A group of volunteers and facilitators sit around several tables during the Describing Heritage workshop at Barnsley Museum. Participants are sat closely together in discussion. The room is bright with large windows.

SLCs are supporting VocalEyes’ #DescribingHeritage project, kickstarting the project at Barnsley Museum.

SLC members are co-creating audio descriptions to make heritage more accessible for blind and partially sighted people. First of 10 location - next stop, Bexhill.

A group of Sighted Guide volunteers wearing high‑visibility vests stand in a line indoors against a white wall at a previous conference. They are wearing lanyards with name badges. A guide dog in a high‑visibility harness sits at the front of the group near a seating area.

Could you help make our conference accessible? We’re looking for Sighted Guide Volunteers for our annual Sight Loss Councils Conference in Leeds, 5–7 June.

No experience needed – training provided. Apply by 27 April: https://bit.ly/4tlYucZ

#VolunteerWithUs #MakeADifference #CommunitySupport

David is smiling at the camera, holding a rugby ball in front of a large sign reading “Welcome to Stockport Rugby Club.” The sign features the club crest and a “100 years, 1923–2023” centenary badge. He is wearing his rugby kit and a baseball cap.

The England VI Rugby team stands shoulder to shoulder on a grass pitch, wearing matching white shirts with their arms linked. They face forward along the halfway line, with white tactile markers visible on the ground.

Huge congratulations to our Coordinator for North West England, David, on his selection for the England VI Rugby squad for the Japan 2026 Four Nations Tournament 🏉

A brilliant achievement reflecting his talent & commitment to inclusive sport.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3DlCXME

Graphic with a teal border showing the text: ‘Blind and partially sighted voices belong in local decisions. Register. Prepare. Vote on 7 May.’ A large ticked ballot paper icon appears on the right. The Thomas Pocklington Trust logo is at the bottom.

Last chance. Register to vote in person by 23:59 tonight for May’s Local Elections (7 May).

Blind and partially sighted voters: your voice matters, and accessible support should be available at polling stations.

Register now: gov.uk/register-to-vote #AccessibleVoting #BlindVoters

South East London Sight Loss Council members on board a bus during an event at New Cross Bus Garage. From left to right: Interim Engagement Manager Liam O’Carroll, and SLC members Steve, Denise and Ching. They are facing forward, listening to a speaker out of shot. Liam, Steve and Ching are each holding a long cane.

photo taken on board a bus during a Bus Driver event at Putney Bus Garage with TfL and Go-Ahead. Liam is standing at the front of the image. Behind him, SW London SLC members Haren and Mary are seated on opposite sides of the aisle, with TfL and Go-Ahead staff seated behind them on both sides. All are smiling at the camera.

🌱 Spring is here - and we’re back on the buses in London

London SLCs are restarting work with TfL and bus operators, sharing lived experience of sight loss to improve accessibility on everyday journeys.

Sessions will run across London over the next few months. Can’t wait to share more!

Meena, Birmingham and Black Country SLC member, during a VI Cricket game. She is shown playing a controlled shot with a cricket bat as a red and white ball approaches the stumps. Meena stands close to the wicket, with another VI player standing close behind the stumps in a defence position.

This National Exercise Day, Meena from Birmingham & Black Country SLC shares how VI cricket gives her confidence, friendship & joy. 🏏

Sport should be accessible for all, and Sight Loss Councils work to make that happen.

Read her story: https://bit.ly/3YyUeJk #SportForAll

Kelly Barton, Engagement Manager for North West England and David Parfett, SLC Coordinator for NW England, are photographed in front of a blue, double decker bus, alongside three bus drivers. All are in bright orange, hi-vis jackets, and smiling at the camera.

A female driver in an orange hi-vis jacket, is wearing simulation glasses and holding a long cane as she navigates to a sea on-board a bus.

#WorldPublicTransportDay is a good reminder that accessibility matters. Great to see Merseyside SLC bringing vision awareness into driver training with Arriva North West, helping make bus travel safer for blind and partially sighted people.

Read more about our work: bit.ly/48zaWOv

Are you an employer or partner interested in inclusive recruitment?

TPT’s Get Set Progress webinar with RNIB’s Visibly Better Employer programme shares insights on building more accessible internships & employment for blind and partially sighted people.

See TPT’s post for details 👇

Sight Loss Council Scotland members on stage at Celtic Connections, with piper, Ross Miller. Two guide dogs are also shown on stage with their handlers. Everyone is facing the camera, smiling.

Brilliant to see the impact of Sight Loss Councils Scotland with Celtic Connections & Glasgow Life 👏

Small changes can make a big difference to live events for people with visual impairments.

Watch and listen over on our Facebook page. it really brings it to life: bit.ly/3YyUeJk

Matt Harrison, Engagement Manager for East Midlands, is pictured presenting to staff at Crich Tramway Village during the VI Awareness Session. Staff are sat around a meeting room table, looking towards Matt who is standing next to a large screen, speaking to the group.

Two staff members walk down a short flight of outdoor stone steps. One person holds the handrail while wearing sight loss simulation glasses and is guided by a colleague walking alongside.

From access assessments to vision awareness sessions, Derbyshire Sight Loss Council is helping Crich Tramway Village become more accessible - driven by volunteers with lived experience.

And this is just the start…making change that lasts.

#MakeArtAccessible #AccessibilityMatters

Lancashire SLC members, Dawn and Michael, walking in Ball Grove Park, Colne, with Parish Councillors on a sunny day.

Kelly Barton, Engagement Manager for North West England, pictured talking to Parish Councillors from Trawden Parish Council in Pancashie, alongside Dawn and Michael - Lancashire SLC members.

From parks in Lancashire to communities nationwide, Sight Loss Councils champion accessible spaces for blind and partially sighted people.

Small changes, big impact - lived experience matters.

Lancashire SLC is recruiting new members. Find out more 👉 bit.ly/3Ige7Ox

Group photo of SLC members and Voi staff stood on the pavement outside a building with steps outside. Left to right, Kit, Harry, Haren (SLC volunteer) with his guide dog, Liam (SLC Interim Engagement Manager), Michael and Megan.

SLC volunteer Haren standing beside a Forest e-bike parked on the pavement. Haren is smiling at the camera and has his guide dog with him.

Two male Voi staff members, Harry and Kit, walking down a pavement. Harry is wearing sim specs and is being guided by Kit. A Voi bike on the pavement is ahead of them, with a parking bay adjacent, they will need to navigate around.

Exploring street accessibility with Voi🚶‍♀️South West London SLC led a guided walk with Voi staff in Lambeth wearing sim specs, showing how badly parked e‑bikes can create real barriers for blind and partially sighted pedestrians, to help shape safer, more inclusive streets for everyone.
#StreetsForAll

Verity, North Yorkshire SLC member, pictured stepping off the train at Scarborough with support from a member of the Passenger Assistance team.

“I’ve since made independent journeys I once wouldn’t have attempted…”

Build confidence with rail travel at a free ‘Try a Train’ event in Leeds for blind & partially sighted people.

📅 11 May

👉 Book your place: https://bit.ly/47Z1VxB

#MakeTransportAccessible #TryATrain #InclusiveTravel

Photo of Sussex SLC members sitting onboard a minibus, on their way to the 2025 Sight Loss Councils conference. They are facing the camera, smiling, and a guide dog is lying on the floor in the middle aisle.

Surrey Sight Loss Council launches this summer 🌟

Use your lived experience to improve services for blind and partially sighted people, and make a real difference locally.

Not in Surrey? Sight Loss Councils across England are recruiting too.

👉 https://bit.ly/4sfmo9C #VisionForChange

Two Greater Anglia staff members, wearing red polo shirts, take part in a sighted guiding exercise on a staircase. One staff member is wearing light-perception only simulation glasses whilst being guided by his male colleague. Both have an hand on the handrail. Other participants are seen in the background of the image.

Essex SLC was back with Greater Anglia this week, delivering more lived‑experience‑led vision awareness training.

Staff told us it “boosted their confidence”. Over 200 conductors trained so far, with mystery shop scores hitting 100%.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4b7fFsb”

Three members of Gloucestershire Sight Loss Council are sat around a large table, each holding and examining a circular tactile object. Julie, SLC member, sits in the foreground and her Guide Dog is laying at her feet.

Happy Birthday to Gloucestershire SLC 🎉

Since 2020, volunteers have worked with local partners to improve accessibility for blind and partially sighted people across the region.

Now expanding into Swindon, the work continues across across transport, health, and arts & culture.

A hand holds up a book titled “Regenerating Railway Stations.” The cover features a photograph of a traditional brick railway‑station building with an awning, window, and small outdoor seating area. A bookmark is visible at the top of the book. The background is a plain light-coloured wall.

A hand holds open a book, showing two pages. The left-hand page includes a chapter heading titled “Access for All” and text discussing travelling on public transport. The right-hand page contains more text, including a section mentioning Sight Loss Councils, with the Sight Loss Councils logo visible in blue and green. The background is a plain light-coloured wall.

Huge congratulations to Hampshire Sight Loss Council members Kate and Peter! 🎉

Their work is featured in Regenerating Railway Stations, a new book on making stations more accessible & community-focused.

A brilliant example of lived experience driving change 👏

#MakeTransportAccessible

Members of North Yorkshire Sight Loss Council are seated around a wooden table in a restaurant for a Christmas meal. SLC members sit together, with drinks and condiments on the table. The room features festive decorations, including icicle‑style ornaments above a window.

Members of North Yorkshire SLC take part in a touch‑tour on the stage at York Theatre Royal. Several people are spaced out across a cobblestone‑style stage surface. A staff member dressed in black stands near the centre, speaking to the group. Set pieces, including a dressing table, table and light, are positioned around the stage.

Happy 5th Birthday to North Yorkshire SLC 🎉

What started in York is now a county-wide network, with volunteers creating real change for blind and partially sighted people.

Here’s to what’s next!

Learn more about North Yorkshire SLC, via the link 👉 https://bit.ly/3QM9IF9

A group of people stand on a train station platform near a small brick station building. at a previous 'Try a Train' event. They’re engaged in conversation with each other; some are using long canes.

“Being able to travel independently is so important.”

Greater Manchester SLC's upcoming #TryATrain event is all about giving blind and partially sighted people the confidence to travel with support.

Join us on 19 May!👉

Find out more and book your place: https://bit.ly/4uEqWbc

Graphic with colourful oval shapes resembling Easter eggs arranged around the edges. In the centre, bold text reads ‘Happy Easter’. Below it: ‘From Thomas Pocklington Trust and Sight Loss Councils’. At the bottom are the logos for Thomas Pocklington Trust and Sight Loss Councils

Happy Easter from all of us at Sight Loss Councils! 🐣

We’ll be closed from 5pm on Thursday 2 April for the Easter break, including Friday 3 April and Monday 6 April, and will reopen on Tuesday 7 April.

Any enquiries will be picked up when we return. 💛

Paul, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire SLC member, is standing on a platform at Stevenage train station during the AIRA app testing. He is holding his long cane in one hand, and his phone up in the other.

“Being part of a local group creating change really inspired me.” 💬

This month, we’re In Conversation with Paul from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SLC.

He shares what drives his passion for accessibility and key highlights from his journey.

Read more : bit.ly/48KTB4h #MeetTheMembers

Sight Loss Councils are kickstarting this year’s #CutItBack campaign, working with local authorities and partners across the country to highlight the impact of overgrown hedges on accessibility.

If you’d like to work with your local SLC, please get in touch. #StreetsForAll

Graphic with a teal border showing the text: ‘Blind and partially sighted voices belong in local decisions. Register. Prepare. Vote on 7 May.’ A large ticked ballot paper icon appears on the right. The Thomas Pocklington Trust logo is at the bottom.

Local elections take place on 7 May. If you’re blind or partially sighted, make sure you’re ready to vote.

Register by 20 April, and apply for postal, proxy or free voter ID by the April deadlines.

Your vote helps shape local transport, streets and services.

#BlindVoters #AccessibleVoting

Liam O'Carroll, Interim Engagement Manager for London SLCs, and Vicky, SW London SLC member, pictured together at Sight Village London. Both are wearing white Sight Loss Councils hoodies, and smiling towards the camera.

South West London SLC members, Haren, Fiona, and Mary, stood outside Battersea Power Station on Purple Tuesday 2024. The iconic chimneys are lit up in purple. All are smiling at the camera.

Happy 3rd Birthday to South West London SLC! 🎉

Huge thanks to our amazing volunteers for driving real change. Here’s to stronger partnerships, lived‑experience insight and even more impact ahead! 💙

Learn more about South West London SLC: https://bit.ly/3H7BVmB

Liam O'Carroll, Interim EM for London SLCs, is at a TfL bus shelter, touching a red seat, marked with a circular black sign that reads: 'This is a priority seat'. Liam is holding his long cane in his other hand and wearing a white Sight Loss Councils hoodie.

Liam is pictured at the same bus shelter during the design trial. He is touching a textured metal panel on the side of the shelter. A large red TfL roundel with the word ‘Buses’ is visible on the left. The shelter has frosted glass panels, and a street with vehicles and buildings is in the background.

Volunteers from London SLCs recently visited trial bus stops in Southwark as part of a 12-month trial with Transport for London to improve safety, accessibility and comfort.

Their lived experience is helping shape more inclusive transport design across London.

#MakeTransportAccessible

Verity, a North Yorkshire SLC member, steps off a train at a previous Try a Train event. To the right, text reads: “West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council – Build Confidence on the Tracks: Try a Train.” A free event for blind and partially sighted people in West Yorkshire. The graphic Includes SLC branding and logo, with a date stamp: 11 May, 10:30am.

Build your confidence with rail travel 🚆

West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council and Northern are hosting a free Try a Train event this May at Leeds Station. Explore the station, learn about passenger assistance and take a short guided journey.

Details & booking 👉 https://bit.ly/47Z1VxB

Sight Village Glasgow 2026 - Sight Loss Councils Scotland Music Festival And Great Scottish Run Amelia went to Glasgow Sight Village, the leading exhibition for blind and partially sighted people. She spoke to Francesca Munoz from the Sight Loss Councils Scotland team about their upcoming inclusive one-day music festival and training sighted guides for VI runners.

Great to see Sight Loss Councils Scotland on RNIB Connect sharing insights from Sight Village Glasgow.

“We want to break the systemic barriers and create a festival that anyone can go to.”

🎧 Tune in to learn more, it's an exciting one: https://bit.ly/3NmnukP

Louise Connop, Senior Engagement Manager for South England is pictured with Dr Mark Fosbrook, Senior Policy Officer – Health and Disability at West Midlands Combined Authority, pictured in front of the “Welcome to Naidex” event backdrop. Lu stands holding a white cane, and Mark sits in a powered wheelchair with adaptive equipment. Both wear event badges. The backdrop displays partner logos, including Primark, Enable Access, Mobility Solutions, Allied Mobility and Motion.

Louise Connop, Senior Engagement Manager, is at Naidex this week speaking on the Accessibility Hub stage at 11am. SLC member, Steve, will join a main stage Q&A at 1.45pm on impact, loneliness and community.

If you’re there, come say hello and learn more about our work in the West Midlands ✨

Group shot following the meeting at Tameside Council in front of the meeting room door. David, SLC Coordinator for the North West is pictured with SLC member, Antony, and two Councillors from Tameside Council, one of whom is also blind and holding a long cane in front of him.

A positive step at Tameside Council, with Greater Manchester Sight Loss Council sharing their work and bringing lived experience into early conversations on transport and the built environment.

An important starting point for more inclusive services, looking forward to seeing this develop.

A group shot of Greater Manchester Sight Loss Council members at a Purple Tuesday event with staff at Manchester Arndale. The group is in a café area, with some seated and others standing. SLC members are wearing white Sight Loss Council hoodies, and a SLC banner is visible to the side.

Happy Birthday to Greater Manchester Sight Loss Council 🎉

Since 2020, volunteers have been working with partners across the region to improve accessibility in transport, culture and health.

Learn more about Greater Manchester SLC's work, via the link: https://bit.ly/3WpLk0X