Geoff’s farewell (for now) to the Volunteer Advisory Council

First, I want to say a big thank you. Joanne Wilson, my volunteer manager in this role, has been an excellent host to me and so supportive over the last couple of years. I’ve been genuinely happy to be part of the Council, and proud to play my part in RNIB’s volunteering.

At the same time, volunteering can be a bit like a set of Lego bricks- you add pieces as you go, and before you know it you’ve built something bigger than you expected. I’m busy with other things now, including lived experience ‘telling my story’ sessions, which I’ve found to be a lot of fun. I’m hoping to do more of that.

Recently I spoke to two groups of school children in Cambridge. They asked really interesting questions; things like, “Why haven’t you got a guide dog?”, “Will your eyesight get better?”, and “Can you have an operation?” Kids are pretty straightforward in some ways, and it reminded me how important it is to make space for honest conversations.

This time last year RNIB invited me to meet the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms. Sitting in the room with a senior government minister was genuinely fascinating especially as he’s in the middle of the review that I’m also heavily involved with through the Regional Stakeholders Network for the South East of England. I’ve submitted evidence myself, and I’d encourage others to submit evidence too- before the end of May.

Another thing I’ve been encouraged by is a good new trend within RNIB: co-production. I think we’ll see lots more co-produced products and projects, where some people are professional RNIB staff and some of us are volunteers. I was involved in the volunteer strategic review selection process to find a consultant to do that work, so RNIB has definitely kept my nose to the grindstone and I’ve been very happy about that.

I’ve also been lucky enough to meet the new chief exec, Simon, who seems like a breath of fresh air. And while I’d happily be part of the VAC again in 18 months’ time (when I’m allowed back in!), right now it’s only right that other people have the chance to take a place and speak.

Just to finish: telling your story is a very important thing for a lot of people. It’s something I hear again and again in the meetings I’ve been part of with RNIB. Many people are still learning how to be visually impaired, and that isn’t easy. My biggest ambition is to represent my community: the community of visually impaired people. It’s been great to be part of the VAC and to meet people from all four nations.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’d like to help shape what RNIB does—and make sure lived experience is heard,” then the Volunteer Advisory Council could be for you. The VAC is a place where volunteers can share views, challenge ideas constructively, and help RNIB make better decisions.

Interested? Email [email protected], or call 0303 123 9999, select option 4, then 2 and the team will be happy to help get you signed up.

For me, the VAC has been a chance to be listened to, to learn, and to help push things in the right direction. If that sounds like something you’d value too, I’d really encourage you to put your name forward.