Volunteers learn about sight loss
6th September, 2022
At the end of August, Friends of Moorfields volunteers and staff from across our sites took part in a day of Sight Loss Awareness training, with an expert trainer from the RNIB.
The training explored common causes of sight loss, types of support available and what it’s like to have a visual impairment. The participants had a chance to take part in group activities, including getting practice guiding someone with a sight impairment – an essential skill for our volunteers, as one of the crucial roles they perform is helping people find their way around our sites. The day ended with an Ask Me Anything session, where participants asked about everything from guide dogs to braille.
“I learned so much today,” said one attendee. “It’s definitely given me more confidence to support visually impaired patients and a better understanding of sight loss.”
Interest in the course was high, so further sessions will be running over the next few months to ensure that as many volunteers as possible can benefit from it.
Volunteer Service Manager Natalia Tomashpolskaya said: “We are very pleased to offer this unique training to enable our volunteers to better connect to the important aspects of Moorfields patients’ experience and needs and provide them with better support.”