Let Me Introduce Myself

by N Feakes Year 9

For those who don’t already know, I am registered blind.

What do you think of when you think of blindness?

The typical stereotype is of someone who can’t see anything, maybe has a white cane or a guide dog - but that is not always the case and, in my case, I have very limited vision but I can see things close up.

Being blind shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving what you want – just look at Libby Clegg, the Paralympian who competed on Dancing on Ice in 2020 with barely any useful vision. She is truly inspirational. It is hard enough to ice skate, but imagine doing it with your eyes closed?! I would dare you to do it but it would be very dangerous…believe me, I have done it – along with skiing, abseiling, horse riding and sailing. As you may have guessed, I am a bit of an adrenaline seeker!

So I may not be able to do everything in the same way as you do, but I will always give it my best shot. With adaptations, I can usually achieve my goals, I certainly don’t want my vision to define me!

How does it affect me every day?

It obviously has its disadvantages such as bumping into other people, but one advantage is that, because I can’t see people unless they are close up, I have a great excuse to ignore people (including teachers!). However, please don’t think I am being rude if you wave from afar or say hello to me – it is really difficult to work out who someone is just from their voice – even the judges on ‘The Masked Singer’ can’t recognise familiar voices without seeing their faces.

So what is the best way to help me?

Don’t call me brave! I am not afraid of being blind. If you want to compliment me, I prefer inspirational (of course). Ask how you can help me – don’t just grab me and assume you know where I want to go. Please forgive me if I walk into you, step on your heel or even trip you up with my cane (and yes I do use one and I have been known to trip up annoying people!) It would be great if you could introduce yourself when talking to me. I’m actually quite shy and generally don’t want any fuss or fame (...or do I?)

I would love to challenge the stereotype of what people think a blind person is, or what they can achieve, so if you want to know more, please contact me via the email below.