Sylw - the bulletin of Wales Council of the Blind.

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WCB News.

Wales Eyecare Conference 2025 - Last few places available

There are just a handful of places left on the Wales Eyecare Conference on Thursday 6th November 2025. [Full story...]

BridgeVis wins Unsung Heroes Award

BridgeVis wins Unsung Heroes Award [Full story...]

Disabled People’s Rights plan for Wales

The Welsh Government will shortly be consulting on a draft Disabled People’s Rights plan for Wales. [Full story...]

Wales Council of the Blind to cease use of X

Wales Council of the Blind will no longer post on X (formerly Twitter). [Full story...]

Eye Connect Cymru project to give vision impaired children and young people a voice.

Wales Council of the Blind will be working with the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) and the Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services (CWVYS) to deliver a new National Lottery-funded project 'Eye Connect Cymru'. [Full story...]

Consultations and Lobbying.

Have your say on Disability Wales Manifesto 2026-2031

Disability Wales (DW) is calling on disabled people and organisations that represent them to shape the Disability Wales Manifesto 2026–2031. With Senedd Elections taking place in May 2026, the manifesto will set out the key issues DW want political parties to act on and will guide their campaigning and advocacy work throughout the 2026–2031 Senedd term. [Full story...]

Speak Up for Accessible Bus Travel - send a message to your MS

RNIB Cymru is inviting blind and partially sighted people to take part in a short video campaign to help shape the future of bus travel. The Senedd will debate the Bus Services (Wales) Bill on 16th September — and RNIB Cymru want Members of the Senedd (MSs) to hear directly from their constituents. [Full story...]

Online survey on research priorities

A masters student at UCL is currently working on a research project to identify the key research priorities of those who support children and young people with vision impairment, including parents, educators, habilitation specialists, charity workers, and other professionals and is conducting an online survey. [Full story...]

Bridgend County Borough Council consultation on the introduction of Car Park charges for Blue Badge holders.

Bridgend CBC is running a three-week consultation on proposals for the removal of free parking with blue badges. [Full story...]

Level Playing Field's Annual Fan Survey launched

Level Playing Field, the charity which campaigns for accessibility at sports venues, has launched its Annual Fan Survey. [Full story...]

Do you use Accessibility Toolbars on Websites? Royal Shrewsbury Hospital wants to hear your views

The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is redesigning its website, and is asking for feedback on the current toolbar. [Full story...]

Inquiry to address disability employment gap - Call for evidence

The Commons Work and Pensions Committee has launched a new inquiry, 'Employment support for disabled people', on how to improve the job prospects of disabled people and is calling for the views of disabled people, employers, and experts. [Full story...]

Welsh Government Consultations

We have produced a list of current Welsh Government consultations of potential interest to the disability sector. [Full story...]

Disability Wales Survey - Evaluation on Pathways to Work/ UC Bill

Disability Wales is asking for feedback on its response to the UK Government's recent 'Pathways to Work' proposals, and is conducting a survey. [Full story...]

Transport for Wales Consultation on South West Wales bus services

Transport for Wales and local authorities are urging the people of South West Wales to share their views and opinions on proposed changes to bus services. [Full story...]

UK Government publishes concessions on welfare reforms

Following pressure from some MPs and disability campaigning groups, the UK Government has made some concessions to their original proposals for welfare reforms. [Full story...]

Disability Wales and allies call on the UK Government to reconsider its approach to disability benefits reforms

Disability Wales has put out a statement raising concerns about the impact of the UK Government's changes to disability benefits, which it says will 'leave many disabled people in Wales considerably worse off without fundamentally tackling the systemic barriers to employment and independent living'. [Full story...]

UK Government announces ‘Biggest shake up to welfare system in a generation’

The UK Government has launched a consultation paper setting out major plans and proposals to reform health, disability benefits and employment support. While sight loss organisations and other disability charities have given a cautious welcome to some of the proposals, such as plans to improve the Access to Work system, other aspects of the proposals, for example, tightening the criteria for qualifying for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), are a cause for concern for people with sight loss. [Full story...]

Survey on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare decision making

CEDAR (Centre for Healthcare Evaluation, Device Assessment, and Research), a collaboration between Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Cardiff University, is running a survey on the barriers and facilitators to the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare in Wales. [Full story...]

Reports and Publications.

Alström Syndrome UK Summer Newsletter available

Alström Syndrome UK 's Summer newsletter has been published. [Full story...]

Latest CHECT newsletter available

The Summer 2025 edition of 'InFocus', the newsletter of The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) has been published. [Full story...]

Summer edition of MACS Focus Magazine available

The latest (Summer 2025) edition of 'Focus', the quarterly magazine of Microphthalmia, Anophthalmia & Coloboma Support (MACS) is available. [Full story...]

Summer edition of Blind Veterans UK's 's newsletter available

The Summer 2025 edition of 'Debrief', the newsletter of Blind Veterans, is now available on their website. [Full story...]

Welsh Government publishes 'Travel for All', a strategy for improving access and inclusion across transport in Wales

The Welsh Government has published 'Travel for all: improving access and inclusion across transport in Wales', which describes the steps that it will take to make it easier for more people to use Wales's transport network. [Full story...]

Latest edition of Guide Dogs' 'Forward' magazine available.

The Spring/Summer 2025 edition of Forward, the Guide Dogs’ magazine for supporters, clients and the general public has been published. [Full story...]

Research report from Pocklington Trust: 'Understanding International Approaches to Achieving Equality of Blind and Partially Sighted People'

A new research report from the Thomas Pockington Trust provides an overview of international approaches to achieving equality of blind and partially sighted people, with a focus on education and employment. [Full story...]

RNIB responds to UK Government U-turn on benefits reform

During last week's debate on proposed benefit reforms in the UK Parliament, the Government made some changes, following pressure from some MPs, disabled people and the organisations representing them. RNIB has produced a summary of the current situation. [Full story...]

British Wireless for the Blind Fund - Impact Report 2024

British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF) has produced its Impact Report 2024, a year in which the number of people supported shot up by 65%. [Full story...]

Nystagmus Network publishes 'Nystagmus friendly learning materials for KS1'

Nystagmus Network has published 'Nystagmus friendly learning materials for KS1'. [Full story...]

'Our Children's Eye Health' report stresses importance of sight tests

A report from Eye Health UK, 'Our Children's Eye Health', urges parents to get their children’s sight tested before term starts in September to prevent them being disadvantaged in the classroom. [Full story...]

Family Fund 'Cost of Caring 2025' report reveals the reality for families raising disabled or seriously ill children

A new report from Family Fund, the UK's largest grant-making charity for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, reveals the impact on the finances and wellbeing of families in this situation. [Full story...]

Retina UK Impact Report 2024

Retina UK has published its 'Impact Report 2024', giving details of the charity's activities and achievements during the year. [Full story...]

Latest issue of Retina UK's newsletter available

The Summer 2025 issue of 'Look Forward', the newsletter of Retina UK, is available. [Full story...]

Hay fever, antihistamines and glaucoma

Glaucoma UK has published advice on the use of other medications when you have glaucoma, particularly antihistamines. [Full story...]

RNIB Cymru report finds bus services are failing blind and partially sighted passengers in Wales

'All aboard? The challenges faced by blind and partially sighted bus users in Wales', a new report from RNIB Cymru, finds that just one in ten people with sight loss were able to make all of the journeys they want or need to by bus. Nearly half find making familiar bus journeys either fairly or very difficult and this rose to nearly nine in ten for unfamiliar journeys. [Full story...]

'Forward. Together:' Guide Dogs launch new Strategy

The Guide Dogs organisation has launched 'Forward. Together', its strategy for 2025 onwards. [Full story...]

Top Tips for Travelling with sight loss

With the summer holiday season approaching, The Macular Society has published some useful advice on travelling for people with sight loss. [Full story...]

RNIB launches 10 year strategy

RNIB has published its strategy for the next ten years, with interim targets to be reached by April 2027. [Full story...]

BBS Medical Information Booklet updated

BBS UK, the organisation for people affected by Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, has updated its Medical Information Booklet. [Full story...]

How to make the most out of your optician appointments

The Macular Society has published some useful advice to help you make the most out of your optician appointments. [Full story...]

RNIB Report - 'Navigating motherhood with sight loss'.

A new report from RNIB explores blind and partially sighted women’s experiences of motherhood, shedding light on societal attitudes and interactions with health and social care professionals. as well as the solutions mothers with sight loss put in place. [Full story...]

Welsh Parliament Equality and Social Justice Committee publish report on the disability equality gap

The Welsh Parliament Equality and Social Justice Committee has published the results of its inquiry into the disability employment and payment gap. 'Anything’s Achievable with the Right Support: Tackling the Disability Employment Gap' concludes that ' widespread misconceptions and negative attitudes persist in the workplace with regards, for example, to the costs associated with reasonable adjustments. These need to be challenged at every opportunity'. [Full story...]

Wales Eye Care Digest for 2024

The Chief Optometric Advisor for Wales has published his review for 2024. [Full story...]

New guide for parents from Henshaws: 'Sight Beyond Vision'

Henshaws has produced 'Sight Beyond Vision: A Parents Guide to Vision Impairment' which provides practical advice, emotional support, and essential information to help children and young people with sight loss lead independent lives. [Full story...]

New audiobook explores living with vision impairment in the UK

A group of young people have worked with academics at Bath University to produce an uplifting account of how to navigate key life transitions when living with sight loss: 'Today and Tomorrow; Living with Vision Impairment' . [Full story...]

Results of Contact's 'Counting the Costs' survey published

The results of Contact's 'Counting the Costs' survey have been published and reveal the financial difficulties facing families with a disabled child. [Full story...]

Welsh Government Statement to mark International Day of Disabled People

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt MS, has issued a written statement to mark the International Day of Disabled People (3rd December). [Full story...]

BBS UK Conference Report published

BBS UK, the organisation for people affected by Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, has published the report of their 2024 Conference. [Full story...]

Sense launches Benefits Charter

Recent research by Sense into the experiences of people with disabilities when claiming benefits has concluded that the current system is 'letting disabled people down every day'. The charity proposes a new charter for fairer access, design and provision of a benefits system that puts disabled people at its heart. [Full story...]

Dealing with bullying - Contact's Guide for Parents

Anti Bullying Week in November raises awareness of the harm that this behaviour can cause. Bullying can happen to any child, but is often aimed at children who are different in some way, for example because of a disability. Contact, the UK charity for families with a disabled child, has produced a guide with help and advice for families dealing with this difficult situation. [Full story...]

NHS Wales publishes 'National Clinical Strategy for Ophthalmology'

NHS Wales has published a National Clinical Strategy for Ophthalmology, which aims to address the huge increase in the number of people waiting for an ophthalmology appointment in Wales over the past decade. [Full story...]

Research report on use of the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI)

A new research report from the eye care sector in Wales considers whether the level of certification of vision impairment is an under-estimate of the true level of need. [Full story...]

'Turned Out 2024': RNIB reports results of its survey on voting in the 2024 UK General Election

RNIB has published the results of its survey on the experiences of vision impaired people when trying to vote in the 2024 General Election. Yet again, many voters with sight loss reported feeling frustrated and humiliated by the current electoral system, with only 26 per cent of blind people feeling that the current voting system allowed them to vote independently and in secret. [Full story...]

Parliamentary group publishes results of an enquiry into the employment of vision impaired people

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment has published the results of its inquiry into the employment of vision impaired people. 'Changing Attitudes, Changing Lives: An Inquiry into Employer Attitudes and the Employment of Blind and Partially Sighted People' highlights 'the devastating impact negative employer attitudes are having on the levels of employment amongst blind and partially sighted people'. [Full story...]

Vision rehabilitation work in Powys features in Optometry Today

In a recent article in Optometry Today, senior vision rehabilitation specialist from Powys, Susan Davies, describes her work and the art sessions she has facilitated for deafblind people in her area. [Full story...]

RNIB online resources for children and families

RNIB's Children, Young People and Families team continues to update its online resources for parents and professionals. [Full story...]

Alström Syndrome UK publish 'Journey to Diagnosis' report

'Journey to Diagnosis' is a report commissioned by Alström Syndrome UK to gain a better understanding of the journey to diagnosis of this condition, and identify recommendations to improve patient and family experiences and health outcomes. [Full story...]

New report from Guide Dogs raises concerns about accessibility challenges of some active travel infrastructure

Guide Dogs has commissioned University College London (UCL) to explore the impact of four different types of design on disabled people, including those who are blind and vision impaired:: Floating Island Bus Stops, Shared Bus Stop Boarders, Segregated Cycle-footways and Continuous Footways. The research finds that they are causing significant fear and anxiety for people with a vision impairment and other disabilities, leading some to avoid these bus stops altogether. [Full story...]

Access.

Tactile works at stations in Wales

We have been advised by Transport for Wales that work is being done on tactile pavements at some train stations in Wales. Due to these ongoing safety improvement works, the tactile paving at the platform edge may be incomplete at the station so passengers will be asked to take extra care while on the platforms. [Full story...]

Advice on accessible travel from ABTA

The website of ABTA, the trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry, has a section on accessible travel for passengers with disabilities. [Full story...]

Audio described commentary at Wrexham and Cardiff City Football Clubs

The 2025/26 football season is starting, and both Cardiff City FC and Wrexham FC will be providing audio described commentary at their home matches. The service is provided in partnership with Alan March Sport Ltd, and is available to both home and away fans. [Full story...]

Great toys for vision impaired children - advice from VICTA

To mark National Play Day, VICTA has published some recommendations of tactile and inclusive toys suitable for blind children and their families. [Full story...]

'Assistance Dog Under Seat ' card from National Rail

The Assistance Dog Travel Scheme, from Assistance Dogs UK, Rail Delivery Group and National Rail, provides a reusable ‘Under Seat’ card that creates a clear, protected space for your dog, simply pop it into the seat reservation holder or place it on the seat/ tray table next to let others know the area should be kept free. [Full story...]

Audio described tour at the National Museum in Cardiff - Exploring the Clore Discovery Centre

There will be an audio described tour for visitors with sight loss at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff on Thursday 18th September. [Full story...]

Good Food Talks - making restaurant menus accessible

'Good Food Talks' is intended to make restaurant menus accessible to people with visual impairments, using a custom-built website and app. [Full story...]

Audio described performances at theatres across Wales

Some theatres in Wales now have a section on their website where you can find details of all forthcoming audio described (and other accessible) performances in one place. [Full story...]

RWCMD Summer Brochure in accessible formats

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD)'s Summer 2025 brochure is available in audio and large print formats. [Full story...]

Audio-described tours of the No Welsh Art exhibition in Aberystwyth

The National Library of Wales has audio-described tours of the No Welsh Art exhibition at 2pm on 17th April and 20th August. This special exhibition tells the story of Wales' visual culture and comprises over 250 works of art. [Full story...]

Theatr Iolo raise awareness of Audio Described shows for blind and partially sighted children

To raise awareness of audio description in theatres and to explain to children what an audio described performance will be like, Theatr Iolo have made a short film showing a child enjoying a Touch Tour and an Audio Described show. [Full story...]

Royal Collection online lectures for vision impaired people

The Royal Collection, which looks after the Royal Family's art collection, is free running monthly online lectures for blind and partially-sighted people. Talks take place on the first Tuesday of the month, from 2pm. [Full story...]

Morrisons launch exclusive online discounts for people with disabilities

The supermarket Morrisons has partnered with Purpl, the disabled discount website, to launch exclusive discounts for people with disabilities when they shop online. [Full story...]

Transport for Wales - Confidence to Travel Scheme

The Transport for Wales 'Confidence to Travel' Initiative, which is funded by Welsh Government, is offering groups/organisations representing people who face barriers to rail travel, (for example as a result of disability), the opportunity to boost their confidence in using the rail network, therefore improving their overall health and wellbeing. [Full story...]

RNIB Shop gets a new look

The RNIB Shop has been relaunched, with an updated design and new features intended to give users a better online shopping experience. [Full story...]

Speed of Sight Driving Experiences - 2025 schedule

Speed of Sight, the organisation that provides motor sport experiences for people with disabilities (including vision impairment), has published its schedule of events for 2025, including some in Wales. [Full story...]

Audio Described Tours at the National Roman Legion Museum

National Roman Legion Museum offers free audio described tours for blind and vision impaired visitors, giving them to to find out about Roman life in Caerleon. [Full story...]

Opportunities to try Vision Impaired bowling

The Welsh Association of VI Bowling (WAVIB) has host of clubs that offer vision impaired bowls sessions. These clubs play both indoor and outdoor bowls so it’s an accessible sport that can be played all year round. Many bowls clubs offer free coaching themselves and are keen to have new members. [Full story...]

Events.

Changes to Sight Life groups

Some changes have been made to information about groups run by Sight Life. [Full story...]

Sight Life 'Beautifully Blind' make-up tutorials are back

Sight Life is running another series of its popular 'Beautifully Blind' make-up tutorials. [Full story...]

VICTA Spanish Celebration Day at NCW

VICTA is running a Spanish themed celebration day at New College Worcester for 14 to 17 year olds on Tuesday 28th October. The event marks VICTA's partnership with ONCE (Spanish National Organisation of the Blind). [Full story...]

'Have a Go' activity weekend at RNC in October

There's a 'Have a Go' Activity Weekend at Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) in Hereford on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October. [Full story...]

UCAN Productions 20th Birthday Celebration

UCAN Productions is turning 20 - come and celebrate two decades of creativity, performance and inclusion with UCAN on Saturday 16th August at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff. [Full story...]

Vision Support's 'Social Circle' Virtual Social Group

Vision Support has merged its two virtual groups 'Time to Chat' and 'Socialise working age group', into one group 'Social Circle' which will meet on the first Tuesday of the month. [Full story...]

RNIB UK-wide 'Living Well with Sight Loss' telephone courses in September and October

RNIB has scheduled further presentations of its 'Living Well with Sight Loss' telephone course during September and October. The courses are open to people with sight loss across the UK. [Full story...]

Professionals' Open Day at Royal National College for the Blind

There's a free Professionals' Open Day at Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) in Hereford on Thursday 9th October for anyone who works with a visually impaired young person. [Full story...]

Family Paintalong with EyeBelieve EyeCan

EyeBelieve EyeCan, the fundraising support group for children and young people with visual impairment in Carmarthenshire, is running a family 'paintalong' session on Saturday 20th September in LLanelli. [Full story...]

Tai Chi Taster Session (Qigong) with Chinese Tea Tasting in Conwy

Vision Support is holding a Tai Chi Taster Session (Qigong) with Chinese Tea Tasting in Conwy on Wednesday 20th August. [Full story...]

Marfan Information Day on 11th October

The Marfan Trust is holding its annual Marfan Information Day on 11th October, via Zoom. [Full story...]

West Wales Vipers Goalball Club - Training Sessions

West Wales Vipers Goalball Club is running training sessions in August and September. [Full story...]

UCAN Workshops for children and young people

UCAN Productions continues to run a range of face-to-face and online workshops for vision impaired children and young people. [Full story...]

Online Events for education professionals from New College Worcester

New College Worcester is running two online outreach events for education professionals working with children who have a vision impairment during the autumn term. [Full story...]

Experience Day at New College Worcester on 11th October

There's a free Experience Day for any family with a vision impaired child at New College Worcester on Saturday 11th October. [Full story...]

Vision Support Low Vision Roadshow in Llandudno

Vision Support is running a series of Low Vision Roadshows during September, including one in North Wales. The events will bring together essential resources, expert advice, and the latest innovations in eye health and low vision support. [Full story...]

Guide Dogs Family Event in Pembrokeshire

Guide Dogs is holding a family event at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire in South West Wales on Saturday 13th September. [Full story...]

Glaucoma Awareness Week 2025 - Do you know your risk?

For this year's Glaucoma Awareness Week (30th June to 6th July), Glaucoma UK wants to help people understand their glaucoma risk. [Full story...]

Deafblind Awareness Week 2025 puts the focus on children and young people

For this year's Deafblind Awareness Week (23rd – 29th June), Deafblind UK is focusing on the needs of children and young people with dual sensory loss, and has launched an appeal for funds to support their services in this area. [Full story...]

Retina UK - National Peer Support Group Meeting

The Summer meeting of Retina UK's National Peer Support Group will be held online on Tuesday 29th July. [Full story...]

VICTA Sport Leadership Camp 2025

Applications are being taken for VICTA's residential Sport Leadership Camp at Royal National College of the Blind from 27th to 31st October. [Full story...]

RNIB UK-wide Telephone Courses for people with sight loss and their families

RNIB runs telephone courses for a people with sight loss and their families across the UK, covering a variety of topics. [Full story...]

RSBC 'Give it a Go' day with Blind Baseball Cymru - Change of date

The Royal Society of Blind Children has teamed up with Blind Baseball Cymru to organise a free 'Give it a Go' day in Cardiff on Sunday 31st August for children and young people aged from 7 to 25 years (originally planned for 23rd August). [Full story...]

Nystagmus Awareness Day - Friday 20th June 2025

Nystagmus Awareness Day is the annual event that aims to spread the word about this eye condition, so that adults and children who have nystagmus will get the help, support and services they need in education, employment, health, mobility and leisure and will enjoy a better quality of life. [Full story...]

Macular Society Local Support Groups in South Wales

The Macular Society runs support groups at venues across South Wales, providing support, information and companionship to people affected by macular conditions. [Full story...]

Retina UK's Men's Peer Support Group meetings

The next meeting of Retina UK's Men's Peer Support Group will be on Wednesday 27th August. [Full story...]

Retina UK Professionals' Conference 2025 and Annual Conference 2025

Bookings can now be made for Retina UK's Professionals' Conference on Friday 19th September and its Annual Conference on Saturday 20th September. Both events will be held in London and online. [Full story...]

Open Day at Royal National College for the Blind

There's an Open Day at Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) in Hereford on Friday 19th September, giving prospective students and their families the opportunity to find out about study at this specialist residential college of further education for young people with sight loss. [Full story...]

Change to RNIB Community Connection Groups

The RNIB Cymru Community Connection service has now ceased, and remaining Community Connection telephone groups have been transferred over to the RNIB Talk & Support service. [Full story...]

Vision Support's Virtual Digital Skills Forum

Vision Support's Virtual Digital Skills forum meets every other month, on the last Wednesday of the month, via Microsoft Teams. [Full story...]

International Behçet’s Awareness Day 2025

Tuesday 20th May 2025 is International Behçet’s Awareness Day, the event that raises awareness of this rare condition which can affect the eyes, and also raises funds for research. [Full story...]

Sight Life activities in Cardiff, Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot and RCT

Sight Life runs a wide range of activities, in person and via the telephone, for people with sight loss in Cardiff, Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot and Rhondda Cynon Taf. [Full story...]

RSBC Connecting Families Online Support Sessions for parents

The Royal Society for Blind Children is running some online support sessions for parents in the coming months. [Full story...]

Retina UK Young Adults Peer Support Group

Retina UK's Young Adults Peer Support Group provides a welcoming, safe and friendly opportunity for young adults with inherited sight loss aged 18 to 30 to meet up to share experiences, tips and information. [Full story...]

World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week - 11th to 17th May 2025

World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week is the event that spreads the word about retinoblastoma (childhood eye cancer), and raises funds to support families affected by the condition. This year's event starts on Sunday 11th May. [Full story...]

Vika’s FUN-tastic Friday - online club for young people: summer sessions

Vika's FUN-tastic Friday, New College Worcester's online club for young people aged 9 to 15 with vision impairment, will continue into August, and themes for the Summer sessions have been published. [Full story...]

Contact online drop-in service for families of children with additional needs in Wales

Contact, the charity that supports families with a disabled child, runs an online drop-in service for families in Wales during term time. [Full story...]

Deafblind UK Social Groups in Wales

Deafblind UK's website includes a Directory of services in your area, including details of Deafblind UK's Social Groups, where you can have an informal chat and meet new people. [Full story...]

Vision Impaired Support Group in Abergavenny

A Vision Impaired Support Group meets monthly at the Tithe Barn Community Wellbeing Café in Abergavenny. [Full story...]

Vision Zone events in Swansea and Neath

Optelec, the accessible products supplier, is running Vision Zone events in Swansea and Neath, in association with Sight Life. [Full story...]

Cardiff City Football Club Foundation are running Inclusive Kicks football sessions.

Cardiff City Football Club Foundation are running weekly Inclusive Kicks football sessions in Merthyr and Cardiff. [Full story...]

Royal Society for Blind Children 'Moving on up Group: Transitioning to Secondary School'

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC)'s Moving on up Group is for young people who are in Year 6 and you want to share their thoughts and chat with others who will be moving to Year 7 in September. The group meets monthly, via Zoom. [Full story...]

Marfan Trust online events

The Marfan Trust runs some online events for people affected by Marfan syndrome. [Full story...]

UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Organisation - Zoom Meetings

The UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Organisation holds quarterly Zoom meetings. [Full story...]

Retina UK peer support group - 'Talking Travel'

The next meeting of Retina UK's peer support group 'Talking Travel' is on Thursday 24th July. [Full story...]

'My Macular and Me' webinars

The Macular Society runs a monthly webinar, giving people affected by the condition and those working with them the chance to find out more about macular conditions from experts. [Full story...]

Retina UK Interest Focused Peer Support Group - ‘Talking’ Creative Arts

Retina UK's 'Talking' Creative Arts' Peer Support Group will have its next meeting on Thursday 28th August. [Full story...]

Thomas Pocklington Trust 'Let's Talk Jobs' workshops

Thomas Pocklington Trust Employment Team is running monthly online 'Let's Talk Jobs' workshops for blind and partially sighted people who are seeking employment or a volunteering role. [Full story...]

Retina UK Women's Peer Support Group Meetings

The next meeting of Retina UK's Women's Peer Support Group will be on Tuesday 26th August. [Full story...]

Blind Ambition Social Hour

Blind Ambition holds a monthly Social Hour, where people with sight loss who are in, or looking for employment can connect with other people in a friendly, laid-back environment. [Full story...]

Blind Ambition Working Age Forum

Blind Ambition's Working Age Forum (WAF), a Zoom-based discussion group, offers a relaxed and sociable environment for people of a working age who are visually impaired. The group meets monthly, on the second Tuesday. [Full story...]

Nystagmus Network virtual support networks

Nystagmus Network runs virtual monthly support groups for parents of children with nystagmus, and for adults living with acquired or congenital nystagmus. They are an opportunity to meet like-minded people, share experiences, make new friends and support each other. [Full story...]

Deafblind UK Job Club

Deafblind UK's new online Job Club will meet fortnightly (on Fridays), to give support and advice to anyone with sight and hearing loss who is looking to find employment. [Full story...]

Royal Society for Blind Children launch Welsh Social Group

As part of the National Lottery-funded Eye Connect Cymru project, the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) is starting a Welsh Social Group for vision impaired children and young people across Wales aged 10 to 16 years. [Full story...]

LOOK Parent Support Group

LOOK runs an online Parent Support Group for the families and carers of children and young people with sight loss. [Full story...]

Free Contact workshops for families in Wales - Further events added

As part of its Building Resilience project, Contact is running a series of free, online workshops for parent carers with a disabled child living in Wales. [Full story...]

Vision Support 'Men's Time to Talk' Group in North Wales

Vision Support's confidential support group for men with vision impairment, Men's Time to Talk, will meet monthly, on the second Thursday. [Full story...]

Guide Dogs Cymru Local Walking Group in Swansea

Guide Dogs Cymru's Local Walking Group in Swansea meet once a month for a walk with good company. [Full story...]

Behçet’s UK - Wales Support Group Meetings

Behcet's UK runs regular online Support Group Meetings for people affected by the condition in Wales. [Full story...]

North Wales Society for the Blind schedule for 2025

North Wales Society for the Blind has published the dates of its Social Club and Eryri Walking Club meetings in 2025. [Full story...]

Deafblind UK fortnightly Tech Support Surgery

Deafblind UK is running fortnightly Zoom sessions for on-the-spot tech support for people with dual sensory loss. [Full story...]

Sight Life start new social group in Gowerton

Sight Life is starting a new Gowerton drop-in social support group. The group provides an opportunity for people with sight loss in the area to come along and share your VI related hints and tips, find out what is going on locally and make new friends. [Full story...]

RNIB Training for professionals supporting learners with vision impairment

RNIB provides a wide range of online professional development training for those working with a child or young person with vision impairment. [Full story...]

Virtual Monthly Chats for adults with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

BBS UK leads virtual monthly chats for adults with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, a rare, genetic disorder, which affects approximately 1 in 100,000 babies born. [Full story...]

Digital Glaucoma Support Group meetings in 2025

Glaucoma UK has scheduled more online support group meetings for 2025. [Full story...]

Contact online drop-in service for families of children with additional needs

Contact, the charity that supports families with a disabled child, has launched a new online drop-in service for families in Wales. [Full story...]

'Sisterhood! and 'Boys Crew!': New groups for vision impaired young people from RSBC

The Royal Society for Blind Children is launching two new groups for vision impaired young people aged 11-25, where you can connect and share ideas. [Full story...]

Vision Support Social Groups (in person)

Vision Support runs a range of social groups that meet in person in North Wales. [Full story...]

Macular Society Local Support Groups in North Wales

The Macular Society runs support groups at venues across North Wales, providing support, information and companionship to people affected by macular conditions. [Full story...]

All Wales Macular Telephone Support Group calls

The Macular Society in Wales runs telephone support meetings to help those who are unable to make it to meetings in person. [Full story...]

Technology.

Fight for Sight announces UK Vision Research Network

Fight for Sight, the organisation that funds scientific and social change research into vision loss, has announced the launch of an innovative research network. The UK Vision Research Network is a first for the vision loss research sector in the UK. [Full story...]

Woman's eyesight saved by cutting-edge test after mystery infection

A woman from Bristol has had her eyesight saved after a "game-changing" test identified a mystery infection that had plagued her health for five years. [Full story...]

Smartwatches for people with vision impairment - advice from Guide Dogs

The Guide Dogs website has some useful information about how smartwatches can be used as a tool for people with vision impairment to support independence and mobility. [Full story...]

Experimental gene therapy funded by Retina UK helps four toddlers gain "life-changing improvements"

An experimental trial of gene therapy has helped four toddlers born with one of the most severe forms of childhood blindness gain "life-changing improvements" to their sight. The researchers received funding from Retina UK. [Full story...]

British Wireless for the Blind Fund partners with VICTA to provide accessible technology to VI children and young people

A new Partnership between British Wireless for the Blind Fund and VICTA will provide accessible technology to children and young people with sight loss across the UK. [Full story...]

Latest Apple upgrade includes new accessibility features

The latest software release for Apple iPhones (iOS18) includes new accessibility features for people with vision impairment and other disabilities. [Full story...]

Research into a potential new treatment for glaucoma

A recent Fight for Sight-funded study led by Professor James Morgan at Cardiff University has identified a potential new treatment for glaucoma using a form of vitamin B3. [Full story...]

Be My Eyes is now available on Ray Ban Meta Glasses

Be My Eyes, the free mobile app that connects blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers and companies from all over the world through a live video call, is now available on Ray Ban Meta Glasses. [Full story...]

Macular Society's 'Connect by Tech' service

The Macular Society’s 'Connect by Tech' service offers one-to-one telephone support with the technology that you use around your home. The Society's volunteers can help Macular Society members make the most of their smartphones, tablets and more. [Full story...]

Opportunities.

New RNIB Telephone Group for music lovers

RNIB's Talk and Support Group is setting up a new telephone group for music lovers. [Full story...]

RSBC free swimming sessions in South Wales

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) is offering some free swimming sessions to vision impaired children and young people (age 3 to 25) in South Wales this summer. [Full story...]

RSBC free activities in West Wales

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) is offering some free activities to vision impaired children and young people in West Wales this summer. [Full story...]

RSBC free activities in North Wales

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) is offering some free activities to vision impaired children and young people in North Wales this summer. [Full story...]

Open Call for Disabled Artists: Disability Arts Cymru National Exhibition

Disability Arts Cymru invites submissions from disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent artists from across Wales for their upcoming national touring exhibition: Effaith (Impact). [Full story...]

VICTA Course - 'Get Workplace Ready'

VICTA is running a three month course for young people with a vision impairment aged 18-29 who are not in education, employment or training and looking to enter the workplace. [Full story...]

Free Microsoft Accessibility Workshop – Register Your Interest

Bardet-Biedl Syndrome UK is teaming up with Microsoft accessibility experts for a free virtual workshop on how to make the most of built-in accessibility features like text-to-speech, magnification, and more. [Full story...]

VICTA Sport Young Achievers Award for primary school aged children

Primary school aged children with a vision impairment are invited to take part in VICTA's Sport Young Achievers Award scheme, which is broken down into three separate rounds. [Full story...]

VICTA Grant Scheme 2025 opens for applications

VICTA's grant scheme for children and young adults (ages 8 to 29) with vision impairment is open for applications. The programme is designed to help young people build or maintain their independence and retain control of their lives and leisure time. [Full story...]

Nominations open for Sense Awards 2025

Nominations have opened for the Sense Awards 2025, which celebrate the achievements of disabled people with complex needs (including deaf blindness) and the people who support them, including carers, campaigners and fundraisers. [Full story...]

Nystagmus Awareness Day 2025 - Help needed to test video games

On Nystagmus Awareness Day (20th June), researchers at Southampton University are asking for help in testing prototype video games that they have developed to assess if sight loss has improved after treatment. [Full story...]

Goalball Academy Aspire Days in Wales

There will be two Goalball Academy Aspire Days in Wales: in Cardiff on Saturday 27th September and Carmarthen on Saturday 17th January, and VICTA are offering up to £50 travel expense cover to enable you to take part in the Cardiff event. [Full story...]

LOOK Healthy Parent Carer Programme - Autumn 2025 and Spring 2026

LOOK has announced that it will be running two more Healthy Parent Carer Programmes for families with a vision impaired child. These are free, 12-week online courses designed by parent carers for parent carers, helping you explore simple, evidence-based ways to boost your wellbeing, improve your health, and build emotional resilience. [Full story...]

Calibre Audio launches 'Inclusive Voices' short story competition

To mark Hi Vis Fortnight, Calibre Audio is running a short story competition. 'Inclusive Voices' is open to people of all ages and abilities, with prizes available in four different age bands. [Full story...]

See Paintings in a New Light

A PhD researcher at Cardiff University is working on a project to improve visual art (paintings) for people with low vision. The team at Cardiff University have developed some visual enhancements aimed at improving the visual qualities of paintings for people with sight impairments. These visualisations are displayed live on a headset, and the wearer has full control of the strength and brightness of everything. Enhancements include magnification, contrast improvements, sharpness boosting, edge highlighting, and more. Although this is a research study, it has a real-world practical application. They are running trials of the headset at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery and are inviting people from Wales to take part. [Full story...]

'Working Sense' employment project

Working Sense is a project that will enhance the employability of people over 25 with sensory loss (i.e. people who are D/deaf or have hearing loss and people who are blind or have vision loss) disability or health condition, by providing specialist support to enable the target group to enter/re-enter and remain in employment, or move closer toward employment using a holistic one-to-one approach utilising designated project staff. [Full story...]

Braille users invited to participate in a study

<p>Braille users over the age of 18 are invited to take part in study that has the potential to shape the future around assessment and teaching of Braille skills.</p> [Full story...]

RNIB 'See Cymru Differently (Hiraeth)' project

'See Cymru Differently (Hiraeth)' is a new three-year project, funded by the National Lottery and run by RNIB Cymru, which aims to make Wales the leading UK nation where National Parks are fully accessible for blind and partially sighted people for current and future generations. This initiative also aims to enhance understanding of eye health in rural communities and the available support services within Wales. [Full story...]

Specialist holiday company Seable seeks sighted guides in North Wales

Seable, the company specialising in accessible and tailored holidays for vision impaired people, is looking for sighted guides to support a holiday in North Wales. [Full story...]

Invitation to take part in research on Visual Imagination and Sight Impairment

Researchers at Cardiff University are conducting an online study to explore visual imagination in people with sight impairment. This research aims to better understand why some individuals experience visual hallucinations (Charles Bonnet Syndrome) after sight loss. [Full story...]

Join Sight Cymru as a Volunteer and Make a Difference!

Sight Cymru is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to support their Widening Vision Project. This vital initiative aims to raise awareness about preventing sight loss and promoting eye health in schools and communities across Mid Wales. [Full story...]

Access to Politics Grassroots Network

The Access to Politics Grassroots Network seeks to address the critical need for politics to be more inclusive and representative of Deaf and disabled people, and will further the vital work undertaken in the Access to Elected Office Fund Wales in the run up to the 2021 Senedd and 2022 Local Government Elections. [Full story...]

VIEW Courses for education professionals and parents

VIEW (The Professional Association for the Vision Impairment Education Workforce) has a number of online courses designed to support the training needs of professionals and parents to improve the quality of learning opportunities available to children and young people with vision impairment. [Full story...]

UCAN launch new Welsh drama group

UCAN Productions has launched a new Welsh drama group. [Full story...]

Sense 'Virtual Buddy' service for disabled people

Sense runs a free 'Virtual Buddy' service for disabled people of all ages in the UK. The service will match you with someone of a similar age who has common interests, for a weekly chat (via phone, online etc). Volunteer virtual buddies are also needed. [Full story...]

Nystagmus Network launch new Facebook group for grandparents

Nystagmus Network's new Facebook group for grandparents is an opportunity to meet other 'nystagmus' grandparents, learn more about the condition and how to support your family. [Full story...]

Other resources.

Latest Macular Society podcast explores 'Parenting with Sight Loss'

The Macular Society produces 'My Macular and Me', a series of podcasts which tackle many aspects of macular disease. In the latest episode, a mother of three living with Best disease shares her personal journey of parenting with sight loss, from the emotional impact of her diagnosis to the challenges of family life, adapting routines, and supporting her children. [Full story...]

LOOK's guide to Summer Accessible Days Out

LOOK has produced some information to help parents with a vision impaired child make the most of the summer holidays. [Full story...]

Moving up to secondary school - advice from RSBC

Moving from primary to secondary school can be new and exciting, but for some it can also be a scary time, especially when you're navigating your new school with a vision impairment. The Royal Society for Blind Children has produced some useful tips. [Full story...]

Understanding Inherited, Progressive Sight Loss - Resource from LOOK

Following a recent LOOK/Retina UK Panel Event, 'How to Talk to Your Child About Inherited Progressive Sight Loss', LOOK has produced a resource based on discussion at the event. [Full story...]

Deafblind UK launch 'Help with Technology' webpage

Deafblind UK have launched a new page on the their website - 'Help with Technology'. [Full story...]

Royal Society for Blind Children's Family Practitioners in Wales

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC)'s Family Practitioner Service provides support across Wales focused on a family’s emotional needs, particularly at challenging times such as a new diagnosis, changes in vision, or key transitions like starting or changing schools. As a service RSBC aims to provide evidence-based interventions that build emotional resilience, improve coping skills and promote positive parenting. [Full story...]

Preparing for exams - Advice from sight loss organisations

As the exam season approaches, some sight loss organisations have advice for students and their parents about how to prepare for this stressful time. [Full story...]

Eye Matter - A peer support and social inclusion charity

Eye Matter is a multi-activity peer support and social inclusion charity for anyone over 18 living with a visual impairment. [Full story...]

New website for British Wireless for the Blind Fund

The website of British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF) has been redesigned to ensure it is user-friendly to someone living with sight loss. [Full story...]

The Partially Sighted Society website gets a new look

The website of The Partially Sighted Society has been redesigned to give improved accessibility, a fresh, modern design and enhanced resources. [Full story...]

Coming to terms with sight loss - Advice from the Macular Society

The Macular Society's Counselling Team has advice for anyone who has been diagnosed with macular disease. which highlights the emotional challenges many face and offers guidance on how to overcome them. [Full story...]

New resources on Charles Bonnet Syndrome released on CBS Awareness Day 2024

Esme's Umbrella, the charity raising awareness of Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS), has marked their annual CBS Awareness Day on 16th November by launching a webpage for children and young people, and a short film. [Full story...]

Warm Welcome Spaces in venues across Wales

If you are struggling to heat your home this winter, Warm Welcome Spaces open their doors to their local communities, offering everyone a free, warm, welcoming and friendly space, and can be found in locations across Wales. [Full story...]

Contact's 'Building Resilience' project for families in Wales

Following the recent announcement that Contact Wales, the organisation for families with disabled children, has been given a half-million-pound award from the National Lottery Community Fund to deliver a new project, Building Resilience, appointments can now be made. [Full story...]

Sight Loss Friendly Churches - Information from Torch Trust

Torch Trust, the Christian sight loss charity, has a range of resources to help churches to become more inclusive of people with vision impairment. They also have a webpage which enables you to search for a sight loss friendly church in your area. [Full story...]

Family Fund's 'Discover More Support' tool

The Family Fund's website includes a section where families with a disabled or seriously ill child can look for charities and organisations that can help them. [Full story...]

Miscellaneous.

Recipients of Glaucoma UK Awards announced

Glaucoma UK has announced the recipients of its 2025 research project grants. [Full story...]

UK Government issues updated information on the Winter Fuel Payment

The UK Government has recently published updated information on the Winter Fuel Payment. [Full story...]

Clinical adviser Sharon Beatty to step down from Optometry Wales

Sharon Beatty has announced that she will step down from her role as Clinical Adviser to Optometry Wales in February 2026. [Full story...]

Fight for Sight awards £1.5m in new Project Grants

Following its latest grant round, Fight for Sight, the organisation that funds scientific and social change research into vision loss, is to invest £1.5 million across the UK to research a range of sight loss conditions. [Full story...]

Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill published

The UK Government has published the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill and MPs are due to vote on the proposals shortly. [Full story...]

Children in Need funding for BBS UK

BBS UK, the charity supporting people with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, their families, and carers in the UK, as been awarded a 3-year grant from BBC Children in Need. This vital funding will support our ongoing work with children and young people living with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) across the UK. [Full story...]

Wales Disability Rights Plan accused of lacking measurable targets

Concerns have been expressed that the Welsh Government's Disabled People's Rights Plan does not include enough concrete targets, and that much of the detail could fall off the agenda, especially after a new government is elected next year. [Full story...]

Wales Pioneers Eye Care Reform: Optometrists can now certify vision impairment for all conditions

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership and Optometry Wales have announced that, in a first across the UK, Wales will allow optometrists to officially certify Vision Impairment for all types of eye conditions. This major change is expected to improve support for people with sight loss and reduce the pressure on busy hospital eye departments. [Full story...]

Contact Cymru awarded funding to help families of disabled children in North Wales

Contact, the charity that supports the families of disabled children has been awarded £86,000 from the Welsh government to provide practical and emotional support to parents caring for disabled children in Conwy and Gwynedd. [Full story...]

Glaucoma Buddy Scheme

If you have glaucoma, and are concerned about laser treatment or surgery, Glaucoma UK's buddy scheme can pair you with someone who has first-hand experience for a simple phone call or series of chats. The organisation is also interested in hearing from people who have had treatment, and are interested in becoming buddies. [Full story...]

Fight for Sight announces grants for sight loss organisations

Sight Life is one of thirteen sight loss organisations to be awarded a grant from Fight for Sight, the organisation that funds scientific and social change research into vision loss. [Full story...]

First hospital-based pre-registration optometrist in Wales approaches qualification

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has announced that Wales’ first hospital-based pre-registration optometrist has entered her final year of training to become a fully qualified optometrist, describing it as 'a groundbreaking milestone in NHS Wales' and a 'testament to the steps being taken to enhance patient care and provide specialised optometry services in hospital settings'. [Full story...]

Vision Support announces closure of the Community Information Service.

Vision Support has announced the closure of the Community Information Service, which provided information about products, services and support for vision impaired people to venues across Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy areas (as well as Cheshire & Halton). [Full story...]

Closure of Blind Veterans UK's Llandudno Centre

The Blind Veterans UK centre in Llandudno has closed following a comprehensive strategic review of the charity's operations and financial sustainability. [Full story...]

Deafblind UK launches new support for children and young people

Deafblind UK's brand-new service supports children and young people who are affected by sight and hearing loss, as well as their families and schools. [Full story...]

Welsh Senedd Health and Social Care Committee reviews opthalmology services

A meeting of the Senedd's Health and Social Care Committee on 20th March included a number of evidence sessions on the performance of opthalmology services in Wales. [Full story...]

Domiciliary urgent eye care

A recent article in 'Optometry Today' describes how patients in Wales who receive domiciliary eye care can now also receive urgent care at home, following changes to the way that eye care is provided. [Full story...]

Increase to eye care funding confirmed in Wales

The Welsh Government has announced the successful completion of optometry contract negotiations with NHS Wales and Optometry Wales for 2024/25. This will provide an additional £3.9m to support the funding of optometry services in Wales. [Full story...]

TPT Student Support Service expanded to younger children

The Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) has joined with Guide Dogs to extend TPT's Student Support Service to children from the ages of seven to eleven years. [Full story...]

Centre for Vision Services Research to be established in Wales

Health and Care Research Wales has announced Research Development Infrastructure funding to be used to establish a Centre for Vision Services in Wales. The Centre will be based at Cardiff University’s School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, and brings together researchers from Cardiff University, Swansea University, Bangor University and the University of South Wales. [Full story...]

New Deafblind UK research centre launched at Birmingham City University

Deafblind UK has announced the opening of their new Centre for Education and Research, at Birmingham City University. The Centre will advance understanding of deafblindness, develop innovative support solutions and nurture future specialists, to make the world a better place for people impacted by dual sensory loss. [Full story...]

'In Touch' interviews UK Government's Disability Minister

In the most recent edition of 'In Touch', the BBC Radio 4 programme for blind and partially sighted people, Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability in the UK Government, answers questions from the programme's listeners. [Full story...]

Specsavers launches awareness campaign in Wales

Specsavers is to launch a campaign in Wales to raise awareness that your local optometry practice should be the first port of call if you experience any eye problems. [Full story...]

More radio stations available for users of BWBF's Speech Radio app

Users of British Wireless for the Blind Fund's Speech Radio app will have access to 70,000 radio stations following a team up with audio content aggregator airable. [Full story...]

New partnership between RNIB and Motability to explore how journeys can be improved for people with sight loss

RNIB and transport accessibility charity Motability Foundation have announced a new partnership, which will explore innovative ways of making journeys better for people with sight loss. [Full story...]

Welshpool & District VI Group

Welshpool & District VI Group is a social and entertainment group for persons who are vision impaired and their carers. Meetings are held every fortnight from the first Tuesday in February to the end of December at the Methodist Church in Welshpool. [Full story...]

Support from Visual Impairment Breconshire

Visual Impairment Breconshire (VIB) provides a range of support for people with sight loss in south Powys. [Full story...]

Guide Dogs stops running the My Sighted Guide service

Guide Dogs has stopped running the My Sighted Guide service, which matched volunteers with users. [Full story...]

Sight Cymru the chosen charity of the Mayor of Abergavenny

Abergavenny's Mayor, Chris Holland has selected Sight Cymru as one of his chosen charities. [Full story...]

Are you eligible for Pension Credit?

From this winter the Winter Fuel Payment will be linked to the receipt of specific means-tested benefits. As such, for many older people in Wales, Pension Credit will be the key to accessing their entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment. [Full story...]