Northumberland and Cumbria Sight Loss Council: Meet the members

Jack Moffat

Jack is the Engagement Manager for North East England. He looks after Sight Loss Councils (SLC) in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear.

Jack has Retinitis Pigmentosa and is registered severely sight impaired. This instilled his passion to help and support others with sight loss.

Jack previously worked as a carer with dementia patients where he flourished. However, as his sight deteriorated, he knew a change of vocation was required and moved into the voluntary sector – becoming a trustee at Vision Northumberland.

Jack loves being surrounded by the nature of Northumberland and is a great lover of sport. He has played cricket for Durham VI Cricket team for several years.

Formerly a Northumberland SLC member, Jack said: “I am thrilled to look after Sight Loss Councils in the North East. I want to help boost our volunteer’s confidence and realise their potential – much like I was able to during my time as a volunteer. I offer a warm and caring approach synonymous with the North East, and would encourage anyone who is blind or partially sighted and wants to effect change in their community, to get in touch.”

Emma Hogg

Emma was the first member of Northumberland Sight Loss Council. She is also director of North-East Sight Matters – an organisation that supports sight-impaired children, young people and families.

Emma, who is passionate about the work she does, said: “As someone who lives with sight-loss, I want to use my insights and experience to help other visually impaired people in the region to live the life they want to live.”

Ian Moyes

I am a sixty-something husband, father and grandfather, a realist, an entrepreneur and at times I can even be a tad cynical. 

I have always been self-employed and initially I trained as a ladies and gent’s hairdresser (with Vidal Sassoon in London).  I am a part-qualified accountant, and I have also worked as a business consultant, a photographer and a university and college lecturer. Above all I am a people person which is why I applied to work with the Northumberland Sight Loss Council.  

In 2015 I suffered a stress-related trauma to my right eye and as a result I became partially sighted, (although it took until December 2019 to become officially registered as such).  Being registered was a shock to my system and it took me a while to adjust to the official confirmation of my disability.  

My limited sight has presented many difficulties for me, perhaps most importantly I cannot drive anymore, and this has severely limited my independence.  I cannot help but notice how everyday activities are made so much more difficult for people like me when a simple fix is usually available.  From my own recent experience these include things such as a yellow line on steps to identify where the edge is, adequate lighting in shops and offices and a transfer on a glass door so it can be seen more easily. 

I am looking forward to bringing my skills and experience to advise and help others as part of Northumberland Sight Loss Council. 

Keith Shepherd

Keith was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in 1991, and Ushers Syndrome soon after. Keith uses a red and white long cane, which symbolises that the user is deaf-blind. Keith finds that this is not widely recognised or understood in society, and would like to change this.

Keith has joined Northumberland SLC as he would like to inform people of some of the hazards blind and partially sighted people face, especially in the built environment.

Chloe Hesse

Chloe is a 31 year old mum from Northumberland. Chloe became visually impaired in 2017 following a chronic illness called idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Chloe enjoys music, photography and sports. She loves playing with her 5 year old daughter and spending time outdoors with her border collies.

She recently got her first guide dog Omega who is opening new opportunities for omega

Chloe joined the Sight Loss Council in 2024 and hopes to promote change and advocate for the sight loss community.

Amy Strong

Amy was registered sight impaired in 2024 due IIH (Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension) . She is also a wheelchair user living in Northumberland and has a passion for gardening, skincare and all things natural.

She is currently in the process of setting up her own business, designing and selling gardening tools for disabled and visually impaired people. She does this alongside her charity work, looking for employment and studying to improve skills.

Amy said: ” I am so excited to be a part of Northumberland and Cumbria SLC as they really are striving to make change in the community and making it a more accessible place to live.”

Matty Bolam