Sight Loss Councils

Sight Loss Councils (SLCs), funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, are regional groups led by blind and partially sighted people. Together, they work with organisations to ensure what they do is accessible and inclusive. They do this using the power of their lived experience.

Volunteers in each region meet monthly to tackle accessibility issues and plan projects in their regions. There are currently around 20 Sight Loss Councils across the country and their success has fuelled further demand.

Thomas Pocklington Trust will continue to extend the growing number of groups of Sight Loss Councils further across the country. Sight Loss Councils will also begin to roll out in Scotland from Spring 2024.

Why is lived experience of sight loss important?

“Blind people are the only ones who can truly express our needs and aspirations to those who matter.” 

– Anela, Sight Loss Council member.

Sight Loss Councils use their lived experience of sight loss to tackle the things that really matter to blind and partially sighted people, every day.

This is vital as there are more than two million blind and partially sighted people in the UK, and growing, and there is still limited public awareness of the challenges we face.

Lived experience is vital in driving this change. Blind and partially sighted people are experts in understanding and tackling issues, and creating solutions to overcome them. We do this by working in partnership with businesses and services to achieve joint success.

What work do they focus on?

All Sight Loss Councils across England prioritise accessible public transport and street safety so everyone can travel independently and safely. They also prioritise health and fitness. This is because blind and partially sighted people have told us these issues matter to them to the most.

Each Sight Loss Council also runs a local project dependent on local need, focused on either increasing the accessibility of shopping, museums and galleries, or sports and leisure facilities.

Sight Loss Councils prioritise making transport accessible because people told us this matters to them the most.

Why are SLCs important?

Many blind people we speak to feel that they are under-represented and have no strong, unified voice when decisions are being made – especially in the design and implementation of goods and services. Sight Loss Councils are here to change this through the power of lived experience.

How can people get involved with SLCs?

If you are interested in finding out more information about volunteering for Sight Loss Councils, visit www.sightlosscouncils.org.uk/become-a-member for more information, including short videos from some of our members.

You can sign up to our mailing list to get involved in our campaigns. Interested in our work with partner organisations across England? Learn about our work with partners on our website.

Julie: volunteer and join our community