Cindy Godfrey-McKay
our Current Chairperson
Cindy describes how her eyesight as registered blind with about 15% residual vision, depending on the light. During our interview, Cindy discusses her journey with her vision impairment and its impact on her career and family life.
Following her secondary education at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, where she describes that she learned resilience and independence, along with her peers, that she feels she wouldn’t have got in a non-mainstream setting.
Her family has a history of visual impairment, with both her parents and 3 grand parents registered blind. She says that she grew up in a very supportive, yet independent environment.
Cindy gained wide experience in employment – including working as a shipping clerk, legal secretary, operations manager, and ultimately achieving her ambition to work as a qualified Chartered Physiotherapist.
Cindy’s journey to becoming a physiotherapist involved overcoming obstacles, including a fusion operation on her toe which nearly resulted in its loss.
Family Dynamics and Disability Experiences
Cindy’s parents were both registered blind and, along with many other relatives, attended the blind workshops in Dundee, highlighting a family history of visual impairment.
Her 3 children, include 41 year-old Kerry, who, following her education at the Worcester College for the Blind has worked as a visually impaired teacher of mobility and daily living skills for over 17 years at The Royal National College for the Blind.
Cindy’s middle child, 35 year-old Kay was diagnosed with ADHD and autism last year and now has her business of creating ‘wearable art’.
Her youngest, 22 year-old Peter, is autistic, ADHD, has Social Anxiety and an eating disorder (ARFID).
Cindy’s 12-year-old grandson (Kerry’s children), Ollie, has Autism and is registered blind, and his brother, 10-year-old Bertie, has ADHD; they are both very active, independent and creative, and Kerry will very soon be having her 3rd child – a wee boy, in about 9 weeks.
All this has helped Cindy to understand their diverse strengths and ensure that they succeed in their various chosen spheres.
Involvement with CILPK
Cindy mentions her long-term membership of CILPK and how she started participating more actively during the online sessions.
She emphasises the importance of understanding multiple disabilities and their interactions, such as mobility and sight loss. She aims to support CILPK by addressing the complex needs of individuals with combined disabilities, advocating for inclusive solutions beyond single-issue approaches.
Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis during COVID, meant that Cindy could no longer work as a physiotherapist.
Move to Wales and Scotland
Cindy moved from London to Wales to be with her partner, Richard, who is blind, and like Cindy, was also a trustee of RNIB – which is where they first met.
They lived in Wales for a year and a half, where she was a co-founder of the Bridgend Coalition of Disabled People, which is still running.
When Richard retired from being a Solicitor, the family then moved to Scotland; which was largely due to concerns with the schooling for Peter, her youngest. The move proved very beneficial for his educational and medical needs.
In Scotland, PJ received diagnoses for a previously undiagnosed hole in the heart, autism, and ADHD, and also underwent ear surgery, which was a very positive development for him.
Accessibility Challenges & Social Model of Disability
Cindy emphasises the importance of accessibility and safety concerns to prevent accidents involving people with disabilities and particularly in public places such as scaffolded areas.
She mentions the social model of disability, explaining how societal barriers can make people feel more disabled.
She shares a personal anecdote about the difficulty in regularly tries to arrange a taxis, to catch a train etc, during school start/finish hours, leading to missed trains and frustration.
Cindy describes the physical challenges of navigating busy areas like St. Leonard’s Bank and the fear of falling due to poor pavements, potholes, cambers etc..
She highlights the struggles faced by those who are not strong and assertive, often leading to social isolation due to inaccessibility.
Current Role and Future Aspirations
Cindy’s main goal as a trustee of CILPK is to understand the combination of disabilities that individuals face and how they interact.
She discusses the challenges of using an electric wheelchair due to poor lighting conditions and the need to adapt to different environments.
Cindy hopes to provide a comprehensive understanding of disabilities beyond just visual impairment or mobility issues, and the difficulties they present,.
She acknowledges her own struggles with words and ADHD, which makes it challenging to summarise her experiences and thoughts succinctly.
Final Thoughts and Apologies
Cindy hopes that this somewhat rambling note contains useful information and she welcomes questions on anything which you would like her to clarify.