Haggeye Family

05/05/2026

The latest Haggazine has dropped! If you're not signed up, make sure you subscribe for future editions at: http://eepurl.com/inmma6

Next up is a hello from our newest member, Ryan!

Hello everyone, my name's Ryan (pictured right), I'm 22. I have a very severe cerebral visual impairment which means the wiring from my brain to my eyes don't work together. For me, that means I have no upper or lower sight, or any peripheral vision. I have been like this since I was born and I also have autism and have other health issues.

For me growing up was a very difficult time with bullying at school which was very hard to cope with. I was never included in groups, or when I was, they were never adapted for my sight which ended in disaster quite often.

But I was very lucky that I had a good number of friends who were older and they were much kinder and more accepting towards me and my sight problems which really helped as younger people at school didn’t want to know me and sadly this was in both primary and secondary school.

I am now a pianist and can also play the church organ. I really enjoy music and helping out within the church that I attend which I really love going to, and I am hoping to start helping out within a praise band that is starting very soon.

My favourite music to play on the organ has to either be traditional hymns or more modern hymns. But I also like listening to music by John Rutter and Howard Goodall.

I absolutely love helping people and being there for others. As well as playing music and caring for others, I really enjoy cleaning the house and spending time with friends and family, and visiting churches and garden centres.

Last year I was really blessed as I met Luke who is the best friend I could have ever asked for. He introduced me to Haggeye and I absolutely love the phone group on a Tuesday evening.

* Welcome to Haggeye, Ryan!

[Image description: Ryan pictured right, with Luke, taking a selfie together in a car.]

29/04/2026

The latest Haggazine has dropped! If you're not signed up, make sure you subscribe for future editions at: http://eepurl.com/inmma6

Next up, we heard from Luke who shared his story about starting college:

"I'm Luke, I am 19 years old, registered blind and my eye condition is nystagmus and coloboma. This means that sometimes my eyes can shake without me noticing and my sight is limited and I can’t see as far or as well as others. I also struggle with normal print.

I left school last June, after a successful few years, feeling a little bit anxious about going out into the ‘big world.’ My plan was to go to Edinburgh College to study Music and Sound Production as I had already studied music throughout my time at school and it was my favourite subject. Previously I had been attending the college on a part time basis, doing a slightly different course, which helped familiarise myself in a college environment.

Getting to college was going to be my first challenge. My parents helped me apply for taxi funding from the college, however I decided that I would like to try to get there independently. I tried a couple of different routes to find one that I liked and that worked for me. It also meant that I had a few different back-up routes. My route involved travelling by train and tram. With a bit of help from my mobility teacher and my family, I was able to learn the layout of Edinburgh Waverley train station, including who to ask for help. Then I just practiced the route so that when I started college in the August, I was fully familiar with it.

Before I started the course, I met with the learning support team, and we agreed that I would have a personal assistant in the class to help with reading and scribing. At the beginning I was really worried because I thought having help in the class would get in the way of socialising as people would think I was not capable of being left unsupervised and therefore would not make any friends. How wrong I was because there were a lot of groups outside of classes, team activities and a social area within the music department, so I was able to make lots of new friends both on and off my course.

My love of music has increased a lot since I started college because I have been able to play in different bands and experience what it is like to be in a band, including live performances and my first real gig is going to be in May at the Mash House in Edinburgh. I have joined different groups outside of class, including the choir, and have already performed at venues in Edinburgh. I have also started to learn the drums!

My next steps are to keep on progressing through college and work towards a degree in music. College has turned out to be a lot better than I expected, and I would say to anyone that you should definitely try going to college as it is a great experience and helps to build on your education and help with preparing for future jobs."

[Image description: Luke outdoors with his white cane, standing beside a display of large music notes on the side of the college building.]

20/04/2026

The latest Haggazine has dropped! If you're not signed up, make sure you subscribe for future editions at: http://eepurl.com/inmma6

First up, is the story of when Georgea met RNIB CEO Simon for a chat...

Georgea: When I heard that RNIB had a new CEO and that he was visiting Scotland, I took the opportunity to sit him down for a quick chat. This interview resulted in learning some interesting facts about his background which could be helpful to our group in the long term.

Tell me a bit about yourself and how you ended up here as the new CEO?

Simon: My name's Simon Antrobus. I'm the CEO of RNIB and last year the job was advertised and I had the opportunity to meet our chair, Anna Tyler. She and I had a conversation, and I was super impressed by Anna. I thought she was absolutely brilliant. So I applied for the job, I had interviews, and thankfully I did okay in those interviews and I got the job. Things like the campaigning work and the brilliant services that we offer…it’s been incredible, and I'm only in week three!

Georgea: You probably had to meet so many people in the first couple of weeks. Has that been quite a lot for you?

Simon: Well, you could say bonkers but it's actually been fantastic and I've learned so much. It's been incredible. And a lot of it has confirmed what everybody else has said to me about how fantastic this organisation is; amazing, brilliant, passionate, staff and volunteers, really knowledgeable, people with lived experience as well. But it's also surprised me with the scale and size and the vast amount of important work that we do at RNIB.

Georgea: In Scotland, we have Haggeye, which I’ve heard you've been briefed on. What are your thoughts on the group and youth engagement in general?

Simon: Well, I come from a youth engagement background. I worked with Children in Need. But for me, the words that I use in this space are “youth social action” and that's how I got involved in charities right from the very start. When I was a 17 year old, I volunteered for an organisation called Youth Action in Northampton. I think it's really important not only to engage with young people, but to make sure that young people feel that they can take an active and strong part in their communities and with the things that they feel are important to them. They can actually provide a service and provide leadership in their communities as well. When you do that you get a better world so I think young people have got so much to offer. Things like Haggeye, they're fantastic. I love it.

Georgea: One of the things we have been thinking about is expanding a similar concept elsewhere- to have youth engagement teams within England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Do you think an expansion like that could work for RNIB?

Simon: I think it's entirely possible. As I said, youth social action is a really important part of the environment that supports young people. And I think if we took something like this to England or Wales or Northern Ireland, we need to think about how we would develop it in those locations because you need committed individuals to take it forward like yourself. And then you need the right kind of brand and name for it to connect with that local community as well, don't you? But I think it's entirely possible.

Georgea: Have you thought about what you want to achieve with RNIB in the next few years, any long-term goal?

Simon: A real strong sense of purpose for the organisation that we all feel like we're moving in the same direction under a really clear ambition is number one for me, that we've got the money to do the things that we want to do, and that it's a great place for people to come and work and volunteer. And the fundamental thing is that we really understand the change we want to see for blind and partially sighted people and we're living and breathing that.

Georgea: I absolutely agree, and I'd love to see how it works out. Is there anything else you would like to add for our Haggazine readers?

Simon: Well, just to say thank you to you and your colleagues for what you do. I think it's a fantastic piece of work and if there's anything I can do to help, just give me a shout!

Georgea: In our meetings, we like to end with a more lighthearted question for everyone. What's your favourite biscuit to have with a cup of tea or coffee?

Simon: My favourite biscuit is a chocolate digestive, I dip it as well. Not with coffee, though!

*

And there you have it! Hopefully Simon will visit us again for another chat after being in the job for a while. We’ll have to think of another fun question before that happens though…

[Image description: Georgea sits down with Simon on a sofa, talking. Beside them is a Haggeye banner, and coffee table with haggeye coasters, fidget spinners and leaflets.]

14/04/2026

This past Saturday, our members took part in a finance workshop in Aberdeen, all about learning how to manage their own money.

They explored important topics like everyday spending, taxes, savings, interest rates, and navigating the cost of living.

It was great to see so much interest in the session, and members are excited to start using their new knowledge.

[Image descriptions: 1. Eilidh, Georgea, Luke and Nic standing together smiling. 2. Eilidh smiling as she speaks to Georgea. 3. Luke and Nic look at a sheet of paper with large numbers written on it, Luke is using his phone as a magnifier.]

10/04/2026

Make sure your voice is heard in the Scottish Parliament elections this May: register to vote before Monday 20 April!

Register to vote: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

More on our website about voting accessibility: https://www.rnib.org.uk/nations/scotland/voting-in-scotland-and-uk-elections/

[Image description: A woman smiling and kneeling in a garden in front of a rock and flower bed with plants which spell out 'I'm registered to vote'. The Electoral Commission logo.]

13/03/2026

What's alt-text and how do you include it?

Alt-text is a really simple way to make your posts more accessible. It describes what an image is of, and whether there's any text within it. For those using screen-readers to read aloud posts, they'll hear what an image is of, rather than a computer's guess, or just the word, 'image'!

On Facebook, you can add alt-text by first uploading your image, and then using the edit button, usually at the top left of the image. Select the alternative text option, and write a useful description of what is in the image. Don't forget to click 'Save'. You won't see your alt text on your post, but it'll be read aloud for those using screen readers.

It can also be useful to write an image description within your post or image caption as we've done below. Give it a go!

[Image description: Haggeye member Georgea with Sarah Boyack MSP presenting at a wooden podium in the chamber at the Scottish Parliament, as part of Scotland's Disability Summit last month. She is wearing her Haggeye hoodie and a lanyard.]

11/03/2026

Today at the Cross Party Group for Visual Impairment, our member Georgea spoke about her lived experience of navigating routes to get where she needs to go.

Her contribution highlighted the everyday barriers faced by visually impaired people and the importance of designing streets and public spaces that are inclusive, accessible, and work for everyone. Well done Georgea!

[Image description: 1. The Cross Party Group attendees at Parliament. 2. Georgea speaking at her seat at the meeting, while others listen on.]

05/03/2026

Our members gathered to take part in an employment workshop this weekend in Lanarkshire. The session focused on building key skills including CV writing, job applications, and interview techniques.

The group is passionate about raising awareness of the barriers young visually impaired people face when seeking employment.

If you are looking for support or information about employment, visit the RNIB website: https://www.rnib.org.uk/nations/scotland/employment-scotland/

[Image description: Luke, Nic, Georgea, and Ash smiling to camera.]

24/02/2026

Haggeye members Eilidh, Fin, and Georgea were delighted to co-chair several workshops at Scotland’s Disability Summit this weekend. They also did a fantastic job delivering powerful feedback to the chamber.

They joined over 300 disabled people and advocates who came together to champion the rights of disabled people, to reflect on progress and look to the future.

We're very proud to have young voices young leading the conversation and driving change!

[Image description: Eilidh, Fin, and Georgea together smiling, the windows at the Scottish Parliament in the background.]

The Scottish Parliament

10/02/2026

We've been at the today, and we'll be back tomorrow! There's been lots of great conversations about including young blind and partially sighted people, accessible social media, inclusive employment and recruitment practices.

If you can't make it along, we're always up for a chat about any questions you might have about engaging and including blind and partially sighted people in your organisation. Pop us a message anytime!

[Image description: Georgea and Dan sitting at our stall, with Haggeye tablecloth and banner, and an RNIB Scotland banner and leaflets too.]

04/02/2026

Get to know one of our newest members, Devin!

For the last couple of months, Devin has been the friendly face greeting visitors at our Hillside welcome desk!

She joined us through our See Work Differently programme, which offers short-term placements to blind and partially sighted people to support skill development and confidence in the workplace. Alongside her role at Hillside, Devin is completing a PhD focused on children with disabilities and their engagement with sport.

Reflecting on her time with the team, Devin says one of her biggest takeaways has been realising just how many different career paths are possible. She’s enjoyed learning more about RNIB and its wide range of work and says she’s felt incredibly welcomed into our Edinburgh community.

Devin’s academic research is closely connected to her own experiences of sport. While she’s always loved being active, she had many negative experiences trying to take part in sport at school. It wasn’t until university that she felt the impact of inclusion, after joining a club cross-country team. Combined with her volunteering at sports camps for children with vision impairment, this helped shape her PhD focus.

“Sport can have huge benefits for physical and mental health, social inclusion, empowerment and development,” Devin explains. “With people with visual impairment experiencing high rates of isolation, the benefits sport can offer young people are especially important.”

One of Devin’s proudest moments was completing her first marathon as a fundraiser for the camps she volunteers with. “It was really special because I had a few different friends taking turns guiding me,” she says. “Other came out to cheer or send videos to get me through. Something I really value as a VI runner is the people who guide me, who I get to share runs with and really get to know through training and racing.”

Looking ahead, Devin would love a future where every sports club be open to disability, so that every young person who wants to, can play sports.

We’re so grateful for everything Devin has brought to the team and wish her all the best with her PhD and future career!

Get involved with her research: Devin’s survey is open to anyone who coaches sport, teaches PE, or works or volunteers in community sport settings with anyone under 18. You can take part here: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/stirling/sport-policy-and-disability-survey

[Image description: Devin and her guide runner, smiling and waving at the camera, during the London Marathon as they cross tower bridge.]