Meet our volunteers: Ryan Taylor
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.
Ryan joined the ‘Lets Get Employed’ trainee programme at Lochvale House in July 2024 aspiring for better opportunities than his previous role working in a factory. He said “When my registration changed from partially sighted to legally blind I knew I had to find somewhere that could help me thrive and give me the tools to reach my potential.’’ He was appointed as a Lochvale Mentor in October 2024.
Ryan said: “Being given this job has really shown that working towards a goal and being surrounded by people who care about you achieving it fills you with self-belief and confidence. If I hadn’t found the programme, I am not sure where I would now be mentally. Structure and routine has allowed me to develop faster. It also gave me hope and belief that I could become successful despite me becoming registered blind.’’
Ryan first got involved with Retina UK in 2024 and is now an active member of the Young Adults peer support group. The group share tips, hints and information on subjects like further education, employment, leaving home and first-time buying as well as connecting you with others and forming long term friendships.
In recognition of the skills he has developed at Lochvale and the support he received from Retina UK, he has now become a volunteer on the Retina UK Talk & Support service providing the opportunity for a regular catch up with another young person.
The Talk & Support service links people who may be feeling isolated or lonely with a trained volunteer for regular contact. This service offers a social link on a more personal and longer-term basis than the Retina UK Helpline, with regular calls being made by the volunteers for as long as they are welcomed.
“I live in a fairly isolated location and hadn’t really spoken to anyone else with my condition before. Following a conversation with Mark, I really feel that I’ve now found my people. By volunteering for the charity, I can support other young people and show them that sight loss is not a barrier to success.”
Details of our Young Adults peer support group can be found at: RetinaUK.org.uk/groups. For more information about our Helpline and Talk & Support services, please visit RetinaUK.org.uk/information-and- support.