Rebecca Barr, previously at Argyll and Bute Council, has been appointed to a newly created senior management position at Scottish War Blinded to take the charity into its next stage of development.

As Head of Operations and Development, Rebecca Barr will be responsible for leading the charity’s expansion of services. A new centre for visually impaired veterans is currently being constructed in Paisley and the charity is taking forward fresh initiatives for its members across Scotland. Scottish War Blinded has modernised and increased its services over the last few years, initially with the construction of the award winning Linburn Centre in West Lothian and then with the development of its outreach service covering the whole of Scotland.

A qualified social worker, Rebecca Barr was previously Lead Officer for Adult Protection in both Argyll and Bute Council and West Dunbartonshire Council. Her third sector experience includes Crossroads-Carers Trust and RNIB.
Rebecca commented:

“I am excited to take on this role, and lead on the development of support for visually impaired veterans. I will be guided by those currently using our services on what is most important to them, and how we can best support their independence.

“In today’s austere climate, third sector organisations like Scottish War Blinded are more important than ever before in supporting the most vulnerable in society and so it’s exciting to move back into this sector.’
Richard Hellewell, Chief Executive of Scottish War Blinded said:
“Scottish War Blinded supports all veterans with sight loss, including not only those who lost their sight in service but also those who have become visually impaired since then due to conditions such as macular degeneration and glaucoma. Our new post of Head of Operations and Development will help us to further expand our services and reach more veterans who could benefit from our support. We are delighted to have Rebecca join us to deliver this work.”

Veterans experiencing sight loss can call Scottish War Blinded on Freephone 0800 035 6409 or visit www.scottishwarblinded.org to find out more about how the charity can provide support.