Worcestershire: Meet the Members

Meet the Staff

Image shows Louise Connop, Senior Engagement Manager, smiling at the camera. She is wearing sungkasses.

Louise Connop

Louise Connop is the Senior Engagement Manager (Central).  She has been registered Sight Impaired since birth and Severely Sight Impaired from the age of seven.

Louise enjoys spending time with her two young children and generally living life to the full, travelling and socialising with her friends and family.  She is extremely passionate about raising awareness of visual Impairment (VI) and educating and encouraging the wider world to understand how to become more VI friendly.

Previously Louise worked in marketing, the public sector and ran the Low Vision Department at the Beacon Centre for the Blind in Wolverhampton.

“With the right attitude and support network, we can all achieve whatever we put our minds to” is a phase that Louise uses often. Come along and see what we are all about.

Ashleigh Bryant, SLC co-ordinator for Central England. Ashleigh is looking at the camera, smiling broadly. She has long brown hair

Ashleigh Bryant

Ashleigh Bryant is the Sight Loss Council Co-ordinator for the West Midlands.

Along with SLC members, Ashleigh helps represent the voice of blind and partially sighted people, supporting them to raise awareness for a more accessible and equal world.

Previous to working in the sight loss sector, she worked in the NHS supporting adults with learning disabilities and mental health.

In her spare time, she enjoys socialising with friends, going to the gym and travelling around the world!

Meet the Council members

headshot of Millie Hayter, Worcestershire SLC member. Millie has short dark hair, is wearing sunglasses, and is smiling at the camera.

Millie Hayter

Millie was born with sight loss in her right eye, but over the years her sight has deteriorated in both eyes. Millie has Nystagmus and Coloboma in her left eye. At 19 she had a detached retina and started experiencing night blindness. Now in her 30s, Millie has glaucoma and struggles to focus, however she is able to see perception and shadows.

Millie likes to keep active and take part in sports. She is a member of Worcester Warriors and likes to play blind rugby. She enjoys being part of a team and has travelled to Scotland and Spain to take part in rugby cups. Millie is a qualified PT and sports massage therapist and enjoys working out for both her physical and mental wellbeing. Millie enjoys the outdoors and has taken part in the 3 peaks challenge to raise money for Guide Dogs.

Headshot of Worcestershire SLC member, Keith Cairns. He is wearing a navy polo shirt, and smiling at the camera.

Keith Cairns

Keith has advanced glaucoma and is registered severely sight impaired. He lives in Kidderminster in Worcestershire.

Keith is a co-opted governor of a local high school.

Keith joined Worcestershire Sight Loss Council because he wants to improve awareness of the issues faced by people with a visual impairment. Keith wants to work with local companies in the community to attempt to find solutions to any issues raised.

Ella, Worcestershire SLC member. She is outside, looking sideways at the camera, smiling.

Ella Abel

Ella became visually impaired in her 30s due to optic neuropathy. She enjoys being creative and picked up painting after losing her sight.

Ella works in higher education, designing online services and managing data.

Ella says: “So much of the world isn’t designed for the visually impaired. I’m excited to be part of the solution by joining my local Sight Loss Council.”

Jo Webber

Coming soon!

Lee Greatbatch

Coming soon!

Laura Collett

Coming soon!

Colin Shales

Coming soon!

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