In Touch: News for Blind People: Recent Episodes
BBC
News, views and information for people who are blind or visually impaired. Presented by Peter White every Tuesday evening from 20:40 on BBC Radio 4.
It's the time of year to perhaps start thinking about a holiday, and when you have a visual impairment there are often lots of things to consider. How you'll get there, whether the accommodation will be accessible and the kinds of activities that you'll do. So, we thought we'd look at some trips that could be suitable; including Sense Adventures, who offer walking holidays in the Malvern Hills and elsewhere, The Visually Impaired Sailing Association, who teach you how to sail a yacht and Christine Thomas tells us about why her static caravan in Cornwall is perfect for her independence.
A few weeks ago, we spoke about a consultation that the Civil Aviation Authority have launched, to gather people's experiences of accessibility when dealing with airlines. They have now added a phone line, as well as online and email submission options. The number to call is: 0330 138 5015. You can also email: consumerenforcement@caa.co.uk. For more information, visit: https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/performance-framework-for-airline-accessibility/
Sense Adventures: https://www.senseadventures.co.uk/
The Visually Impaired Sailing Association: https://visa-gb.org.uk/
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
A few months ago, we discussed whether the modern world has become easier or more difficult for people with visual impairments. It is a very nuanced and subjective question, that has been and will continue to be fed into, but we thought we'd pick it up again and look at people's attitudes. This can be when receiving a formal service, such as from your healthcare provider or bank or just from people in the street. We've brought together three people with differing attitudes: Roshni Hafeez, Richard Lane and Gavin Griffiths, to toss this question around.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Reframing Fashion is the name of British Vogue's May edition. It features people with a wide range of disabilities. It was the brain child of their Editor and Chief Edward Enninful. Since taking on the role in 2017, he's changed the trajectory of the magazine to become more inclusive and representative. He worked on the issue with Sinéad Burke who runs disability consultancy firm, Tilting the Lens. One of the featured stars is the UK's first blind and black female barrister, Jessikah Inaba, who tells us about becoming a model for the world's biggest fashion magazine. For the first time in British Vogue's history, the magazine will be available in braille and audio formats. We also spoke to Kimberly Burrows - a blind artist, keen fashionista and now a first time consumer of the magazine because of its accessible formats.
To get a physical braille copy, you can email accessiblevogue@condenast.co.uk For more information on how to obtain accessible copies go to: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/may-2023-issue-audio-braille
Also this week; Haben Girma, a deafblind American disability rights lawyer shares her recent visit to the British Museum.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue
Helen Pownall contacted In Touch with the aim of warning other visually impaired people to keep an eye on their energy accounts. This was prompted when her visually impaired mother in law accumulated a credit of nearly five thousand pounds and she was no longer was receiving her bills in large print. Helen Pownall provides more information and we get advice from energy price comparison experts The Energy Shop.
The Civil Aviation Authority is reviewing their policies on accessible air travel; this encompasses guide and assistance dogs. We hear from the European Guide Dog Federation on what they'd like to see happen as a result and to the CAA, on what exactly they are looking at.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
King Charles's Coronation will likely be a highly visual affair and so charity Living Paintings wanted to ensure that visually impaired children and young people get access to the event. They have gifted tactile images and audio guides to schools, homes and people caring for young visually impaired people. Our reporter Fern Lulham attended a school in Kent, to hear what the visually impaired children there thought of these accessible gifts.
Clay modelling is one of the best art forms for blind and partially sighted people; that is according to Essex based Allan Mabert anyway. Allan had an illustrious working life; being one of the first blind rehabilitation workers, he was a sportsman who competed in one of the early Paralympic Games, and as if that wasn't enough, he was also London's first blind magistrate. But now in his retirement, Allan has found a passion for art. We paid a visit to Allan's pottery class, to hear more about his new found hobby.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
We investigate why there are so many TV advertisements not verbally announcing who the brand or product is anywhere in the advert. This was pointed out by Nathan Tree, who has grown frustrated by the lack of inclusion and consumer choice. We put the question to Zoë Waller, who is an Executive Producer for the video production company, Studio Yes and to Malcom Phillips from the body that regulates advertising; the Advertising Standards Authority; Malcolm is their regulatory policy manager.
Beauty company Estee Lauder have recently released a new app that uses artificial intelligence to help visually impaired people apply make up. It is called the Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant and can be used on iPhones (Androids within the year). Our reporter Fern Lulham tests it out, alongside make-up and fashion blogger Emily Davison.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Be My Eyes is a service that enables visually impaired people to connect with sighted assistance, via a smartphone app. You can get help with things like finding a lost item or identifying something you've just pulled from your fridge. But Be My Eyes are soon to release an additional feature called Virtual Assistant that uses artificial intelligence. It's thought that it will eliminate the need for sighted assistance and can suggest a recipe based on that something you've just pulled from your fridge. The BBC's Senior Correspondent in the US, Gary O'Donoghue has tested the new offering and he, along with Be My Eyes' CEO Mike Buckley, tell us more about how it works.
The world's first European Blind Football league is underway. Over the Easter Weekend, The Royal National College For The Blind's team played European sides and defended their spot at the top of the league table. We hear from RNC team captain and England player, Azeem Amir and RNC and England coach, Adam Bendall about the significance of this league and what is to come from the next two rounds.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Where do you go if you are seeking training on how to use the various technology? We look at whether the training provided by rehabilitation services goes deep enough and what alternatives are available to you. We speak to Simon Labbett, who is a rehab officer and Chair of the Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network, to Scott Wood who is a team leader at the RNIB's Technology for Life service and to Mike Townsend, who is representing the Technology Association of Visually Impaired People.
Blind stand-up comedian Chris McCausland has a new four part show, that airs on Radio 4's Tuesday night comedy slot. It's called You Heard it Here First and panellists have to decipher what is going on in a variety of audio clips. We review the first episode with visually impaired comedy writer and Assistant TV Producer, Reece Finnegan. On the episode in question, Chris' panellists were: Rhys James, Donna Preston, Alasdair Beckett-King and Ria Lina.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
We are debating a rather ambiguous question on this episode of In Touch: is the modern world more or less difficult for people who are blind and partially sighted? It is a difficult question because there are many variables to consider: your age, whether you have a job, how comfortable you are with the evolution of technology and, of course, your level of sight. To help us tackle it, we have invited Matt Johnson, who specializes in IT and data law, Roshni Hafeez, who is a VAT tax specialist with HMRC and Mike Lambert, who worked as a English lecturer in further education. There are also many areas to cover within this debate and so we have chosen to touch upon banking and trains and assess how technology interweaves into these and many other aspects of our society.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole and Paul Holloway
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words 'In Touch' and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
New data suggests that hundreds of ophthalmology patients are experiencing avoidable and irreversible harm to their vison by not being able to access NHS appointments. Over 70% of optometrists in the UK have also said they have seen a patient in the last six months who had experienced a delay to treatment of 12 months or more. Ophthalmology within the NHS is one of the biggest outpatient specialty and is experiencing severe pressure under patient need. So could a nationalised eye health strategy from Government be the answer? The Association of Optometrists and the Macular Society think so. We speak to Farah Topia, Optometrist and Clinical Advisor for the AOP and to the Macular Society's chief executive, Cathy Yelf.
The CSUN Assistive Technology Conference in California concluded last week. It is the world's largest event dedicated to exploring new ways technology can assist people with disabilities. Dave Williams from the RNIB was in attendance and he tells us what kind of exciting new technologies are in development.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Network Rail's Rupert Lown gives clarification as to when all tactile paving installation works will be completed across the entire UK train network.
Extant Theatre are a performing arts company that put visual impairment at the heart of all they do. One of their most recent renditions is a pantomime that is touring throughout March: the Super Power Panto. We sent along opera singer Bethan Langford to a performance in Wolverhampton during the first leg of its tour and she joins us to share her thoughts. Extant Theatre is run by visually impaired artistic director, Maria Oshodi. She joins us to give a little insight into her long career as a playwright and what the future looks like for Extant Theatre.
Remaining Super Power Panto dates:
Friday 17th March: Northern Stage, Newcastle
Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th March: Brixton House, London
Tuesday 28 March: Komedia, Brighton
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has seen widespread protests in recent months following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody. The news of the brutality of the regime against its protesting citizens has been widespread; we discuss how some protesters are being purposefully shot in their eyes and blinded. Khosro Isfahani is from the BBC's Monitoring Service and has been following the developments in Iran since the beginning, he provides us with a wider image of what is currently happening in Iran and explains the potential reasons behind these eye shootings.
We hear from two film makers, Tim Burton and Danielle Sellwood, who have recently held accessible screenings of outdoor adventure films at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival. Both have been making a conscious effort to include accessibility features on the films that they make, be those closed captions and audio description. Danielle and Tim tell us how including AD on outdoor adventure films may encourage blind and partially sighted people to get more active. Fern Lulham also joins us and provides a wider analysis of current AD provisions on movies.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Eleanor Burke recently travelled to Ireland via Gatwick Airport with her guide dog. She has made this journey many times before but this time was held up for an hour in the security area by a member of staff that was not satisfied with her guide dog's documentation. We invited her onto the program to tell us what happened. Adam Jones is Gatwick's Head of Passenger Services, he explains the steps they will be taking to ensure this does not happen to other guide dog owners.
Avanti West Coast are trialling a new WhatsApp messaging service, called Travel Companion, that will allow disabled passengers contact someone for help before, during and after their train journeys. Ricky West and Martin Byrne are both visually impaired and are working on the service, they tell us what people can expect from it. The number to contact the service is 07980037037.
And an update on the state of the tactile paving installations across the UK's rail network.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
With the ongoing war in Ukraine, the European Blind Union have been looking for ways to help the visually impaired that have stayed in the country and those that have moved to neighbouring countries. Their Executive Director is Lars Bosselmann and he tells us about some recent financial aid the EBU sent into Ukraine. He tells us what this money went towards, and about what the EBU's plans are to continue assisting the visually impaired dealing with the war.
Olga and Denys Petrov are a Ukrainian blind couple that evacuated to Poland ten days after the war began. We spoke to them soon after they moved; with a five-year-old daughter, seven animals and Olga was pregnant at the time. She has now had their baby and so we catch up with them to see how things are going and what their plans are when it comes to returning to Ukraine.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is the representative body of the ophthalmic profession in the UK. We've invited them onto the programme to give us some insight into what is best practice when delivering medical news about your eyes. Stephen Kaye is their Vice President and he tells us about the kinds of training that ophthalmologists get in this area, about whose role it is to give information on after care services and we discuss the importance of the Eye Clinic Liaison Officer.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Valentine's Day is a day for love! And so we've invited two visually impaired people and their sighted partners to talk about how sight loss impacted the dynamics of their relationships, about the assumptions that other people make; that the one who can see in the relationship must be the carer and we touch upon the element of falling back in love with yourself after sight loss.
Presenter: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Guests: Amit Patel, Seema Patel, Claire Sisk, Sergio Cianfini
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
New College Worcester is a residential and day school for pupils who are blind or partially sighted. In September 2022, they appointed a new principal, Rachel Perks. We invited her onto In Touch to talk about her ambitions for the role, what the future holds for the school and about the school's recent Ofsted reports.
We take a look at some of the smaller guide dog organisations, whose aims are to help beat the backlog for those waiting for a new guide dog. Neil Ewart is from The Seeing Dogs Alliance and he tells us about what their organisation offers and how it differs from the UK's leading organisation. Stephen Anderson received his first guide dog from The Seeing Dogs Alliance and he tells us what that process was like. And Abigail Hughes is from Pawtected. Pawtected encourage their members to self-train their pet dogs into assistance dogs. She explains how the process works.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
The Access to Work scheme is essential for helping disabled people get into and stay in work. It can provide help with equipment and travel and human assistance, in the form of support workers. But the RNIB has found that there has been a huge increase in the backlog and long waiting times to receive support. This can result in jobs being put at risk, as some employers simply cannot wait to have the position filled. We assess the impact of these delays with Melinda Hanvey and Samantha Leftwich, who have both experienced delays in their support packages. We also speak to David Newbold, who is the Director of Sight Loss Advice at the RNIB, about what the organisation is doing to help tackle the problem.
Clarke Reynolds is a visually impaired artist who works with braille and he currently has a solo exhibition at the Quantus Gallery in London. Clarke explains what people can experience at his first solo show and gives insight into his interesting life story.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
This week, we put guide dog waiting lists under the spotlight.
John Welsman is canine affairs lead for the charity "Guide Dogs". He joins us to discuss waiting times and the outlook for those on the list. We're also joined by BBC news reporter Sean Dilley who shares his feelings following the retirement of Sammy, his faithful guide dog of over eight years. And we speak to Isabel Holdsworth who tells us about the experience of training her own guide dog.
We also take another trip into the world of blind sport.
Nathan Tree is a keen blind ice hockey player. We report on an event he recently hosted in Oxford which gave visually impaired people the opportunity to get on the ice and try it out for themselves. We hear from some of those who gave it a go and also from Nathan about his ambitions to raise the profile of the sport.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Fern Lulham
Production coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
This week sees the latest in our occasional series of discussions about audiobooks. Peter White is joined by guests Jackie Brown and Dave Williams. Jackie and Dave have much in common - both having supported other visually impaired people in the use of technology, but more importantly for this episode - both are avid readers.
Our trio take a broad approach, discussing not only storylines, but also issues such as narration and the merits (or otherwise) of audiobooks generally. Each has chosen a specific book, namely:-
The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland and Dion Graham;
Dead Simple, by Peter James, narrated by Tim Bruce, and;
One Summer, written and narrated by Bill Bryson.
But who chose which book, why did they choose it and is their opinion shared by their fellow book lovers?
Links to audio books discussed in this episode:
The Lincoln Highway: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Lincoln-Highway-Audiobook/1473593190
Dead Simple: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Dead-Simple-Audiobook/B01CT46ECC
One Summer: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/One-Summer-Audiobook/B00E992WFO
Audio credits:
The Lincoln Highway: ©2021 Amor Towles (P)2021 Penguin Audio
Dead Simple: ©2016 Peter James (P)2016 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
One Summer: ©2013 Bill Bryson (P)2013 Audible Ltd
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Fern Lulham
Production coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
On a recent edition of In Touch, we heard about Accessible In Home Displays, or AIHDs. These devices are essentially energy smart meters that have been adapted to provide, for example, a text to speech facility. We were told that they should be available from energy companies for blind people who requested them. However, many listeners have told us that this has not been their experience. We take a closer look.
And Olivia Curno, CEO of "The Vision Foundation" and Keith Valentine, CEO of "Fight for Sight" join us with exclusive news on plans to tackle both the prevalence and impact of sight loss.
PRODUCER: FERN LULHAM
PRESENTER: PETER WHITE
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Over the years, In Touch has been keeping up with five visually impaired people. They all first appeared on the program as children in the 1990's, then as young adults in 2003 and now, twenty years on, we've invited them back for a reunion and to hear how their lives panned out.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Idea Concept: Hetal Bapodra
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
We speak to three visually impaired people working within the entertainment industry. Ellie Wallwork is an actor and writer. She has featured in some very high-profile TV programs: Doctor Who and Call the Midwife and she is currently co-writing an LGBTQ+ short film, released in the new year. Jake Sawyers is an actor, comedian, drag queen and all round entertainer. He has recently written and featured in a couple of TV pilots and is starring in a pantomime of Snow White over the festive period. And Eleanor Stollery is just 11 years old but has already played a big role in a Christmas Carol in the West End. She's also been the voice of a cartoon character in a children's TV program on Channel 5's Milkshake!
They join us to talk about their careers so far, their current and upcoming projects and what it's like to navigate such a competitive industry with a visual impairment.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
The Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) has an important part to play when being diagnosed with an eye condition, during later prognosis and treatment. We invited Paula Thomas onto the program, who is visually impaired and is currently working as an ECLO at Great Ormond Street Hospital, to tell us more about what her role entails and the kinds of things ECLOs can offer help with.
We often report on In Touch about sports that have been adapted to be played by blind and partially sighted people... but never netball. That's because, for the first time, it is being adapted to be played by partially sighted people. We hear from Sam Bird, who is CEO of Netball Superleague club London Pulse, about their upcoming netball festival that is encouraging new visually impaired players to join in.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Paul Holloway
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
A few weeks back, Pauline Mottram told In Touch about the way she was dealt life changing medical news; she felt it was given to her in an extremely insensitive way. We get the hospital's response and hear about a twist to her story. We also hear from Rowena Thomas-Breese who, thirty years prior to Pauline, experienced the same when being told she'd lose her vision and in the same part of the world.
We talk to Alan March Sport about how they are providing audio described commentary for this year's World Cup in Qatar. It's a free service and anyone with a smart phone can access it from home. Alan March is the company director and he provides more details, along with Pardeep Gill who used the service whilst in a World Cup stadium in Qatar.
And our reporter Fern Lulham tells us about a new way that blind and partially sighted people can keep on top of how much they are spending on their energy bills; with an accessible smart meter.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Paul Holloway
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.
Following on from last week's discussion about whether you can prepare for sight loss, we've been asked to provide further information about the type of services you are entitled to. Simon Labbett is a rehab officer and Chair of the Rehab Workers Professional Network and he provides details of changes that can be made in the kitchen, what you should be asking for and from whom.
If you own an older internet radio streaming device, you may have heard a recent announcement from the BBC stating that it will no longer be streaming on select devices, as of mid-2023. We investigate why this is and what can be done about it.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Paul Holloway
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image. He is wearing a dark green jumper with the collar of a check shirt peeking through at the top. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo, across Peter's chest reads "In Touch" and beneath that is the Radio 4 logo. The background is a series of squares that are different shades of blue.
Getting a diagnosis that your sight will deteriorate or eventually be gone entirely, can be life changing news. But can you prepare for it?
We brought together three people who are different stages along the sight loss path. Pauline Mottram received the diagnosis that she will definitely eventually go blind only a few days ago, and so we invite Amit Patel, who ten years ago went blind overnight and Marcia Beynon, who has a progressive condition and is yet to lose more of her vision, to offer some tips and guidance on this life changing event.
They all tackle the question: can you really prepare for blindness?
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Paul Holloway
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image. He is wearing a dark green jumper with the collar of a check shirt peeking through at the top. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo, across Peter's chest reads 'In Touch', and beneath that is the Radio 4 logo. The background is a series of squares that are different shades of blue.
Self-confidence can be impacted by many factors when you have a visual impairment or when gradually losing your sight. We look into confidence through the lens of beauty and self-care products and psychology.
Procter & Gamble own many household name brands, within beauty, haircare and personal grooming. Their Accessibility Leader, Sam Latif is blind and she has introduced features to some of their big-name products to make them more accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. We talk to her about these and how the wider beauty industry needs to become more accessible. But of course, self-confidence expands far wider than just self-care and beauty products and so we talk to humanistic counsellor, David Best about the kinds issues surrounding confidence that he hears about from his visually impaired clients.
Presenter: Fern Lulham Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: On a desk is a variety of beauty products. From the left is a make-up brush with a green handle, two bottles of skincare products stand behind it and a white bottle of soap with a pump behind those. In the background and blurred is a pink lipstick with a black and gold handle. In the centre of the image is an iPad or tablet with a person's hand reaching town to touch the screen. The image represents how technology can sometimes be helpful to people's beauty and self-care routines.
In recent years, charity Guide Dogs have published research that found 75% of guide dog owners had experienced some form of refusal of entry. Unfortunately, guide dog refusals are still very common and so we look into what steps you can take if it happens at an indoor establishment, for example: restaurants, shops, garden centres etc. We speak to a guide dog owner about his recent experience when being refused entry into a restaurant and to Clive Wood, the Lead Regional Policy and Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs.
If you're a savvy smartphone user, you may have heard of NaviLens. It is an app that enables visually impaired people to detect and scan special QR codes from a distance. On detecting the code, the app then makes the information contained within it accessible. It can dictate what you are facing toward, read signage at busy train stations and its also attached to many beauty and food products, enabling you to hear the ingredients. The RNIB's Marc Powell explains how it could be a potentially useful tool for blind or low vision smartphone users.
Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: pictured is a golden Labrador guide dog helping a man descend some stairs. The image is blurred in places, representing how the legalities surrounding guide dog refusals are sometimes confused and misunderstood.
The Elections Bill passed the final reading stages in the House of Lords and will soon receive Royal Assent to be passed into law. We discuss the amendments which were approved in the House of Lords and were proposed by visually impaired Life Peer, Lord Holmes of Richmond. The amendments aim to provide blind and partially sighted people the right to vote at polling stations independently and in secret. We speak to Lord Holmes about what these amendments mean for you in future elections.
The Graeae Theatre Company are currently touring the UK with an opera about an 18th Century blind woman composer called Maria Theresia von Paradis. The opera is called The Paradis files and it has disability access at its core; with integrated audio description, signing and an all disabled cast and artistic team. We speak to Selina Mills, who co-wrote the libretto and to the star of the show, Bethan Langford who sings the role of Maria Theresia.
Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: pictured are five cast members of The Paradis Files on stage. Bethan Langford stands in the middle, inside of a large gilded frame with red curtains on either side. All of the cast members have their right hand raised and are smiling. In the foreground in front of Bethan, are two 18th century style chairs with dark brown wood and embellished with tactile markings. Photographer Patrick Baldwin captured the image.
Breathe in...and out. Namaste. With the global mental wellness market reaching around $120 billion in recent years, here lies the truth that in the West, many are finding the daily incorporation of mindfulness techniques highly beneficial to reduce stress and to become more present in daily life. With its ever growing popularity, we wanted to hear from visually impaired people who are making a living within this industry. We speak to yoga instructor, Claire Miller, we put Peter into the healing hands of Nick Mulryan who performs a reiki session on him and we speak to Marc Norton who demonstrates his work in the area of sound healing. We also explore how viable the wellness industry is as a career for people with visual impairments.
Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: pictured is Peter (on the left) and Nick Mulryan (on the right) in Nick's office at The No.1 Pain Relief Clinic in Buxton. Nick is holding an A4 piece of paper that details the 7 major chakras of the body. On the wall behind Peter to the left, hangs two images of the human skeleton with various labels branching off. Behind the pair are two shelves with towels and various boxes on. To the right of Nick there is a desk and a small shelf with two medical models of the human foot, which show the bones and muscles inside.
Amendments to the Elections Bill are making their way through Parliament at the moment. They are not yet set in stone, but they include some significant changes to our rights to a fully independent and secret vote at polling stations. The RNIB have raised their concerns surrounding the wording of these proposed amendments; they think it will water down our protections and assurances to a secret vote and they have issued an online petition. We speak to the Chair of the RNIB, Anna Tylor and also to Rachael Andrews, who initiated (and won) a high court ruling that the current accessibility provisions for blind and partially sighted people at polling stations is unlawful.
A new educational astronomy project, called Audio Universe, has been launched by the universities of Newcastle and Portsmouth. It's a guided tour of our galaxy, and its aim is to allow people full access to the wonders of the universe, and to encourage visually impaired people to become keen amateur astronomers, or even contemplate a career in astronomy. They've done this by turning the light from objects in space into sounds so that blind and partially sighted people can hear, spatially, where different planets and stars are located within our galaxy. We hear some of the project, we speak to two youngsters who have experienced the Audio Universe and also to blind astronomer Dr Nic Bonne, who is also the expert tour guide in the project. We also speak to Rachel Lambert, a teacher for visually impaired children and the space ship's captain.
The music in the project is by Dr Leigh Harrison, the sound design is by Dr Chris Harrison of Newcastle University and Dr James Trayford of the University of Portsmouth.
Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: pictured is planet Earth and other distant stars in our galaxy. The image shows these from outer space. In the top left is a series of bright blue stars, surrounded by smaller stars that are less bright and more distant. In the foreground is Earth, with half of it in darkness. In the top right is a series of bright red stars, which perhaps represent other planets or large stars.
The recent amendments to the Highway Code give, among other things, priority to pedestrians. This sounds like seemingly good news if you're blind or partially sighted; but charity Guide Dogs have raised concerns that, especially in the early stages, these changes could be dangerous as road users take time to get used to the new rules. We ask Guide Dogs' head of canine affairs, John Welsman to outline their concerns and what this all means for blind or partially sighted pedestrians.
You may be a fan of cartoons or animated films, but have you ever had a go at making one? 11-year-old Elodie Bateson has been blind since birth, but she does not let this stop her creating short films on her iPad. Our reporter, Fern Lulham found out how she does it.
Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: pictured is a woman, dressed in dark clothing and a hat, crossing a road with a black guide dog and a white cane. At the top left of the image is a series of parked cars, with a large white van at the forefront of them. The sun is shining down on the road and is reflecting off of the pavement.
There are many types of eye conditions that can cause blindness or low vision and we often get requests to cover some of them in more detail. Tonight we're discussing Retinal Vein Occlusion with medical retina consultant Luke Nicholson from Moorfield's Eye Hospital. We discuss how the condition affects the eyes, the causes and the treatments.
What techniques do you have for reading the room in social situations? Perhaps you listen out for the rustling of clothes or pick up on a hefty exhale when someone is irritated. Well, tonight we speak to blind Australian psychologist Courtney McKee about the kinds of techniques she uses to understand what is happening in a room, both in a work environment and in a more relaxed party environment.
Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: pictured are eight people sat around a dinner table, celebrating. One gentleman is stood, seemingly giving a speech whilst everyone else is smiling or laughing in his direction. The image represents a busy social setting, which can sometimes be difficult to read.
Like many things in the art and performance sector, there isn't much that blind and visually impaired people haven't been involved in. And drag is no exception. It is thought to have been around in the UK since Shakespearean times and the first recorded drag queen is thought to have been in 1732. It has a long and rich history here in the UK. Today, drag reaches far beyond just drag queens. There are drag kings, performers experimenting with androgyny, celebrity impersonators, and much more. We wanted to find out more about the art form of drag and how visually impaired people go about it, so we spoke to Jake Sawyers, aka drag queen Venetia Blind and Amelia Lander- Cavallo, aka drag king Tito Bone.
Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings
Website image description: A group of drag humans. They are all waving and making faces at the camera. Everyone is in bright colours, fantastic make up and a lot of eco glitter. Picture taken by Christopher Andreou.
Audio clip of the RuPaul's Drag Race theme song is used by permission of World of Wonder Ltd.