Charity Welcomes Back Guiding Training

Sighted Guiding Training is Finally Brought Back After COVID

Southend in Sight held their first face-to-face guiding training session with staff and volunteers, since COVID.  Penny and Mike Hefferan, and guide dog, Questa ran the much-needed session at the charity’s centre. 

With many years of experience between them, the pair offered advice on how to safely guide the people the charity supports daily through their services.  Penny, who has been registered severely sight impaired since birth, gave her main tips when guiding which were, to think about the importance of describing your surroundings and to treat everyone individually to ensure a safe and positive experience.

Community Coordinator for Southend in Sight, Liz Payne, says ““If anyone was out and about on Hamlet Court Road last week, they may well have come across 6 people with blindfolds, tentatively being guided across the road and back again. We even managed a spot of retail therapy in our charity shop to test our descriptive skills!”  

CEO of Southend in Sight, Lucy Martin, adds “As a sight loss charity, we think it imperative that staff refresh their skills, and any new volunteers receive guiding training as a matter of course.  It gives us all a greater understanding of the challenges blind and partially sighted people face daily”.

For more information on Southend in Sight and the help and care provided, please call us on 01702 342131.