East Sussex SLC joins Brighton & Hove Walking Festival
East Sussex Sight Loss Council is offering free guided walks to Brighton and Hove residents to share what it feels like to walk blind through the city. These free guided walks form part of Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) first ever walking festival.
The two-week event offers over 50 free guided walks across the city, in the nearby countryside, along our beautiful seafront or in your local park. BHCC wants people to rediscover how good walking is for us, regardless of fitness and ability.
East Sussex SLC is hosting three guided walks as part of the festival
Led by blind and partially sighted volunteers, these walks will offer the opportunity to learn about and explore the city through the eyes of someone with sight loss.
They will be guided on the walk whilst wearing simulation spectacles which simulate different eye conditions.
Participants will recognise hazards, understand their impact and gain an insight into the tools blind and partially sighted people use in their daily lives. A guide dog will also be present.
David Smith, Engagement Manager for Sight Loss Councils in the South East, said:
“We are pleased to be part of the inaugural Brighton and Hove Walking Festival and to facilitate these walks. We are looking forward to raising awareness of how people with sight loss negotiate their environment.
“We will share our stories of our own personal lived experience and explain how we use things like tactile paving and landmarks to get around.”
Delphine Jacq, Project Officer, walking, Transport Behaviour Change Team, Brighton & Hove City Council, added:
“We are grateful to East Sussex Sight Loss Council for supporting the first Walking Festival in Brighton and Hove.
“Thank you for offering these experiences to give the public the opportunity to experience the city through the eyes of someone with sight loss.
“We hope this will help raise awareness around the experiences and the challenges that people sight loss face whilst walking in the city.”
Event Details
When
Meeting point
- Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, BN3 3BQ (meet outside reception)
Distance
- 1 mile / 1.6km
Getting there
- Buses 1, 1A, 6, 49 and 2, 5A, 5B, 21, 25, 46.
- There is a multi-storey car park opposite Hove Town Hall on Norton Road.
You can also meet some of the organisations involved and share some family friendly fun at the launch event on Saturday 24 June outside St Peter’s Church from 11 am.
For more information and to book one of our walks, please visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/walkingfestival
A close of up our simulation spectacles, which mirror many sight loss conditions
About Sight Loss Councils
Sight Loss Councils are led by blind and partially sighted members and funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust. We advocate the needs of visually impaired people in our communities and work to improve access to goods and services at a local and national level.
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Publication date: 19 June 2023