Taz’s story

I have glaucoma – almost no sight in one eye, a tunnel in the other. I used to get by pretty well (I thought!) but then the pandemic arrived and it turned my world upside down.

We had to stay apart from people – which meant I couldn’t see them! I was shouted at and abused by people who didn’t realise I had sight impairment. I talked to Guide Dogs and they gave me my own dog – which was wonderful. But I still found I was on the receiving end of so much misunderstanding and outright discrimination. Taxis not stopping for me, shops refusing me. I became very depressed and afraid of the world. I hardly left my flat.

My friend told The Argus about my story and they printed it – and the article was seen by Daniel, the Chief Executive of ESVS. He reached out to me and I came in for a meeting – and my world changed.

I found that I was part of a community, that there were others who knew how I felt. ESVS supported me with magnifiers and e-readers to help when I couldn’t read things on my own. They taught me my rights as a sight-impaired person – so I could push back for the first time when someone told me my dog and I weren’t allowed in.

I am a different person to the one I was just three years ago – and it’s all thanks to ESVS. That’s why I think it’s so important that we, the community they work so hard to support, step up to support them – because for the first time, it’s them needing us. I don’t want someone else like me to turn around and find there’s no one left to help them.

Please, join me in supporting ESVS at this really important time.

Thank you.

Taz