211TH ANNUAL MEETING OF NORFOLK’S SIGHT LOSS CHARITY HEARS OF ‘HUGE NEED’ FOR ITS SERVICES
One of Norfolk’s oldest charities has held its 211th annual meeting – which heard how it had supported over 7,000 people living with sight loss in the county over the past 12 months.
The Norfolk & Norwich Association for the Blind reported another strong year for the charity – but warned that with 500 people each year in Norfolk being diagnosed with serious sight loss, there is still a huge need for the work the Association does.
Held on World Sight Day, and attended by over 100 Trustees, staff, volunteers and service users, the meeting saw the NNAB’s annual report launched by Chairman of the Trustees Kit Cator, who paid tribute to the staff and volunteers who keep the charity going.
“We have looked after over 7,000 blind and visually-impaired people in Norfolk over the past 12 months,” said Mr Cator. “This year saw our first fully trained Eye Clinic Liaison Officer take up their post at the James Paget Hospital, something we will replicate this year in all Norfolk hospitals.
“Our equipment centres in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn and Cromer, along with our mobile unit, saw nearly 5,000 visitors during the year. Our services for young people, Young Eyes and Rainbow Sparks, continue to lead the way in East Anglia in provision of services to young people.
“We are lucky that the NNAB is in a strong position; thanks to the astonishing generosity of the people of Norfolk, we will continue to do everything we can to help improve the lives of our blind and partially-sighted beneficiaries.”
That optimism was echoed by new chief executive Gina Dormer, who joined the organisation in August – but she warned that it remained vital to continue to raise awareness of the support available for visually-impaired people.
“I have been bowled over by the breadth and depth of the work done by the NNAB; there is an energy in the organisation which is inspirational,” she told the meeting.
“We do so much, but there is so much more to do. We need to find ways of raising awareness of the challenges that visually-impaired people face, and of the support which we can provide to help them enjoy independent and fulfilled lives. And we must ensure that our services are easy to access and available for every visually-impaired person in Norfolk who needs them.”
The meeting also welcomed guest speaker Steve Tyler, a former head of solutions, strategy and planning at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), who is now director of assistive technology – digital transformation at Leonard Cheshire Disability.
In his new role Mr Tyler, who is himself blind, is responsible for developing knowledge, and capability in assistive technology that can transform lives and life chances.
Mr Tyler talked about how much mainstream technology had been developed with visually-impaired people in mind, citing as examples the typewriter (which was invented by Italian Pellegrino Turri so that his blind girlfriend could write him love letters without having to dictate them), and more recently the digital assistant Alexa, which was initially seen as an accessibility device.
“The challenge of dealing with the visually impaired has led to enormous innovation,” said Mr Tyler.
“A great deal of work has gone on behind the scenes with the likes of Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Google. We have had success in forcing change, but technology changes very quickly. We have to find smart ways of engaging with technology, and also holding it to account.”
The NNAB’s annual meeting was chaired by the High Sheriff of Norfolk, Mr James Bagge, and attended by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Cllr David Pullman; the Mayor of King’s Lynn, Cllr Carol Bower; the Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Cllr Kerry Robinson-Payne; the Sheriff of Norwich, David Walker; and the Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, Anna Dugdale.
Copies of the charity’s Annual Report can be downloaded at www.nnab.org.uk, or are available by phoning the NNAB on 01603 629558.