Alison Cairns is Practice Lead for Sight Scotland Veterans’ outreach team, and joined the organisation in 2018. She primarily manages the outreach team covering the South and West of Scotland, and ensures that the service offered offers a person centred approach to supporting veterans to adapt to, and regain independence following sight loss.
She is a qualified social worker and previously worked for Glasgow City Council Social Work Services for nearly 25 years supporting and managing the Older Person’s Team, the Physical Disability Team, the Hospital Team and latterly, the Learning Disability Team.
Alison said: “Since joining Sight Scotland Veterans, I have been involved in supporting and overseeing a significant growth in staffing, membership and an exciting range of service provisions. Our outreach team now covers every local authority area in Scotland. They work hard to provide veterans with sight loss with personalised support, equipment and an ever increasing range of social opportunities, including lunch clubs, reunion events and walking groups.
“It is a privilege to be part of such a professional, committed and motivated staff group who rightly keep our members at the heart of all that we do and strive to support and assist them in whatever way best meets their needs and aspirations.
“It is enormously rewarding to be able to bring my knowledge and experience gained from being a Social Work Manager in Glasgow to national organisation which is able to make such a positive difference to the lives of those experiencing the challenges of sight loss.
“My ambition over the coming years is to ensure we continue to reach out to as many members as possible, wherever they live in Scotland, and give them the best possible support they so rightly deserve. Creativity will be at the heart of this ambition as Sight Scotland Veterans strives to adapt to the ever-changing and challenging world in which we live.”
