A Musselburgh woman who has been blind since birth has praised the Sight Scotland volunteer befriender who has given her “life-changing” support.

Every week, Freda Steel, 67, is visited by Tamas Danyi-Nagy, a 31-year-old Hungarian who moved to Scotland eight years ago.

He said the friendship they have built has been “life changing” for both of them.

Originally from Lanarkshire, Freda’s family moved to Pathhead when she started at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh at the age of nine. She was born very prematurely, which caused her blindness.

An “independent and positive” person, she moved to her home in Musselburgh about 10 years ago.

Freda said: “I love living in Musselburgh and I love my wee house.

“I do everything myself, all the cooking and cleaning. I am very independent and am always very positive; I just get on with things.

“I got in touch with Sight Scotland a few years ago about getting help to go out and about, going to the shops, or going for a walk or out for a cup of tea.

“Tam has been great and I look forward to his visits every Tuesday. We have become good friends.”

Sight Scotland, Scotland’s largest sight loss organisation, is appealing for more volunteer befrienders to help battle loneliness and isolation.

A volunteer befriender is someone who provides trained support and companionship.

Tamas said: “Befriending often provides people with a new direction in life and can unlock a range of activities that a person would struggle to do on their own.”

“I visit Freda every Tuesday and help her with whatever she needs to do, whether that’s a coffee and a chat, going shopping, or going for a walk.

“When I was a teenager, I had a friend who was blind; we were quite close, and I used to help him a lot. I found this very inspiring and felt I had a real instinct for helping, so I decided I wanted to help others in a similar way if I could.

“Freda and I have built up a strong friendship and we both get a lot out of the experience; I find it very humbling. I know I am really helping her but, in many ways, she is helping me just as much.

“When I first started it was like meeting anyone new – it was a little awkward as we were both trying to get to know each other.

“But we soon started to click and Freda could see I was there to try and help her, and gradually she started to open up and tell me about what help she needed, and what struggles she was having.

“We had to build up trust with each other and it has now developed into a real friendship, where we both look forward to spending time in each other’s company.

Tamas added: “I try to explain everything to her when we are together, whether that is in the house, at a café, or out for a walk.

“She is a real inspiration, and so knowledgeable on many subjects. Freda is about the same age as my mum, so I feel a real connection. She has made me appreciate everything I have and has made me listen to the beauty we hear every day around us.

“It is amazing to see how Freda’s life has changed through the befriending programme; she has become so much more confident and outgoing.

“During Covid, Freda was stuck in her house with no one to talk to or help her and this really affected her mental health.

“The difference I have seen in Freda since I started has been incredible; she has become so much chattier with me, and with others when we are out. I could see her confidence returning and growing week by week.

“She used to get all her food delivered but now she looks forward to going out to her local butcher or grocer. They all know her and treat her like a long-lost friend. It is so nice to see, and you can tell she is really enjoying it.”

He said: “If anyone is considering becoming a volunteer befriender, my advice would be just go for it, it really is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

“You are making such a difference to a person’s life; it is incredible to have the ability to do this for someone.”

James Whyte, volunteer development manager for Sight Scotland, said: “Befriending is often transformational to a person with sight loss and can open a whole new world to someone who lives alone.

“We are currently looking for more volunteers like Tam, who are willing to give up their time to help others. Just doing the simplest things like having a coffee and a chat can make such a difference to someone who is isolated and lonely. A regular visit can be quite literally life changing.”

Anyone interested in becoming a Sight Scotland befriender or finding out more about the charity should visit sightscotland.org.uk/volunteer or contact James Whyte at james.whyte@sightscotland.org.uk or call 0131 446 3154.