Visually-impaired swimming ace hits Rugby hospital airwaves
A visually-impaired swimmer has shared his uplifting journey with Rugby Hospital Radio listeners.
Robert Franklin, a member of the Friends of St Cross, talked about his charity work and how he has not let lifelong sight conditions hold him back.
He volunteers on Fridays in the X-ray department at Rugby’s Hospital of St Cross, greeting outpatients and helping direct and reassure them.
His recent appearance was on the programme Community Spirit, where radio secretary Phil Smith interviews local charity and volunteer contributors.
As a child, Robert attended Exhall Grange in Coventry, a school for visually impaired students.
“When I was eight, I had to have my cataracts done,” he said.
“I wasn’t able to start learning to swim until after the operation. It took me 18 months to learn, but I haven’t stopped since”.
Highlights of his swimming achievements include a half-mile event in 2017 for the Macular Society, raising £795, and a Channel paddle with five others, raising over £3,000 for a charity set up in the name of Milly Dowler.
Robert lives with myopic macular schisis, which causes uncorrectable blurred vision and requires him to use a white stick for mobility.
“It has been a pleasure to meet and interview Robert,” said Phil.
“Hospital radio is all about giving back to the community and we like to bring on guests who volunteer in the Rugby area. Robert’s story is inspirational and shows what can
be achieved if you do everything you can with positivity."
Robert also praised local charities that support him, including Rugby Talking Newspaper, which provides spoken-word news for visually impaired residents, and Warwickshire Vision, whose befriender phones him weekly. He is also part of an RNIB support group.
“Another reason to invite Robert was to hear about his volunteer work with the Friends of St Cross,” Phil added. “
The Friends do so much to help St Cross and are great supporters of us at Rugby Hospital Radio.”
Constituted as a charity run entirely by volunteers, Rugby Hospital Radio broadcasts a range of programmes and provides a music request service to patients at the Hospital of St Cross.
Are you involved with charity or community volunteer work in Rugby? Send an email to [email protected] if you would like to appear on the show.
Rugby Hospital Radio is on Facebook, www.rugbyhospitalradio.co.uk