Visual News - Issue 5, Winter 2010 - Southern Health and Social ...

New RNIB StaffOver the last number of months there have been significantchanges within the Trust and the RNIB. Doreen McFarlane hasretired, Russell Lucas is currently on a career break and DannyMcSherry is currently working with a cross border initiative withVisually Impaired People.The Trust and The RNIB have taken this opportunity to furtherdevelop their working partnership and have developed two newposts within the team. The first of these is Martina McElhone whois the new Community Vision Co-ordinator and it is Martina‟s roleto support all groups specifically for visually impaired peoplethroughout the whole of the Southern Trust area.Martina briefly describes her role as follows:As a Community Vision Co-ordinator it is my responsibility to helpmeet the needs of the groups and to enable them to become selfsupporting, for example to provide assistance with forming acommittee, give advice towards obtaining funding for activities orhelp with sourcing volunteers. I have already visited most of thegroups and will visit those remaining soon. I am based at MoyResource Centre and can be contacted on 028 877 84832.The newest member of the team is Grace Keys who has anappropriate degree level qualification that will help her to developCommunity Access Opportunities with people who are blind orpartially sighted. This post is a new development within the longestablished partnership between the RNIB and the Southern Trust.In her role as the Community Access Worker, Grace will beexploring with clients their interest in accessing recreational,educational and social activities available within the localcommunity.To assist with Grace‟s assessment she will be completing aquestionnaire to help client‟s identify the areas of their lives theywish to develop. If you wish to be referred to Grace please contactyour local Resource Centre.Page 11 of 38