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‘She makes a friend of everybody’ - The Highland walking group that is making a real difference for visually impaired people





John Davidson joined a visually impaired walking group in the Highlands and learned that the support they offer is invaluable to its members

Angela Clelland (standing, third from right) with some of the walkers during the Torvean Park event.
Angela Clelland (standing, third from right) with some of the walkers during the Torvean Park event.

“I’ve got a cane, but me and my cane don’t like each other very much,” says Sandra Black, who lost her sight after a liver transplant eight years ago.

Sandra, who describes herself as Inverness born and bred, and lives in Hilton, says she spent two-and-a-half years unable to leave the house without somebody else because of her lack of confidence.

Then she got Bonnie.

Her guide dog, a friendly black Labrador, has made a huge difference to Sandra’s life, helping to earn back her independence.

But getting a guide dog is not an easy task. The animals are trained for two years and the owner must also show they can get about safely using the dog. Sandra says her training was in Edinburgh during the festival, where she had to get a bus into Princes Street before completing a route including several road crossings, with an instructor in tow.

“I much prefer having the dog,” Sandra says. “She certainly gives you freedom and not only that, if you’ve got a dog, everybody talks to you. If you’re out walking the dog, people sort of natter to you, so it’s got its plusses like that too.”

Sandra Black with her guide dog Bonnie.
Sandra Black with her guide dog Bonnie.

Sandra was sharing her experience with me during an outing with the Highland VIP Walking Group, a charity that supports visually impaired people and gives them opportunities to not only get active but to get out and meet other people.

It was set up by Angela Clelland, who began to lose her sight through retinopathy during the Covid pandemic. She raised concerns with the RNIB that there were no similar inclusive groups in the north of Scotland, and ended up launching the group herself, and it later became a charity in 2023.

Today’s walk in Inverness is a joint outing with Clarity Walk, a division of Centred, the mental health and wellbeing charity, and is part of the Inverness Walking and Wheeling Festival promoted by Partnerships 4 Wellbeing.

I soon discover that it’s no accident that there are so many different groups and services involved.

Angela explains: “I used to come to Clarity Walk before I started to lose my sight, but then I couldn’t get out, so with the RNIB I said should we have something up here that is inclusive – I wasn’t meaning to actually start it, it just happened!

The walkers from Highland VIP Walkers Group and Clarity Walk Inverness make their way along the canal path.
The walkers from Highland VIP Walkers Group and Clarity Walk Inverness make their way along the canal path.

“It started off that we did a walk once a month. Now, we meet up at the Merkinch, and the Spectrum Centre on the last Friday of the month as well; we do taster sessions of different activities then we have somebody in for a talk. We work in partnership with Highland Blindcraft Sensory Services (formerly Sight Action).

“Jayne Preece from Partnerships 4 Wellbeing is here and we do lots of different things with them. We were at Loch Insh last year, we have quizzes, we have parties. It’s very much about working in partnership, getting the most out of it for everybody.

“It has grown quite a bit! I still work full-time – but when you see the friendships that have grown, that’s brilliant.”

Sandra says she comes out with the group whenever she can, and tells me there are so many benefits to it.

“The social aspect, the health aspect, everything about it – I don’t think there’s a bad point in it,” she says. “Meeting new people, everybody is friendly, everybody is helpful, really considerate. The sighted people are always trying to make sure you’re okay as well, so that’s really good.

Susan Wiseman with black Labrador Vespa. Vespa belonged to former VIP group member Janice, who died in March this year. Susan and her mum were both friends with Janice and now look after her retired guide dog and come along on some of the group’s walks.
Susan Wiseman with black Labrador Vespa. Vespa belonged to former VIP group member Janice, who died in March this year. Susan and her mum were both friends with Janice and now look after her retired guide dog and come along on some of the group’s walks.
Another regular pooch on the Clarity Walk trips is Lily-Mae.
Another regular pooch on the Clarity Walk trips is Lily-Mae.

“Angela couldn’t do enough for you – she’s there whether it’s on the walk or not, she makes a friend of everybody.

“If you’re out with a group and you’re the only non-sighted person you kind of feel out of place, and a lot of people don’t understand – they mean well, but they don’t really understand – but somebody that’s trained in it, the leaders and our sighted guides, it’s just totally different.”

Members have also been given an opportunity to try activities that they would likely never have got to experience outside the confines of this supported group, such as wild swimming and paddleboarding at Loch Insh.

Catherine, who did not want us to use her surname, explained: “I have a visual impairment following a brain injury but I’m not completely blind, and there are times when you need to ask one of the volunteers for help. I also have a hand dysfunction, so at Loch Insh, for example, it’s getting assistance with putting on your wetsuit and things like that.

Phyllis Finnie, Clarity Walks member and walk leader.
Phyllis Finnie, Clarity Walks member and walk leader.

“I really enjoyed the open water swimming because it’s not just about vision, it’s other stuff as well, just being able to go out in the water.”

Evan Macdonald has been blind since birth and is a regular with the group. He has also enjoyed going on the adapted cycles at Cantraybridge and has spent four decades involved with the blind tandem club that meets in Inverness as well.

“It gets me out and about enjoying the walks on the Mondays when I go out,” he says during the stroll through Torvean Park, where everybody enjoys a picnic on this bright Monday lunchtime.

Phyllis Finnie, a Clarity Walks member and walk leader, has been involved with the mental health group since it first formed in August 2019.

She explained: “It’s a digital detox, just distancing ourselves from technology for an hour or two, connecting with what’s going on around us and trying to make an impact on the loneliness and isolation that there is so much of nowadays.

Evan Macdonald and his support worker Ann McCorquodale on the path at Torvean Park.
Evan Macdonald and his support worker Ann McCorquodale on the path at Torvean Park.

“I can think of a couple of walks where I’ve had 16 or 17 people in the group and only three of us have been going home to somebody. I’m not saying that’s a cross-section of society but it kind of reflects that there is a significant problem out there.”

The issues faced by people in both groups overlap – as do their members – and getting together like this gives them an opportunity to widen their circle of friends and enjoy talking with other people.

The VIP walking group has also linked up with the Inverness branch of the Samaritans to look at ways the suicide prevention charity can support visually impaired people, including by supplying Braille and larger print Samaritans leaflets.

Phyllis added: “I think if you ask the group, the social aspect and the impact that has on their mental wellbeing, they would say that was more important than the physical activity, but for some of the group I’ve seen a huge change in their walking pace, the distances they’re able to cover, just in the time they’ve been with us.

“They always say they don’t notice the distance they are walking because they are so busy chatting – there’s always plenty of chat!”

Audrey Catto with Clarity Walk leader Lo MacLeod and dog Angus.
Audrey Catto with Clarity Walk leader Lo MacLeod and dog Angus.

These groups and the people behind them are all working together to provide support and improve the quality of life for people in the Highlands, and they are making a difference.

After losing her sight, Sandra was determined to complete her guide dog training, however difficult it was. She told me: “You just get on with it, that’s the best way. I saw too many people giving up and I thought, ‘I’ve got a wee bit of living yet to do’.”


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