A pilot scheme which provides specialist one-to-one support to deaf and blind people has proved so successful it now looks set to continue on a permanent basis.

Bradford Council's Guide Support Service is one of just a handful of similar local authority schemes across the country.

There are 11 deaf or blind people using the pilot service. They say the extra input of just a few hours a week from their nominated guide support worker has helped them experience activities which they might otherwise miss out on.

And those types of opportunities could now be extended to other people with dual sensory loss. Social services chiefs estimate that there are between 300 and 400 such people in the Bradford district.

The pilot scheme involved a total of 13 blind and deaf people who were matched with guide support workers.

The workers carried out a range of activities, including making regular home visits, developing communication skills and reading mail, shopping trips together, walks and horse riding.

One of those who took part is Bradford woman Mandy Schofield, who is able to have horse riding sessions accompanied by her guide support worker Carol Exley.

Members of the Council's services to people with disabilities sub-committee will next week be asked to approve plans to continue and expand the scheme which has proved so popular during the two-year pilot.

Peter Kay, disability services manager for the Council, said: "We have 11 people using this service and once it is approved and continuing we will look at ways of expanding that

"We are not talking about huge numbers of people because it's a specialised area, but we believe there are between 300 and 400 people with dual sensory loss in the district although not all of them would necessarily be appropriate for this scheme."

Volunteers would be sought to work alongside the paid guide workers.

"Once we have got an established pattern of service, volunteers could take that on leaving the workers to deal with the more complex cases," Mr Kay said.

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