VIDEO: Horsham councillor finds out how it feels to be blind

The Liberal Democrat Horsham MP hopeful took up the blindfold challenge today (Monday April 21) to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by blind people in Horsham town centre.
By Anna Coe
Published 21st Apr 2015, 18:34 BST
Horsham parliamentary candidate for Lib Dems Morwen Millson is doing a blindfolded walk to raise awareness for the blind in Horsham town centre with Marie Jenkins, Royal National Institute for the Blind. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150421-123202001Horsham parliamentary candidate for Lib Dems Morwen Millson is doing a blindfolded walk to raise awareness for the blind in Horsham town centre with Marie Jenkins, Royal National Institute for the Blind. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150421-123202001
Horsham parliamentary candidate for Lib Dems Morwen Millson is doing a blindfolded walk to raise awareness for the blind in Horsham town centre with Marie Jenkins, Royal National Institute for the Blind. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150421-123202001

Wearing special glasses to obscure her vision, Parliamentary candidate Morwen Millson was guided through the Carfax by Marie Jenkins from the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB). She helped her use a white cane to navigate around obstacles.

Marie said: “We are seeing a huge amount of hazards starting to spring up - advertising boards and bins place in different locations and benches that are always quite difficult to navigate around.

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“In out of town areas we are seeing an explosion of bins and cars parking on pavements. Things that make it really difficult for blind people to navigate around.”

Horsham parliamentary candidate for Lib Dems Morwen Millson is doing a blindfolded walk to raise awareness for the blind in Horsham town centre with Marie Jenkins, Royal National Institute for the Blind. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150421-123202001Horsham parliamentary candidate for Lib Dems Morwen Millson is doing a blindfolded walk to raise awareness for the blind in Horsham town centre with Marie Jenkins, Royal National Institute for the Blind. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150421-123202001
Horsham parliamentary candidate for Lib Dems Morwen Millson is doing a blindfolded walk to raise awareness for the blind in Horsham town centre with Marie Jenkins, Royal National Institute for the Blind. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150421-123202001

Before starting the challenge Mrs Millson, who is also a West Sussex county councillor for the Horsham Riverside division, admitted the prospect ‘scared’ her.

She said: “I’m increasingly aware of the problems that people with disabilities face. Budgets have cut maintenance to pavements for example.

“I went out last week with a lady in a wheelchair. It’s so uncomfortable for her that they have to go home. She cannot cope with the bumps.

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“I said I would do this in Horsham as it’s useful for me as a councillor as well as the possibility of being an MP. It’s raising the profile and it’s also about working with officers to see how we can better deal with this in the future. At the district councils and county councils, we need to work together to help people.”

The RNIB asked all Parliamentary candidates if they wanted to take up the blindfold challenge. In Horsham these are Roger Arthur, UK Independence Party; Martyn Davis, Labour Party; Jeremy Quin, Conservatives; Jim Duggan, Peace Party; Darrin Green, Green Party; Jim Rae, Independent and James Smith, Something New.

Related topics:Liberal DemocratRNIB