17.03.08: RNIB commission Strategic Leisure to undertake pilot study

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has appointed leisure consultants Strategic Leisure to undertake a national study to identify the needs of leisure professionals, providers, operators and deliverers in the UK market in terms of their awareness and understanding of the needs of the blind and partially sighted in relation to leisure facilities and activities.

As an initial stage a pilot study will be undertaken in the North West region.

The pilot study will advise on the way forward for the national study; overall the study will inform the RNIB as to the levels of professional development training needed by the industry to address the needs of blind and partially people, assess the awareness of the needs of blind and partially sighted participants in sport, and identify the potential to integrate specialist services to facilitate delivery of the needs of blind and partially sighted leisure users into the RNIB’s overall approach to training and development within the UK leisure industry.

For further information contact: Jonathan Carney, Senior Consultant, Mob: 07717 200 134 Email: joncarney@strategicleisure.co.uk or Alison Talbot, RNIB's National Leisure Services Manager, Mobile: 0791 863 0035. Email: Alison.talbot@rnib.org.uk