Awareness training for volunteers

Four volunteers received awareness training from the North Wales Society of the Blind.

The purpose of the course was to learn how to be more aware of the different sight loss conditions and the effect they have on each individual in different ways.

The course leaders were Annest Jeffery and Sara Milner-Jones, both rehabilitation officers with the Society.

1.7 million people with sight loss live in the United Kingdom and 20,000 in Wales.

The different conditions include glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

They described the rehabilitation officer’s rike and about the registration and referral process and the beneficial services offered by the Society including our resource center in Stryd Fawr, Bangor.

Some people have described losing their sight as an experience similar to the grieving process.

The Society’s positive message is that there is life after sight loss.

The course members then had to wear special glasses to simulate the different conditions before wearing a mask.

They then received advice on how to guide a blind person correctly and giving clear descriptions of their surroundings and possible obstacles.

They discussed resources and support available locally and nationally including guide dogs and the update in glasses similar to Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

All four agreed that they had learned a lot from attending the course.

The Society is here and available to anyone across North and Mid Wales who wants help.

If you would like to book awareness training for your company, agency, authority or association, call us on 01248 353604 or admin@nwsb.org.uk or pop into our resources center at 325, Stryd Fawr, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1YB.