Richard Lochhead MSP visits sensory loss charity to learn about its vital work
North East Sensory Services logo
Richard Lochhead has visited a north-east Scottish charity based in his constituency to learn about its vital work supporting thousands of people with sensory loss.
The MSP for Moray toured the resource centre run by North East Sensory Services (NESS) in Elgin, meeting staff and speaking to people who benefit from its extensive services. During his visit, he heard first-hand about the challenges facing blind and deaf people in his constituency and beyond, and how the charity provides a lifeline service.
On the left is Libby Hillhouse, NESS training and information officer and Richard Lochhead MSP standing next to the NESS banner. To the right is Carla Marchbank, NESS statutory services manager and Alan Bell, NESS interim chief executive.
NESS supports thousands of blind and deaf people, and those with visual and hearing impairments, across Moray, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Dundee, and Angus. The charity’s main objective is to help people with sensory loss live as independently as possible, reducing the risk of isolation and helping them overcome the many challenges they face.
Among the lifeline services it offers in Moray are social inclusion groups for the elderly, which help to reduce the risk of social isolation often associated with sensory loss, and a Young People’s Sensory Service for children, which increases confidence, independence, and social skills. It also runs an ICT for All service providing people with tailored training and support in the use of accessible technology and digital devices, again reducing the risk of isolation.
NESS is the sector leader in Scotland for delivering joint sensory services, which is of particular benefit to elderly people who often encounter age-related sight and hearing issues at the same time. Founded in 1879, it supports more than 6,250 people with sensory impairment and their families across the north-east, of whom more than 1,100 live in Moray. The charity provides a range of specialist support services, working with people of all ages, and manages the sight loss registers in Moray, Aberdeen and Dundee.
Alan Bell, interim chief executive at NESS“We were excited to welcome Richard to our resource centre in Elgin and tell him about our vital work supporting thousands of people with sensory loss across the north-east. It’s so important that our elected representatives understand the challenges that people with sight and hearing issues face, and there is no better way of doing this than spending time with our service users. Our resource centre is not just a crucial source of information and advice, it also provides a friendly meeting point for people who might just need a coffee, a laugh and a chat. It is enormously beneficial for our service users to be able to engage with their local MSP in an informal way, and we are very grateful to Richard for coming along.”
Richard Lochhead MSP“I was delighted to visit North East Sensory Service’s Elgin office and to meet with a number of constituents who access vital support through their services. I heard powerful testimony of the challenges faced by people who live with sight and hearing loss, but also of the invaluable support they receive from the fantastic team at NESS. As local MSP, I will now go away and raise some of the issues we discussed, including some concerns around audiology and ophthalmology services in Moray, which are absolutely essential to those I met.”
Ends
Join our mailing list
If you would like to receive regular news and updates about our work, then you can sign up to our mailing list.