The Royal Blind School hosted its annual family fun day in June, a celebratory event to highlight all their students successes and an opportunity to say a fond farewell to this years' school leavers, Jemima and Rebecca.

Barbecues, music, games, home baking, plant sales, a petting zoo, a fire engine, ice cream, face painting and, to top it off, sunshine!

This year's Family Fun Day at the Royal Blind School was a chance for teachers, parents and the Sight Scotland teams to celebrate the students’ incredible successes over the past year as well as an opportunity to say a fond farewell to this years' school leavers, Jemima and Rebecca.

Jemima and Rebecca got to play their favourite songs, poems written by their teachers were read out sharing highlights of their times together, and there was many a misty eye as they were each presented with gifts to remember the school by.

Below you can take a look at some of the brilliant photos that were captured throughout the day by photographer Callum Bennetts.

Jemima wrote the beautiful message below to the Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVI) at Royal Blind School who have helped her during her time there. It’s incredible to see her journey and growth, and we wish her all the best for the future.

QTVI teachers are gold dust. They ‘get me’ like mainstream teachers never did and give me the freedom to learn on my own and at my own speed – that makes me much more independent. I am more confident and have a future now that I never dreamed possible before the Royal Blind School.

They taught me Braille - it is my superpower - which lets me read and write again and now I can learn and grow but just see in a different way. I wrote a poem about vision that says how I feel, and it was published. How cool is that?

I can now use my cane to move around on my own and can talk about my feelings better because QTVI teachers understand me – I love drama and mindfulness and chilling at RBS as it makes me feel calm. All the QTVI teachers at RBS have helped me grow and I wish there were more near me and in schools and colleges. I am lucky to go to RNC to continue school, but it is so far away.

When people ask me if I want my sight back, I say ‘NO’ because I see better now than before and I really found my tribe at RBS.

I will miss all at RBS, but I know that they will always be there for me – like family.

Thanks, Jemima
 

- Jemima

Jemima mentions the poem that she wrote for the National Poetry Competition run by Young Writers, which was later published. It's an incredible piece that offers real insight into her personal journey through sight loss. You can read Jemima's full poem here.

RBS Family Fun Day 2025 photos © Callum Bennetts

Three young people in wheelchairs outside in front of a man and a dark brown llama
A young man in a wheelchair smiles widely as an older man holds a white rabbit in his lap
Two people stand outside and pet a white furred llama
A person wears a light grey hooded jumper, the back emblazoned with the words 'LEAVERS RBS JEMIMA' in bright pink lettering
A woman sits inside a red fire engine, a young boy sitting on her lap, smiling and holding the steering wheel
A man stands behind a barbeque grill and a woman next to him wears blue gloves as she serves people burger buns
Beneath a brightly coloured gazebo stands a woman wearing a blue Sight Scotland t-shirt, and chatting to another woman.
Three women wearing blue Sight Scotland t-shirt stand around a table and converse with another woman.
An older woman with short grey hair wears a purple Sight Scotland fleece and stands next to Jemima who wears red glasses and holds a cane
A woman in sunglasses and a man in a green jacket stand outside in front of a crowd, reading from a book, as a girl, Rebecca, sits beside them smiling.
A group of people gather around Rebecca, who sits in the middle, a large gift bag at her feet.
A young girl in a wheelchair pats the head of a small brown pony.
Two woman smile at a young boy in a wheelchair as he gets his face painted.
A young boy in a wheelchair and a school uniform smiles up at a man who is crouched down in front of him.
Three people outside looking and talking to one another.
A woman and two young girls crouch near a fence, the woman holding a white rabbit in her arms.
Two woman sit on a blue bench outside
Two women stand outside talking to a woman who is seated and holding a very young smiling girl.