Blind Falkirk actor stars in charity's short film to dispel misconceptions about sight loss

Brooke Walker, who is blind, appears in the School Parent Group Chat film which highlights blind and partially sighted people can use a mobile phone with VoiceOver.

The short films are part of a campaign, See the Person, Not the Sight Loss, by leading sight loss charity the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

The #BeforeYouAsk films use everyday relatable experiences to banish myths around what it’s really like to live with sight loss.

The main actors in each of the six short films all have sight loss and were keen to use their own experiences to inform their performances.

Brooke said: “I was born with eye complications, and I’ve been registered severely visually impaired for nine years. I lost the rest of my useful vision only last year and I’m still adjusting to the massive change. It can be very difficult and upsetting at times, but that doesn’t mean the quality of your life can’t improve. With the right support in place, there is hope.

"I wanted to be part of the campaign to showcase that blind and partially sighted people can do so many of the so-called ‘normal things’. It’s important we are encouraged as a society to talk about sight loss in an open and honest way. I hope this campaign will give people further understanding and challenge some of the preconceived thoughts about sight loss.”

Alongside the short films, RNIB has developed an interactive video chat where users can navigate around up to 40 questions to hear the answers delivered personally by blind and partially sighted people. The questions were gathered directly from people with sight loss who shared what questions they are frequently asked. The interactive video chat will go live on Thursday.

Vivienne Francis, RNIB’s chief social change officer, said: “RNIB’s Before You Ask films use humour and familiar scenarios to make people think. They also underscore a serious point about the misconceptions people face and the barriers these lead to in terms of people living independently.

"The films challenge these misconceptions head on, showing that of course blind and partially sighted people go to work, watch football, use public transport, seek romance and navigate the tricky world of school message groups – just like sighted people do.

"These scenarios were chosen for a reason; each relates closely to the issues that blind and partially sighted people have identified as the key areas that need to change, from removing barriers to getting around easily, to levelling employment opportunities.

"We hope this campaign will go a long way to stopping both the misguided everyday questions blind and partially sighted people face but also the more deep-rooted misconceptions about the expectations, needs and wants of people with sight loss, which we know are leading to gaps in experiences compared to sighted people; these gaps need to close.”

For more information about #BeforeYouAsk visit www.rnib.org.uk/our-campaigns/see-differently-see-the-person/.