RNIB Scotland Annual Review 2011-12 (PDF 1.49 MB)

Annual review
2011/2012
Our impact, your
stories, our thanks

Full sight
Cataract
Macular degeneration
Glaucoma
Myopia
Diabetic retinopathy
2
These images are of the Scottish Parliament building seen through different
sight loss conditions. They were used on the cover of our manifesto for the
2011 Scottish Parliament elections.

Contents
Introduction 5
Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily 10
Supporting independent living 16
Creating an inclusive society 24
Thank you 30
A brief look at our finances 38
How you can help 41
Your audio CD 43
The photograph on the cover was taken at our
Haggeye youth forum’s summit in Edinburgh, which
brought together young people with sight loss from
across the UK.
3

43 per cent of
blind and partially
sighted people
would like to
leave the house
more often.
4

Introduction
This has been an incredibly challenging year for us as a charity and more
importantly for blind and partially sighted people across Scotland and the UK. But
despite the real problems that cuts to income and services are causing, we are still
very proud of the impact that our staff and supporters have achieved this year for
people with and at risk of sight loss.
We began the year by empowering blind and partially sighted people to voice their
fears as part of the Hardest Hit campaign to tackle the potential impact of the
Welfare Reform Bill on their lives. In October we organised the biggest ever rally
of disabled people in Scotland. This campaign contributed to a notable success in
the reversal of the Government’s proposed changes to Disability Living Allowance
(DLA), which would have had a devastating impact on blind and partially sighted
people in residential care. However, as the year draws to a close our attention is
focused on the proposed change from DLA to Personal Independence Payment
(PIP) in 2013. According to the Government’s own figures, about half a million
people would lose their entitlement altogether as DLA is replaced by PIP. Others
will qualify for a lower rate than they currently receive.
The criteria for the new benefit fail to recognise that sight loss is a serious
disability and that you face extensive extra costs if you can’t see, and that these
are ongoing. This will hit blind and partially sighted people particularly hard and
we will campaign tirelessly to ensure that their quality of life is not reduced by
proposed welfare changes that are unfair.
Introduction
5

The efforts to reduce public spending has also led to wide-ranging reviews of
what services might be reduced or even scrapped. We were concerned that the
Independent Budget Review Panel, commissioned by the Scottish Government to
identify potential public spending savings, mentioned free eye examinations, first
introduced in Scotland in 2006. We thought this would be a seriously retrograde
step. Eye examinations play a key role in tackling avoidable sight loss, detecting
sight-threatening conditions early on when they can be arrested or even reversed.
They can also detect the signs of other major conditions such as stroke and
diabetes. As it happened, just a few months later a
study by Aberdeen University concluded that free
eye examinations have been successful in prompting
more Scots to get their eyes tested, although it also
stressed that more must be done to get the eyehealth
message out to hard-to-reach groups.
This was a message we strongly reinforced at a
meeting in March of the various stakeholders in the
Scottish Vision Strategy. This strategy is a landmark
attempt to improve eye health and eradicate
avoidable sight loss. An interim review, prepared by
Aberdeen University
concluded that free
eye examinations
have been successful
in prompting more
Scots to get their
eyes tested
RNIB Scotland, suggests we have made some encouraging advances along this
path. One example is the new Electronic Digital Referral System being pioneered
by NHS Fife which instantly sends images of eye scans from ophthalmologists to
eye clinics, significantly reducing referral times. This has already saved the sight of
some patients.
6
Introduction

2011/12 was a key year for
Scottish democracy with
political parties contesting
elections for both the
Scottish Parliament in 2011
and for the country’s 32
local authorities in 2012.
With key areas, such as
health and social care,
devolved to Holyrood and
local authorities still a vital
source of support for many
people with sight loss, it was
important that candidates
and their parties were
fully aware of the issues.
We published manifestos
for both elections, outlining what actions could most cost-effectively make a
difference to the lives of blind and partially sighted constituents.
The impact of the services RNIB provides across the UK was also something for us
to be proud of. Not least the fact that our National Library Service sent out over
one and a half million books in braille, audio and giant print – including books
by Scottish authors or with Scottish themes transcribed by our centre in Partick –
enabling 46,000 blind and partially sighted people to enjoy reading. At our annual
event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, we were enormously lucky to
have author Julia Donaldson lend her support to our drive to have more books
available in accessible formats.
Introduction
7

Meanwhile, our Helpline and information services dealt with over 450,000
enquiries, providing people with reassurance and increased self confidence. Many
of these enquiries were focused on the pressures people were facing due to the
economic climate.
Our campaigning for financial independence for those with sight loss has been
tremendously successful this year. Our work to persuade banks to provide talking
cash machines has resulted in Barclays committing to rolling them out in the next
year, and Lloyds Banking Group have committed to make their ATMs talk and will
be targeting 1,500 machines in 2013. This commitment
will work across all their brands which include Halifax,
Bank of Scotland and Lloyds TSB. These changes will
enable more blind and partially sighted people to
access and manage their own money independently.
We gave over
1,000 blind and
partially sighted
people support to
claim the benefits
they are entitled to.
All of this fantastic impact, some of which you can
find out more about in this report, would not have
been possible without the fantastic generosity of
our supporters. To name but a few, thank you to our
network of volunteers who make up our technology support squad providing
practical support in people’s homes, and to our campaign supporters all over
Scotland who have continued to challenge service delivery that is inaccessible to
blind and partially sighted people, to make society more inclusive.
And thank you to everyone who has supported us with a generous gift, including
those who took part in our new annual fund-raising event – Read for RNIB Day –
which was launched in October.
8
Introduction

However we must continue to focus on the very real threats that exist to the lives
of blind and partially sighted people and those at risk of sight loss in Scotland.
This year we will continue to do all we can in these very difficult times to improve
the quality of life and independence of people with sight problems.
Ken Reid
Chair, RNIB Scotland
John Legg
Director, RNIB Scotland
Introduction
9

There are around
188,000 people living
in Scotland with a
significant degree of
sight loss.
10 10
The total annual
cost of sight loss in
Scotland is close to
£500million.

Stopping people
losing their sight
unnecessarily
Over 50 per cent of sight loss in
Scotland can be avoided. We do all we
can to reach the people most at risk
of losing their sight with crucial eye
health messages and to ensure that
potentially sight-saving treatments
are available to all.
11 11

Working to eliminate the huge proportion of sight loss
that is avoidable
Although the devastating experience of losing your sight can happen to anyone
we are particularly targeting the most at risk groups. “Don’t get left in the dark”
was the message we promoted to the Diwali festival of lights in Glasgow in
November and invited revellers to try a basic visual acuity test. The city’s ethnic
minority population is almost three times the Scottish average. In March, Scottish
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon visited our pioneering project in South Glasgow
that is working to highlight the vital importance of eye examinations to Glasgow’s
Pakistani community.
Working to ensure policy and decision-makers
understand the importance of potentially sight-saving
eye examinations
With the number of Scots affected by sight loss projected to double, we launched
our manifesto for the Scottish Parliament elections in May. Our proposals could
help contain this explosive increase while transforming the lives of people who are
already blind and partially sighted. RNIB Scotland pressed all political parties to
preserve free eye-examinations as a vital step in diagnosing preventable sight loss
early on. For those conditions that can’t be treated, our manifesto called for better
emotional support. Too often, people get no help in coming to terms with the
prospect of losing their vision.
12
Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily

The number of people with sight
loss in Scotland is projected to
double by 2031.
Last year, 1.8 million people had
free eye examinations, and
80,000 were referred on for
further potentially sight-saving
treatment.
Speaking up for the needs of people with sight loss to
those planning vital services
A high-profile conference met in March to gauge the progress of the Scottish
Vision Strategy, launched as part of a global drive to push through ambitious
eye health targets. Although Scotland remains a world leader in some aspects of
eyecare, the number of blind or partially sighted Scots is projected to double by
2031. Already one in six appointments in some hospitals are for eye problems.
We have made tangible advances, and in some cases big steps forward. In other
areas, we still have work to do. But, overall, this conference marked a very
encouraging assessment of how far we have come.
Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily
13

Challenging health service providers not to cut
potentially sight-saving treatments
New research by Aberdeen University in March confirmed that the Scottish
Government’s policy of free eye tests, introduced in 2006, has succeeded. Last
year, 1.8 million people had free eye examinations, and 80,000 were referred on
for further potentially sight-saving treatment. But the findings also reveal that the
impact has been unevenly spread and more must be done to encourage the least
well off to have their eyes tested, including the marginalised and isolated elderly.
Eye tests can play a crucial role in identifying sight loss conditions early on when
they can be arrested or reversed, as well as other health problems such as brain
tumours.
This research proves that the policy has led to more Scots, overall, having their
eyes examined. We know that this has led to more people’s sight and other
conditions being diagnosed in time to treat them. This is hugely more costeffective
than meeting the health and social costs of people who might otherwise
go on to lose vision or suffer ill-health unnecessarily. But it also reveals that we
still have a job to do to get this important message across to the least advantaged
members of society.
Before free eye health checks were introduced, fewer Scots had their eyes
tested than people in other parts of the UK. However just two years later, the
relative difference had reduced, the research notes. Free eye health checks have
unquestionably improved the health of Scotland. We now need to ensure everyone
understands just how important getting your eyes tested regularly really is.
14
Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily

Paul’s story
Paul is 50 and has Down’s Syndrome.
His carers noticed he was increasingly
reluctant to leave his flat and no longer
seemed to recognise them. One of Pauls’
review team had been on RNIB’s Vision
Champion training and suspected the
problem could be sight loss. Paul was
supported to see an optometrist and was
diagnosed with dense cataracts in both
eyes. This made watching television,
recognising faces and looking at pictures
very difficult. Because the Vision
Champion could demonstrate that Paul’s
visual needs were understood and that
his carers could provide support and care,
treatment went ahead and was successful.
Paul’s carers say the difference is amazing.
One in six hospital
appointments are for
eye problems.
“ We were watching an able man lose the things he enjoyed
in life and we can’t believe the difference his operation
has made. The old Paul is back smiling and enjoying life.”
(Based on a case study from the Realise Project in West Dumbarton
– photograph is of a model).
Stopping people losing their Stopping sight unnecessarily people losing their sight unnecessarily 15

66 per cent of blind and
partially sighted people of
working age are unemployed.
16 16
There are around 2,135 children
and young people living with
sight loss in Scotland.

Supporting
independent living
We want blind and partially sighted
people to have the opportunity to
remain as independent as possible and
we provide the services, support and
solutions to enable this.
17 17

Supporting people when they are diagnosed with
a sight threatening condition
Our Vision Support Service is often the first support people will receive to help
them to come to terms with sight loss. The service has given support to over
1,160 people when they were first told they are losing their sight. During the year,
we have increased the number of eye clinics where this vital support is available
to five, as well as further developing the expert nature of the support through
training and development opportunities for our vision support workers.
Emphasising how local authorities can make a
difference to the lives of people with sight loss
Local authorities are the most important day-to-day agent in the lives of many
blind and partially sighted people. But public spending cuts could push this group
back to the margins of society. In our manifesto for the Scottish local authority
elections, we urged councils to safeguard the right of those with sight loss to lead
independent lives with dignity. If services are cut – at the same time as welfare
benefits are tightened nationally – it would mean a grim future for some of the
most vulnerable people in society.
18
Supporting independent living

Over 1,160 people were given
support and advice when they
were diagnosed with sight loss.
Over 1.6 million talking books
were sent to blind and partially
sighted people across Scotland
and the rest of the UK.
Improving the quality of life through our new Learning
and Development Centre
Her Royal Highness Princess Anne officially opened a new facility in Glasgow in April
that will help people with sight and hearing loss move into employment. The Learning
and Development Centre, managed by RNIB Scotland, is based within the City of
Glasgow Council’s Centre for Sensory Impaired People. The centre includes a work club,
where participants can develop job-search and interview skills and support each other,
and a social enterprise café.
Supporting independent living
19

Enabling people to retain work when losing their sight,
or to find new employment
Losing your sight should not mean losing your job. Working and earning your
living can be vital to self confidence and independence. We are determined to help
people keep their job when they are losing their sight, and find new work if they
need to. But the shocking fact is that only 33 per cent of blind and partially
sighted people of working age are in employment. This year, through working with
employers and training and supporting blind and partially sighted people, we have
helped 75 people retain their job and 59 find new employment, and thereby to
build and maintain their confidence.
Mohammed Binyameen, 24, from Glasgow is partially sighted and used our
Learning and Development Centre regularly to carry out job searches and to apply
for jobs. He also took part in a call-handling training pilot in the centre and
offered valuable feedback as he had previously worked himself in call centres.
Mohammed took part in the pilot of Launch Pad, our employability course, and
supported other participants with IT difficulties. He moved into permanent work
with Teleperformance and speaks highly of the support he had from RNIB
Scotland.
“ I found the Learning and Development Centre a really great help.
What I particularly liked was you were free to pop in whenever
you wanted to use the facilities. There were easily accessible
computers available and always a member of staff there to help
and support you.”
20
Supporting independent living

Our Helpline dealt with 450,000
enquiries from Scotland and
across the UK.
We identified over £3.5million
in unclaimed benefits and other
entitlements for blind and
partially sighted people.
Helping people to manage the potential impact on
their lives of cuts to services and benefits
Over £3.5million in extra income was won for over 1,000 blind or partially
sighted people in Scotland thanks to our free Benefits Helpline, run with
funding from Standard Life plc. The welfare system can be very bureaucratic for
anyone to get their head round, especially if you have difficulty seeing. Some
people just give up. But this means they can be left unable to afford basic
things like heating their home or using public transport. With public spending
cuts set to start biting, benefits could become even harder to access. One client
initially refused Disability Living Allowance had his claim immediately reinstated
at a tribunal appeal. We represented him at because it was so obvious the tests
were inadequate.
Supporting independent living 21

Fighting to ensure blind and partially sighted people receive
the services and support to which they are entitled
Hundreds of people assembled in Edinburgh on October 22 to take part in Scotland’s biggest
ever protest against plans to reform disability benefits. The ‘Hardest Hit’ rally in the capital’s
Princes Street Gardens condemned proposals that could slash up to £1billion from the income
and services of people with disabilities over the next four years.
The rally was organised by a coalition of leading Scottish charities, led by RNIB Scotland, who
warned that people with disabilities or long-term conditions will be hit hardest by cuts to the
support they need to live their lives with dignity.
Many protesters fear changes to benefits such as Disability Living Allowance and Employment
and Support Allowance will significantly reduce their weekly incomes and force others to
undertake fit-for-work tests that have been widely criticised as flawed.
Disabled activist Pam Duncan said: “Over 47 per cent of disabled people live in poverty
already, yet we face not only benefit cuts but a double whammy of cuts to our services too.
Of course we need to get to grips with public debt. But disabled people shouldn’t have to
bear the brunt of this. We don’t have the broadest shoulders.”
Other speakers included Lord Colin Low, president of the European Blind Union and a former
chair of RNIB. They called on the Government to ensure that changes to benefits do not make
disabled people worse off, that the welfare system helps people to meet the additional costs
of living with a disability, and that assessments that test people’s ability to work are improved.
Campaigners say that disabled people, those with long-term health conditions and their
families are already twice as likely to live in poverty, with nearly half having no savings at all
(compared to just 12 per cent of the general population). Cuts to the support they depend on
could push many into poverty, debt and isolation.
22
Supporting independent living

Why our chair Ken Reid
supported the Hardest Hit
Ken Reid, who became chair of RNIB
Scotland in January, is registered blind and
currently receives
the lower-level
mobility
component of
Disability Living
Allowance. His only
other income is a
pension from his
former employer.
“ DLA helps cover the cost of computer software which enables me to handle
my own correspondence independently. Without it, I would have no privacy.
DLA also pays for things like talking kitchen-scales which cost about four
times what ordinary ones do.
I had been hoping to get the higher-rate mobility component of DLA.
Then I could actually contemplate taking taxis too. At the moment I have to
use train and bus and often rely on assistance from strangers to help me
complete my journey.”
Supporting independent living
23

60 per cent of blind and
partially sighted people need
help to get out of the house.
24 24
75 per cent of blind and
partially sighted people
need help to go shopping.

Creating an
inclusive society
We work with industry and service
providers to improve the travel,
shopping and banking experiences
of blind and partially sighted people
as well as developing better ways to
read, watch television and get the
most from technology.
25 25

Supporting young people with sight loss to speak up
on the issues that matter to them
Our award-winning Haggeye youth forum
hosted a summit in Edinburgh for over 60
other blind and partially sighted young
people from across the UK. They exchanged views and discussed what activities
have proved most effective. Stephen Davidson, 27, from Balintore, said: “The
pan-UK event was extremely important because when people speak with a louder
voice you can affect greater change. Sixty-odd young people can make quite a
noise! It was also important to be able to meet, share experiences with people
from different areas to identify common problems and solutions.”
Katrina Thomson, 19, from Hawick, said: “I wanted to be involved in the event so
I could tell others about the opportunities that I have had with Haggeye. I have
made life-long friends through the project and been able to take part in so many
different things.”
Ensuring sight loss is detected in people with a
learning disability
People with learning disabilities are ten times more likely to have sight problems
than the general population and six out of ten will also need to wear glasses.
We called on the Scottish Government to ensure that all people with a learning
disability have a formal review of their vision as part of their community care
assessment. We also want all young people with a learning disability leaving
school to have a sight test to ensure undetected sight loss does not impede their
transition to adult life.
26
Creating an inclusive society

We have challenged shopping,
banking and payment systems
that are inaccessible to blind
and partially sighted people.
We supported transport
providers to improve the
service they offer to people
with sight problems.
Highlighting the need for more books in
accessible formats
Children’s Laureate, Julia Donaldson MBE launched braille and audio versions of
one of her favourites among her own stories at the Edinburgh International Book
Festival. The author read from “Freddie and the Fairy” at an event organised by
RNIB Scotland. Julia had personally recorded the story at our Partick transcription
studio the month before.
“ No child should be denied the chance to enjoy the same stories that stretch
the imagination and sense of wonder as their peers. I can’t imagine being
deprived of my favourite stories from childhood and I want to help ensure
that no child today is excluded from the world of books that, even early on,
can do so much to help shape the person we become.”
Creating an inclusive society
27

Training young people with sight loss in work and
personal skills
Over 140 blind and partially sighted young people gained hands-on experience
of radio production at our Insight Radio station, many of whose presenters and
producers themselves have sight loss. Insight received a £26,800 award from
the Asda Foundation to provide training in all aspects of broadcasting. The
Foundation was set up to support good causes chosen by staff in Asda stores.
The two-week introductory training covered recording and editing skills,
journalism, and experience of presenting shows and outside broadcasts.
Insight Radio is the only dedicated radio station that communicates the interests
of people with sight loss. Listeners can tune in on 101FM in Glasgow, Sky Channel
0188, Freesat 777, on-line and mobile phone applications via insightradio.co.uk
Empowering people to make the most of technology
and increase their independence
Technology is continuing to open up new opportunities for people with sight
problems to maintain their independence, whether through computers, mobile
phones, television, eBooks or radios. But we understand that realising these
opportunities is not always easy and we are determined to help blind and partially
sighted people get the most out of technology. We brought people closer to these
technology solutions with our “Accessibility on the Mac” event at the Apple store
in Glasgow’s Buchannan Street. The focus was on the accessibility features that are
built into the Mac’s operating system, as opposed to having to acquire third-party
software. People with sight and hearing loss who had expressed an interest in
technology attended.
28 Creating an inclusive society

Jonathon’s story
Jonathon Miller, 19, from Glasgow
(far left of picture) completed a
six-month training course with Insight
Radio as part of the Government’s Future
Job Fund. This included shadowing
the presenter and producer from the
planning stage right through to the
actual show itself.
“ I was part of a pre-recorded show where I was in the role of
presenter. I was also asked to go out and about talking to the
public about issues on forthcoming shows, like eye health
and how people can prevent losing their sight. The team at
Insight understood the challenges I sometimes face, but more
importantly they saw everything that I was capable of
achieving. It was a very enjoyable time and all the staff were
very welcoming, approachable and friendly. As a result of
working for Insight Radio, I have been able to apply for jobs
within the BBC and other recording studios.”
Creating an inclusive society
29

We have benefitted from
the support of over 640
volunteers in Scotland
this year.
30 30
Over 30 per
cent of RNIB’s
work is made
possible thanks
to gifts people
leave us in
their Will.

Thank you
Without the volunteers who help
deliver our vital services, the donors
who help fund these services and our
campaign supporters who help make
our voice louder we would not be able
to achieve all we do.
31 31

We are honoured to have the support of some remarkable individuals. We are indebted to our
Patron Her Majesty The Queen; to our President of 25 years who stepped down this year, His
Grace the Duke of Westminster; and to our new President Dame Gail Ronson, as well as to our
Vice-Presidents:
Sir John Beckwith CBE
The Rt Hon David
Blunkett MP
Richard Brewster
Professor Ian Bruce CBE
Jeremy Bull
Dr Haruhisa Handa
Dr Euclid Herie
Lady Jarvis
Penny Lancaster-Stewart
Lord Low of Dalston CBE
Sir Mike Rake
Dr Dermot Smurfit
Rod Stewart CBE
The Rt Hon the Earl of
Stockton
Sir Duncan Watson
We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to the many individuals, companies and trusts that have
supported us this year. Without your support we could not have achieved what we have. We can’t
possibly name you all but here’s a list of those who have contributed significantly to our cause.
Aberdeen Universities
Students Charities
Commission
Aberdeenshire Council
Access LLP
Action on Hearing Loss
Scotland
Alzheimer Scotland
Asda Foundation
Awards for All
Jackie Baillie MSP
Big Lottery Fund Scotland
British Wireless for the Blind
Fund
Dr. Michael Brown
Cllr Robert Brown
Centre for Sensory Impaired
People
Children in Scotland
City Building (Glasgow) LLP
City of Edinburgh Council
City of Dundee Council
City of Glasgow Council
Clackmannanshire Council
Cordia LLP
Creative Scotland
Cross Party Group on
Visual Impairment, Scottish
Parliament
Customer Contact Association
32
Thank you
Continued on page 34 ➜

John’s story
A local literary society did a good turn
for Read for RNIB Day by relay-reading
one of the most famous books ever to be
set in Scotland’s capital. The Edinburgh
Robert Louis Stevenson Society met in
Deacon Brodie’s Tavern to take turns
reading passages from the author’s
celebrated chiller “The Strange Case of
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. And actor
John Shedden, who has portrayed
Stevenson on stage, even took part
dressed in period costume to read
Dr Jekyll’s dramatic final confession.
Deacon Brodie’s Tavern is named after
the infamous 18th century figure who
was the basis for Mr Hyde.
“The several recordings of different authors such
as Stevenson, Burns and Scott that I have done
on CD for RNIB’s talking books library have
been in a very worthy cause. I’m delighted to
take part.”
Find out how you can
get involved in the next
Read for RNIB Day at
readforrnib.org.uk
Thank you
33

Daily Record
Daphne McCulloch
Dobbies
Dr Duncan Leeds Trust
East Dunbartonshire
Community Payback Team
East Dunbartonshire Council
East Lothian Council
Education Scotland
Ethnic Enable
European Commission
Eyecare Scotland
Falkirk Council
Fife Carers Centre
Fife Council
Fife Society for the Blind
Food Standards Agency
Forth Valley Sensory Centre
Glasgow Caledonian
University
Glasgow 2014
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Ingeus
Inverness College
Jewel and Esk College
Jobcentre Plus
Prof Thanos Karatzias
Learning Disability Alliance
Scotland
Linda Allan
Lindsays
The Listening Company
Long Term Conditions Alliance
Scotland
Dr Helen Lynn
Matthew Algie
Mazirs
Stuart McMillan MSP
Midlothian Council
NHS Ayrshire and Arran
NHS Fife
NHS Forth Valley
NHS Grampian
NHS Greater Glasgow and
Clyde
NHS Lothian
NHS Tayside
North East Sensory Service
Ocean Youth Trust Scotland
OFCOM
Dr Ken O’Neill
Optometry Scotland
Orange
Partick South Church
Professor Gill Pell
Dennis Robertson MSP
Rotary Club of Jedburgh
Royal Blind School
Scotland’s Colleges
Scottish Autism
Scottish Government
Scottish Parliament (Equality
and Diversity Team)
Scottish Power
Scottish Qualifications
Authority
Scottish Sensory Centre
Scottish Union for Supported
Employment
Scottish Water
Scottish Youth Parliament
34
Thank you
Continued on page 36 ➜

Lynda’s story
Lynda Neilson has been instrumental in
starting and running several groups –
arts, reminiscence and French. She now
works as an admin volunteer managing
all the transport and gardening
volunteers for Edinburgh and the
Lothians.
“ I wasn’t working and someone I suggested I volunteer. What appealed
to me about RNIB Scotland was the training and support you were
offered. When I started I had no self-esteem. Now I feel like I belong
here. I know a lot of people and try different things. It’s been amazing
seeing how people with sight loss still lead active lives. It’s been an
inspiration, in fact! You can be quite taken aback by it!”
Thank you
35

Serco
Shared Care Scotland
Shaw Trust
Shetland Islands Council
Skills Development Scotland
South Ayrshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
Springfield Cambridge Church
Standard Life
Stirling Council
Stroke Association
Sunday Mail
John Tudhope
Visibility
Visioncare at Home
Visual Impairment Scotland
Dr Andrew Walker
West Dumbarton CHCP –
Learning Disability Team
West Dumbarton CHCP –
Sensory Impairment Team
West Lothian Council
Young Scot
Youthlink Scotland
A brighter future
About a third of RNIB’s work is supported by gifts in Wills so we are hugely grateful to those
people who have supported us in this way. Every penny we are left is used wisely to provide a
brighter future for blind and partially sighted people. You don’t have to be wealthy to make a
difference; legacies of all sizes are vital to our work. If you’d like to know how you can help in
this way please call 0845 600 0313 or visit rnib.org.uk/legacy.
36
Thank you

Larisa’s story
Larisa Guzova is volunteer tutor to a
youth art group that meets at RNIB
Scotland.
“ When I started to work with this group, I wanted them to show me
how they see the world through forms and colours. The
youngsters want to say so much in the canvas relating to their
emotion, feelings and moods. I assist them to express themselves
as it develops confidence and self esteem. We create tactile pieces
of work for people to touch. Teaching blind and partially sighted
young people has made me believe that art is an extremely
important medium to express moods and feelings in their life.”
Thank you
37

A brief look at our finances
During 2011/12, £7,196,000 was spent on services for blind and partially sighted
people in Scotland. These services were financed by a service income of £4,832,000
with a deficit of £2,364,000 being met by RNIB voluntary income.
In 2011/12 RNIB Scotland focused expenditure on the following
areas of work:
Stopping people losing their sight £418,000
Supporting independent living £6,463,000
Creating an inclusive society £290,000
Governance costs £25,000
Total expenditure £7,196,000
These figures are extracted from the full Trustees’ report and financial statement for
the year ending 31 March 2012, as audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
If you would like a copy of the full report, available in print, audio, braille and by
email, please contact our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email helpline@rnib.org.uk
38 A brief look at our finances

40
Our new Learning and Development Centre in Glasgow,
funded by the Big Lottery, shares the same building with
Café Tiki, an exciting new social enterprise that offers people
with sight or hearing loss work experience and training in
catering skills in a busy customer-focussed environment.
The café is run by RNIB Scotland in partnership with
Matthew Algie Coffee, Action on Hearing Loss Scotland and
Glasgow City Council.

How you can help
Every day 100 people start to lose their sight. We need your help to provide vital services for
blind and partially sighted people. Do something today and make a difference.
Fundraise – Without financial support from donations and legacies we simply couldn’t
provide many of the products and services that help people find their lives again. There
are many ways you can show your support, such as getting involved in Read for RNIB Day,
taking on a challenge or making a one-off donation.
Volunteer – Without volunteers we couldn’t run our services. There are over 100
volunteering opportunities across the UK where you could make a real difference in your
local community.
Campaign – Without active campaigners we could never get changes made to health,
social care, employment and benefits. Join our campaigns on issues that matter to blind and
partially sighted people. Attend a supporter reception to learn more about our vital work and
discover opportunities to get more involved.
Please call today on 0303 123 9999 to find out more or send your details to:
RNIB, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE
I would like to know more about:
Making a regular gift Leaving a gift in my Will RNIB Membership
Volunteering Fundraising events Recycling for RNIB
Products and publications Campaigning Read for RNIB Day
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How you can help
41

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42
How you can help
✁

Your audio CD
l Listen to the highlights of our work in 2011/12.
l Hear the stories of people we’ve helped.
l Find out how our supporters have been making it all possible.
Only seven per
cent of books
are available
in large print,
unabridged
audio and
braille, including
titles available
in these formats
as eBooks.
Your audio CD
43

RNIB Helpline
For information for you or anyone you
know with a sight problem, contact
our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 from
Monday to Friday between 8.45am and
5.30pm or email helpline@rnib.org.uk
You can also order more copies of this
review as well as our range of products
and publications.
Sightline directory
The new Sightline directory lists the
people, organisations and services
especially for blind and partially sighted
people all in one place online. You
can search the directory and discover
who’s there to help both locally and
nationally.
Visit sightlinedirectory.org.uk
to get started with your search.
rnib.org.uk/scotland
facebook.com/
rnibscotland
twitter.com/
rnib
youtube.com/
rnibuk
RNIB Scotland, 12-14 Hillside Crescent, Edinburgh EH7 5EA.
Telephone 0131 652 3140
© RNIB November 2012
Registered Scottish charity number SC039316
PRxxxxx