Huge congratulations to Sarah Leadbetter who has this week won the RNIB’s See Differently Award for Campaigner of the Year.

Sarah has BBS, is registered blind, uses a cane and has a guide dog.

Sarah has been campaigning on behalf of blind and partially sighted people for many years. Her actions have included presenting petitions to 10 Downing Street, speaking to MPs about changes to Employment and Support Allowance and campaigning against street clutter and shared spaces.

When the covid-19 pandemic struck, Sarah was classified as clinically extremely vulnerable. She received letters from the government detailing health advice, but she was unable to read the information because the letters were in an inaccessible format. As a result, Sarah was unaware she should have been taking extra precautions.

Since then, thanks to Sarah’s work with the Government, both vaccine and shielding correspondence have been provided in accessible formats for those who have it registered on their GP record.

Sarah concludes: