Surrey
Welcome to Surrey Sight Loss Council.
Launching this summer, we’re delighted to introduce a Sight Loss Council (SLC) to England’s most densely wooded county!
With the South East region already having established SLCs in Sussex and Hampshire, we are excited to announce the upcoming launch of our third SLC in Surrey in summer of 2026.
Join us
Our work
Sight Loss Councils, funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, are regional groups led by blind and partially sighted volunteers. Together, we use our lived experience to tackle the issues that really matter to blind and partially sighted people every day.
Surrey SLC will engage with the local blind and partially sighted (BPS) community and collaborate with service providers to drive improvements both locally and nationally. Our work focuses on key priority themes. Nationally, these include accessible transport, the built environment, and health and fitness. Locally we also focus on arts and culture, and retail.
Recent highlights from the South East
- Taking a leading role in the nationwide #CutItBack campaign
- Supporting the development of national bus driver training materials
- Working with Govia Thameslink Railway to improve station accessibility, including trials and rollout of the AIRA app across 236 stations
- Creating the ‘Top Tips for Supermarket Staff’ resource to support blind and partially sighted customers in-store.
“We’re really pleased to be launching our third Sight Loss Council in the South East, bringing Surrey into the network and helping fill the gap between Sussex, Hampshire and South East London.
“Surrey is a natural next step for us, building on the work we’ve already started locally with partners including Govia Thameslink Railway and Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus Crawley.
“We already have strong relationships with organisations like Sight for Surrey and Surrey Coalition, and we’re looking forward to working together to improve access to services for blind and partially sighted people across the county.”
Why should I volunteer?
Surrey Sight Loss Council is recruiting new members who live in the local area.
If you want to make a real difference on the issues that affect blind and partially sighted people nationally and locally, joining our Sight loss Council could be the perfect volunteering opportunity for you.
You will have the opportunity to:
- work with policymakers and local service providers to improve access for blind and partially sighted people in your community
- Join other BPS volunteers to share experiences and ideas
- Develop your skills and influence positive change
“I wanted to use my lived experience to help raise awareness of how simple things could help vision impaired people to engage in everyday activities.
“Being part of the SLC and being able to make a difference has felt very empowering.”
Patricia, Hampshire Sight Loss Council
“Being part of Sight Loss Council lets me share my lived experience of being sight impaired, and help others understand what really makes a difference to us.
“And psst… don’t tell anyone, but it’s great fun too – you meet so many people you might never have crossed paths with otherwise.”
Iris, Sussex Sight Loss Council
If you’re blind or partially sighted and passionate about making a difference, we’d love to hear from you. Join a community of like-minded volunteers working to create lasting change.
Sussex SLC members with Brighton and Hove City Council staff during project work
Join us
By joining Surrey SLC you will support us to engage with organisations, policy makers and local service providers to improve access for BPS people. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with other blind and partially sighted people in your area.
This is your chance to develop your skills and influence positive change.
Hear from our volunteers about why you should join us
Training and development
It’s really important to us that you get as much as possible out of volunteering. You’ll receive relevant training and the opportunity to learn or enhance your skills. Whether you’re interested in public speaking or honing your social media skills, there’s something for everyone to get involved in.
Stay in the know
Want to get involved in our national campaigns? Stay up to date with news from Sight Loss Councils and Thomas Pocklington Trust by signing up to our mailing list.