I find it very worrying what is happening nationally over the last few years to
services for sight impaired people. In the relatively short space of two or
three years we have seen Thomas Pocklington Homes for blind elderly people,
close, there are now no hotels for blind people, Henshaws is no longer offering
a service in Liverpool, Scottish Braille Press is no longer providing a braille
service, RNIB has closed its school for blind children with severe learning
disabilities and here in Kent, as from October Kent County Council is taking
back the Rehab. And rEgistration Service from KAB in an attempt to cut costs.
Alison
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Jim
Williams
Sent: 25 June 2019 15:24
To: BCAB Discussion List <bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] RNIB and GDBA in BristolFw: Bristol and District VI Voice
is shutting down
Hi Folks,
Apologies for the cross postings but I thought people would like to know the
final outcome of this sadevent.
Jim Williams.
www.JamesLWilliams.co.uk <http://www.JamesLWilliams.co.uk>
----- Original Message -----
From: Contact.us@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Contact.us@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Paul Sullivan <mailto:pdsullivan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 2:41 PM
Subject: Bristol and District VI Voice is shutting down
Dear Friends,
When we set up Bristol and District VI Voice last June we agreed to review the
need for it to exist after a year. The committee did that last week. We agreed
that now that RNIB has moved into offices at Paintworks, there is nothing more
we can do to get them to honour the promises that were made to us when they
announced that they were selling the Bedminster building back in November 2017.
Consequently, we have decided to wind up the group.
Bristol and District VI Voice was formed to ensure that the views of local
visually impaired people were heard, clearly and unambiguously, on two issues:
1 the relocation of RNIB and 2 the ongoing provision of services locally. I
don’t think there can be any doubt that we achieved the first of these aims,
though, regrettably, RNIB failed to live up to their promise to provide us with
something “as good as, if not better than” what we have lost at Stillhouse Lane.
I think it is fair to say that our second aim has also been achieved, because
staff from the visual impairment organisations working locally have committed
to share information with one another at regular catch-up meetings which will
include members of the Bristol Sight Loss Council.
It is extremely disappointing of course that neither RNIB, nor Guide Dogs, have
shown any interest in involving visually impaired people directly in their
decision making locally. This will have to happen if they are to survive and
flourish, but that is for others to take forward.
I would like to thank you for your support with the campaign. We would not have
achieved what we did without you. I would also like to say a special thank you
to the committee, who gave up a lot of time and attended meetings at their own
expense so that we could hold RNIB to account.
Others too have helped behind the scenes, with advice and practical support. I
won’t name them all, but I would like to mention Geraldine Cutler who has
maintained the website for us, and Hazel Sullivan, who has put up with me
spending hours upstairs at the computer.
Best wishes,
Paul
Paul Sullivan
Secretary, Bristol and District VI Voice
Tel: 07831 394193
Email: contact.us@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:contact.us@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Web: www.bvivoice.org <http://www.bvivoice.org>
