Anger at plan to cut services for blind
Protesters took to Derby Market Place angry at proposals to cut rehabilitation services for blind people in the city.
The organisers, from the Royal National Institute for the Blind, were collecting hundreds of signatures for a petition handed in to the Derby City Council cabinet meeting last night.
The visually-impaired rehabilitation service is run by Action for Blind People, with funds from the council.
There are two rehabilitation officers in Derby, offering help to people who are newly blind or visually impaired, but the council proposes to cut this to one.
At present, people are visited in their homes on a one-to-one basis and taught how to cope with being blind.
Dr Gwyn Jones, 63, from Spondon, lost his sight three years ago.
He said: "The rehab team offered so much help during the first few months of me losing my sight.
"I had 60 years of sight, so without the help of the rehab teams I wouldn't have coped or been able to learn how to be blind.
"I play as part of a blind cricket team and to get that up and running would have been impossible without the support of the rehabilitation team."
Mel Austin, 71, from Spondon, said: "At first I was taught to use a cane and when I got my guide dog, Josie, I was taught how to get around with her.
"You think it is the end when you lose your sight and you think that you won't be able to get out and about any more and just be stuck at home.
"But with the help of the rehab team, they change your attitude.
"If this service is cut, there will be a backlog of people who are not seen quickly, leading to depression and isolation."
Brian Magnall lives in Mickleover and went blind in 2008. He said: "When I was first registered blind, there wasn't any of this help available and it was 2009 when the rehab officers started.
"The difference they made to having to live with being blind was remarkable.
"They help with all the domestic things that you take for granted when you can see."
Claire Kay is the RNIB regional campaigns officer for the East Midlands.
She said: "We want to raise awareness that there are going to be severe cuts to this service and it will have a massive impact on the people who it helps.
"It is a vital service and, without it, many people will lose their independence to get out and about on their own.
Sally Curtis, director of older adults and enablement for the city council, said: "We are fully committed to providing rehabilitation services for visually impaired people living in Derby.
"We are proposing changes because we currently commission more specialist worker support than we need to meet demand.
"This means we can reduce the amount of support without affecting the service that people get.
"We will continue to ensure access to specialist support and will also provide a range of rehabilitation opportunities for people with a visual impairment from the wider enablement service."
Source: This is Derbyshire
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