See Cymru Differently: accessibility and eye health across rural Wales
An image of the Welsh country side. The view is of a lake at sunset, the sky is a dusty orange and blue colour.
See Cymru Differently is an exciting three-year project that will make landscapes and rural communities in Wales more accessible for blind and partially sight people.
From spring 2025, we’ll be working across Wales to:
- make the National Parks and National Landscapes more accessible
- raise awareness of sight loss and eye health in rural communities, especially within farming.
Making the outdoors accessible
Wales offers some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the UK, with three National Parks and five National Landscapes. But too often, blind and partially sighted people face barriers when trying to access these spaces.
We’re working with partners to make sure landscapes across Wales can be enjoyed by everyone.
See Cymru Differently will offer:
- sight loss awareness training for staff and volunteers
- accessibility audits for websites, buildings and outdoor spaces
- guidance to achieve RNIB’s Visibly Better Employer Standard
- help making activities accessible, such as guided walks and audio-described trails.
Working with farmers and rural communities
More than 133,000 people in Wales are expected to be living with sight loss in the next 10 years. Regular eye tests can prevent much of this, but in rural areas many people delay appointments due to cost, busy schedules or low awareness. Farmers also face higher risks of eye injuries, making eye health and safety even more important.
See Cymru Differently will:
- work with farming organisations such as the Wales Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, the Farmers Union of Wales and NFU Cymru
- train local sight loss advisors to act as eye health ambassadors.
- promote the use of safety equipment to reduce eye injuries on farms
- collaborate with farming business and training providers to produce eye health and safety videos
- partner with opticians, marts and local shows to raise awareness of eye care in rural areas.
Get in touch
Email us at [email protected] to find out how you, your community or your organisation can get involved.
An image of a herd of cows grazing on the Welsh country side, the sky is cloudy with the sun shining through.