Giles Carrington
My name is Giles Carrington. I'm registered totally blind. I've got a broken optical nerve, between obviously the brain and two eyes and that occurred 30 years ago.
The work that I focus on at the moment is working as a freelance consultant for a variety of clients from sales, marketing,mentoring, training, business development or people development.
When I first looked for my first job, that was way back in I think '83, and I got the opportunitythough working through a contract cleaning company. I went on a crash course with a sort of tele-sales marketing role delivered by British Telecom and from there I just followed that track. I became better and better and got offered different opportunities from being,if you like, an associate,to a team leader, to a manager, to a trainer, to a script writer, to working with senior management. The main help that I've personally received through the years is the Access to Work which you can get help through Action for Blind People or through Jobcentre Plus.
With my work I use a pocket memo. I use a talking calculator. I use a laptop and a screen reader, which is JAWS. I have JAWS speech which is also on my mobile telephone because obviously I have to text people back and forth and I can use email on there if I need to. Also I have a Support worker/PA, who is able to help me with those tasks that I can't do due to the fact that I'm totally blind, and also the person may double up as a driver.
My advice to people who have lost their sight: obviously it's not easy but it is doable. There's always a solution to every problem. You know you've just got to look at the day ahead, maybe make a list of the things that you can do; that you want to do, and then each day when you awake, when you wake up in the morning look at that list maybe "I feel this doing this. I'll do that and that and that" and slowly over time you do move forward, you do cross those of the list, you look behind you and in no time at all you start smiling at the fact that you're moving out of that rut and you are starting to connect with, networking with, people - and people notice that you make that change.