Coronavirus: Hampshire charity creates lanyards to help visually impaired with social distancing measures

A SIGHT charity is helping visually impaired people through Covid-19 restrictions by introducing brightly coloured lanyards to help people social distance.

Open Sight Hampshire has produced a badge, which is bright yellow and has the simple phrase “I’m Visually Impaired. I cannot see to social distance”, after demand from members.

Zoe Hanscombe, who is also visually impaired, said: ‘The response from our members has been very positive. A couple of our members have had bad experiences where people have got cross with them for not keeping a distance even though they clearly had a long white cane or a guide dog.

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‘Many people with visual impairments cannot see floor markings or new signage directing the general public, which makes things quite difficult for them. We hope the lanyards will go some way in helping them feel more comfortable going out into the community and will equally help other sighted people around them.’

A standard lanyard cost £3.50 which includes postage and packaging. As well as the visually impaired eye symbol, Open Sight Hampshire, which supports people in Southampton, Winchester, Portsmouth and Basingstoke areas, can include the hearing-impaired symbol or both, for those customers that have dual sensory impairment. The lanyards can also be customised with different wording.

For more information about the charity and the lanyards visit opensight.org.uk/social-distancing-support-aid-lanyards​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​