Blind people like me just want to be given a chance - Holly Tuke

His achievements in politics – and bravura attitude - were a reminder to set your aspirations high and not be limited by the perception of others.

I grew up in Yorkshire too and similar to Lord Blunkett I have been blind since birth, and while I would imagine my experience growing up in the 2000s was quite different to Lord Blunkett’s in the 1950s, a lot of the experiences he described remained familiar to me too.

Like managing the huge amount of reading required as a university student or trying to find work when job applications appear to be going unread by employers.

I remember being at school and then university and seeing all my friends get jobs and it was very frustrating not being able to join in.

I felt like my sight loss was a barrier, even though I knew deep down it wasn’t, but it was the attitude of employers that really made me feel upset and frustrated, because I wanted to work, like everyone else.

Technology has surely been one of the biggest enablers of change when I look back at what has changed, even in just the last decade.

When I was a teenager, Facebook was growing in popularity, Instagram was coming into fruition – it was new and exciting (even if it was more inaccessible back then) and TikTok didn’t even exist.

But today they’re platforms where blind and partially sighted people can find a community, connect and share experiences.

This world of instant connection can create added pressures too. Lord Blunkett talked about sacrificing his social life to keep up with sighted peers and sometimes that concerns me too.

However, I see evidence every day of how online connection brings us together in my work as a social media manager for the charity RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) and through my blog where I talk about everything from accessibility to what the stadium experience is like for a blind fan of women’s football.

I take pride in being a disability advocate.

Equally, it can be tiring and frustrating having to advocate for yourself and to knock down barriers at times, not everyone will have the strength to be able to do that.

That’s why RNIB recognises how important it is to raise our voices for social change so blind and partially sighted people are not defined by other’s expectations or perceptions.

We do this through campaigning, driving social action at a community level or working with employers to open up the opportunities which a young David Blunkett didn’t have.

Campaigning makes a difference, whether it’s successfully fighting to keep rail station ticket offices open or sharing engaging social media content to educate people and dispel myths about sight loss.

Change is occurring, maybe not at the speed we would like, but together we can help to break down those barriers and see even greater change than Lord Blunkett has in his lifetime.

It’s often people’s perceptions of what someone with a disability like me and Lord Blunkett can and can’t do and therefore what their likely success and achievements are going to be that can be the biggest barrier.

If you would like to learn more about the actual lives of blind and partially sighted people, why not join the 100,000+ people who are already following RNIB on Facebook or Instagram.

It was heartening to see Lord Blunkett also took time in his column to recognise the work of our ECLOs (Eye Care Liaison Officers) based in hospital ophthalmic units and the community to provide practical and emotional support for people diagnosed with a condition affecting their sight or for parents of children with a vision impairment.

In Yorkshire, we currently have 11 RNIB ECLOs working across different sites, who last year supported more than 3,000 patients.

One of the most moving sections was to read too about how Lord Blunkett tells his grandchildren about his blindness; I hope that future generations will grow up with a society where people with disabilities will have greater opportunities and fewer barriers to make their way in the world.

We all have a role to play in making this future a reality. Together, we can create that change.

Holly Tuke is a social media manager for RNIB.