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Swindon Advocacy Movement (SAM)

Dawn Dixon, Manager:   

"Mary’s professional advice has been invaluable to our organisation as we have gained valuable insight into the issues facing people with visual impairment and a learning disability. The training and the resource pack will enable our advocates to fully consider the needs of that client group.

Since her initial project she has completed a Quality of Life Audit for people that have left NHS Campus Beds to live more independently in the community.  Mary completed this in a thorough and professional manner and brought to it an insight into the needs of people with Autism.

Mary has a clear vision of what she wants to achieve and in all her work displays a calm confidence. Our clients, volunteers and workers with a learning disability are very confident and comfortable working with her – a great asset for the self-advocacy project.

She is now involved in self-advocacy projects, working with groups. She is currently being trained to work as an advocate to work with clients on an individual and I am sure that she will be a great help to our clients in that role."

University of Oxford:

Peter Quinn, Senior Disability Officer:

“Mary has worked at my request in delivering training on visual impairment, orientation for students and most recently on producing a tactile map of the Collegiate University's city centre buildings. On each assignment with us she has demonstrated her expertise, good judgement and hard work. She thinks about her work, knows her limits and delivers at a very high standard.”

Lorna Smith, Disabilty Fellow, St. Hilda's College:

Evaluation of visual impairment awareness training: "Very helpful for advising students with visual impairments of any type... Very helpful indeed."

Eye Clinic, Great Western Hospital, Swindon:

"As a team we are much more aware of the needs of the visually impaired.  This is particularly appropriate when escorting patients between clinical and waiting areas.  I personally learned about the aids available, as this was something I had not seen for some time."  

"Very informative and useful. Quite a bit of this will be used daily in the department."

"I will be more aware of how patients feel when they come to the department and are partially sighted. It was very useful."

"I feel more equipped to answer patients questions on what help is available for the visually impaired."

"Very interesting to see the visual aids, and also to use the impairment glasses."

New College, Swindon

Trudy Murphy, Equal Opportunities Advisor:

"Mary Parsons has participated in our Diversity Week events. Her thought provoking activities and displays engaged students’ interest and increased their awareness of visual impairment."