Blind and partially sighted people met with businesses at an event in Merseyside to discuss how they could increase the number of visually impaired people in the workforce.
The Bridge the Gap event at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool was funded by Visionary and organised by Merseyside Sight Loss Council, Bradbury Fields Services for Blind and Partially Sighted People and Jigsaw Coaching.
It was designed to challenge preconceptions around employing blind and partially sighted people and provided information on the practical, financial and technical support available to employers.
Fiona Sandford, CEO of Visionary, said: ‘Our vision is for a world in which visually impaired people can access the services they need at a local level and live the lives they want to lead. Securing employment and working are often integral to people achieving their potential.’
The event was attended by Fayyaz Afzal, who was the first blind district judge in the UK. He said: ‘If you have a diverse workforce it brings credibility, which is something businesses need to capitalise more on. I stopped being a blind barrister and became a barrister who happened to be blind. I was recognised for my talent.’