1. Mid-Yorkshire Hospital Trust trailblaze accessible info system
Local campaigner, Phil Walker, tirelessly campaigned to ensure Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals Trust changed their practices to provide accessible information, including appointments and medicine labels in a patient's required format. Working closely with RNIB on the Losing Patients campaign, Phil's combination of personal tenacity and technical expertise paid off when the Trust agreed to develop and use a 'patch' on their existing system to enable them to log personal format needs, such as braille or audio.
2. Tyne and Wear metro heard as well as seen
2011 was the breakthrough year for RNIB supporters, local societies and local blind and partially sighted people who had campaigned for many years in support of audio announcements on the Tyne and Wear metro. RNIB's Key Campaigner, Mary Hewison and local disability activist Peter Bennett living in South Shields played a big part in securing changes by NEXUS as part of Metro re-invigoration investment.
From Newcastle Airport to South Hylton in Sunderland, South Sheilds to St James' football stadium, all trains now have automatic audio and visual station announcements on Metro cars.
3. Lancashire campaigners influence eye health provision
RNIB's volunteer campaigners have been working hard across England to get themselves in to positions of influence, creating that vital local link that helps push eye health up the public and political agenda.
Lancashire campaigners teamed up for a two-pronged approach - whilst RNIB campaigner Michael Tupper pushed Lancashire County Council's strategic planning team for better representation of eye health and sight loss prevention in their Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, Marie Nicklin put herself forward for, and was successfully voted on to the Board of her Local Involvement Network, a body which seeks to influence planning and provision of health and social care services.
4. Birmingham Special Needs Transport Forum established by award winning campaigner
Local campaigner, Mike Hughes, established a Special Needs Transport Forum in Birmingham, attended by local people from across the region with varying disabilities. With funding from Birmingham City Council and Centro secured, Mike organised for representatives from Centro, Virgin, London Midland and National Express to attend and to answer questions from participants.
Mike was also the recipient in 2011 of an RNIB 'Making a difference award', winning in the 'changing attitudes' category which recognises individuals who act as a role model to challenge and change attitudes in society so that blind and partially sighted people can be as independent as they want to be.
5. Two year campaign to improve Nottingham City bus service pays off at annual UK bus awards
As a result of joint work between Nottingham City Council and RNIB, the local authority was awarded the Claudia Flanders Award for Accessibility at the 16th Annual UK bus awards in November.
Claire Kay, RNIB Regional Campaigns Officer for the East Midlands, worked with Laraine Reckless from Nottingham City Council and a large group of visually impaired service users over two years to help improve local services. Changes achieved included tactile markers on every bus stop to help blind bus users identify the bus stop they are at, clear print timetables at every bus stop with other formats available on request and a Linking the Journey leaflet which aims to clearly identify service providers that are aware of sight loss issues.
6. Hardest Hit campaign event in Norwich achieves high turn out and extensive media coverage
On 22 October, campaigners across the UK attended regional 'Hardest Hit' campaign events, sending a clear message to government: Stop unfair disability benefit and support cuts.
The Norwich event, which was jointly organised by RNIB, UKDPC and Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People, saw over 400 people march from Chapelfield Gardens into the centre of the city. Many disabled people who could not attend in person had their messages carried by other protesters at the event. Speakers included Jaspal Dhani, Chief Executive of UK Disabled People's Council and Mark Harrison of Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People. The event achieved significant regional media coverage, with Dave Rowntree prospective Labour Party candidate for Norwich South and member of the band Blur amongst those marching in solidarity with disabled people.
7. Bristol rehab services saved
After some rapid reaction campaigning by RNIB campaign supporters and members, Bristol City Council confirmed that they had reversed their decision to decommission rehabilitation services.
Local RNIB campaign volunteers, Margaret and Jenny played a pivotal role in the successful outcome by working closely with the regional campaigns officer and the Action for Blind People team. Margaret lobbied the local Council, telling them just why the service is important to help people develop the skills they need to adapt to living with sight loss. Jenny lobbied both her local Councillor and Executive Member of Health and Social Care and took action to quickly spread the word about the campaign to people likely to be effected and their families and friends.
8. Saving services in the South East
RNIB campaigner Lynsey Brooks achieved a fantastic success in the South East working alongside BucksVision. When vital services provided for blind and partially sighted people were threatened by a cut to the county council grant, they sprang in to action.
Lynsey worked with the local society to develop a campaign plan, including a lobbying and media strategy. As a result of the joint work with the local society the contract was extended for another year.
9. London taxi card scheme protected
Taxi card services have been saved in many London areas as a direct result of local Councillors being contacted by RNIB supporters and Members.
The success was secured when the Boroughs opted not to implement a reduction in service which had been proposed by London Councils.
10. "Cuts watch" trained campaigners take action
Hundreds of RNIB volunteer campaigners became a force to be reckoned with after attending dedicated 'Cuts watch' training events across England in early 2011, preparing them for a year of lobbying on the Welfare Reform Bill and local cuts agendas.
Supported by RNIB campaigns materials and training, campaigners pledged at the events to visit their local MP face-to-face. Individuals made a real impact by communicating their own stories and examples to MPs, clearly illustrating the impact of proposals to cut benefits and disability support.
Many campaigners went on to play a significant role during 2011 by directly lobbying their council in response to proposals to cut services locally. They also provided RNIB with crucial intelligence which helped build a picture of the scale of the cuts nationally.
Are you inspired?
Have you been inspired by our local successes? This list highlights just ten stories from a network that keeps achieving campaign wins. Join the network to keep up to date and help support our campaigners to win again during 2012.