Kirsty Blackman MP visits north-east Scottish sensory loss charity to learn about its crucial work
North East Sensory Services logo
Kirsty Blackman has visited the headquarters of a north-east Scottish charity to learn about its crucial work supporting thousands of people with sensory loss.
(L-R) NESS interim chief executive Alan Bell, Kirsty Blackman MP, NESS training and information officer Libby Hillhouse, NESS added value services manager Sheila Ogden.
The MP for Aberdeen North toured the headquarters of North East Sensory Services (NESS) in Aberdeen, meeting staff and chatting to people who benefit from its extensive services. During her visit, she explored the charity’s resource centre and heard first-hand about the challenges facing blind and deaf people in her constituency and beyond. She also met NESS’s interim chief executive Alan Bell, who briefed her on the charity’s positive impact, as well as speaking to other key members of staff.
Kirsty Blackman MP speaking to NESS service users.
NESS supports thousands of blind and deaf people, and those with visual and hearing impairments, across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Dundee, Angus and Moray. 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 its lifeline services are access to information and support from within Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s Eye Clinic at the point of diagnosis, social inclusion groups for adults, including the elderly, and a Young People’s Sensory Service for children.
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 is the second-oldest charity in Aberdeen and supports more than 6,250 people with sensory impairment and their families across the north-east. The charity has no ‘cut off’ point for access to its support, with staff working with people of all ages. It provides a range of specialist support services and manages the sight loss registers in Aberdeen, Moray and Dundee.
Alan Bell, interim chief executive at NESS“It was great to welcome Kirsty to our HQ in Aberdeen and tell her more about our important work supporting thousands of people with sensory loss in the city and beyond. She was able to learn about the challenges people with sight and hearing issues face, as well as speaking directly to some of those who benefit from our lifeline services every day. Our resource centre is a crucial source of information and advice for the people we serve, as well as providing a meeting point where they can have a coffee, a laugh and a chat. It is enormously beneficial for our service users to be able to engage with their local MP in an informal way, and we are very grateful for Kirsty for giving us her time.”
Kirsty Blackman MP“I was delighted to visit the NESS headquarters in Aberdeen and learn more about their work. I have always had so much respect and appreciation for NESS, so it was lovely to meet some of the people behind it. I enjoyed getting to see first-hand how the centre benefits people, and it was great getting to chat to those who use the resource.”
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.