World Sight Day Awareness

Mayor Walks Blindfolded for World Sight Day 2023

Southend in Sight marked another year of awareness for international World Sight Day 2023 with Southend City Mayor. 

Held in October every year, World Sight Day helps focus attention on the global issue of eye health.  Southend City Mayor, Stephen Habermel, took part in a blindfolded walk around Southend’s Marks & Spencer store, guided by the charity’s CEO, Lucy Martin.

The Southend Lions Club also attended and the mayor was encouraged to experience the store visit as a person living with sight loss, whilst helped by Southend in Sight staff.

Lucy said, “We are so pleased that the Mayor was such a good sport and allowed himself to be blindfolded, as we know how disorientating it can be. The experience has enabled Cllr Habermel to understand how challenging it can be to carry out everyday tasks with a visual impairment.  As the local sight loss charity, we are very grateful to the Southend Lions for their continued support of our work and for helping to raise awareness on World Sight Day”.

Southend in Sight offers sight loss awareness training to local groups and businesses,

enabling people to feel more confident in approaching visually impaired people when they are out and about in the community.  Please contact our office on 01702 342131 for more information.