Volunteers founded our charity in the 1970s and they continue to be at our heart.
We simply could not deliver our information and support services without our dedicated volunteers. Our Helpline, Talk and Support service and Local Peer Support Groups rely on their commitment.
Anna and Ellie live with different inherited retinal conditions, but their journeys share a powerful thread: a passion for technology, a commitment to accessibility, and a desire to support others living with sight loss.
Annemarie and Kim share the role of Local Group Facilitator for ‘Bumpers’ in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The group meets monthly and is open to anyone living with sight loss in the Belfast area. They currently have almost 40 members, supported by an incredible team of sighted volunteers.
Charlotte is living with retinitis pigmentosa. She is a mum of two and is currently working on her PhD, the highest level of academic degree. Her sight loss condition has not held her back.
Elizabeth first heard about Retina UK (then the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society) when our founder, Lynda Cantor MBE, spoke on BBC In Touch in early 1977. She went along to the charity’s AGM the same year and stayed in touch with Mary Guest, one of the speakers.
For Jane and Cindy, books have always been more than entertainment. They are a source of comfort, escape and connection – and now, through our new ‘Talking’ Books Peer Support Group, they are a way to bring people together and feel less alone.
Ryan is living with rod-cone dystrophy. He was diagnosed at age seven and has a family history of inherited sight loss. He was a keen footballer in his early teens and was Head Boy at his High School with excellent academic results. He did start a university degree in Philosophy at the University of Glasgow but chose not to continue after four months.
Stephen Goulden MBE attended the first British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society (BRPS) meeting in 1977. He describes his involvement with the charity and with inherited sight loss as follows:
For people living with inherited retinal conditions, finding others who understand can make a profound difference. In the South-West, volunteers Suzanne and Anne are helping to create those connections – offering support, understanding and a strong sense of community across a wide and largely rural area.
