Rnib Connect

Voldi Gailans is 73 and a lifelong fan of reading braille books, listening to music and playing chess. Amelia learned more about his life and how changes in technology have impacted him. Learn more by visiting their website braillechess.org.uk Learn more about assistive tech on the RNIB Website www.rnib.org.uk/your-eyes/navigating-sight-loss/assistive-technology/ Image shows RNIB Connect Radio logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'Connect Radio' underneath.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next in his regular Connect Radio theatre reviews. This week Vidar was reviewing that classic family show 101 Dalmatians - The Musical as the current tour of the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production visited the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham with description by Professional Audio Describer Theo Hornsby-Walsh.   About 101 Dalmatians - The Musical: The smash hit musical 101 Dalmatians is off on a major tour of the UK and Ireland. When fashionista Cruella de Vil plots to swipe all the Dalmatian puppies in town to create her fabulous new fur coat, there’s trouble ahead for Pongo and Perdi and their litter of adorable, tail-wagging young pups. Dodie Smith’s classic canine caper is brought to life on stage with spectacular puppetry, show-stopping choreography, witty songs and irresistible puppies! This dazzling new m

Emily Annakin has just completed her studies in Architecture and Planning at the University of the West of England in Bristol with a 2:1.  Prior to starting her degree and while studying for her A-levels with all the covid restrictions at the same time Emily’s eye sight started to deteriorate and she was diagnosed with Stargardt disease which also got worse during her Architecture degree.   For part of her final year project, Emily reimagined a section of Bristol's harbour side making it more accessible and maybe more nature friendly too. RNIB connect Radio’s Toby Davey recently caught up with Emily to find out how starting to lose her sight during her A-levels affected her at the time, how she moved from using a pencil and paper to an iPad for her architecture and planning designs during her Foundation Year and throughout her studies for her Architecture and Planning degree. Looking at how to make open spaces more accessible to blind and partially sighted people for her degree dissertation and working with

The King’s Speech took place on Wednesday 17th of July and presented the new government’s plans for the future. But what could it mean for blind and partially sighted people across the UK? David Hogg finds out as he speaks with Roisin Jacklin from RNIB. For more details visit: 2023 King’s Speech: What we did and didn’t hear | RNIB Image: RNIB logo. A white square with 'RNIB' written in bold black capital letters and underlined by a bold pink line.

Did you, or someone you know, vote in the recent UK General Election and want to feedback on your experience as a blind or partially sighted person?  RNIB wants to hear about your experience, good or bad.  RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell spoke to Cate Vallis, from the charity, to hear more about the Turned Out Survey and how the charity is engaging with the new look House of Commons.  To find out more about the survey, go to www.rnib.org.uk or call the Helpline on 0303 123 9999.  #RNIBConnect  Image Shows RNIB Logo

It’s that time of the week where we catch up with the RNIB social media team to find out what there is to know in general and in the blind and partially sighted community.

Do you fancy setting yourself a challenge for 2025, maybe running the London Marathon? Well, you could do it for Team RNIB! Hubert has been finding out how you can get involved and also speaking to Lauryn who not only took part this year, but is also planning on running in the event in 2025. Find out more here: RNIB London Marathon 2025 | RNIB Image: RNIB logo. A white square with 'RNIB' written in bold black capital letters and underlined by a bold pink line.

Sight Village exhibitions are a great place to find new technology and services for blind and partially sighted people. Dave Williams went along to Sight Village Central to meet some of the exhibitors. You can find out more information on the Mini Guide from Seeing Solutions on their website - MiniGuide (pamtrad.co.uk)

What are the highs and lows of looking for love as a blind or partially sighted person? We brought together Leo Johnson, Karen Wye and Sarah Stephenson-Hunter to hear their experiences of dating as blind and partially sighted people. Listen to Karen on Hope FM, South Coast Hits and Radio Wimborne. Hope FM website - Karen Wye – Hope FM South Coast Hits Radio website - Karen Wye | southcoasthitsradio (studio5062.wixsite.com) Radio Wimborne website - The TeamRadio Wimborne | Radio Wimborne Learn more about Sarah on the Simply Equality Website - https://simplyequality.com/ Image shows RNIB Connect Radio logo. RNIB is written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath, 'Connect Radio' written in smaller black letters. 

 Each week, RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell sits down with Matt Stringer, CEO of RNIB, to look at some of the big stories coming from the UK sight loss charity.  This week Matt talks about the charity's post General Election work and another award for a major RNIB campaign.  If you, or someone you know, would like information on the support and services available from RNIB, go to www.rnib.org.uk  You can also call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or ask Alexa to call RNIB's Helpline.  #RNIBConnect  Image Shows  Matt Stringer, CEO of RNIB 

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next in his regular Connect Radio theatre reviews. A bit more Shakespeare this week with a musical riff on ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ set during the declassification of Area 51 with ‘Dreamland’ by Birmingham Musicals Youth Theatre who offer term time weekly theatre workshops for young people aged between 7-16. ‘Dreamland’ is the group’s end of year production which was audio described on Saturday 6 July 2024 at 7pm in the Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio by Professional Audio Describer Caroline Burn as one of the performers is visually impaired. For more about access at the Birmingham Hippodrome including details of audio described performances do visit the access pages of their website - https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/plan-your-visit/access/ To find out more about Birmingham Hippodrome Musicals Youth Theatre group

Each month, RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell talks with Anne Hornsby from MindsEye Description.  Audio Description makes television, movies, galleries  and other arts venues accessible and enjoyable for blind and partially sighted people.  AD is a narration describing what is physically happening, say on stage, TV or the big screen.  It can also describe works of art, places of interest or exhibits.  This month they discuss events at the London Natural History Museum, A Milton Keynes highlight and a Wonderland walk…  If you'd like more information on audio described events, go to www.mindseyedescription.co.uk  #RNIBConnect  Image Shows   Anne Hornsby from MindsEye Description, Studio Recording  

Following on from our recent interview with Dr Heather Smith, Access and Equality Specialist at the National Trust who gave a more general look at access across the whole of the Trust for blind and partially sighted people, this time RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey is joined by Ben Vleminckx, National Trust South West Project Manager – Everyone Welcome and Access for a more close up picture on how the Trust in the south west of England are welcoming and providing a range of access services for blind and partially sighted people. The National Trust who protect and look after hundreds of historic buildings, gardens and precious collections, miles of coastline, woodlands and the countryside, have and continue to provide access to their properties, sites and locations for blind and partially sighted people. If you would like to find out more about access at one of the National Trust locations near you or just more about access generally then do email accessforall@nationaltrust.org.uk or visit the following Acce

Sight Village exhibitions are a great place to find new technology and services for blind and partially sighted people. Dave Williams went along to Sight Village Central to meet some of the exhibitors. You can find more information on OrCam visit their website - Experience the Power of Assistive Technology with OrCam's AI Devices

Sight Village exhibitions are a great place to find new technology and services for blind and partially sighted people. Dave Williams went along to Sight Village Central to meet some of the exhibitors. You can find more information on Orbit Research visit their website - Orbit Research

How can the experience of going to sporting events be improved for disabled people in Wales? That’s the question that the charity ‘Level Playing Field’ will be asking in Cardiff this month, as Hywel Davies has been finding out. Read more about the work to make the match day experience more accessible: Making the match day experience accessible for spectators with sight loss | RNIB | RNIB Image: Level Playing Field logo, white text on a green background reads 'Level Playing Field'. Green text underneath reads 'For disabled sports fans'.

Sight Village exhibitions are a great place to find new technology and services for blind and partially sighted people. Dave Williams went along to Sight Village Central in Birmingham where he caught up with Ravenscourt Independent Living Products. Find more information on their website - Ravencourt Living - Visual Impairment

Blind comedian Jamie MacDonald is turning his attention to the Master Chef kitchen this August and he spoke to RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell about the challenge and his latest stand up comedy work.  For more information about Jamie, go to www.jamiemacdonaldcomedian.com  #RNIBConnect  Image has Jamie showing off his MasterChef apron which he's wearing over a black t-shirt. He's posing inside the iconic studio-kitchen with the big blue and silver MasterChef logo embossed in the wall behind him. (Image credit: MasterChef)

Alice Findlay, RNIB Customer Voice Insight Co-ordinator shares the latest opportunities for blind and partially sighted people to get involved in with RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey. Opportunities highlighted this week included: Have you had sight loss for four years or less?  Help the RNIB learn more about your experiences with travel and technology.  The RNIB is working on a large-scale project called ‘Travel Well with Tech’ which covers many different areas of work. The ambition of this project is to enable more blind and partially sighted people to make the journeys they want, when they want, where they want and how they want. We know that for any solutions to work, we need to understand the challenges that face different groups of blind and partially sighted people. For this particular piece of work the RNIB is looking for volunteers who are aged 21 – 64 and have been fully sighted to sight impaired or severely sight impaired in the last 4 years. Getting involved in this piece of work will mean you wo

It’s time for our weekly social media update as Hubert catches up with RNIB’s social media team. Image shows RNIB Connect Radio logo. A white square with 'RNIB' written in bold black capital letters, underlined with a bold pink line and beneath 'Connect Radio' is written in a smaller black font.