Blind Fife man given new phone by charity after pothole fall

Cupar man Harry Moffat fell in August, injuring his left leg, suffering cuts and bruises, and breaking his visually impaired phone, with allowed him to make calls without relying on the help of other people.

Mr Moffat, with the help of Michael Fyffe, equalities officer at the Cupar SNP office, was denied £480 compensation by Fife Council, which would have been used to purchase a replacement phone.

However, Mr Moffat has now been given a new phone, thanks to the Lady Margaret Skiffington Trust, which aims to help blind and visually impaired people throughout north east Fife.

“I would like to say thank you very much to the trust for helping me with this new phone,” he said.

“I would have still been left without one if they had not have helped. I am still very disappointed with the council and I have lost all trust with them. Thank you again to the trust for this new phone and helping be able to contact people again.”

Fife Council rejected Mr Moffat’s compensation claim, arguing that, on two inspections, one before and one after the fall, no defects were found that met the council’s intervention criteria.

But, just a month after the second inspection, Fife council repaired the part of the road where Mr Moffat had fallen.

He was left housebound for a time because of the fall and the incident had an impact on his mental health, according to Mr Fyffe.

Mr Fyffe had also criticised the council for its handling of the incident.

Trust chair Ian Palfrey said: “The Lady Margaret Skiffington Trust is very pleased to have been able to help Harry Moffat.

“It is really good to know that we have made such a difference for him. It’s a very good example of what the Trust does to help blind and visually impaired people in north east Fife.”