavirus, get your family to pop a coin in the jar and donate the amount online.

Crop that mop Like all our fundraising team, we’re sure there’s a few funny hairstyles in your family. Why not challenge someone to crop their mop for Royal Blind and set up a JustGiving Page.

These are just some of the ideas you can take part in to fundraise at home.

For more ideas or inspiration get in touch with us at fundraising@royalblind.org

Join our Big Blue Thank You Join our Big Blue campaign to say thank you to our key workers and to help raise vital funds. It is easy to get involved. Complete an activity of your choice, then fundraise for or donate to Royal Blind. Share on social media with the hashtag #bigbluethankyou. To get involved, visit www.bigbluethankyou.com

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iSite Magazine Summer 2020 13

What I Do Simon Pearce-Madge Senior Residential Care Worker at Forward Vision

Visit the Work With Us section of our website to learn more about careers with us.

Forward Vision is Royal Blind’s residential care service for adults with visual impairment and additional complex needs. Simon Pearce-Madge says treating every person as an individual enables Forward Vision care workers to help make a difference in people’s lives.

What is your background?

“I started at Royal Blind in April 2019.

“Previously, I was Managing Director of a care organisation which supported people with learning disabilities in Scotland.

However, I wanted to work somewhere that was supportive of my home life. My husband and I got married in Scotland and we adopted our two children three years ago. Forward Vision has been very accommodating and very supportive of our home life.”

What responsibilities do you have?

“I take responsibility for the support that’s provided at Katrine House.

I supervise 17 staff and ensure our team are trained and are working to the best of their ability and to individuals’ needs.

14 iSite Magazine Summer 2020

“I am responsible for the paperwork, “The level of confidence here is huge and it’s great to see staff supervising staff and managing taking on training opportunities. the rotas, plus keeping mindful of If they haven’t got exactly what the budget. It’s about maintaining they need, they’ll find a way to relationships inside and outside learn it. It creates a very strong of the organisation.” staff team who aren’t frightened to put their ideas forward.”

What is the ethos of care

at Forward Vision?

“Care is driven by the individual’s needs, their likes, their dislikes, their personalities, who they are – seeing past their visual impairment.

“Whether someone can verbally communicate or not, it’s about getting to know and to understand them: appreciating what they like and what they want out of life, and making those things happen.”

What advice would you give someone who hasn’t previously worked with people with visual impairment before?

“It’s about community inclusion.

We can often find obstacles because we want to find them.

“But just because a person has a visual impairment, it doesn’t mean they can’t do what everybody else How would you describe your does. It’s just finding a different team at Forward Vision? way of being able to do it. That is one of the reasons why I chose “My staff are committed: their this organisation to come and dedication is astounding. work with.”

iSite Magazine Summer 2020 15

We need your 20ps!

Scottish War Blinded put volunteer forward for accolade Artist Michael McAllister’s inspirational volunteer work with veterans with sight loss who are supported by Royal Blind’s sister charity, Scottish War Blinded, has led managers to put him in the running for a Charity Champion award.

The art graduate has enriched creative activities at Scottish War Blinded’s Paisley-based activity hub, the Hawkhead Centre, since June 2018 with his caring, empathetic teaching, knowledge and engaging group sessions.

It’s about finding a gentle way to help folk keep going and pushing them forward.

“We’re giving the veterans the ability to work pragmatically but also with freedom with their growing confidence. It’s lovely to see them flourish.”

Living with a visual impairment himself, resulting from the condition Septo-optic Dysplasia, Michael says Michael is unable to work as a result of his condition – but he he finds it extremely rewarding to help individuals rekindle their artistic says volunteering at the Hawkhead Centre has allowed him to ‘live hopes and develop their skills. his dream’ in the supported Many of the veterans he tutors had environment he requires. never engaged with their creative His dedication to his volunteering side before they began visiting the role was embodied in an exhibition Hawkhead Centre’s art room. of Hawkhead Centre attendees’ Michael said: “The stresses in the work at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove creative process are amplified Museum in February this year, with the addition of sight loss. which Michael was instrumental in organising.

16 iSite Magazine Summer 2020

The showcase represented each veteran’s personal journey of overcoming apprehensions about creating with sight loss – testament to Michael’s pragmatic tutoring and how he has nurtured their self-confidence.

During the pandemic, he has continued to support Scottish War Blinded staff in developing ideas to keep the veterans they support enjoying art in the lockdown.

Michael said: “What’s lovely about the Scottish War Blinded Hawkhead Centre is that it’s a very safe, nurturing place and organisation as a whole, which really drives me to get involved.

It’s lovely being part of the Hawkhead Centre team.”

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