King’s College Hospital’s first visually impaired volunteer
02 June 2026 - Providing opportunities for disabled people to feel supported and gain experience in the workplace
To celebrate Volunteers Week, taking place between 1 June to 7 June, we’re highlighting the importance of inclusivity across King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Edesiri Eyeregba, who has a vision and hearing impairment, applied for a volunteer role at King’s as a way of building experience and improving his employment prospects when leaving college later this year.
Edesiri said: “I usually get rejected, so I was really surprised when I was offered a volunteering role at the interview.”
The 24-year-old from Streatham, was offered several adjustments before his interview, including a copy of a PowerPoint presentation, so that he was able to prepare.
Christian Rafael, Volunteer Services Recruitment and Training Coordinator at King’s College Hospital, said: “Edesiri performed exceptionally well at interview, and we were in no doubt that he was full of potential. Having a visual impairment shouldn’t hold anyone back from volunteering, and we were keen to see how we could help.”
Edesiri went on to become the first volunteer with a vision impairment at King’s. He currently works in an office at Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) in an admin role. He is responsible for updating the volunteer database, to document when volunteers are unable to complete their shifts. Edesiri said: “The team here are really helpful. If you have any difficulties with understanding anything, then just talk to someone. Just go for it!”
The process of hiring Edesiri has helped the Trust to understand what adjustments are required for someone who is visually impaired to work in an administration role. The Trust installed screen reader software called NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) onto a computer, so that Edesiri could access emails. He uses his own braille keyboard to be able to respond and input data into documents.
Gavin Dean, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion lead at King’s, said: “As an organisation we are committed to making adjustments for our staff and volunteers. It is important for the Trust to provide those opportunities for disabled people to feel supported and to gain experience in the workplace.”
Day-to-day Edesiri is supported in his role by Ify Hague, a Specialist Teaching Assistant from the Royal Society of Blind Children (RSBC). She’s been helping him to navigate his surroundings and establish what he’s expected to do. Ify said: “It took us awhile to get used to the systems, but now I just sit in the background. He’s so quick. He now wants to encourage more people to apply. If he can do it – anyone can.”
South London born Edesiri recently doubled his hours and will soon be looking for a full-time job. Until then he hopes to continue to build on his experience at the hospital.
Amber Yusuph, Volunteer Service Manager at King’s, said: “It’s important that our volunteers come from all walks of life, so that we represent the communities we serve. It’s a pleasure to have Edesiri working at the hospital, he is an inspiration to us all.”
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a registered Disability Confident Employer, actively committed to inclusive recruitment, workplace accessibility, and supporting staff with disabilities or long-term health conditions.
To learn more about volunteering: Volunteering | King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
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