Northumberland 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. 

Kevin Hayton

I am totally blind and have a very strong desire to see visually impaired people consulted as part of the design and implementation phase of any change to infrastructure. It is essential that the voices and experience of visually impaired people is included in the thinking and problem processes.

I have worked in computing and networking for the last 40 years. I have been lucky to have worked in an inclusive environment.  This has allowed me to work at a local and national level developing, implementing, and managing computer systems and networks. This meant I travelled regularly on local and national transport systems, which has made me determined to improve the provision for VI travellers.

I also have worked with further and higher education institutions to provide technical services. This gave me the opportunity to speak with VCs of Universities and principals with a view to improving their understanding of VI requirements.

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.

Amy Strong

Coming soon!

Christine Dodds

Coming soon!

Chloe Hesse

Coming soon!

Matty Bolam

Coming soon!

Mala James

Coming soon!