"I can't see a way around it": Blind woman from Norwich urges government to prevent blackouts
Racheal Andrews also suffers from Fibromyalgia, which means she's especially vulnerable to the cold
Last updated 19th Oct 2022
A blind woman from Norfolk's calling on the Government to put a support plan in place for vulnerable local people, in the event of power blackouts this winter.
The appeal comes after the National Grid warned that we may be without power between 4 and 7pm on the coldest days, if gas imports are reduced.
"I can't see a way around it"
Rachael Andrews lives in Norwich and also suffers from Fibromyalgia, a long-term condition that causes widespread pain.
She told us what she'll have to do- if the worst happens:
"You can say make sure you've got power banks and stuff like that so you can sit on the sofa and have some form of 'entertainment'. But, if you've not been able to cook in that situation, you've got to make sure that you've either eaten before or if you've got food- you don't need to heat it up. But the thing that really concerns me and I can't see a way around it, is being cold".
"I need very bright lighting to make use of the vision that I have left, for cooking or for anything like that. I also suffer from a chronic pain condition called Fibromyalgia, which has a secondary condition called Raynaud's syndrome- so, I'm permanently cold. The idea of having no light and energy to run an electric blanket or heating, really scares me".
"It causes my pain levels to shoot up"
She says it feels like those in power have forgotten about her:
"They are talking about incentivising the idea of not using power at busy times, that's all very well if you can do that. But some of us have to, there's no way around it so I don't think they the government have thought that far ahead".
"I'm worried about being cold because that doesn't just affect me in those three hours. It causes my pain levels to shoot up, so if I get very cold in those three hours the next day, I will feel absolutely awful, so it will impact me during the next day as well. I'm very concerned about how that's going to have far-reaching affects".
What have the Government said about this?
The Government say that numerous measures are planned to avoid blackouts, including placing coal-fired power stations on standby instead of retiring them as previously planned.