Rnib Connect

Gary Hogan was working in the RAF when he began to notice changes in his sight.  He told Amelia about changing career after sight loss, lockdown challenges and finding a love of chess which took him to IBCA World Individual Chess Championship. If you want to learn more about the BCA go to braillechess.org.uk 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. 

Zonic is an EDM musician with sight loss. David Hogg spoke to them about sight loss, love of video game music and how that inspires the music they make.

The issue of guide dogs and air travel has been in the news recently, Hubert has been speaking to Mar about his experience, together with Samantha from RNIB’s legal team who talks about the legal side of the story.

The Department for Work and Pensions are making changes to welfare payments and if you're of pension age and in receipt of tax credits, there are changes on the way.  RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell spoke to Dominic Milne, from RNIB's Legal Rights Service, to find out what you need to do, if you fall into this category.  If you'd like advice around DWP welfare payments, call RNIB's Helpline on 0303 123 9999.  #RNIBConnect  Image Shows RNIB Logo, White Background RNIB in Bold Black Letters with a Solid Pink Line Below

Jemma Davidson, 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: With the Paralympics fast approaching, we’d love your help to showcase how blind and partially sighted people take part in these sports and activities.   If you take part in Judo, Athletics, Swimming, Tandem Cycling on road or track, Triathlon, Rowing or Equestrian sports, we want to hear from you.    Email seesportdifferently@rnib.org.uk with the sport you do, to find out more and how you could be part of this fantastic opportunity.   Join Akqa, an ideas and innovation company at Wimbledon for an exciting opportunity to trial Action Audio, a groundbreaking audio accessibility technology for blind and partially sighted individuals.  They are hosting two special events: a 2 hour Zoom co-design workshop on the 24th and 25th June starting at 9am and a trial during the tournament at

This Deafblind Awareness Week Hywel Davies has been hearing more from the country’s only national charity that specialises in the condition, Deafblind UK. For more information on the charity, visit their website - Deafblind UK | Supporting Deafblindness in the UK

Amelia Catches up with Holly Tuke from the RNIB Social Media team for this weeks update. They discuss the Euros, what makes a GIF and alt text of an interesting water bottle mishap. 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. 

How accessible is the current voting process if you’re blind or partially sighted? And just what improvements do people want to see? Hubert has been speaking to one voter about their thoughts on the voting process. And if you would like to help make sight loss a priority for the next UK Government ask your local candidates to become an RNIB Champion if elected. To contact your candidates fill out the simple form here: https://rnib.in/GEConnectR 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. 

There’s a public speaking event being held in Glasgow on Tuesday 25th June showcasing several Blind and Partially young people’s public speaking skills following a course. David Hogg found out more.

News about accessible opera and ballet with a first for opera audio description at the Royal Opera House in London as there will be recorded audio description available at all of the performances of Tosca in July along with touch tours prior to the performances on Tuesday 16 and Friday 19 July at 6.30pm. RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined by Audio Describer Alice Gilmour who worked on the recorded description for Tosca and Paul Adams, Access Project Manager at the Royal Opera House to find out more about Tosca with recorded description. About Tosca:  From Sardou's play to Puccini's opera From the early 1890s Giacomo Puccini had toyed with adapting French playwright Victorien Sardou’s gripping melodrama La Tosca into an opera, but only began serious work following the premiere of the critically acclaimed La bohème in 1896. Employing La bohème's gifted librettists Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica to streamline Sardou's complicated plot, Puccini’s Tosca premiered in 1900.    With the city gripped b

The UK General Election is taking place on the 4th of July and it’s important that everyone heads to the polling stations to cast their vote.    Paulina Kuchorew speaks with RNIB’s Chief Executive Matt Stringer about what the charity is focusing on ahead of the UK General Election and why it's important to head to the polling station. And if you would like to help make sight loss a priority for the next UK Government ask your local candidates to become an RNIB Champion if elected. To contact your candidates fill out the simple form here: https://rnib.in/GEConnectR Image shows RNIB logo. A white square with RNIB written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line.

RNIB are offering guided walks to prospective candidates in the run up to the General Election. David Hogg spoke to RNIB’s Lewis Winton and Ross Meegan about how the walks are going so for and about the RNIB Champions Scheme. And if you would like to help make sight loss a priority for the next UK Government ask your local candidates to become an RNIB Champion if elected. To contact your candidates fill out the simple form here: https://rnib.in/GEConnectR 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. 

For all of us voting is an important part when it comes to having your say regarding the country’s politics, but how do young people feel for whom this general election will be the first time they get to cast their vote? Hubert has been speaking to one first time voter about how they are feeling as they prepare to vote for the first time. And if you would like to help make sight loss a priority for the next UK Government ask your local candidates to become an RNIB Champion if elected. To contact your candidates fill out the simple form here: https://rnib.in/GEConnectR 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. 

Now for the next in our regular slots here on RNIB Connect Radio highlighting what is on offer at the National Theatre in London for blind and partially sighted people with audio description. Our Toby Davey was joined again by David Bellwood, Head of Access at the National Theatre to chat about a few up-coming audio described shows at the National Theatre and a couple that are available online with audio description too via ntathome.com. Audio described performances included: Things are heating up in Memphis as the annual Hot Wing Festival rolls into town, with laughter, song and healing, in Katori Hall’s The Hot Wing King, audio described on Saturday 3 August at 2.15pm with a touch tour at 12.15pm and on Friday 23 August at 7.30pm with a touch tour at 5.30pm at the national Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre. The great American novel reimagined with The Grapes of Wrath, audio described on Thursday 15 August at 7pm with a touch tour at 5pm and on Saturday 7 September at 1pm with a touch tour at 11am at the Nationa

We'll join Jonathan Abro on the world's longest railway line for his final train travelogue. Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues. Image Description: Jonathan is a white man wearing a red coat standing with his arms raised beside wooden sign saying 'Congratulations you are now at Mount Kilimanjaro'. There is a mountainous landscape in the background and the sun is shining on him and the sign.

Time to sit 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 with RNIB Connect Radio's Paulina Kuchorew about the General Election, an important video highlighting the importance of being able to vote independently and in secret, and a prestigious advertising award that could have a positive impact on accessibility.  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 

Katy Kirby is a singer/songwriter from Texas. Her second album, Blue Raspberry, was released on ANTI Records in January 2024. A Little Alternative's David Hogg spoke to Katy on her recent UK tour about the pressures of releasing a sophomore album, her experience of signing with ANTI Records, and the joys of recording and touring with her friends. You can catch A Little Alternative on RNIB Connect Radio every Friday at 9 pm or Saturdays at 7 pm. The photo shows Katy Kirby, a white woman with short brown hair, wearing a white shirt, black waistcoat, and black trousers. She's crouching down in a field, holding a green book with her left hand and a cigarette to her mouth. Photo Credit: Tonje Thilesen

News now for lovers of opera as New Zealand Opera have just started offering access to braille surtitles for blind and partially sighted people.  Opera companies around the world regularly use surtitles – where lyrics or scripts are translated into other languages and published on screens during a live performance – to give audiences a deeper understanding of what is being said or sung on stage, in real time and now with the braille surtitles this will be the same for visually impaired people too. RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Brad Cohen, General Director of New Zealand Opera who has developed the technology alongside his company contexts live to find out more about what is a real game changer for blind and partially sighted opera fans. To find out more about the Braille subtitles and more about Brad’s company contexts.live do visit the company’s website link - https://contexts.live And for more about New Zealand Opera do visit their website too - https://nzopera.com (Image shows a port

On Thursday 20 June 2024 an in-person discussion event about parenting as a visually impaired person was held at the RNIB’s Grimaldi Building in London as part of the Spotlight on Stories Week.  RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey after the event caught up with Two of the Speakers who took part in the event Jenny Molineux and Amrit Dhaliwal as they reflect on how the discussion event went with a bit about their own experiences as visually impaired Mums. To find out more about the RNIB’s Children Young People + Family Health Services, the Parenting Guide or more about support for blind and partially sighted parents do either call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 999 or visit the RNIB website - https://www.rnib.org.uk (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

Time for a trip into the clouds with blind adventurer Jonathan Abro. In his first train travelogue he takes us on the spectacular A Las Nubes journey in Argentina. Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues. Image Description: Jonathan is a white man wearing a red coat standing with his arms raised beside wooden sign saying 'Congratulations you are now at Mount Kilimanjaro'. There is a mountainous landscape in the background and the sun is shining on him and the sign.