Our work.
About Wales Council of the Blind
"I have found all my contacts with WCB over the years to be so useful and professional." - Rehabilitation Officer for VI.
Wales Council of the Blind is the umbrella agency representing vision impairment within Wales. We work to campaign, lobby and support the improvement of services for people with sight loss. WCB provides a platform vision impaired people to raise their concerns and wishes.
WCB's Articles of Association sets out a way of letting their members contribute to setting priorities and work streams. An important part of the new structure is the creation of Regional Steering Groups to inform WCB's work. The four new Regional Steering Groups will be established across Wales, covering North, West, South East and South Central.
Each group intends to offer a platform for local clubs, charities, statutory services and people with sight loss to get together and contribute to directing the work and resources of WCB. It's likely that priorities may vary from region to region, and we want that to be reflected in the work of WCB.
WCB's Board of Trustees will include four representatives - one nominated from each of the four regional steering groups - to bring the views of the regions to the table.
What does Wales Council of the Blind do?
- We work to assist the Welsh Government by participating in and facilitating consultation
- keep in touch with what is happening in every area in Wales and in the U.K.
- We highlight examples of good practice and distribute this to the eyecare sector through our SYLW newsletter, e-bulletins, quarterly 'Round-Up' Magazine, and our professional networks
- bring people together to exchange information and ideas
- identify gaps in provision
- encourage the development of new services where necessary
- support and assist other agencies to provide a good service
- represent v.i. within Wales and at an all-Wales level
- represent v.i. in Wales at a U.K. level
Latest WCB news.
WCB West Wales event on 6th March
Wales Council of the Blind's next West Wales Regional event will take place on Thursday, 6th March 11.30am – 3pm at Carmarthen Bowling Club, St. Peter’s Street, Carmarthen SA31 1LN.
If you have sight loss and live in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire or Ceredigion, join us at our West Wales Regional event to share your views, experiences, and knowledge to help bring about change and improve services. Refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided. For more information and to register your attendance, email Rebecca at: bec@wcb-ccd.org.uk or call 02920 473954.
Wales Council of the Blind to cease use of X
Wales Council of the Blind will no longer post on X (formerly Twitter).
To continue receiving news from across the sight loss sector in Wales, please sign up here for our weekly ebulletin Sylw, You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads and Instagram @walesblind. Any organisations who want us to promote their activities should email bec@wcb-ccd.org.uk.
Deadline extended: Eye Connect Cymru project - Survey for families and educators
Eye Connect is an RSBC Project in collaboration with WCB (Wales Council for the Blind), CWVYS (Council for Wales Voluntary Youth), and other partners designed to connect VI (visually impaired) children and young people (CYP) and give them a voice in their community. The project plans to achieve this in various ways, such as providing emotional well-being support, group support, practical referrals to professionals, family/CYP one-to-one online sessions, and ensuring that more children/youth-focused organisations are VI-inclusive.
We are seeking the views of children, young people and their families, and VI educators in Wales. By filling out this questionnaire, you will help us identify the best way to make this vision a reality:
- Questionnaire to children, young people and their families: click here
- Questionnaire to children, young people and their families (WELSH): click here
- Questionnaire to VI Educators: click here
- Questionnaire to VI Educators (WELSH): click here
Wales Eyecare Conference 2024 - Presentations available
Copies of presentations given at the Wales Eyecare Conference 2024 on 7th November are now available on the conference website.
You can access them by clicking on the 'Eyecare Conference' tab at the top right of this page, then selecting 'Downloads'.
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'.
Eye Connect Cymru is designed to connect visually impaired children and young people (CYP) and give them a voice in their community. The project plans to achieve this in various ways, such as providing emotional well-being support, group support, practical referrals to professionals, family/CYP one-to-one online sessions, and ensuring that more children/youth-focused organisations are VI-inclusive. We will provide more information on the project as it develops.
Perspectif Social: New project to tackle loneliness
Perspectif Social is a new project to tackle loneliness in people with vision impairment.
Loneliness is associated with depression, sleep disturbance, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is identified as a global public health problem. Living with a vision impairment increases a person’s risk of loneliness and isolation. However, increased social interaction through signposting such as social prescribing is helpful in alleviating loneliness and isolation.
Wales Council of the Blind (WCB) is working with Rebecca John, National Wales General Ophthalmic Services (WGOS) Clinical Lead, in a Vision Foundation-funded project to develop a toolset for Low Vision practitioners for signposting patients to support using our Perspectif Information Portal. We shall be seeking members of a review panel for the project and also service users to interview.
If you would like to know more, contact WCB on 02920 473 954 or email owen@wcb-ccd.org.uk .