Thomas Pocklington Trust and Sight Loss Councils ‘Cut it back’ campaign

Background

Overgrown vegetation, foliage and over-hanging branches are a hazard for blind and partially sighted (BPS) people. It causes injuries and prevents BPS people from navigating safely and independently. We hope to raise awareness of this issue and create positive change through our #CutItBack campaign.

In our Listening month report, over 75 per cent of BPS people told us that “Overhanging branches and overgrown hedges and vegetation were a real deterrent to people and a cause of accidents.” We know that people occasionally have to walk into the road as there isn’t a safe way to continue on the pavement, which can also cause injuries or accidents and puts lives at risk.

You can learn more about this campaign at www.sightlosscouncils.org.uk/CutItBack

Our hashtag for this campaign is #CutItBack

What we are doing

To kick start our campaign we are:

· running a month-long social media campaign

· sharing SLC volunteer-led videos about cutting back overgrown foliage and reporting it

· sharing individual case studies from SLC members

· launching a national and regional media campaign for TV, radio and print

· issuing a targeted Cut It Back campaign e-newsletter

· creating an email signature highlighting our campaign

We are also campaigning with partners by:

· encouraging people to report to local authorities about hazardous overhanging branches, overgrown hedges and vegetation, in a way that should be easy and accessible. We have produced information on how to do this

· asking Local Authorities that regular inspections should be carried out, where applicable for local authorities to issue enforcement notices, and for local authorities to have a standardised approach

· calling on businesses, partners, and the wider community to support our campaign and help spread the message to ‘Cut It Back’.

· publishing template letters to contact your Local Authority or local businesses and garden centres.

Campaign Going Live

This campaign will go live on Tuesday 6th August 2024.

Resources

Everything you need about this campaign is at www.sightlosscouncils.org.uk/CutItBack

You will find:

· Why you should cut it back

· Links to our social media videos created by Sight Loss Councils

· Guidance for local authorities

· How to get involved in our campaign and template letters

· how to report overgrown foliage to your local authority

· best times to prune different types of hedges and foliage to protect the wildlife and how to do this

Guidance resource for local authorities

We will work with local authorities using our resource to help them understand the impact that overgrown vegetation has on BPS people using tailored guidance published on our website. The guidance will also highlight how the Highways Act 1980 protects everyone’s right to use and enjoy the highway, and how our streets are increasingly becoming less accessible to blind and partially sighted (BPS) people, as well as sharing about how and when to prune, avoiding nesting season. The guidance can also be used to aid conversation with them and how they can better communicate when contacting local residents.

Template letter to local authorities

A template letter for local authorities is situated on the Sight Loss Council website. You can use this and amend accordingly to make contact with your local authority.

Template email to businesses

We will also be calling on businesses, partners, and the wider community to support our campaign and help spread the message

TPT’s PAC team will contact National Head Offices and seek local contacts to pass onto EM\s should they wish to and have capacity to follow up.

Specific Videos

· Why it’s important To #CutItBack (youtube.com)

· Help us to keep safe (youtube.com)

· Please cut it back:

· Be a good neighbour:

· Report overgrown foliage:

Key messages

· We are encouraging residents to cut back overgrown foliage because 75 per cent of blind and partially sighted people shared that ‘Overhanging branches, overgrown hedges and vegetation are a real deterrent to people and a cause of accidents.”

· Many blind and partially sighted people are forced to walk onto the road and can injure themselves whilst navigating the streets, due to overgrown hedges, bushes and foliage. This impacts their confidence, independence, and the ability to make safe journeys without obstacles.

· If you come across over hanging branches or overgrown bushes or foliage, you can also report it. Local authorities are legally obliged to act on reports of overgrown foliage so people can navigate our streets and are safe from injury.

· Everyone can access full guidance about reporting overgrown vegetation and raising the profile of our campaign at sightlosscouncils.org.uk/CutItBack

Call to action

We are asking you to share details of our campaign at www.sightlosscouncils.org.uk/CutItBack and social media posts.

This includes our videos, resources and case studies to encourage as many people as possible to Cut It Back and raise awareness of this campaign. You can do this by reaching out to neighbours, friends and family, and the wider public.

You can also support by writing to your local authority and local businesses/garden centres by using our template letter and email.

Personal stories

Below are three examples. Many more will be published on the website.

North Yorkshire Sight Loss Council member, Verity, is from York and registered blind. She explained:

“When I am out, I am always coming across branches and bushes encroaching the pavement, which can be really dangerous for me. Not long ago, I was walking and was hit in the face by an overhanging branch. It narrowly missed my eye and caused a graze all down my face. It would make such a difference to me if people could cut back their vegetation.”

Nottinghamshire SLC member Sian Petty is registered severely sight-impaired and said about navigating his area:

“I experience these issues on a regular basis including on the route that I walk to get to my bus stop. There are several overgrown bushes that are already very wide, but then they get taller and wider at head height.

“They are so overgrown that you walk into them, and they bash you in the face, or you scratch your hand protecting your face. I ruined a coat doing this when the branches got caught in my sleeve and made a hole.

“We are taught to navigate our surroundings using our white canes by sweeping the cane back and forth to touch the shoreline, which is the inside edge of the end of the pavement. However, I cannot do this as my cane gets caught in the overgrown weeds at ground level and the bush pushes me over to the other side of the pavement. This means I get disorientated and bump into parked cars. I sometimes miss the kerb and end up in the road. It’s very frustrating and dangerous. My cane trainer taught me techniques to keep me safe. If I cannot use these techniques, I will be isolated and have to rely on taxis instead of being independent, using buses and travelling on my own.”

West Yorkshire SLC member David is registered blind. He added:

“It is a daily problem. Every time I go out, overhanging or overgrown vegetation block my path, making it hard for me and my guide dog to safely and confidently navigate my local area.”