Sight Scotland reveals three-year strategy

Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans have unveiled a three-year strategy to work towards a vision of an inclusive future.

With more than 180,000 people in Scotland affected by vision impairment, the charities are seeking to extend their reach, support, and influence to ensure no one faces sight loss alone.

Craig Spalding, chief executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, said: “We’ve been supporting people affected by visual impairment for more than two centuries, but we know we can do more. Our new strategy is about building on our proud history to make sure we are ready for the future.”

The strategy includes focusing on five key areas, around investing in support, community, campaigns, prevention and treatment, and collaboration.

The charities will invest in initiatives that make the biggest difference to people living with vision impairment while securing the long-term sustainability of the organisations, and seek to keep community at the heart of its work by listening to and empowering people with lived experience of sight loss.

Campaigns for positive change will focus on raising awareness of sight loss at political and local levels, while the charities will also advocate for more investment to prevent avoidable sight loss and improve treatments.

The organisations also plan to foster a collaborative culture of innovation through workforce investment.

The vision is for an inclusive Scotland, Spalding said, explaining: “By focusing on prevention, support, research, and campaigning, we will deliver real change for people impacted by sight loss, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met.”

He continued: “We owe it to future generations to continue evolving. We want to reach more people, champion their needs, and invest in research that can transform lives. This strategy is our commitment to doing just that.”