Sussex Sight Loss Council: Meet the members

Dave Smith

My name is Dave Smith and I’m the Engagement Manager for the South East. I have Retinitis Pigmentosa and Retinal Telangiectasia and was registered blind in 1997. My sight deteriorated massively through my 20s and 30s  and, for the past 10 or so years, I’ve had little useful vision (light perception on a good day).  

I have worked in the disability sector for over 25 years, working for other sight loss and pan disability charities as well as being a partner in a private training business for several years.

My interests outside of work include cooking, gardening, cycling (tandem) and I continue to have a childhood interest in cars and transport including Formula 1 racing and look forward to the days when autonomous cars are available to blind people.

Lauren Eade

Lauren is the Sight Loss Council Coordinator for South East England.

After experiencing sight problems for many years, she was eventually diagnosed with Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) in 2020 and registered
as partially sighted. CVI is the commonest cause of childhood vision impairment in England, but many barriers exist to getting a diagnosis and support.

Lauren’s experiences have made her passionate about improving access for blind and partially sighted people across all areas of life. She was previously a member of East Sussex Sight Loss Council and joined Thomas Pocklington Trust in 2024.

In her spare time, Lauren enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and walking in the local countryside.

Iris Keppler

Hi I am Iris. Having spent nearly 30 years on this planet as a fully sighted person, I lost my sight in the late 1990s as a side effect of my diabetes. After studying at university, most of my working life was spent in the banking/ finance and accounting sector where I worked in customer facing roles.

Since being made redundant a few years ago, I have volunteered my time, engaging with several disability and access groups and forums where I proactively advocated for the blind and partially sighted (BPS) community. Being part of the East Sussex Sight Loss Council (I hope) will further enable me to make the lives of other BPS people easier by helping to hopefully eliminate many of the extra obstacles and barriers we face as blind and partially sighted people.

Rich Wheeler

My Name is Rich Wheeler and I’m a volunteer on the East Sussex Sight Loss Council.

I’m currently working at Brighton and Hove City Council as a Community Engagement Officer. With a strong passion for Equality Diversity & Inclusion, I’m the chair of the internal Disabled Workers & Carers Network at BHCC.

I acquired my sight loss in 2011 and previously was fully sighted. In the course of a few months I became legally blind through the onset of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy – LHON, which is a rare genetic condition that has left me with some limited peripheral vision. Shortly after becoming blind I became a screen reader user and completed my degree in Business Management at Winchester University. I enjoy pushing myself to try out a variety of activities such as Argentinian tango, yoga, goalball, half marathons, assault courses and tai chi to name a few.

Paul Goddard

I was born partially sighted and later registered blind in 2008. Despite having sight loss, I have not let this stand in the way of anything that I have wanted to achieve, which includes being an advocate and giving a voice to VI people.

After leaving school, I have had a varied career. A highlight was becoming Head of Wardrobe and Creative Services for CITV at ITV and The Disney Channel.

Since then, I became the first VI magistrate on the Sussex bench, and the co-founding member of Signet, the working age social group for VI people at Eastbourne Blind Society.

Originally from Birmingham, I moved to East Sussex in 2007 and I have become very active in the local community, especially, helping to shape change for VI members.

I feel very honoured to be able to be part of the East Sussex Sight Loss Council and to having fun whilst helping to make positive change.

Linn Davies

Linn is a singer, journalist and transformational life coach. After living for a short while in Norway, Linn moved back to the UK in 2018 and settled in Brighton. Linn is passionate about disabled people having equal access to education and employment, especially within the creative industries where disabled people are very much under represented. She is excited to be part of the East Sussex Sight Loss Council and is looking forward to help shaping the local community into being the inclusive and enabling space she knows it has the potential to become.

When she’s not working or volunteering, Linn can be found recording new songs in her home studio, performing with her band The three blind buskers on the streets of Brighton and Hove, doing some kind of creative writing, or enjoying a good psychological thriller on Netflix or audible with a cup of tea. African music is Linn’s passion and her music can be found on all streaming platforms under the stage name Lioness Oyinbo.

Zehra Yunel

Zehra was born with Retinopathy of Prematurity, which is an eye condition that can happen in premature babies. She is registered blind.

She is currently studying law and sociology at a mainstream 6th form college. When she completes her A levels, Zehra hopes to go to university and study law. Her ambitions for the future are to become a barrister and advocate for human/disability rights and to eventually become a judge.

Zehra is also a member of Student Voices, a volunteer led student support group at Thomas Pocklington Trust. Zehra has joined East Sussex Sight Loss Council because she wants to be an advocate for VI people and help them to have equal access to all areas of life.

Elaine Dampier

Elaine was registered as sight impaired in 2017 due to Vitelliform macular dystrophy, macular drusen, and Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH). She lives in Hastings, East Sussex, after relocating from London in 2021. Elaine lives with her partner and enjoys camping, travel, and listening to audio books.

Elaine is now semi-retired after a long career in early years and further education. Elaine is still involved in remote marking and is a Director of a childcare nursery based in London.

Elaine says, “I am pleased to join East Sussex Sight Loss Council and welcome the chance to help make a difference. I want to contribute to breaking down barriers for members of my community who may be experiencing sight loss. It is also a good opportunity to meet people with similar experiences.”

Alison Evans

Alison is totally blind, having lost her sight at 13 due to corneal problems and glaucoma.

Alison has been a guide dog owner since 1987.  Every Saturday morning Alison can be found at her local Parkrun enjoying a 5K run.  Alison also enjoys the theatre and socialising with friends.

Alison has worked for Blatchington Court Trust since 1995 and is now the Executive Director.  Blatchington Court Trust is a Sussex based charity supporting the educational, emotional, and social needs of vision impaired children and young people under the age of 30 living throughout Sussex.

Alison said: “I wanted to join East Sussex Sight Loss Council as I believe that campaigning for change can be more successful when it’s done as part of a group rather than individually.”

Paul Hatfield

Paul lives in Brighton and has been totally blind, due to retinal detachment, since 1976.

Paul loves the theatre, music, concerts and gigs, eating out and spending time with friends.

Paul is now retired, but prior to this studied mathematics at Coventry Polytechnic, and trained as a computer programmer for Barclays Bank after graduating. Paul worked in IT for most of his working career, mainly working for American Express in Brighton. In 1993 Paul changed direction and qualified as a teacher. He spent four years teaching maths in a secondary school before returning to IT.

Paul says “I believe becoming a Sight Loss Council member will provide opportunities to use my life experiences to help other BPS people in a mutually beneficial way.”

Summer Dickens

Summer was born severely sight impaired caused by optic nerve hypoplasia and Nystagmus.

Summer lives in East Sussex with her nan and grandad. She currently attends a day centre for people with learning disabilities, autism and sight loss. She likes to socialise, make new friends and campaign for change for people like herself.

Summer is excited about her upcoming role in the East Sussex Sight Loss Council. She is eager to make a positive impact on the lives of people with sight loss across the region.

Summer said: “I am looking forward to being a part of East Sussex Sight Loss Council because I am passionate about making changes for people like myself.”

Clinton Corin

My name is Clinton and I live in the seaside town of Worthing.

My sight loss issues started in 2016 when I was in my mid-forties.

I work in health care, and I am currently working in clinical research.

There is a real lack of disabled people having access to services, I have discovered this through my own experiences and work.

I love the outdoors and I am passionate about running, hiking and adventure. I would love to help to encourage and support people to reach their goals and desires, even though they have sight loss.

Most things are still possible – as I have discovered. I am looking forward to working together to change the things that the sighted community take as normal to make this more achievable.

James Langley

James has Nystagmus and Ocular Albinism. He has been partially sighted since birth.

James is the Events Coordinator and Community Liaison at Sight Support Worthing. He is also a Trustee for Look Sussex, a small charity that runs activities and social events for children with visual impairments in Sussex.

James said: “I’m passionate about raising awareness and challenging perceptions of visual impairment.”

Judy Blowe

Judy is a community-minded, retired teacher who lives in Grinstead. She developed Wet Macular Degeneration about six years ago. Before that, she was involved with out-of-school learning and was an Appropriate Adult at Crawley Police Station for West Sussex.

She started a dog care business in 2009 but had to close it five years ago because she could no longer drive. Since then, she has been a volunteer dog walker and boarder within East Grinstead and belongs to the Cinnamon Trust.

Since losing her sight, Judy has been investing in community involvement with people with varying degrees of sight loss. She has also raised funds for the Macular Society and represented them at the House of Commons.

Ellie Wallwork

Ellie has been blind since birth, due to a condition called Retinopathy of Prematurity. Living in West Sussex, she loves rock climbing, reading and playing an adaptive sport called Showdown.

Both an actor and a writer, Ellie enjoys anything to do with the creative arts, including making the industry more accessible to those with a vision impairment. Passionate about inclusivity and advocacy, she brings it into all the work that she does.

Ellie said: “I joined the West Sussex Sight Loss Council to give back to such an open and welcoming VI community. I am keen to explore the arts as it relates to sight loss, as well as wellbeing and advocacy; I can’t wait to lend my voice to such important projects!”

Bernice Stephen

Bernice has been severely sight impaired since birth due to a condition called Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.

Bernice lives in Horsham but is currently from South Africa. In her spare time, Bernice enjoys cycling, Judo, listening to audio books on history and the Second World war. She also enjoys travelling to different places, including Kraków.