WILD Award for SeeAbility's Laura

Sheffield City Council has awarded Laura Christie with a WILD award. 

Laura, who is an eye 2 eye officer for the charity SeeAbility, won the prestigious Working In Learning Disability award for her commitment to improving the lives of people with a learning disability. 

SeeAbility, formerly known as The Royal School for the Blind, operate the eye 2 eye Campaign in Sheffield to help people with a learning disability access appropriate sight tests and low vision support.
 
As an eye 2 eye officer, Laura is able to facilitate sight tests for people who would not normally be able to have a standard eye test.  She works closely with people with a learning disability, their carers and eye care professionals to ensure that a sight test can be as accurate as possible.  SeeAbility's research revealed that many people with a learning disability also have a visual impairment but are less likely to have a sight test.  In some cases they lose their sight needlessly simply because they cannot take part in a standard sight test.

Earlier this year Laura organised the Looking After Yourself Day at Sheffield Town Hall.  The event gave people with a learning disability and their carers the opportunity to find out more about maintaining good health from diet and exercise to the importance of regular health checks including sight and hearing tests.  Laura also runs cookery classes for people with a visual impairment.

"I am delighted to receive this award," says Laura.  "It's fantastic to be able to make a real difference to people's lives.  People with a learning disability and a visual impairment have a real struggle to be independent but they deserve every opportunity to make their life as rewarding as possible."

Laura was nominated for the WILD award for her initiative in taking a lead in the health of people with a learning disability and, in particular, for her idea to organise the hugely successful Looking After Yourself Day.

For more information about the eye 2 eye Campaign visit www.seeability.org