Who’s who

In the late 1990s she became a freelance abstractor, working for PIRA International, Reed Elsevier and the Department of Health Resource Development Unit from 2003 to date. She has recently become a Sight for Surrey trustee.

Michael was awarded the Diploma of Higher Education in Rehabilitation Studies in July 2000. Unfortunately, in 2004, he became partially sighted in his right eye and was no longer able to see to drive. However, with support from the Access to Work programme, Michael was able to continue with his career until retirement.

In the fifteen years of being a Rehabilitation Worker, Michael has met many members of the public in many different environments with some very satisfying outcomes.

He is married and lives in Hindhead, Surrey and has one daughter who is studying medicine. Michael is now registered severely sight impaired however he still maintains his interests of oil painting, gardening, sailing and dog walking.

During the late 1980s, the late Mary Guest MBE set up a new group for Deaf people with RP and linked it to Usher Syndrome. There are different types of Usher Syndrome. Russell has Syndrome Type 1.

Russell studied Horticulture at a college in Hampshire, after which he entered full-time employment as a Science Gardener at Whitgift School, an independent school in Croydon. Sadly, he was made redundant after nearly 30 years service but the Whitgift Foundation agreed to accept his early retirement.

How did Russell become involved with Sight for Surrey?

Since being registered blind in 1987, Russell has been an active member of Sense and Sight for Surrey. An active artist, his well-known cartoon character is ‘Fred the Usher’. The very loveable hedgehog was created in 1990 when Sense asked him to design some Christmas cards. Fred the Usher still appears on Christmas cards today.

Russell is married to Anne. She was also diagnosed with Ushers; although she has had a cochlear implant. They live in Warlingham, where Russell enjoys gardening, local history, genealogy, antiques and visiting historic places like the National Trust. He even finds time to go to the gym!

Currently he serves as a Co-Chair of a Workability (Disability) Inclusion Network within the GB arm of his company, being responsible for moving the company’s strategic aims and objectives forward. He works closely with the Executive Sponsor to gain direction, guidance and support, and engages senior leaders to address disability and wellbeing within the work place. He is the adviser to the Deaf UK 50+ annual holiday event organised for deaf people aged 50 and over and a founding member of the Surdi Domum Group, a Deaf led property development and consultancy company.

When her sight began to fail and having been diagnosed with macular degeneration another patient told her about Sight for Surrey (which was then called SAVI). She was invited to take part in the pilot “Progress in Sight” Group and became a Sight for Surrey volunteer six years ago. She is currently starting to talk to groups of people about Sight for Surrey’s splendid work. She spent thirty five years in Primary Education, the last fifteen years as a Head Teacher so her skills lie in the field of communication and management. She became a Sight for Surrey Trustee in 2009, and Chair of the Services Sub-Committee in July 2012.

A work colleague she knew had a friend who worked for Sight for Surrey (SAVI as they were then) and she contacted them. Mary says; “Sight for Surrey were wonderful and helped me with everything I needed to know in the beginning and still do. I just ring them to get advice”.

In 2016 she decided she wanted to help others in the same situation and became a volunteer for the organisation and in 2017 became a Trustee. She has a guide dog called Opal who comes along to any children’s events. The children love her and she loves all the attention!