Finding Confidence and Independence Through Activity – Frances’s Story
how small changes can deliver LASTING impact
At Sight Loss Shropshire, we experience every day how the right support can help people living with sight loss stay active, connected and confident.
Frances, who is a valued Sight Loss Shropshire volunteer and is actively involved in supporting our services, benefited from the Exercise on Referral (EOR) programme at Church Stretton Leisure Centre, where supportive staff and personalised sessions are helping people continue to enjoy exercise in a safe and welcoming environment.
Frances’s experience is a powerful example of what can be achieved when services work together and respond to individual needs.
Taking the first steps back into activity
In December 2022, Frances was advised, by her consultant ophthalmologist, that her sight loss, due to retinitis pigmentosa, had reached the point of severe sight impairment registration. This was a shock, particularly as she wondered how she would continue activities such as walking the hills and exercise.
In April 2023, she attended a Fitness MOT session run by Community Resource at the Church Stretton Leisure Centre. With encouragement from staff, she renewed her membership and returned to AquaFit and swimming, rebuilding her confidence in the water.
As her interest grew, Frances was encouraged to join the Exercise on Referral scheme. She met with the EOR Coordinator and began accessing the gym and exercise sessions with a personally structured programme.
Building confidence and breaking down barriers
With support from the new coordinator, Tim Almond, and the wider team, Frances began using the gym with her long white cane for orientation and safety. She also became a regular participant in EOR swimming sessions, valuing both the structure and the social aspect of the programme.
When Frances experienced challenges in the gym due to glare and low contrast between dark equipment and dark flooring, her concerns were taken seriously. Tim, alongside her Rehabilitation Officer for Visual Impairment, Viv Krishan, and Leisure Facilities Team Leader, Tracey Godsell, worked with Frances to explore practical adaptations.
These simple but effective changes improved accessibility in the gym, benefiting not only Frances but other users with visual impairments.
Frances shared: “I am very grateful for the input and understanding of everybody that will help me continue enjoying exercising at the Leisure Centre.”
A reminder of what’s possible
Frances’s story highlights the importance of accessible, person-centred support. With the right adjustments and encouragement, people living with sight loss can continue to enjoy active, independent lives.
Find out more
To learn more about Exercise on Referral, please contact the team directly on EOR.Leisure@shropshire.gov.uk
For additional support and opportunities to stay active, visit British Blind Sport at http://britishblindsport.org.uk/events/
