Sight Scotland Ambassador Samantha Gough Awarded MBE in King's Birthday Honours

From Sight Loss to Sporting Success

Samantha was born with cerebral visual impairment (CVI), a condition where the brain has difficulty processing visual information despite the eyes being healthy. In 2014, her sight deteriorated significantly, forcing her to relearn many everyday skills, including mobility and independent travel.

At the time, she believed her future in sport had come to an end. Reflecting on her experience, Samantha says there was a period when she felt excluded from sport because of her worsening sight loss.

"It wasn't very long ago that I didn't think I could take part in sport at all. I went from being registered partially sighted to severely sight impaired and was basically excluded from all sport. Instead of asking how they could support me, I was seen as a problem.

"If you had told me then what I'd be doing now, I would never have believed you. It shows what can be achieved if you are given the right support."

A Turning Point at Royal Blind School

Samantha credits Sight Scotland's Royal Blind School in Edinburgh with helping to rebuild her confidence and independence.

"The Royal Blind School was a real turning point for me. I was given tailored support and the opportunity to learn vital independent living skills, which really helped rebuild my confidence."

The support she received helped her better understand her visual impairment, develop independent living skills and gain the confidence to advocate for herself.

"Before I came to the school, I did not fully understand my visual impairment or how to explain it."

Learning braille became another significant milestone.

"Learning braille was another huge moment for me. I had lost the ability to read and write as my sight deteriorated, and braille helped me reconnect with that. It felt like I had found a part of myself again."

The school also supported Samantha to develop everyday skills, including cooking, shopping and travelling independently using a white cane. More recently, she gained further confidence and independence with her guide dog, Helga.

Making History in Blind Football

Since leaving school, Samantha has gone on to achieve success across several sports.

In 2022, she made history as the first captain of the England Women's Blind Football team, becoming a pioneer in the rapidly growing sport. A year later, she led England at the inaugural IBSA Women's World Championships, helping the team make its first appearance on the world stage.

Her achievements extend beyond football. In goalball, she became one of the UK's leading female goalscorers and represented Great Britain at the 2022 European Para Youth Games, winning a bronze medal.

In rowing, Samantha won gold at the 2023 British Rowing Indoor Championships and was selected for the Great Britain Para Rowing performance pathway.

Using Sport to Change Lives

Alongside her sporting achievements, Samantha is passionate about raising awareness of visual impairment and promoting opportunities for disabled people.

In recognition of her advocacy work, she received a Midlothian Young People's Award in 2023 and was commended in the UK Parliament for her achievements.

As an ambassador for Sight Scotland, she regularly uses her platform to encourage greater inclusion and inspire others living with sight loss to pursue their ambitions.

"I have struggled with my mental health and sport truly saved me, so I am determined to show others what is possible."

She hopes receiving an MBE will shine a spotlight on the importance of accessible and inclusive sport.

"This is a huge honour. I want to use it to highlight blind football and visually impaired sport, and to show others what can be achieved if you follow your dreams."

There is still so much more we can do to make sport accessible and inclusive, and I hope this helps raise awareness and open doors for more visually impaired athletes."

Encouraging Others to Reach Out

For Samantha, one of the most important parts of her journey is showing others that support is available and that sight loss does not have to limit aspirations.

"One of my life goals is to raise awareness of visual impairment and encourage people to embrace and accept it."

She believes organisations such as Sight Scotland can play a vital role in helping people build confidence, independence and new opportunities.

"The support I received changed my life, and I would encourage anyone to reach out. There are people who understand and want to help, and it really can make such a difference."

Looking back on everything she has achieved, Samantha remains grateful for the support she received along the way.

"All the amazing things that have happened to me through sport and my advocacy work would not have been possible without the incredible teachers at the Royal Blind School. They believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself and gave me the skills and confidence to move forward. It quite literally changed my life."