In Touch is a BBC Radio 4 program offering news, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted. It covers accessibility, technology, daily living and policy issues affecting the visually impaired community. The show features interviews, listener contributions and practical updates.
Episodes
Artificial intelligence: the visual impairment use case
The debate over the benefits and pitfalls of smart glasses has played out in many arenas, including in Parliament. These wearable devices often contain a built-in camera, microphone and speakers, allowing users to take photos, record video, make calls, and use AI to describe or read aloud what is in front of the user.On In Touch, we weigh valid concerns about the misuse against the potential for b
NHS App; Audio Described Football on TV
The NHS app is being described as the digital front door to the National Health Service. It aims to make access to the NHS quicker and easier. However, not everyone is convinced that the aim is being met, including the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on eye health and visual impairment. We're joined by the APPG Chair, Marsha De Cordova who explains the group's findings from its recent report.
Navigating Motherhood with Sight Loss
Are blind and visually impaired mothers getting the support they need? Not according to a recent report entitled "Navigating Motherhood with Sight Loss" from the RNIB. This finds that negative assumptions both from healthcare professionals and the general public often leaves them feeling undermined. To help us look at the issues raised by the report, we're joined by Lily Bond from RNIB's insight
Improving Access to Public Transport
For many blind and visually impaired people, access to public transport is a key element of living independently. So just how accessible is it, and what's being done to remove the barriers that plainly still exist?In this episode, we hear from Seren Jaye about her experience as a seasoned visually impaired bus user. We're also joined by the Director of Policy and Research at the Campaign for Bette
Getting Active
Finding the motivation to get fit and active can be difficult, especially when there can often be some barriers to entry for blind and partially sighted people. With this in mind, In Touch has assembled a panel of sporty visually impaired people to provide tips and advice on how to get started, or maintain your current fitness programme. Roy Turnham is captain of the England blind football team an
Access to the Bayeux Tapestry, Beware of Bogus Eye Treatments
A legal case is being brought against the British Museum over a lack of accessibility for visually impaired people to the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition. Dr Yusuf Ali Osman raised the case after being initially told that there were no plans for an audio described tour of the historical artefact. Dr Osman, along with other visually impaired people with similar complaints, describe the issue and we hear
Cost of Living Research, Non-Visual Noticing in Poetry
New research by RNIB has found that only 13% of visually impaired people surveyed feel their disability benefits actually cover the additional cost of their disability. This research comes at a time where the Personal Independent Payment is under review and so In Touch hears from the RNIB about their research and how they are contributing to this review.To celebrate National Poetry Day, In Touch h
Access to Theatre and London Fashion Week
Anela and Scott Wood are keen theatre goers, and they regularly attend the audio described showings of the biggest musicals at their local theatre in Bristol. However, they were recently surprised to find that assistance around the theatre (help with things like getting to the bar and other facilities) was no longer a clear-cut issue. The couple tell us what happened.'Making Fashion Accessible' is
Live Action Role Playing
Live Action Role Playing (LARP) is where people create a character, dress in costume and physically role play them within a real-world setting. In Touch finds out how visually impaired people get involved with this hobby by visiting one of the UK's largest LARP events, Empire, where James Crawford Laird role plays often. James has the sight condition Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and In Touch producer
Tactile Baby Scans, New Macular Degeneration Research
First Hello is a pilot scheme by the charity Guide Dogs which provides visually impaired expectant parents with a rendered 3D model of their baby, taken from their 20-week ultrasound scan. In Touch finds out more from some to-be parents who have received their models and Guide Dogs' Head of Support Services, Kerry Bevan.Macular Disease is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK and medical inter
Braille Food Labels Campaign; Bowled Over by Cricket!
With technology providing an increasing number of options for visually impaired people to access text, do we need braille food labels? Well a group of visually impaired people in Scotland certainly think so, and they've just relaunched a campaign to support their cause. Campaign leader Marie Harrower joins us to explain the objectives of their work and how it's progressing. We also hear what some
Advice for Visually Impaired Students
It is the time of year where youngsters across the country are receiving their exam results. For many, this will mean attending university for the first time in the next few months. It is a big time, but for visually impaired youngsters, there are added dimensions to consider. With this in mind, In Touch has assembled a panel of guests to provide hints and tips for new visually impaired students o
PIP Review Update, Braille Wine Labels
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) supports people with the extra costs of a disability or long-term health condition and it is currently under review. The steering group behind The Timms Review now wants disabled people to apply to participate in a series of workshops throughout September and October to provide feedback on draft recommendations. Decisions on these recommendations are then expect
Describing Heritage - A Different Approach to Audio Description
If someone has little vision, is it actually helpful to describe historical sites and objects using only visual language? That is a question being posed by a new project 'Describing Heritage' by charity VocalEyes. It aims to challenge traditional audio description at heritage sites (museums, galleries, stately homes) by involving blind and visually impaired people in the creation of descriptions o
The War Veterans who may lose their homes; Commonwealth Games
A charity's plans to sell a site on which there are homes for disabled war veterans has left residents facing fears of eviction. The charity "Sight Scotland Veterans" says that it is no longer financially viable for them to run the site as it is currently. We speak to visually impaired veterans Pete Conaghan and Bill Mackie, both of whom live there, and to the Sight Scotland Veterans Chief Executi
New College Worcester's First Non-Visually Impaired Pupils, the Commonwealth Games
New College Worcester has been a dedicated school for visually impaired pupils for 160 years, but it has recently joined with an education trust which has enabled them to take in their first cohort of non-visually impaired students. The school's principal Rachel Perks tells In Touch about the reasons behind the change, what impact it might have on pupils and staffing and how this change should sec
Comedy: Podcasts and Stand-Up
Can blindness be funny? This week In Touch discusses recent projects by two visually impaired comedy writers. One is a new podcast called You've got Braille, co-written by visually impaired comedy writer and TV producer Reece Finnegan. The podcast focuses on a young blind man who is muddling through life's complexities, with the disability adding another tricksy layer. The podcast was produced by
The Future of Braille
In Touch discusses braille's future and how it adapts alongside today's variety assistive technologies that can aid with reading, writing and consuming information. We are helped by young braillists from St Vincent's School in Liverpool and three seasoned braille users, Jackie Brown, Ian Macrae and Dave Williams.Presenter & Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Helen Surtees
Website
Redress for Failed Passenger Assistance, Funding for Visually Impaired Musicians
Passenger Assistance is a service rail users can book for help with things like navigating unfamiliar stations and catching connecting trains. When it goes right, it can be a service that boosts independence and travel confidence, but it can often go wrong. So now the Office of Rail and Road, who are the regulator for Britain's railways, are consulting on a new framework that aims to make the proc
Cooking: Tips and Tricks
Whether you are a confident cook or complete novice, In Touch provides tips on how to navigate the kitchen with a visual impairment. We have gathered a panel of blind and partially sighted people with an interest in cooking and who have a range of experience, levels of vision and kitchen set ups, to provide their tips, tricks and work-arounds.Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Producti
Modified Exam Papers
In Touch explores the barriers faced by visually impaired students when sitting their GCSE and A-Level exams, when obtaining both exam papers and revision materials in braille and large print formats.Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Kim Agostino
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above
Guided Shopping, Swimming Sisters
Shopping doesn't come without potential challenges if you're blind or partially sighted: locating the items you want and, depending on your level of sight, being able to get up close enough to understand if what you’ve found is really what you were after. Well, John Lewis is the latest brand trying to help, developping a pilot guided shopping scheme within their flagship store in London. In Touch
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists' New President & Questions about the future of Braille
With ophthalmology being the busiest NHS outpatient specialty, with around 9.7 million appointments in England in 2024, the Royal College of Ophthalmology's new president, Mohamed Elalfy undoubtedly has a busy three years in the role ahead. Mohamed speaks with In Touch about his plans for the College and about issues of concern to eye health and care patients, including the issue of long waiting t
New Access to Work Recruits, Audio Description on Streaming Services
The Department for Work and Pensions is in the process of hiring nearly 500 new members of staff to help clear the Access to Work backlog and tackle long delays. The Access to Work scheme can help disabled people gain and maintain employment by providing funding for things like support workers and assistive tech. A review of the scheme is currently underway which aims to reform the scheme as it is
Audio Description on Streaming Platforms
Ofcom has recently published a draft code requiring major streaming platforms to provide audio description for at least 10% of their content. This follows provisions in the Media Act 2024.In this episode - a first for In Touch - Peter White is joined by visually impaired guests, Nia Greer and Glen Turner to discuss the audio description of their chosen programmes.Our trio follow a broad approach,
Probing the SEND Reforms, RNIB Newsagent Service
The government has recently announced a reform of the provisions for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) pupils. It promises more resources for children in need of support. However, there are worries about how these reforms will work for blind and visually impaired children. Joining us for this episode is Dr Rachel Hewett from the Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research
The RNIB's new CEO, Simon Antrobus
The UK's leading sight loss charity, RNIB, has a new CEO. Simon Antrobus took over the role at the beginning of the year, having spent the majority of his career within the charity sector, including the past ten years leading BBC Children in Need. In Touch speaks with him about the position of the charity's finances, their current recruitment situation, the organisation's priorities of the future
Video Games: A Call for Regulation
In Touch hears about developments within the video games industry that pertain to accessibility. Including a white paper from the RNIB which is calling for regulation on standardizing accessibility within video games and a more collaborative approach to make more games accessible to visually impaired players. We also hear about a free platform called Able to Play, which allows visually impaired an
Barriers at the Ballot
Despite some encouraging developments, many blind and visually impaired people complain that they are still unable to secretly and independently cast their vote at elections. With UK elections fast approaching, this episode examines the current situation. Ian Hamilton reports on an initiative in Scotland, and also joining us are:-Rachael Andrews, whose action to bring a case to Court resulted in
Seeing with My Dog
'Seeing With My Dog' is the latest work from visually impaired playwright Roderick Dungate. The play explores Rod's turmoil with losing his vision and the complexities of training with a guide dog. In Touch's reporter Bethan Langford attended one of the production's rehearsals and she provides her impressions of the experience. Rod also joins the programme, and describes the play's themes and abou
Gardening: Tips and Tricks
Whether you have an interest in planting and growing flowers, plants or vegetables, In Touch provides tips on how to make the best out of gardening with a visual impairment. We have gathered a panel of blind and partially sighted gardeners, that have a range of experience, level of vision and horticultural set ups, to provide their tips, tricks and work arounds.Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Bet
Running, Reading, Radioing
In Touch speaks with three visually impaired people about their current work and projects. Clarke Reynolds, aka Mr Dot, is an artist and a runner who is taking on the Brighton marathon with the help of Rayban Meta smart glasses and Be My Eyes. Jixie Dye is trying to inspire young readers with her latest children's book, The Welsh Witch and the Queen's Curse and Frazer Tibbitts is the 2026 winner o
Payment Card Accessibility, Changes to the Motability Scheme
The UK's leading trade association for the UK banking and financial services sector, UK Finance has just launched a new set of guidelines pertaining to the accessibility of payment cards. They claim that 80% of the financial industry across the UK are actioning the recommendations, which include the standardisation of larger text sizes, and notches to identify different types of cards. Adam Scarro
Technology Training in Northern Ireland
Jackie Brown of STRIVE Ability delivers technology training to visually impaired pupils across Northern Ireland. The training Jackie provides is supplementary to the tailored support pupils receive from Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVIs) and classroom assistants. In Touch tags along with Jackie to visit two pupils in two schools as she delivers training
The 50th Winter Paralympic Games
In Touch reflects in the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games. Although the GB team did not return home flush with medals, ParalympicsGB are taking these games as a win in terms of some stand-out performances and future stars. In Touch digs into the visually impaired team's overall performance, how the sighted guiding works when plummeting down a mountain at speeds of 100mph and above and the ex
Usher Syndrome Helpline, Eye Matter
In Touch hears about a helpline that has been specifically set up for people with Usher Syndrome. Usher Syndrome is a dual disability that causes combined deafness and blindness. The helpline is provided and operated by Deafblind UK, Nikki Morris is their CEO and she describes why there was a need for a specific helpline for the group of people living with this condition.Continuing this week's the
Habilitation Support, Holiday Horrors
Following last week's coverage of the SEND reforms (the government's major plans to improve the support pupils with special needs will get in schools in future), In Touch hears about another far less publicised report from charity Guide Dogs. It highlighted that seven out of ten visually impaired children and young people surveyed were missing out on essential mobility support and training of dail
SEND Reforms
The government has unveiled its new SEND reform plans, with promises to ensure that every child with additional needs will benefit from better, more tailored support, and to make every school truly inclusive. But with little specific mention of visual impairment within the policy proposals, In Touch digs into what they might mean for visually impaired pupils across England, with the help of a pane
Cunard Cruises, NaviLens on Ultra-Processed Foods
Sharon and Tony Stockman are a totally blind couple that booked a 19-day voyage with Cunard cruises. They submitted their access requirements way in advance, but it all didn't quite go to plan when they stepped on board. With the help of the Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder, In Touch assesses their case. Eilidh Morrison has launched a campaign that aims to help more visually impaire
Pavement Parking in England, Charity Law
Councils across England are to be given more extensive powers to tackle pavement parking. The new powers are due to take effect later this year, alongside guidance on how the rules can be enforced in a proportionate way. The Local Government Association provide In Touch with details of what these new powers might look like across the country and when. A nation-wide ban was introduced in Scotland a
Update on the Macular Society
Regular In Touch listeners will know that decisions to make organisational changes by management at The Macular Society have been met with strong opposition. The changes include a reduction in the number of regional managers, a move which some in the charity say will badly damage service provision. Indeed, feelings are running so high that a group called "Save Our Society, Save our Services" or SO
Disability Confident Scheme, Blind Sailing
The Disability Confident Scheme is a government programme that aims to help employers recruit and retain disabled people. Organisations can volunteer to sign up and move through three tiers that have varying levels of commitments. As part of a series of measures to try to help with the recruitment of disabled people, the government are planning to overhaul the scheme and make certain criteria more
NHS Online Hospital, Braille Amplifiers
The NHS Online Hospital will aim to provide patients with the option of a hybrid care pathway, with the option of face-to-face appointments and digital connections with doctors and consultants. In Touch hears about the plans for the service, how it might contribute to bringing down long waiting lists and tacking the so-called postcode lottery of care across England. Blind Paralympic athlete, conte
Eye Tests for Driving, Sound Without Sight
Within the government's new road safety strategy, they have identified a number of areas they'd like to hear people's views on in order to make the UK's roads safer. One of these is whether or not to introduce compulsory eye testing for drivers who are over 70. In Touch discusses this idea with Lilian Greenwood, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport, Dr Peter Hampson wh
The Year in Review: Benefits & Access to Work
At the end of what has been a rather eventful year in the world of visual impairment, In Touch assembles a panel of guests with varying personal and professional experience of visual impairment, to discuss the events and where it leads us. This programme is part one of two of the discussion, which starts with benefits and Access to Work. Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
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Stardom Within Touch
In Touch talks to three visually impaired rising stars of show business. Betsy Griffin does many things: she writes music and sings, but her main goal is to become a radio host, where she has already presented on In Touch and a BBC Three Counties Radio show. Eleanor Stollery began performing with the National Theatre in her role of Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol, and she is now involved with delive
2025 in Review: Sight Loss Organisations
2025 could be described as having been a rather eventful year in the world of visual impairment. In Touch has assembled a panel of guests with varying personal and professional experience of visual impairment, to discuss the events of the past year. This programme is part two of our discussion, which focuses on sight loss organisations and the direction of travel regarding representation and where
A Visually Impaired Figure Skater, Navigating a New EU Border System
Aarifah Karim is a visually impaired figure skater. She had a stop-start entry into the sport that she now loves, not because of her visual impairment, but due it being a tricky sport to master and other people's attitudes. Aarifah describes to Peter White what figure skating is, how she became involved and whether or not her visual impairment has ever become an obstacle in pursuing the sport.The
Blind Matchmakers; Christmas and Mental Health
Blind Matchmakers is a new dating programme from ITV which features three visually impaired dating experts. The pilot programme featured a range of participants looking for love, along with some visually impaired contestants. In Touch provides tips for visually impaired people who might be struggling to feel festive this Christmas season, with singer and psychotherapist Victoria Oruwari. Victoria
In Touch Goes Shopping
In Touch pays a visit to two East Midlands highstreets to visit shops that have a direct connection to visual impairment. The first one, Seeing Solutions in Nottingham, focuses on specialist technology, provides some training and other technology services. The second store, a pre-loved clothing boutique in Castle Donnington called Wanted Wardrobe, is run by 'The Blind Stylist' Tilly Dowler.Present
Parents and the Blatchington Court Trust
What is it like to bring up a child who is blind or visually impaired in 2025? As a parent, how easy is it to find the right support and information and indeed, the correct level of understanding about your child's needs. Fern Lulham meets parents who attended a recent Parents and Professionals Conference hosted by Blatchington Court Trust, a visually impaired children and young person's charity b
Screen Readers
When it comes to finding the right screen reader to suit your needs, how do you decide which one to go for? It will depend on your budget, your requirements and familiarity. Earlier in the year, the company behind the leading screen reader made some changes to their pricing structures and another company within the market decided to respond to that with a limited-time discount. In Touch hears abou
Uber Guide Dog Update, Bake Off Casting Call
App-based taxi company Uber have launched a new accessibility tool for assistance dog owners. The optional feature allows people to self-identify within the Uber app, which will inform drivers that they are traveling with their dog. The aim is to offer riders better support and to try to combat trip refusals. General Manager of Uber UK Andrew Brem tells In Touch how people can use the feature and
A Dog for the Blind
We at In Touch have increasingly been hearing from people who say that if you're totally or near totally blind, you are harder to pair with a suitable guide dog and are being given lesser priority over people with more vision. These impressions have been circulating for a while and so we address them with Guide Dogs' Deputy Chief Executive Officer Peter Osborne.Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Be
The RNIB's Braille Transcription Service
The RNIB's long term strategy involves making substantial financial savings. One of the services proposed for cuts was the transcription on request of braille books and other documents. Following a high level of complaints about this, a year's extension of the service has been agreed whilst a consultation exercise takes place. However, concerns remain, including from visually impaired people who u
Changes at the Macular Society; Prima Implants
Changes at the Macular Society continue to generate a significant proportion of the contact we get from In Touch listeners. With the consultation exercise now at an end, we're joined by the Society's CEO, Ed Holloway. We discuss a range of issues with Ed, including the rationale for making the changes, what the new organisational structures will look like and what it means for those who provide th
Sir Stephen Timms on Access to Work
Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms provides In Touch with updates on the Access to Work scheme. AtW is the government programme that provides disabled people with support in the workplace; be that funding for support workers or things like specialist equipment. Throughout the course of this year, In Touch has been hearing many rumours about potential cuts to the scheme,
Access to Work; Access to STEM
The rumours continue to circulate about cuts to the government's Access to Work scheme. The scheme provides additional support for disabled people to get into and maintain work - such as specialist equipment and support workers. Following a summer of consultations, Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms is due to begin a review of the scheme but what do we know at this point? To help dig into this
Scottish Venues; A Career in Computer Science
Sight Scotland are a charity that provide support for vision impaired and blind people in Scotland. They have recently launched a report about the state of arts access across Scotland and a subsequent campaign that is calling for all venues across the country to be made accessible to visually impaired people. Scotland's culture secretary Angus Robertson has thrown his support behind the campaign b
Leaving the Macular Society, Age Verification Help
Since the spring, we have been receiving a steady stream of emails from people who are deeply concerned about developments at the Macular Society. The concerns have primarily been over the plans to make a number of the Society's regional managers redundant. In the background, there have been events evolving based around a WhatsApp group chat, which included a number of the regional managers who we
Bedtime Donations, Psychological Support
The Royal Society for Blind Children has launched a new campaign called Bedtime Donations, and its aim is to generate better provision of audiobooks for visually impaired children. The idea is that people can record themselves reading children's stories into an app, where it will be published and be accessible to visually impaired children. The Society's aim is to develop the largest free service
Guided Holidays
In Touch visits the Lake District and tags along to Ellie Bennet's holiday. Ellie booked a sighted guide through a free guiding service called Cambrian Visions. Cumbrian Visions provides visually impaired holiday makers with a guide to accompany them on their various activities. There is also a similar service happening in Devon, called The Cliffden Buddies, which came first. Julian Griffen, of Th
Online Safety Act; A TikTok Trend
Since this summer, age verification checks are required on certain websites under the Online Safety Act. The aim is to protect children and young people from content online that is deemed inappropriate or even harmful. But In Touch has heard from listeners that they are having issues with the accessibility of these age verification measures, and that they are being applied to a wide range of sites
Casting Your Vote; Edinburgh Festival Fringe; JAWS Pricing
The ability for blind and visually impaired people to cast their vote privately and independently at elections is an issue we've followed closely on In Touch. We're joined by the head of guidance at the Electoral Commission, Charlene Hannon, who tells us about their research of the matter and how you can take part.Our reporter, Ian Hamilton visited the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to meet some of th
New Pricing of JAWS the Screen Reader
JAWS is a screen reader that allows visually impaired people to access information on their computers. It works by reading aloud information such as emails, financial information, documents and more. But the company who produce the screen reader have recently announced rises to the cost of the software, along with some of their other assistive technology products, and it has caused worry amongst i
Macular Society Update; Deafblind in Scotland
The charity Macular Society provides support to people living with the UK's most prominent cause of sight loss, macular disease. They also help to fund research into finding a cure. In Touch has been hearing about the society's plans to reduce staffing levels within their regional team and so we speak to their CEO, Ed Holloway who explains what is currently happening with these proposals, which ar
Natalie's Story: Being Transgender & Blind
Natalie is a blind transgender woman and she contacted In Touch wishing to highlight the intersectional impacts of the UK Supreme Court's ruling in April, that ruled that a woman is to be defined by biological sex under equality law. Natalie describes how this could have major implications for how sex-based rights are applied and how society responds to her and especially those with disabilities.P
It Could Be You; All Things Dotty
How do you deal with a life changing disability? Penny Melville-Brown was a naval officer when she started to lose her sight. Now, decades later, she has used her experience as well as that of other disabled people to write her new book "It Could Be You". Penny joins us to explain, (among other things) what prompted her to write it, who might benefit from reading it and what its key messages are.
Access to Work: What Is Happening?
The aim of the government's Access to Work scheme is to provide support for disabled people to get into and stay within employment. It can provide support with things like specialist equipment, support workers and transport to and from work. But over the past few months, there have been rumours circulating that there are proposed cuts to parts of the scheme which is causing uncertainty amongst dis
Visible Voices; Blind Beauty; Live Audio Description for the Euros
It can often feel as though blind and partially sighted people, and disabled people more generally, are excluded when it comes to fashion and beauty campaigns. But In Touch hears from women who are trying to switch up the narrative and showcase that blind and partially sighted people, and disabled people generally, are active participants and consumers of these industries. Bérénice Magistretti is
NHS Ten-Year Plan; Maddie + Triggs
In Touch examines what the government's new 10-year plan for the NHS could mean for eye care, with Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists Adam Sampson.Maddie + Triggs is the latest children's TV show that puts visual impairment at its heart. Maddie, a 7-year old visually impaired girl and her pet dog Triggs explore the world around them through sound and music. It is created by Irish s
RNIB on the Benefits Bill; Visually Impaired Tennis
In Touch hears from the RNIB about their plans to participate in the Government's consultation on the Benefits Bill. They describe their position on the bill as it stands and how they will involve the voices of blind and partially sighted people in any consultations.With Wimbledon 2025 underway, In Touch looks at grassroots visually impaired tennis and a Yorkshire league, set up by an enthusiastic
Benefits Bill
The government have published their Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill, but there is growing concern among visually impaired people about what all of this actually means for their benefits. In Touch reconvenes some people in the know to try to provide information about what the bill, in its current form, means for visually impaired people.Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth
Pocklington Lodge
Pocklington Lodge is the last of the Thomas Pocklington Trust's housing complexes. The charity plans to sell the property, as a result of changes in their strategy and expertise over the years. In Touch visits Pocklington Lodge to hear from some of the residents, who fear what the sale of their complex could mean for the future of their homes. In Touch also visits Pocklington's headquarters to cha
Funding for Specialist Education
New College Worcester, who are a residential school and provider of specialist education for visually impaired children, has launched a campaign seeking wider government support for the provision of specialist education. The campaign takes a broad approach, asking government for greater support across both mainstream and specialist education settings. The College Principal, Rachel Perks, provides
Visually Impaired People in Space; NASA on SANS
NASA tells In Touch about a condition that affects the vision of around 70% of their astronauts. It is called SANS and although the space agency aren't currently seeing hugely negative affects to their astronaut's vision upon returning to Earth, they are concerned about what could happen once we begin longer-term space exploration, with this being considered a 'red risk' of reaching Mars.
Dr Sher
Joking about Blindness
In Touch invites three stand-up comedians - Jake Donaldson, Sydney May and Lizzy Lenco - to discuss how they use their blindness as a source of material in their comedy routines.For more information on our three comedians and where to see them live:
Jake Donaldson: linktr.ee/jakedonaldson
Sydney May: sydneymay.co.uk and Sydney May on social media.
Lizzy Lenco on social media.Presenter: Peter White
The European Accessibility Act; The Audio Description Association
The European Accessibility Act is a new piece of legislation that will apply to EU member countries from the end of June, but what effects might it have on the UK given that it is no longer an EU member state. The Act covers a wide range of products and services that blind and partially sighted people use daily. To help analyse this are Antoine Fobe, head of advocacy and campaigns with the Europea
Visual Impairment Registration; An Interview with Meta
The Association of Optometrists will be asking MPs to amend what they regard as an outdated administrative task that is delaying thousands of patients getting their certificates of visual impairment. These certificates allow people to get access to essential care services after a diagnosis, but at the moment only ophthalmologists can sign them off. Adam Sampson is the Association's Chief Executive
Guide Dogs - The Future
Times are hard for many charities, and those in the sight loss sector are no exception. In a previous episode of In Touch, we heard how Guide Dogs needed to take action to avoid a deficit of some twenty million pounds. So what form will that action take and what does it mean for jobs, services and waiting lists? We're joined by Guide Dogs CEO, Andrew Lennox who tells us about the charity's plans
