When the RNIB announced changes to the way they deliver their Technology for Life service, we at In Touch heard a lot of trepidation from listeners over where visually impaired people can now go for meaningful support with tech. We thought we'd bring together a panel of guests from some of the big names across the sight loss sector, to tease out where this kind of help can be found and, ideally, delivered in-person. This programme is part one of two, where we assess the issue with guests from RNIB, TAVIP, AbilityNet, Visionary, a Rehabilitation specialist and Sight and Sound Technologies. The subsequent programme will focus on the potential solutions to this lack of in-depth and in-person support. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Kim AgostinoWebsite image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

The eye care support pathway is a framework developed by the RNIB and partners from across the sight loss sector. It aims to support people through the various stages of sight loss by helping them to understand those stages and signposting them to sources of assistance to navigate through each one. Rob Cooper, Director of Strategic Engagement at RNIB joins us to explain how the process will work, and Dr Peter Hampson, Clinical and Policy Director at the Association of Optometrists gives us an eye care professional's view. Worried listeners have contacted In Touch with concerns that sighted support to enable guide dogs to go free running could be withdrawn. We speak to Mark Sanderson, Director of Skills, Information and Support at Guide Dogs to clarify the situation. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Pete Liggins 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.

It's now two years since the publication of "The Unseen" - a report exploring domestic abuse experienced by blind and visually impaired people. Now Extant, a group of visually impaired performing artists, has adapted the report into an audio drama, and a short tour of the production starts on the 16th of October in Wolverhampton. Extant members, Ben Wilson and Georgie Wyatt join us to explain more about their work. Leeds Playhouse Theatre is one of a number of organisations to have collaborated with the Thomas Pocklington Trust and RNIB to provide internships for visually impaired people. We talk to Akin Famakin about his experience as an intern at the Theatre and to Amy Leach, the Deputy Artistic Director.Presenter: Beth Hemmings Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Pete Liggins 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.’

When you need help or information, where is best to turn? Perhaps reaching out to peers via online methods, or perhaps finding a group that you can meet up with in-person.Has the prevalence of social media and online meetings discouraged in-person get togethers and has it meant that the quality of our interactions has been diminished? Or does it make accessing information and help from peers and organisations much easier and more efficient. The answers will naturally differ from person to person, depending on preference and whether you are able access to online methods. This episode is dedicated to peer support; where you get it from, who you get it from, and in what form you prefer it.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

For many years, we've been used to in-stadium commentaries on football matches for people with no or only a little sight, but Crystal Palace have become the first Premier League club to offer another permanent high-tech accessibility feature to their partially sighted fans. It is called the GiveVision device. It provides people who have some remaining vision with an enhanced view of the game, up close to their eye. Fans Susan Vernon and Phil Green tell us of their experiences using the headset device at Selhurst Park stadium and Joanna Liddington from GiveVision describes the kind of interest they have received from other clubs.Couple Emma Tracey and Robin Spinks allow us to tag along as they attend their regular cold water swimming spot. They describe the benefits they experience from cold water submersion, along with some of the more specific benefits of this activity for visually impaired people.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Pete Liggins Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Melanie Barratt is a decorated Paralympic swimmer, having won two Golds, two Silvers and a Bronze at the Atlanta and Sydney games. She has had a long career, but her most recent feat took her away from the swimming pool and into the English Channel. Melanie recently completed the 33km swim and made history while doing it, as she is thought to be the first blind woman to have finished. Melanie tells In Touch about how she prepared for the challenge (which involved regularly dipping into a barrel of freezing cold water), about the methods of how she did it as a blind person and about the health benefits that she believes cold water swimming provides.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

New research done at Anglia Ruskin University's vision and eye research unit, suggests that people who lose their sight in early life, or indeed are born without sight, have more difficulty in judging the distance of a sound source, than those who lose their sight later in life. This seemingly counterintuitive idea piqued our interest and so Professor Shahina Pardhan, the director of the unit and lead author of the study, explains their findings, why they matter and what they plan to do with them. The Paralympic Games are over, and so we thought we'd check-in with swimming twins Scarlett and Eliza Humphrey once more, following their Games debut. They tell us about their impressions of their first games and about their aspirations for reaching the Los Angeles 2028.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

The Paris Paralympic Games have got off to an explosive start, with many of our visually impaired athletes earning gold, silver and bronze medals. In Touch brings you up to date with who won what and interviews with gold medal cyclist Lizzie Jordan and silver medal rower Sam Murray. We also speak to David Clarke, who is totally blind, and was appointed as the CEO of Paralympics GB fairly recently. David reflects upon the legacy piece behind the games, about the levels of low-vision athletes at this years games and how the issue of the lack of sporting opportunities for visually impaired youngsters can be addressed.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Steve Darling is not the first visually impaired MP, but he is the latest, after winning Torbay in Devon for the Liberal Democrats in July's general election. In Touch speaks to Steve about the excitements and challenges of taking up his new role in the Mother of parliaments.In Touch visits an archaeological dig site in Cookham, where an 8th century monastery is being excavated. Our main interest there, aside from the various skull and bone discoveries, is visually impaired Jonathan Charmley. Jonathan has always had a keen interest in history and decided to begin an archaeology course at university. During his studies, he lost most of his vision as the result of a brain tumour. In Touch finds out what performing archaeology is like for Jonathan since losing his vision.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Everyone has to put their trust in other people from time to time but when you are blind or partially sighted, do you have to do it more often than most? For example, when asking a stranger for help on the street or in a train station, when purchasing something in a shop and in our relationships. To help us analyse this topic are three visually impaired people with differing career backgrounds, relationships and life experiences, who also acknowledge there are many times when they have to take a bit of a gamble on when and who to trust. They are Richard Lane, Denise Leigh and Kelly Barton.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Tony Sheeran tells In Touch about a recent incident when he was attempting to book a self-guided walking holiday on the Isle of Wight, along with his sighted wife and guide dog. Sheeran is an experienced walker, having conquered Mount Fuji and the Capital Ring, but when he came to book with travel operator Macs Adventure, he was initially refused the booking.Recently, the In Touch team released a documentary called Fifty-Fifty Vision. Within that, we meet visually impaired 16-year-old Sasha McBride, who describes her career ambitions - getting into medicine. We thought we'd bring her together with someone she looks up to, someone who has the same form of albinism as Sasha and is currently practicing medicine as an NHS GP, Dr Oscar Duke.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

In Touch has been hearing that many local Talking Newspapers are experiencing long delays linked to the postal service. Talking Newspapers are an essential service to blind and partially sighted people, as it keeps people informed of localised events and news. Listeners access a TN via recorded readings of the local papers by volunteers. The recordings are then put onto the listeners preferred format - be that a USB stick, a CD or even a cassette tape - and then are delivered to the listener's front door. Under Royal Mail's Articles for the Blind scheme, these are supposed to be delivered via first class mail, but the TNs are reporting that this is not happening. We hear from a number of local TNs and from the Talking Newspaper Federation.It will soon be time for the Paralympics, the worlds biggest celebration of disability sport. As a warm up to the event, In Touch meets Eliza and Scarlet Humphrey who are twins, are both totally blind and are both competing in swimming at the Paralympics 2024.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

In Touch has learnt about changes happening to the RNIB's Technology for Life service that will result in major changes to how the service is delivered, and may result in staff redundancies amongst the team that has many visually impaired employees. This change is separate from a ten-year proposed plan of changes that we recently spoke to the charity's Chief Executive Matt Stringer about. These included a need for cost savings of around £10 million and may also result in redundancies for staff. The world now has a blind Barbie doll. Influencer, broadcaster and model Lucy Edwards brought her into the studio to be introduced to the In Touch team and to tell us what she means for representation. We analyse more widely whether representation of this form is of benefit to disabled children with Rebecca Atkinson, who founded the Toy Like Me campaign. The campaign began as a call on toy companies globally to become more inclusive of disability within their products. Rebecca also began her own disabled-led children's brand, with her Channel 5 pre-school children's programme 'Mixmups', which has disabled characters.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Brigid Harrison-Draper Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Researchers from Moorfields Eye Hospital and University College London (UCL) have identified markers in the blood that may predict which Glaucoma patients are likely to continue losing vision despite treatment that aims to lower the pressure that causes their sight loss. Professor Ted Garway-Heath tells In Touch more about their clinical trial. On In Touch, we've always tried to be careful not to raise false hopes about new eye treatments, but occasionally its too irresistible to not take a peek into the future and look at how modern technology might help us. Developments such as Artificial Intelligence are happening so rapidly, even in the world of eye care. Pete Thomas is the Executive Director of Digital Development at Moorfield's Eye Hospital and he tells In Touch about the application of AI which is already having an effect on the rate of diagnosis of eye conditions, and therefore the speed with which they can be treated.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

After 15 years, Cathy Yelf is retiring as the CEO of the Macular Society. Over those years, Cathy has demonstrated a great passion for and has been instrumental in generating wider awareness for macular related diseases. She has also been a regular and trusted contributor to In Touch on issues relating to the diseases. Peter conducts a farewell interview with Cathy Yelf, discussing what has changed since her beginning with the charity and what the situation has evolved into, relating to the progress of treatments and research into macular related diseases. Audio description (AD) has become a popular access feature for some visually impaired people who enjoy TV, film and the theatre. It is experiencing something of a boom period, with its latest application being at music gigs. A new initiative by the Audio Description Association Scotland (ADAS) has recently seen the application of AD at some big-name concerts in Scotland. But, will it soon be available in the rest of the UK?Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Like many charitable organisations, the RNIB is facing financial losses in certain areas and is having to find means of saving money across the organisation. It needs to cut around £10 million and staff have been told that redundancies will be happening. The RNIB's CEO Matt Stringer tells In Touch about the charity's current financial situation, whether any of services will be impacted and about the level of redundancies across the organisation. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Emma Tracey has a long association with In Touch and is now the presenter of the BBC disability and mental health podcast "Access All". Emma has been speaking to politicians ahead of the general election about issues affecting disabled people. We welcome her back to tell us what she learned, including about issues specific to the blind and visually impaired community.Andrew Hesser is fascinated by wildlife. Indeed, his curiosity of creatures set him on a mission to identify ways of giving blind people like himself the tools to better understand what animals look and feel like. Andrew has collaborated with the British Library in London on his work and we visited him there to find out more about his plans. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: David BaguleyWebsite 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 UK Clinical Eye Research Strategy aims to provide focal points for research and funding into eye disease, treatments and prevention. They have updated their areas of focus, based on a survey of what patients want and need. Professor Rupert Bourne is consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, and has been the national lead on ophthalmology research for the past nine years. He describes what areas the strategy will now focus on and why, and gives details of other important nation-wide studies relating to eye disease prevention and care.Lauren Stairs is a totally blind psychotherapist and she is about to embark on a year-long charitable venture to a blind residential school in Kenya. Through the charity she and her team will be setting up, her aim is to give the children confidence in their own abilities, to encourage parental involvement in the children's education and assist with financial challenges that some families there face.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

The NHS has launched a tool to try to improve bowel cancer screening for people with sight loss. The Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) can detect signs of bowel cancer and it is important to catch it as early as possible. The FIT aid tool is an adaptation which makes the standard test more accessible with a channel that enables the faecal sample to be guided into the bottle, as well as a stand that holds FIT tube steady. Steve Russell is National Director for Vaccinations and Screening at NHS England and he provides more information on how it works and age eligibility.We've talked before on the programme about the variable experiences blind and partially sighted people have when flying with their guide dogs, but now we're hearing about people who are being told they can't fly because of where the dog was trained, and by whom. Mar Gunnarson is from Iceland and has lived in the UK for a number of years. Mar is a frequent flyer in and out of the UK but has faced blockages due to definitions of what is recognised as a certified guide dog for air travel. Mar describes what has been happening, and the RNIB's Senior Legal Adviser Samantha Fothergill provides some clarification on the legalities.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Alt-Text is an image description for those who use screen readers. It is an important accessibility tool that is often misused or is missing entirely, impacting on visually impaired people's experiences when consuming online content. The BBC's Johny Cassidy was instrumental in creating new mandatory training and guidance for journalists so that they can consider and begin to implement meaningful descriptions of images, graphs, maps and graphics etc in the content that they create. The guidance is also available for journalists and content creators outside of the BBC. Johny describes why and how this all came about and Holly Tuke, a visually impaired blogger and content creator, describes how important Alt-Text is to her online experience.Gareth Mainwaring is from West Wales and has recently discovered goalball. It is a sport designed specifically for people with visual impairments and it has had a profound impact on Gareth's life. He and his mum Helen describe how the sport, as well as making Gareth more active, has created more opportunities. If you are interested in getting involved in goalball, you can find details of Goalball UK's taster sessions via the following link: https://goalballuk.com/the-sport/taster-sessions/Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Although not now new, gene therapy is an evolving procedure for the treatment of a range of eye conditions. Recent developments include an American-based trial involving a gene editing process known as CRISPR. We speak to Dr Eric Pierce and Dr Mark Pennesi, who were both involved in the trial, as well as Olivia Cook, who tells us about her experience of undergoing the pioneering treatment.Closer to home, we caught up with Professor Rob Lucas from the University of Manchester. Professor Lucas tells us about developments in gene therapy here in the UK.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Technology often supports blind and visually impaired people to achieve independence. However, the process can also work in reverse - hindering rather than helping. We speak to listeners about their experience of booking to see their favourite acts using Ticketmaster. And is an update to an app always good news? Maybe not if you're a blind user of Sonos speakers. We look at what's caused the upset and hear what Sonos is doing to put things right. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings/Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Victoria Harrison is the UK's first totally blind ambassador to be posted overseas. In August she will take up the role as Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, and will be accompanied by her guide dog Otto. Victoria tells Peter about how she got into the diplomatic service, coming up against peoples perceptions of visual impairment and her capabilities to be a diplomat, and about the positive interactions that can stem from being blind when negotiating with others who may have very different political views.Visually impaired globe-trotters Dawn Hopper, Hayley Kennedy and Amar Latif share their tips and tricks for efficient travel when you are visually impaired and about some of the sometimes surprising cultural differences they have experienced. Hayley Kennedy is considered to be the only disabled person, let alone visually impaired person, to have travelled to every country recognised under the United Nations. Amar Latif founded the assisted holiday company for visually impaired people 'Traveleyes', and Dawn Hopper has family in both Switzerland and Spain, and travels regularly with her new guide dog Micky.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Hayley Kennedy, Amar Latif and Dawn Hopper are all experienced visually impaired travellers and we have brought them together to discuss the positives and pitfalls of travelling around the world when visually impaired. We discuss booking airport assistance, getting your guide dog on an airplane, allocations of special assistance seats on airplanes and why it can be important to have a positive attitude. Hayley Kennedy is considered to be the only disabled person, let alone visually impaired person, to have travelled to every country recognised under the United Nations. Amar Latif founded the assisted holiday company for visually impaired people 'Traveleyes', who are celebrating their 20th year and Dawn Hopper has family in both Switzerland and Spain, and travels regularly with her new guide dog, Micky.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

What is non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder? It is a condition that impacts the natural body clock, thus affecting sleep, and can be triggered by a lack of or no light perception. Tina Snow got in touch after having suffered with this condition for most of her life and she struggled to get the treatment she needed. We have brought Tina together with a world expert in this condition to give information on how the condition works and how it can be treated effectively. We also hear from Tina's GP, who recently sought a individual prescription for melatonin (a natural hormone that regulates sleep) and we hear Kaukub Asia's experience, who also has issues with her circadian rhythm due to her 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 and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

As the charity Guide Dogs looked into its own future, they have predicted some financial hardship due to rising costs. Similarly to many organisations within the charity sector, they are having to come up with ways of cutting costs in order to maintain current levels of service provision. Their staff have been told that redundancies are a possibility for many. Guide Dogs' CEO Andrew Lennox tells In Touch what is happening and why, in his view, such cuts are necessary.With elections just around the corner, In Touch explores a new audio voting system: the McGonagle Reader. It will be available at a few local council areas for the 2024 local and general elections.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Pete Liggins Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

The Disabled Students' Allowance enables students to get help with specialist equipment and in-person support, but over the years we've heard about persistent complications and delays. The system is operated by the Student Loans Company and they have now introduced some new processes that aim to reduce the problems that students are facing. David Thompson manages the DSA on behalf of the Student Loans Company and he gives details of the new system and why the changes were necessary. We also hear from visually impaired students who have had issues in accessing the essential services they are entitled to through the DSA.Developments within this area are ongoing; the Department for Education wants evidence regarding a specific element of the Disabled Students' Allowance that provides in-person support regarding things like sighted guides around university campuses and specialist teaching assistants for visual impairment. Lucy Merritt is the Education Policy Manager at the Thomas Pocklington Trust, an organisation that works closely with visually impaired students, and she provides background on what the Department for Education is 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 and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

The communications regulator Ofcom has just made changes to its guidelines surrounding audio description provided by television and on-demand services. For the first time, there will be unique recommendations for on-demand providers. Helen Shaw is part of Ofcom's content policy team and tells In Touch about the amendments and how the Media Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, will impact access services more widely.And what is creative audio description? Our reporter Fern Lulham finds out by visiting The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, where it can be found at every show in the production's run.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

A new hotel in London, that belongs to a big-name franchise, initially declared on their website that service dogs are not welcome. Dave and Karen Cloherty were left in shock when they came to book a room for them and their guide dog for an annual appointment at Moorfield's Eye Hospital, given that the hotel in question is just a few minutes walk from the hospital. The hotel have since amended their website, but we hear about the case from the Clohertys and about the equality law that relates to services such as hotels, from disability rights lawyer Chris Fry.The 1963 film The Great Escape is based on the famous prison break, where imprisoned allied soldiers escape from a Nazi camp during World War Two. Sangeeta Uppaladinni had an instant fascination with the film and the original story and so travelled to Poland with her guide dog, to mark the 80th anniversary of the original story.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

In Touch discusses whether your blindness should be at the front and centre of your life. Perhaps an ambiguous question because it can depend on the environment you're in, the company that you share, whether you need help and many other factors. What is undoubtedly true though, is that it's not that easy to go completely under the radar with poor sight or none. We tease this out with author Andrew Leland, who spent time researching visually impaired people and the way society interacts with us, Rachael Andrews, who is not afraid to campaign for herself, and other people at the same time, and stand-up comedian Jamie MacDonald, who uses his blindness as a tool to make other people laugh.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted

Vision Rehabilitation is an essential service to newly blind or partially sighted people, and those whose sight has changed. It is a service that is provided by local councils and can help with things like technology, daily mobility and independent living skills. But new Freedom of Information data from the RNIB has highlighted that many local councils aren't providing this vital service in a timely manner. Resulting in thousands of blind and partially sighted people without the help that they are entitled to by law. We hear from you about how the delays are impacting daily life and independence. The RNIB's David Aldwinkle provides details of the findings. Andy Fisher is a vision rehabilitation specialist and has worked within the public and private sectors and Simon Labbett is the Chair of the Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network and an active rehabilitation officer in a local council - they both help us assess the issues and the potential solutions.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted

Northern Ireland recently hosted its first major assistive technology conference. The conference was hosted by the RNIB at the Europa Hotel in Belfast and it was home for the day to all the big players in the assistive technology arena. In Touch went along to find out what the latest tech has to offer and the kinds of things visually impaired people were interested in.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

2024 promises to be hugely significant for political change around the world, with more than eighty countries planning to head to the polls. The UK being one of them. This year will see not only a general election, but local elections and others. Niki Nixon is from The Electoral Commission, and she provides details of what visually impaired people need to consider before voting, especially regarding photographic ID.We examine your experiences with energy companies and AIHDs and we answer a listeners question: what is Visual Snow Syndrome? Dr Sui Wong, consultant neurologist and neuro-ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, helps us answer the question. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Tonight's edition challenges any idea that there are limits to the ways in which visually impaired people can have fun!Shiraz Cohan is the founder of the UK Blind Baseball Association. He joins us with Lancashire Lions team mate Shoaib Nazir and Ray Clements from the Liverpool blind Trojans. They tell us how the sport has been adapted to make it accessible to blind and visually impaired people and what is being done to grow the number of UK teams. The UK Blind Baseball Association can be contacted by email at [email protected] X sighted is the catchy name of what's thought to be the UK's only group of blind morris dancers. We speak to their Squire, Shirley Sheridan along with dancer Arnold Penney and band member Jean Fray. They share the story of how they got started, how they learned their craft and what it means to them.So X sighted can be contacted by email at [email protected] Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinators: Liz Poole and Emma SmithWebsite 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.

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted

A recent YouGov poll, commissioned by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment, has found that many employers do not have inclusive employment practices. This may not come as a surprise to many blind and partially sighted people who have experienced employment or are seeking employment and so we assess what needs to happen in order to dispel the persistent misconceptions and to ensure more employment opportunities for visually impaired people.To help us tackle this decade-long problem, we turned to Marsha De Cordova who is MP for Battersea and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment that commissioned the poll. Simon Hill is visually impaired and he describes the technological and attitudinal barriers he has faced. Martin O'Kane is the technology and employment lead for the RNIB and Eleanor Southwood is the Vision Foundation's Director of Social Impact.To submit your evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment's inquiry, email: [email protected] or call Marsha De Cordova's office to request assistance in submitting oral evidence: 0207 219 0209Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Can blind people play baseball or be morris dancers? Of course they can!

Local sight loss charities exist throughout the UK to provide practical and emotional support to blind and visually impaired people. We wanted to learn more about the services they offer and the challenges they face. Fiona Sandford is the CEO of Visionary, the membership organisation for these charities and she joins us to answer our questions. The immensely popular BBC programme Doctor Who recently celebrated it's 60th anniversary. We look at how the show has been made more accessible to its many blind fans and speak to some of the people who have made it happen. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite 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.’

Accessible In Home Displays (AIHDs) work with Smart Meters so that blind and visually impaired people can more easily monitor their use of energy. Their features include large buttons, high contrast displays and text to speech functions. Around a year ago, we looked at complaints from listeners about problems in obtaining AIHDs from their supplier and were hopeful that the issue had been resolved. However, it's clear that some problems remain. We speak to a listener who contacted us about their recent experience and we also hear from their energy supplier. Our other guest on this edition is no stranger to In Touch, having started as a reporter and gone on to produce the show for many years. They join us today to tell us about being a visually impaired photographer and how that passion took them to Chile to get pictures of rescued miners who had been trapped underground in 2010. Guessed who it is? Tune in and find out!Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite 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 a general election a certainty at some point this year, two recent developments have alarmed organisations representing disabled people. Before 2020, there was a fund that provided financial aid to disabled people running for elective office, but that fund has not yet been reinstated. And also: its being argued that in the Prime Minister's latest cabinet reshuffle, the role of Minister for Disabled People has been downgraded.We discuss what these developments mean for visually impaired people. Helping us do that is Lord Blunkett, Steve Darling, who will be running to be the MP of Torbay this year, Lia Nici, who will be running for MP of Great Grimsby & Cleethorpes and Anna Tylor, Chair of the RNIB.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

The Transport (Scotland) Act has been in place since 2019, which includes a nation-wide ban of parking cars on pavements. But only in December 2023 were local councils across Scotland given the powers to enforce fines of up to £100 to people doing so. Some local councils are saying that they need more funding and resources to be able to conduct assessments of their streets and to implement enforcement. We put this to Scotland's Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop and we hear from visually impaired resident of Glasgow about how pavement parking impacts her everyday journeys.Meanwhile, The Thomas Pocklington Trust are reigniting a decade-old campaign that calls for a similar ban across England. The Trust's head of public affairs and campaigns, Mike Bell tells us what they're calling for.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Andrew Lennox took over as the CEO of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association in September 2023. We thought we'd give him a little time to get his feet under the table but now he joins us to describe his vision for the future of the charity and what they plan to do about the long waiting lists for new and replacement dogs.Roger Sharp has always had a passion for cars; building them, repairing them and racing them and when he lost his sight at the age of 48, that passion didn't fade. Roger has finished rebuilding a classic Ford Escort, while without vision. Our reporter Fern Lulham went to check it out.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Stuart Hann is The Blind Chocolatier and he has a small shop in the Lake District. Stuart worked as a pastry Chef before he was diagnosed with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy in 2015. It is a rare eye condition that impacts his central vision. Stuart is now registered legally blind and uses various adaptations in his kitchen and shop to create a variety of artisan chocolates. Here at In Touch we love chocolate and so we couldn't resist paying him a visit to hear about his process and, most importantly, to sample some of his work. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Peter White pays a visit to the school that he used to attend, now called New College Worcester, to find out how some of the current pupils are preparing for Christmas. They tell him about what is happening at the college over the festive period, how they deal with the chaos of present unwrapping and knowing who has got what and they discuss inappropriate presents they have received as visually impaired people.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

Ophthalmology is the busiest outpatient speciality in the NHS, with 8 million attendances in England in the last two years. However, there is a crisis of capacity and many patients are not receiving the specialist treatment that they need to retain their vision. The Eyes Have It is a partnership are trying to change that. It is comprised of the Macular Society, Fight for Sight / Vision Foundation, RNIB, Association of Optometrists, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Roche. The partnership's primary aim is to advocate for a national approach to improvements across the eye care sector in England. In Touch attended their parliamentary event in the Houses of Commons, and spoke to various professionals within the sector about the issues and the specifics of what they are calling for.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

When you have a visual impairment, it can be very valuable for your own wellbeing to connect with other visually impaired people and share tips and advice on life. And when you are a young person with a visual impairment, there can be a lot to think about in regard to your future. Well, sight loss charity Look UK is aiming to bridge the gap for young visually impaired people with a mentoring programme. With the help from some of the scheme's current mentees and mentors, we discuss how it works and the potential benefits it can offer.Look UK are currently seeking new mentors. To apply, visit: https://www.look-uk.org/mentoring/. Or email [email protected] (include your full name, age, and a contact phone number).Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate 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 is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.

A few weeks ago, many In Touch listeners would have given a huge sigh of relief when it was announced that the plans to close ticketing offices at England's train stations had been revised. That got us thinking about what is happening elsewhere in the UK. In Scotland, there are no plans to close any ticket offices but, following a consultation, ministers are yet to reach a decision on their opening hours. We delve into this with Alastair Dalton, who is the transport correspondent for The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday, along with two visually impaired train users, Melinda Hanvey and Janice Mitchell.And it appears to be award season for the visual impairment charity sector, with two awards in one month! Tune in to find out who won.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.

AbilityNet TechShare Pro was a technology conference that happened last week, hosted by HSBC and organised by the charity AbilityNet. AbilityNet's ambition is to get more disabled people involved with technology. The conference brought together some of the biggest names within the tech industry to discuss recent developments and what can be expected in the future, including artificial intelligence and legislation. Kelly Barton and Mike Leatherbarrow were once strangers but they met and fell in love whilst running. Kelly is visually impaired and Mike is Kelly's sighted guide runner. They recently got married and they tell us how their love blossomed over the miles. 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.

Anthony Doerr's 2014 war novel All The Light We Cannot See has been adapted into a four-part TV series on Netflix. The story is based in Nazi-occupied France during World War Two, and revolves around a blind character called Marie-Laure LeBlanc and a German boy, Werner Pfennig, who is pressed into serving as an anti-German radio broadcast interceptor for the Nazi army. Aria Mia Loberti plays the role of Marie in the series and she joins us from Rhode Island to share what the experience was like of starring in her first acting role, the choices she applied to the character and she shares anecdotes of what it was like on set as a blind person and filming with the likes of Hugh Laurie. Fern Lulham is the voice of the audio description for the adaptation on Netflix and she tells us more about how audio describing works when you're visually impaired and Sean Randall is an avid reader, who has both read the book and watched the series, he helps us assess how well Marie-Laure LeBlanc has been adapted to the screen. The Netflix series All the Light We Cannot See was written by Steven Knight and Directed by Shawn Levy. 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.

Social media can be a good way for visually impaired people to connect with their community, but some recent changes to X (previously named Twitter), may have made that difficult for some visually impaired people. With the helping hand of two Matts - Matt Johnson, who is a blind data protection and privacy lawyer, and Matt Eason, who is a digital accessibility specialist and software developer - we look into these changes and what impacts it could have on your use of X. 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 government's plans to close hundreds of train ticket offices in England have been cancelled. Since the plans were announced, we here at In Touch have been discussing the implications of the proposed closures for blind and partially sighted people. Now, we have invited a number of visually impaired people, campaign groups and Transport Focus, who are the transport watchdog and one of the operators of the public consultation on the closures of ticket offices, to discuss what this all means for you. 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 hear from two blind women about their experiences of living through the current conflict in Palestine and Israel. Dalal Al-Taji lives in Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip and Heather Stone lives in the northern area of Tel Aviv in Israel. They speak frankly about how their lives have been affected and dealing with the uncertainty of being blind during a war. During the 2014 conflict, Peter spoke to two blind women on either side; one of them was Dalal Al-Taji. To listen to that programme, visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b049yqzl 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.

Vlad and Valeria Yeschenko are a young newly-wed Ukrainian couple. Vlad was clearing out and dismantling mines when one exploded, resulting in severe injuries, including the loss of his eyesight. The couple got married soon after Vlad's recovery. The BBC's senior international reporter, Orla Guerin visited the couple in their home at the edge of Kyiv to find out more about what happened and the impact that day has had on their lives. It is a story of war, loss, love, and a determination to help other people in the same boat, through the couple's charity 'Let's See the Victory'. This interview contains some graphic detail of injury. On In Touch, we have been reporting for some time on the progress of video games becoming more accessible to blind people. The progress is slow but is surely happening and the most recent demonstration of this comes from a motor sport racing game called Forza Motorsport. This is thought to be the first blockbuster racing game accessible to the blind. Brandon Cole is a games accessibility consultant and he tells us about the features that allow blind and partially sighted people to grasp the throttle and get driving (virtually) . 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.

Izabela Dłużyk is a blind female sound recordist from Poland. She tells Peter about her passion for sound recording, bird song and one of the last primeval forests in Europe, the Białowieża. She was recently the subject of a documentary with BBC World Service called Izabela in the Forest, where producer Monica Whitlock follows her around during one of her recording sessions and to immerse herself in the rich plethora of sounds there. Can blind people do that?! We'd like to hear your experiences of when someone told you that you cannot pursue something due to your sight loss. Perhaps it was relating to education or work, or even a hobby. Let us know! 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 discuss techniques for learning languages when you are visually impaired. Nowadays there are many methods that can be used; be it braille, smart phone apps, listening via synthetic speech etc and so we invited four visually impaired language enthusiasts to share their tips and experiences. Each of them use languages in different ways such as teaching, social meet ups, family relations and even providing interpretation within European politics. 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.

Inclusive Farm in Bedfordshire is more than just a livestock farm. It is run by totally blind Mike Duxbury and his sighted partner and they open the farm up to those with disabilities to explore agriculture. In Touch pays a visit to hear about how Mike performs various farming tasks without any sight and, perhaps most importantly, to meet some of the animals. 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 AI is an artificial intelligence engine that is being tested by Be My Eyes - an app that connects visually impaired smartphone users to sighted assistance. There are thousands of people currently testing the AI offering and it allows them to take pictures of their surroundings and the AI will describe, with great detail, what is in that image. For example, it can be helpful for things like navigation, describing clothing items or reading menus. However, a lot of its testers are greatly concerned over a recent change where the AI will no longer describe what is in an image, if there is a human present. Sean Dilley is a BBC journalist and user of Be My AI, and he describes the issues that could be behind these changes. Orla Guerin is the BBC's Senior International Correspondent and she has recently been back to war-torn Yemen, to catch up with a blind boy she met there two years ago. Ahmed made a particular impression because he was teaching his peers in his bombed-out school. Orla talks with Peter about what Ahmed is like and about his future ambitions. 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 hosting a question and answer session with the charity Guide Dogs. Many of you have been sending us your very considered questions and concerns about various aspects of how the organisation operates; including waiting lists, training methods, eligibility for new and replacement guide dogs and more. Answering these questions is Pete Osborne, who is is Guide Dogs' Chief Operations 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 a lighter blue.

Since 2017, the charity Guide Dogs have adopted a new way of training their dogs. It's called the STEP method, standing for Standardised Training for Excellent Partnerships. The method has received a lot of criticism, with people believing it is the cause of long waiting lists for new and replacement dogs, and so we paid a visit to a training centre in Atherton, Greater Manchester, to find out more about how it works and ask why their previous method of training was scrapped. 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 International Blind Sports Federation has just concluded its first World Games in the UK, with most sports taking place across the University of Birmingham campus. Over a thousand athletes from 70 countries competed in various sports and for some, it was not just a medal on the cards, but also qualification points for the 2024 Paralympics. We attended the games and spoke to athletes, team officials and members of the public trying out visually impaired sports for the first time. 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.

Faricimab, or as it is commercially known Vabysmo, is a drug that has recently been approved for use by the NHS to treat two eye diseases: diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with fewer injections. Both conditions result in vision loss caused by swelling behind the eye, which can now be slowed or halted by injections. Robin Hamilton is an Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfield’s Eye Hospital and he provides details of how this drug works and Bernie Warren tells us about its prospects from a DMO patient perspective. Bernie was also on a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence panel, that helped approve the drug for NHS use. Discovering Hands is a project in Germany that trains visually impaired women to perform breast examinations. The project involves using touch to locate early indications of breast cancer. Elvira Häußler is one of the women who is employed to perform them and she, along with gynaecologist Dr. Frank Hoffmann who came up with the idea, tell us more about it and whether it may one day come to the 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.

The RNIB recently advertised the role of Customer Support Officer, but there was a particular bit of wording that drew an instant and indignant reaction from a number of blind and partially sighted people who read it. The initial advert stated that the systems used within the role were not compatible with JAWS screen reader. The advert has since been amended to dispute this, stipulating that JAWS could be used with some work arounds, such as scripting. The RNIB's Director of Services, David Newbold addresses your concerns and sheds light on what happened. The Lionesses, England's women's football team, are causing waves at the World Cup and FIFA have developed a way of making the games more accessible to visually impaired smart phone users. They, along with the Centre for Access to Football in Europe, are providing audio described commentary through the FIFA Interpreting App. It aims to fill in the gaps and deliver a better football experience for visually impaired fans. To access the audio described commentary through the app, the following access code can be used: ADCFWWC2023 (this is case sensitive). 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.

Getting braille onto food labelling is the subject of an ongoing campaign by a number of disability groups in Scotland. Oban and District Access Panel, Disability Equality Scotland and Sight Scotland have taken their campaign to the Scottish Government and are currently seeking visually impaired people's experiences and preferences when it comes to accessible food packaging. If you'd like to submit your experiences, visit: http://inclusivecommunication.scot/braille-campaign Or call Disability Equality Scotland on 0141 370 0968 Day Al-Mohamed may not be a household name here in the UK, but she is certainly making waves in the United States. As well as being an author, a broadcaster, a documentary film maker and co-founder of a company that helps disabled people get into film making, she also spent a year working at the White House. There, she was Director of Disability Policy and would review new legislation and current policies to ensure the rights and needs of disabled people were being met. 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.

Dr Yusuf Osman was frequently getting information from the Department for Work and Pensions in a form that was inaccessible to him. This led to him to bringing a judicial review and he won it. Yusuf, along with the RNIB's Senior Legal Advisor Samantha Fothergill, describe what the ruling means for him and other visually impaired people. Finding somewhere to rent at the moment really isn't easy, with low availability and soaring prices, but having a guide dog shouldn't be a factor that makes it more challenging. The right to have one in a rental property is enshrined in law, but Aleksandra Edwards has been looking for somewhere in the West Midlands for around two years and suspects that her guide dog could be a factor. She and Chris Theobald from Guide Dogs UK tell us more about this problem - that appears to be on the increase. If you would like to submit your opinions to the consultations about the closure of the remaining ticketing offices at railway stations, you can call: Transport Focus & London TravelWatch on: 0300 123 2350 (up until 1st of September) The Transport Select Committee on: 020 719 2226 (up until 16th August) 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.

When being diagnosed with sight loss, it is often essential to be able to access your local sight loss support services quickly. This can be for things like long cane training, to guidance on Personal Independence Payments. We discuss the impacts of delays in accessing these services and the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI). If eligible, this certificate can trigger support available from your local authority's sight support team - if it has one. We discuss these themes with a consultant ophthalmologist from Moorfields Eye Hospital, a patient, a rehab officer and an ex-eye clinic liaison officer (ECLO). Further information: If you do not qualify for a CVI, you don’t need to go through the registration process to get help from your local social services. When you visit an optician, they can provide something called a Low Vision Leaflet (LVL). This contains contact details for sources of information and advice, along with a form that you can send to your local social services to ask for an assessment. Moreover, hospital eye clinic staff can fill in a form called a Referral of Vision Impairment (RVI), which does the same, but also staff are able state how urgently they think you require help, so you do not have to wait until the end of your treatment at the clinic to be referred. 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.

Selina Mills and Andrew Leland have both just published new books about blindness. Andrew's is called The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight and Selina's is Life Unseen: A Story of Blindness. Both books have similar themes, in that they assess where the societal attitudes towards blindness may have originated from and how they subsequently interweave into our modern society. Both authors are visually impaired and live on either side of the Atlantic, and so they join us in discussing the cultural and historical differences. In Touch has widely covered the proposed closures of ticketing offices at train stations. Well now a public consultation has been launched by Transport Focus and London TravelWatch. It ends on Wednesday 26 July and to submit your responses, you can visit their websites or call 0300 123 2350. 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.

Tennis has long been considered one of the hardest sports to adapt, especially if you have little or no vision. Well, it has been done and Amanda Green from Metro Blind Sport and VI tennis player herself, tells us about the history of where the adapted game came from. Amanda, along with totally blind player Monica Smith, also tell us about how it is played. Wimbledon is in full swing and there are a couple of firsts at this year's championships. In conjunction with Vodafone and assistive technology company GiveVision, Wimbledon have been trialling wearable headsets that allow partially sighted fans at the games to view the finer details. And The Wimbledon Foundation, the charitable arm of the championships, have teamed up with sight loss charity Merton Vision to provide eight visually impaired people with the opportunity to work in various roles throughout the championships. Alan Farrell and Nathan Maraj tell us about the kind of jobs they've been doing and what the experience has meant to them. 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.

Abdul Eneser is a blind student in Glasgow and he regularly uses the train to return home to Manchester. He could soon be taking legal action against three major train companies due to his falling onto the tracks at Manchester Piccadilly train station. His case will be brought on the grounds that there were a lack of tactile paving on the platform at that time and failures of the Passenger Assistance Service. Abdul, along with his solicitor Kate Egerton, provide the details. Sir Robin Millar is a renowned music producer, who also happens to be blind. He is known variously as 'The Original Smooth Operator', due to his production of the iconic Diamond Life album by Sade. Since then, among other things, he has co-founded an artist management and publishing company, Blue Raincoat Music and is Chair of pan-disability charity Scope. Robin sits down with Peter and shares musings about his career and his recent knighthood. 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 often hear on In Touch about your frustrations with having to repeatedly provide your access requirements to many different organisations, for them often to not be listened to. Well Experian, the company perhaps best known for checking your credit score, have tried to come up with a solution. They have launched something called The Support Hub, where you can provide your preferred methods of communication and any other access needs in one place and they will distribute that information amongst your service providers for you. Experian's Product Director Paul Lamont explains more about how the service works and Pardy Gill tells us what he thought after trying it out. The early stages of sight loss can be extremely challenging and so we thought we'd peek behind the curtain at the RNIB's Helpline, a service that aims to provide support through every moment of sight loss, but especially those more challenging moments. Presenter & 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.

For some, getting out and about means a leisurely stroll in the sunshine. For others, it's taking on the challenge of hostile and dangerous environments. Our guests this week tell us about losing their sight and the part exploring the great outdoors has played in dealing with it. You might associate entrepreneur and TV adventurer Amar Latif (who was awarded an OBE since we talked to him!) with challenges such as yomping in the Australian outback. However, his love of gentler pursuits is illustrated by his recent appointment as President of the Ramblers Association. Amar tells us about his plans for this role. Wayne Pugh was left devastated when he suddenly lost his sight thirteen years ago. Now however he has re-discovered his zest for life and is literally reaching new heights. Not content with climbing Ben Nevis, he became the first blind person to complete the Elie chainwalk. Wayne tells us about his journey from heartbreak to happiness.. 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.

The question of closing railway ticket offices has been in the headlines recently. Indeed, it remains one of the stumbling blocks to a settlement in the long running dispute between rail unions and train operators. One operator has already stopped selling tickets at discounted rates from their ticket offices for "same day" travel. This leaves travellers needing to use the internet or ticket vending machines to take advantage of reduced rates for same day journeys. We discuss what this means for visually impaired people with the help of Tony Miles from Modern Railways magazine. Meanwhile, on the buses, we report on a trial aiming to make bus stations more accessible. Transport for West Midlands has unveiled new smart codes at Wolverhampton Bus Station, giving passengers immediate access to wayfinding details and travel information on their mobile phones. To get an update on the trial and what it might mean for accessible bus travel in the future, we hear from RNIB's Robin Spinks and Gary Leek from Transport for West Midlands . 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.

With the UK festival season ramping up, the issue of gender inequality within the music industry has raised its head again. This is especially in the light of Glastonbury Festival having all male headlining acts this year. We wanted to discuss this problem with three visually impaired female artists, but to also ask how disability factors into this. Lachi is an American singer/songwriter and producer who specialises in dance music. She is also founder and president of RAMPD, who specialise in helping disabled talent get into the music industry. Sirine Jahangir is a singer/songwriter who rose to prominence during her 2020 appearance on Britain's Got Talent and she has recently graduated from the prestigious BRIT School. Denise Leigh is an operatic soprano, who has sung at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games and at the Fringe events for this year's Eurovision song contest. 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.

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: [email protected]. 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 [email protected] 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.

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted

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 festive period can be very visual and with this in mind, charity Guide Dogs and entertainment production company The Ministry of Fun, teamed up to design a sensory Santa's grotto for visually impaired children. We sent along our resident child at heart, Fern Lulham to participate in the fun. For many years, blind and partially sighted people have been left behind when it comes to accessing the big blockbuster video games (also referred to as AAA games). Thankfully, developers have woken up to this fact and so producer Beth Hemmings and totally blind gaming consultant, Brandon Cole review some of the biggest games that blind and partially sighted people could play this holiday season. We also have a very special studio guest. He's blind, he's funny and an all round entertainer. Any guesses? Tune in to find out! 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. Video Game Clip Credits: God of War: Ragnarök game trailer - Play Station official God of War: Ragnarök in-game accessibility features - Brandon Cole on Twitch The Last of Us, Part 1 in-game accessibility features - PlayStation official As Dusk Falls game trailer - GameSpot Trailers and Xbox official

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.

On bonfire night Angharad Paget-Jones, her boyfriend and guide dog, Tudor, attempted to stay at a Premier Inn hotel. Subsequently the staff at the hotel did not believe that Tudor was a real guide dog and they were asked to leave. Angharad provides details of how the situation unfolded and what she is planning to do about it. Anna Tylor is the Chair of the RNIB and is partially sighted. She reached out to us upon continuously receiving inaccessible information regarding her breast cancer treatment. Anna explains the problems she's been having and the faults of the NHS under The Accessible Information Standard, which have been in place since 2016. And, at this time of Remembrance, we hear from an ex-Navy veteran who has received some very good service following on from her glaucoma diagnosis and sight deterioration. 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 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.

We hear from two women who are both celebrating firsts and both aiming to make a difference. Louisa Wickham is a consultant ophthalmologist and medical director at Moorfields Eye Hospital but in September, she added to her titles by being appointed as England's very first National Clinical Director for Eye Care. We invited her onto the program to explain what her ambitions are for her new role and how she plans to tackle the current problems facing eye care services; patient backlogs, long waiting times and preventable permanent vision loss. Jessikah Inaba is believed to be the UK's first blind and black female barrister. She studied for her law degrees in braille at London's University of Law and, in the last few weeks, has been inducted to the bar. She tells us about this momentous moment, about the barriers she faced getting there and about her goals for her future career in law. 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 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.

The Department for Work and Pensions will soon appear in the high court in a case brought against them by Dr Yusuf Ali Osman. Dr Osman has repeatedly requested that communications over his benefit payments be sent to him in his preferred accessible format but has not received them. We invited him onto the program to provide further details on which his case is being brought. Mike Lambert has had a similar problem with the DWP and he shares those with us. For those who have certain eye conditions with enough sight to continue to drive, you may have heard of the Esterman Visual Field test. It is designed to test your peripheral vision but concerns have been raised over the test's validity and appropriateness to be used by the DVLA. We have these laid out by Lou, who has glaucoma and has had a negative experience when taking the test. We also invited Roger Anderson, who is a Professor of Optometry at Ulster University and sits on the DVLA's Advisory Committee of Vision and Visual Disorders, to share his thoughts on the matter. 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 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.

Access services in supermarkets are, for some blind and visually impaired people, an essential service to gather the exact groceries you need. Services like assisted shopping, where a member of staff takes you around the store gathering items for you, are offered by a lot of supermarkets but some were suspended during the pandemic. Auriol Britton decided to take Sainsbury's Supermarkets to court when she had a problem with her local store in Bristol, primarily based on the suspension of their assisted shopping service. We invited Auriol onto the program to outline the problem she had and what happened in court. Demand for eye services is rising rapidly and the NHS is struggling to keep up. Well, The Eyes Have It is a partnership between the Macular Society, Fight for Sight, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and other sight loss organisations and they held a parliamentary a drop-in event at Westminster last week. They are calling for a national eye care plan to tackle the problems patients are facing. Our reporter Fern Lulham provides the details. (NB - Dr Peter Hampson is from the Association of Optometrists.) And swimming can be a great form of exercise for blind and visually impaired people but keen swimmer Aletea Sellers contacted us when she had a problem in getting access provisions put in place at her local swimming pools. She tells us the responses she got, good and bad. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole 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 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.

Dr Paul Jarman contacted us following our coverage of what changes had occurred since the RNIB took over the National Library for the Blind. He noted something that we had not mentioned. He believes there has been a seismic shift toward students and tutors like him, no longer being able to access as many serious books as once before. He lays out his concerns in this area and explains why he believes braille books should be regarded as heritage items. Our reporter in Washington, Gary O'Donoghue talks us through a new partnership between access tech companies Aira and Envision. Together, they have created 'smart glasses' that enable you to be put in contact with a sighted agent, completely hands-free. Gary demonstrates how they can be used to assist with daily tasks and navigation. 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 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.

Three visually impaired people tell us about their experiences of domestic abuse. The cases involve the perpetrator using their visual impairments against them, though gaslighting, coercive control and in one case, extreme violence being the cause of their visual impairment. These stories come in the light of a report called The Unseen, by The Vision Foundation and Safe Lives. Olivia Curno, The Vision Foundation's Chief Executive gives summary of the report's harrowing findings. Link to The Unseen domestic abuse report: https://www.visionfoundation.org.uk/our-work/research/the-unseen/ If you are at risk of domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole 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 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.

Our new Prime Minister, Liz Truss hasn't yet offered assurances to people receiving disability related benefits during the current rises in inflation and wider cost of living increases. This has concerned visually impaired grandmother and benefit receiver Kim Jaye. We invited her onto the program to explain her current situation and her added costs due to her visual impairment. The RNIB only last week handed in a petition to the Department for Work and Pensions about how the cost of living crisis is impacting visually impaired and blind people. Their Director of Insight and Customer Voice, David Aldwinckle explains the contents of the petition and their future plans to help blind and partially sighted people through the cost of living crisis. The British Wireless for the Blind Fund have announced that they are to be discontinuing their Sonata Internet Audio service by the end of October. Kim O'Neil uses the service and explains to us why the device offers such an important and unmatched service and the Fund's Jenny Cameron tells us the reason behind the discontinuation. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole 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 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.

Dr Peter Hampson is the Clinical Director of the Association of Optometrists and we invited him onto the program after hearing about a rather unusual cornea replacement method to come out of Sweden; scientists there have developed replacement human corneas out of pig skins. We ask Dr Hampson whether this could become a viable solution to tackling the UK's cornea shortage. A Edinburgh based accessible technology company called Screen Language are soon to release a new streaming platform, strictly for audio described movies. It will launch on September 30th called My Sound Cinema. It aims to be a one stop shop for audio described films of a variety of genre. Elena Zini is Screen Language's founder and she gives us the details about their new platform. Kim Milward is visually impaired and a major film fan, we invited her to tell us and Elena whether My Sound Cinema is something that she would consider using. And we sent producer Beth Hemmings to Leeds to listen in on a music performance by a group of visually impaired people who had been working with percussionist Mendi Mohinder Singh. The music was performed on some rather unorthodox instruments... 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 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.

Sarah Leadbetter and her friends could of had a near miss on the streets of Manchester when they veered into a road. They weren't aware they had done this as there was no kerb, tactile paving or crossing box to indicate the change between pavement and road. This was the straw that broke the camel's back and she will be taking the Department for Transport to a judicial review to mainly assess the legal safety guidance and requirements for the height of kerbs. Sarah joins us to tell us more about it. Andrew Hodgson is the President of the National Federation of the Blind of the UK and he shares his thoughts on this case and also on e-scooters, after Kent County Council have decided to discontinue their trials in and around Canterbury. Keeping with the theme of safety for this program, we hear from GP Katie Elliott about how blind and visually impaired people can access cancer screening programs. She wants to know from you how you have navigated such programs and from your experience, how you'd improve the service. She explains more about the screenings available to you, when you should be having them and more. 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 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.

Tributes to Her Majesty the Queen and how Poppy Levison got her job within architecture. The Electoral Commission have launched a public consultation that will gather the opinions and experiences of disabled voters, with the aim of making voting more accessible. Ailsa Irvine is their Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance and she explains why this consultation is necessary, given the recent passing of the Elections Act, how information provided will be used and when we will see the effects. We hear your responses to our item on last week's program about how you are now experiencing The RNIB's Braille Library Service, following on from updates to the system last year. Somewhat of a makeshift response to these changes came from Tim Pennick, who set up a braille book swap mailing list. He explains how his scheme works. To participate in the braille book swap mailing list, contact: [email protected] To participate in the Electoral Commission's consultation, use the following link: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/our-consultations/consultation-draft-guidance-returning-officers-assistance-voting-persons-disabilities. You can email [email protected] or call 0333 103 1928. 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 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.

In April 2021, The Royal National Institute of Blind People, the RNIB, announced changes to their braille library service. Their new system offers access to more digital copies and home delivery of books on request. However, In Touch listeners have expressed their concerns about long wait times and no longer being able to return books, leading to high levels of wastage. We invited Ailsa Fairley and Tim Pennick to share their concerns with Dave Williams, The RNIB's Customer Experience Manager. 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 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.

The success of England's footballing Lionesses at the recent UEFA women's championship has massively increased the popularity of the women's game. Now, the Football Association has included blind women in their disability talent strategy. The 2023 IBSA world games provide an early opportunity for a team of blind women players to follow in the footsteps of their sighted counterparts by lifting a major trophy. We speak to three England hopefuls about their journey in the blind beautiful game. There is a perception among many people that having a visual impairment automatically means a love of music, but, as with so many other activities, sight loss can mean barriers to becoming a musician. Undeterred by this, and already having learned to play violin and viola, sixteen year old Toben Durrant is now a member of the Welsh National Youth Opera. We talk to him about his experience as a young blind musician. We also speak to acclaimed Soprano, Victoria Oruwari about support for young blind people wanting to become musicians. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production coordinator: William Wolstenholme 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 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.

TikTok is a social media platform that has been around in the UK since 2017. It deals in short-form videos and people can make them about pretty much anything: tips on keeping your home organised, how to cook X Y or Z, spirituality, pottery making, the teaching of languages, fashion tips, comedy sketches, music, woodwork, places to visit and… spreading awareness and knowledge about blindness. We speak to four people who are educating their thousands of followers on what it is like to be blind. Toby, Claire, Reece and Sophie tell us what their aims are of creating this kind of content, about how they use comedy to address comments doubting their blindness and access. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: William Wolstenholme 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 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. Toby's TikTok handle: @blindtobes Claire's TikTok handle: @canseecantsee Reece & Sophie's TikTok handle: @blindandblonde

Who doesn't love a good glass of wine? Well, when we found out that the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in London have their first blind teacher Richard Lane, we thought we ought to go sit in on a class and get educated about the world of wine. We hear from Richard about his journey from being a student at WSET to becoming a wine educator there and we caught up with Harry Meade, who is himself blind, and one of Richard's pupils. We asked Harry how it fared having a visually impaired teacher. We rightly hear a lot about how we live in a highly visual world and part of that encompasses architecture and the built environment. Our reporter Fern Lulham paid a visit to a course called Architecture Beyond Sight at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London. The aim of the course is to include visually impaired people within the design and making of architecture from the very beginning. Fern even tried her hand at using some of the large power tools available in the classroom... Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: William Wolstenholme 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 cheque shirt peeking 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.

We often report on how well sight loss services are operating, but its not often we talk about services that just do not exist - but should. Listener Alex Scott contacted us after he attended London's Pride Festival a few weeks ago, expressing his dismay at the lack of LGBTQ+ community groups for people who are also blind or partially sighted. Indeed, very few do exist. We found one UK-wide group run by The RNIB in Northern Ireland. We invited Alex to tell us about this missing link and what he'd like to see happen for future. We also speak to Una Mulgrew, who is a Community Facilitator at RNIB Connect in Northern Ireland. She tells us more about her group and whether the RNIB has plans to fill this gap. The Commonwealth Games 2022 have drawn to a close, but these games were unique. They were integrated, with both para- and able-bodied athletes competing alongside each other and included a series of new visually impaired events. We give a final round-up of last week's performances, and we speak to Libby Clegg. Libby was once a highly decorated sprinter, achieving two gold medals at the Rio Paralympics, but she has since switched to para-cycling and this year's Commonwealth Games was her first track cycling competition. She explains why she decided to make the switch and her opinion on the integration of the Games. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: William Wolstenholme Website image description: pictured is an archway of rainbow coloured balloons at a Pride Parade in Brighton. The balloons are all the colours of the original Pride flag: red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, and violet. The image was taken from street view and behind the balloons are a series of architecturally grand buildings.

Diabetic macular oedema is a condition that can develop when having type one or type two diabetes. It can impact sight progressively in the form of retinopathy or maculopathy. We hear about a new treatment for the condition, which The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has estimated to benefit around 22,000 people. Bernie Warren has the condition and she tells us about the benefits this drug could have to her life. We also get more information about the condition and the new treatment from Robin Hamilton, who is an Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfield’s Eye Hospital. The Commonwealth Games are underway in Birmingham. They are an integrated games, with both para and able-bodied athletes competing alongside each other. Some visually impaired athletes are included in the mix and so we get a round-up of the medal winners from BBC Sports reporter, Delyth Lloyd. We speak to visually impaired Para-Triathlon gold medallist, Dave Ellis about his win and to Jonny Riall, who is the leader of Team England and also Head of Sport at the British Paralympic Association on the integration of athletes at the Commonwealth Games. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: William Wolstenholme Website image description: pictured is a Team England swimmer diving into a pool at the Commonwealth Games. The image is taken using an underwater camera. The swimmer is wearing a red swimsuit and red swimming cap. Yellow and pink bunting hangs in the air over the pool.

Previously on In Touch, Dr Peter Hampson, clinical Director of the Association of Optometrists warned of a possible link between Covid-19 and sight loss. We talk to Criminal Lawyer Paul Bacon and former children's Laureate Michael Rosen about their personal experience of this. We also get an update from Dr Hampson on what the latest data tells us. Retinitis Pigmentosa is the most common inherited eye condition, affecting around one in four thousand people in the UK. Currently, there is no known cure or effective treatments that can stop it's progression. Do the latest scientific advances give those affected grounds for optimism or would that be misplaced? The charity Fight for Sight is funding research to try and uncover new treatment strategies. We talk to their CEO, Keith Valentine and researcher Mike Cheetham to get their thoughts. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: William Wolstenholme Website image description: Covid test kit unboxed.

Prior to the current cost of living crisis, the Royal National Institute of Blind People found that one in five blind and partially sighted people had difficulty in making ends meet. People with sight loss already have extra living costs and are more reliant on benefits than others as a result of low employment rates. Recently, the government have introduced financial aid and have increased benefits, but the RNIB say that these measures don't go far enough. We hear the story of Alex Ramzan, who has been struggling with the cost of living crisis and we speak to David Aldwinkle, who is the Director of Insight and Customer Voice at the RNIB, about the problems they are hearing and their campaign. The cornea is a very delicate part of the eye. It is essentially the surface through which you see, so if it becomes scarred or damaged in any way, what you see can become increasingly impaired. The cornea can be replaced though, and the effects can be dramatic. But the supply of donated corneas has not kept up with demand. Currently, one in 10 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register have indicated that they do not wish to donate their corneas, making donations low and waiting times for replacements high. We hear about the causes behind this and the implications for people waiting from Kyle Bennett, who is the Assistant Director of Tissue & Eye Services at NHS Blood and Transplant. We also hear from Shelly Hague, who recently had her corneas replaced. She tells us about the impact this has had on her life. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured is an extreme close up of a brown eye on a black background.

The Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022, is a new piece of legislation that has amended the Equality Act 2010. It will place duties on taxi drivers and PHV drivers and operators, so that any disabled person has specific rights and protections to be transported and receive assistance without being charged extra. This will also ensure that visually impaired passengers will be assisted by drivers to help them identify or find the vehicle. The act was introduced by Jeremy Wright MP and he provides insight into how this act may impact you. Blanche Shackleton is from the charity Guide Dogs and she tells us about their new app, which will enable guide dog owners to report any access issues. This is inclusive of taxis, indoor establishments and other places. And we hear about a new kind of AI technology, that is currently in development, which could provide make-up wearers with assurance and confidence. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: William Wolstenholme Website image description: a visually impaired man is holding his smart phone up to his ear, presumably to hear the voice over function. He is wearing a white T-shirt, he has dark hair and beard and appears to be closing his eyes.

Two UK-based charities, Blind Veterans UK and Bravo Victor, were invited to Ukraine and met with the government there to see how they can help rebuild the country's visual impairment rehabilitation services and assist with research facilities to help deal with the ongoing emergency. Nick Caplin is the chief executive of Blind Veterans UK and he tells us about the outcome of the visit and their collective plans moving forward. Rally, serve, love. That's right, its tennis season! We hear about an initiative from New Zealand that is providing visually impaired tennis fans with more information about what is happening on court. It is called Action Audio and using spatial audio data, it allows people to hear what kind of serve was given, where the ball lands in relation to the court lines and more. Tim Devine is one of the founders of Action Audio and he talks us through how it works. We also speak to Ivan Rodriguez-Deb, who is currently Britain's No.1 in the B4 men's visually impaired singles category. He tells us about his career aspirations and about the kinds of adaptations he makes, given he has some residual sight. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: William Wolstenholme Website image description: An aerial shot of a blue paddle tennis court. The net runs down the centre of the image, with large shadow reflecting on the left side. Two tennis balls are located on the right side of the net.

We hear about Glastonbury Festival from Nina Chesworth's perspective. Nina had attended previous years with some sight but this year was her first time as a completely blind attendee. We also take a look at access provisions at some of the UK's other festivals and how these have evolved over the years, with Gideon Feldman, who is the Head of Programs at Attitude is Everything. Attitude is Everything have been campaigning for over twenty years to improve the disability access at live events. And finally, we hear about how American Electronic Dance musician, Lachi is changing the industry for disabled artists. She campaigns and consults on disability inclusion, including at the White House, and this year she’s launched RAMPD, Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities. The interview was first broadcast on the BBC World Service's arts program, The Cultural Frontline. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured is the festival crowed at Glastonbury. In the foreground are hundreds of hands raised in the air, people sitting on shoulders, colourful flags at full mast and a masses of multi-coloured confetti is flying through the air. The cloud of confetti is so thick that the festival's Pyramid Stage appears as just a silhouette in the background.

For some visually impaired people, the element of touch is very important when trying to establish what a piece of art work looks like. This prompted listener Mike Lambert to contact the program following a visit to The World of Stonehenge exhibition at the British Museum. Mike was unhappy that he wasn't able to handle some of the stone items displayed at the exhibition and he explains to Peter a series of other access concerns that he has. We put these concerns to the Museum's Equality and Diversity Manager, Will Westwood. We also take a look at The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden in St Ives. Here, they ensure that visually impaired visitors are catered for with touch tours, 3D printings of the sculptures and more. We pay a remote visit to the garden with Georgina Kennedy, the museum's Public Program Curator. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured is a sculpture by Barbara Hepworth titled 'Two Forms (Divided Circle)'. The sculpture is asymmetrical, with each part at an angle to the other and one is slightly behind the other. One of the semi-circular sections has a cylindrical hole. On the other, a hole spirals from a circle to an oval. The sculpture is surrounded by lots of shrubbery and behind it, to the right, is a smaller sculpture and to the left is a large white shed with glass windows. Barbara Hepworth Two Forms (Divided Circle) 1969 © Bowness

London’s new £18.9bn Elizabeth line has recently opened, with travellers now able to go from Abbey Wood to Heathrow and Reading, and from Shenfield to Heathrow. We went to find out about the line's access features, with Clive Wood of the charity Guide Dogs. Clive was offering advice and guidance on the accessible design of the new line and he believes there is more that can be done to ensure full accessibility. We put his concerns to TfL's chief customer officer, Mark Evers. We also travelled down to South London, to an exhibition at the Outlined Gallery called Do You See What I See? It is an exhibition that showcases the interpretations of how partially sighted people, with various conditions, see and experience art. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured from the left is Sam Leftwich (one of the visually impaired participants in the Do You See What I See exhibition), then stands Elizabeth Manuel (the person leading the exhibition), then Peter White and finally Lindsay Whitelaw (the professional artist) on the right. The group stand in front of some of the art that is showcased in the exhibition.

Unlike most of the natural world, birds are quite easy to enjoy with a visual impairment because, well, they can be rather noisy. Martin and Jackie Brown invited us into their garden and share some of their enthusiasms for gardening and, you guessed it, birds. Natalie Doig also joins us. Natalie is partially sighted and enjoys taking photographs of birds and other wildlife, because it allows her to zoom in and discover details she wasn't aware of before. She tells us about her techniques and shares her top tips. We also review some bird identification apps that can be downloaded onto your smartphone. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: Two people photographing birds perched on their hands. On either side of the image, there are two large camera lenses. The birds are brightly coloured: orange, yellow, blue and black. One of the birds has its wings stretched out, while the other is perched with its beak slightly open.

Visually impaired Liverpool FC fans Dave Williams and Aj Ahmed were at the Stade de France last weekend, as Liverpool prepared to meet Real Madrid in the Champions League final. News headlines have been dominated by the mayhem that unfolded there, including the use of tear gas and dangerous overcrowding. The two tell us what happened to them, whilst caught up in it. A lot of the great outdoors can be quite inaccessible, especially if you are completely blind. Nature is often synonymous with visual beauty and, with the exception of birds, a lot of wildlife can be rather quiet. We speak to two avid visually impaired naturists about how they create access opportunities for themselves. Andrew Hesser has recently appeared on BBC Two's Gardeners' World and he shares his top tips for introducing a little more gardening and nature into your life. Andy Shipley has dedicated himself to the idea of involving other visually impaired people in all aspects of enjoying the natural world. Under his organisation called Natural Inclusion, Andy provides disability inclusion training to heritage sites and parks and facilitates workshops to encourage people to experience nature with more senses than just sight. Andy tells us about some of the projects he's worked on. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: two women on a hike in Munnar, India. One woman is visually impaired and is using a cane. Behind them, stretches green fields and trees. Link to Andrew Hesser's Facebook group, for tips and advice on gardening: https://www.facebook.com/groups/385503852747202 Link to Andy Shipley's Natural Inclusion: https://www.natural-inclusion.org/

For some people with visual impairments, when wanting to travel abroad there are many considerations to take into account. Namely, booking assistance at airports and travel requirements for your guide dog, if you have one. Since Brexit, there have been changes to regulations of taking Guide Dogs abroad. Before, owners had to acquire a pet passport but now, a Animal Health Certificate is required. We heard from In Touch listeners that the cost of said certificates can be quite steep and can vary, depending on veterinary practices. We investigate why this is and what the new requirements are with Chris Theobald, Guide Dogs' Senior Campaigns Manager, with David Adams, the President of the European Guide Dogs Federation and with Justine Shotton, who is the President of the British Veterinary Association. Mel Griffiths contacted In Touch when she had a problem with Birmingham Airport's assistance service. She tells us what happened. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Paul Holloway Website image description: pictured is a couple on a beach with their guide dogs: a German Shepherd and a Golden Labrador. The man is on the left of the image and wears a white and blue check shirt, a white cap and sunglasses. The lady is in the foreground and is wearing a long green and white patterned dress. Behind them is a volleyball net, with tall poles dug into the sand.

It could be about time to start planning that long overdue holiday and whether you prefer to stay in the UK or go abroad, we have three experienced visually impaired travellers on hand to share their advice of making the most of a holiday. The North Wales Accessible Holidays for Blind and Visually Impaired is a charity run by Nigel Garry and his wife, Karen. They can offer free fully adapted accessible caravan holidays. Nigel tells us about his charity and his own preferences to holiday within the UK. Nicola Naylor is a Paralympian horse rider who has travelled far and wide, both alone and with family and friends. She tells us about her travel experiences; amongst them, how she went about not making her young daughter feel the responsibility of being her guide. Rosie Fluskey globetrots with her husband, Karl. They produce a travel blog called Flying Fluskey, to document their trips and to share travel tips and advice for people who perhaps don't feel confident to go overseas. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: a close-up shot of two mature women disembarking an airplane. The woman on the left is visually impaired and is holding her folded up cane in her right hand. Both women are wearing casual clothing.

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.

We revisit the topic of how the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine is impacting its visually impaired citizens. We speak to married couple Denys and Olga Petrov who evacuated to Poland soon after the war began. They tell us about how they got across the border with a small child, a pregnancy and... seven animals. A few weeks ago, we spoke to Olga Mahler about how she travelled nearly 10,000 miles across the world from Australia to help visually impaired refugees with food and accommodation once they have crossed the border into Poland. Olga attended a boarding school for the blind in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. We caught up with her to see how her blind parents, who refused to leave their home in Ukraine, are getting along and how her aid efforts have developed. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured is two young women; one is guiding a visually impaired woman with a white cane across the border from Ukraine into Poland. Photograph taken at the Medyka border crossing in eastern Poland, on March 9, 2022. They are both wearing winter coats, hats and scarves and small snowflakes are falling around them.

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.

Vision impairment organisations have launched a new education framework called The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI). Its main aim is to define and clarify how those between the ages of 0-25 are to receive specialist skill development, by whom and to recommend best practices across the board so that all visually impaired children have equal access to education. We speak to the RNIB's Head of Education, Caireen Sutherland about what this all really means. The Disabled Student Allowance (or DSA), is a scheme that visually impaired students at university can apply for to help fund specialist equipment, apply for mobility support around campus and get help with services like note takers. But, in a report assembled by Life Peer Lord Chris Holmes, it was found that just 29% of the number of students with a known disability were actually receiving DSA support. Moreover, those students who have accessed it have reported that the process is extremely slow and convoluted. We speak two of those students, Ramneek Ahluwalia and Paul Goddard and to Lord Holmes about the recommendations he has put to Government to improve the scheme. The DSA is administered by The Student Loans company who are soon to be releasing the final details of a procurement plan, set to also improve the overall service of the DSA. We ask David Wallace, the SLC's deputy CEO, about what this will entail. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured is a young girl with pigtails and pink glasses. She is playing with some colourful braille blocks. The helping hand of an adult is directing her fingers along the braille markings.

Audio description is a form of narration that fills in the blanks in film, TV and theatre shows. It tells blind and partially sighted people what visual elements they could be missing on screen or the stage. Many believe that the current provision of audio description is too low, as some of the leading broadcasters and streaming platforms are only just going above the legally recommended requirement of 10%. Despite this, a project from The University of York is looking to improve the overall quality of audio description and they are calling it 'Enhanced Audio Description'. Its aim is to provide a more immersive experience for both visually impaired and sighted people. We paid a visit to an exhibition that is aiming to be the most accessible in the UK for blind and partially sighted people. It is based in Liverpool and is called Strawberry Field. You've probably guessed by now that it is an exhibition about the legacy of The Beatles. It was once a Salvation Army children’s home where John went to play and escape, now it is now home to an interactive visitor exhibition, café, shop and gardens. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Lewis Reeves Website image description: pictured is the steinway piano that John Lennon composed his iconic song 'Imagine' on. It is stood in the middle of the Strawberry Field exhibition. On the wall behind the piano is a large image of John Lennon's face, his eyes just peeping over the top of the piano. His face is made up of hundreds of individual black and white photographs of people who have donated to the exhibition. Above the piano hangs a TV screen with words that read 'Strawberry Field, The Imagine Piano'.

The European Blind Union represent the interests of 30 million blind and partially sighted people across Europe and with the war in Ukraine still ongoing, we wanted to know how the EBU are helping visually impaired people in Ukraine and those who have evacuated to neighbouring countries. We put this question to the EBU's director, Lars Bossleman. For some, no matter how skilfully you use a cane, guide dog or technology to navigate to a certain place, often locating the front door of your final destination can be the tricky bit - especially when there are many different entrances. what3words is a navigation system that has split the entire world (even the ocean!) into three by three metre squares and it can help blind or partially sighted people pin point that illusive door or share their exact location with others. It is by no means a new technology or even the perfect solution but The RNIB have recently praised what3words as being a helpful tool for independence for blind and partially sighted people - when it is used alongside other navigation systems, such as Google Maps. We speak to the co-founder and CEO of what3words, Chis Sheldrick about how it all works and the RNIB’s Senior Manager of Inclusive Design and Innovation, Robin Spinks about how this service can really benefit visually impaired people. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: a gentleman is sat on a bench in a built up area with his smart phone held up to his ear. He has his red and white cane folded up in his hand and resting on his lap. He is wearing a navy flat cap, sunglasses and a blue shirt. The image represents the use of technology in providing some independence for visually impaired people when travelling alone.

The Marrakesh Treaty, or more informally referred to as Book Share, is an international agreement that gives visually impaired people access to a world of accessible books - quite literally! Countries that have signed up to the Marrakesh Treaty are able to share their online libraries with other countries involved. But listener Jackie Brown raised the point that the UK's system sometimes doesn't work as efficiently as other countries' services do and that the RNIB's Book Share service should stretch further. We invited Jackie Brown onto the program to put this point to the RNIB's head of consumer and business services, Alison Long. We also invited Kevin Mulhern and Lina Kouzie to give us a wider, more international perspective. The 2022 Winter Paralympic Games are underway in Beijing and Team GB's visually impaired athletes have already secured some fantastic wins, including gold, silver and bronze medals. Alpine skier Menna Fitzpatrick will bring home some of these medals. We spoke to Menna and her guide Gary Smith about her wins so far, how the business of guiding actually works and her upcoming races. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured is Peter White inside one of the BBC's recording studios, interviewing Menna Fitzpatrick and Gary Smith. The two are on a computer monitor in front of Peter. They are wearing their blue Paralympic uniforms and white medical masks. Behind them is a white wall that is decorated with the British Paralympic Association's logo (a red lion).

According to the United Nations, more than 2.8 million people have so far fled Ukraine because of the Russian invasion and amongst them are visually impaired people. Many have fled to Poland, where some could be offered the help they need by Olga Mahler and Andriy Butenko. Olga travelled nearly 10,000 miles across the world from Australia to help visually impaired people with food and accommodation once they have crossed the border into Poland. Olga attended a boarding school for the blind in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Andriy Butenko is also from Kharkiv and is in Poland helping refugees cross the border into safety. We ask them about the work they are doing and how the visually impaired people they are meeting are coping with the ongoing war. We also hear from Dr Vera Remazhevska in Lviv, who founded the first training and rehabilitation centre in Ukraine for children with visual impairments. There, she is currently helping visually impaired children, their families and other refugees that have travelled to the West of Ukraine to find safety. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: A group of three people are helping a visually impaired man to cross train tracks in Lviv, Ukraine. The visually impaired man has a cane in his left hand and is being helped up onto the train platform from the tracks. Another man wearing a blue outfit is helping him with his large duffle bag. The picture was taken in Lviv on March 5th.

Last weekend marked two years since the tragic death of blind rail user Cleveland Gervais, due to him falling off a train platform's edge in South East London. Since then, the UK's train network operators have been coming up with ways to make train stations a safer place for visually impaired travellers; including the pledge to install tactile paving to all train station platforms by 2029. Now, the Office of Rail and Road, who are the railways regulator, has submitted its responses to the Government's Rail Accident and Investigation Branch’s report about Cleveland Gervais’ death. Within the report, it mentions that train operators have an ambition to get a lot of their tactile paving installation work done by 2024 to 2025 - but with no guarantee. We speak to the regulator about their recommendations and also to Network Rail about their ambitions to speed up their installation work and we ask for any further updates on their progress. And last year, the Be My Eyes app made taking Covid-19 PCR tests more accessible to those with some remaining vision. Now, they have teamed up with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS Test and Trace to make Lateral Flow Tests more accessible too. We speak to someone who has tried out the service and who was involved in the pilot and to Will Butler, who is the chief experience officer at Be My Eyes. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: the picture shows a pair of hands, with a Covid-19 Lateral Flow Test swab in the right hand. The swab is being put into the Extraction tube. In the background to the left, is a blue medical mask and the Lateral Flow Test itself is resting on the table below.

Technological change within the workplace is often rapid with frequent system updates. More companies are adopting software that operates via a web page browser - or what is known as the cloud. Listener Matt Johnson, a data protection and privacy lawyer, contacted In Touch to say he feels the move to cloud-based software in the workplace is causing serious access problems for people who are blind or partially sighted. He puts his concerns to Microsoft's director of Accessibility Evangelism Hector Minto, asking what the company is doing to help. Peter also talks to Kelvin Duncan, Technical Consultant at accessibility consultancy firm Blazie, and to The RNIB's Robin Spinks about whether the UK's leading visual impairment charity should be lobbying harder for law changes to improve access to technology. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: pictured is a man in a grey shirt and glasses working at his computer desk. His back is toward the camera. Surrounding him are three computer screens, keyboards and office desk items (pens, bits of paper etc). In the background are a series of large windows that reach from floor to ceiling. In one of them, there is a reflection of another man working in another part of the office. Below are some helpful accessibility resources from Microsoft: Accessibility insights. These help developers create accessible products: https://accessibilityinsights.io/ Accessibility fundamentals. Where they offer training and support on accessibility within Microsoft tools: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/accessibility-fundamentals/

Georgie Morrell is a visually impaired actress and stand-up comedian. She recently appeared in an episode of BBC One's hit hospital drama, Casualty; where she was cast to play a visually impaired woman and guide dog owner. Georgie wrote an article about her experience in the Metro, where she spoke about how refreshing it was to have a visually impaired person play a visually impaired character on television. We speak to her about this and hear her thoughts on our other items... Love! With the world becoming increasingly more digital, we discuss access to online dating platforms when you are blind or partially sighted. And American deaf-blind writer Cristina Hartman sparked a lively debate on Twitter recently, about whether or not it is helpful for people to describe what they look like. Do you think it is helpful? Does it allow you to visualize the person speaking to you, or is it just a load of unhelpful information? We delve into this. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Website image description: in the spirit of Valentine's Day, the image is of two people holding hands. The person on the left has a blue and white polka dot shirt on, with the sleeves rolled up. The person on the right has a large embellished silver bracelet and is wearing a matching blue and white polka dot shirt. In the background is a large pool of water, seemingly a river or a lake, with the sunset reflecting off of the water. Casualty clips and theme tune used by permission of the BBC One Casualty Production team.

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 courtesy of World of Wonder Productions, Inc.

We're discussing three audiobooks: Cold In Hand by John Harvey and narrated by Nick Boulton, Lost for Words by Stephanie Butland and narrated by Imogen Church and The Pigeon Tunnel by John le Carré and narrated by... John le Carré. Peter reviews the stories and themes and, most importantly, the narration with guests Richard Land and Fiona Dunn. Presenter: Peter White Producer Beth Hemmings Website Image Description: the image shows a stack of multicoloured books on a wooden table. Next to them is a pair of large headphones, with a wire leading into the spine of the book on top. Representing the conversion of physical books into an audiobook format. Links to audiobooks discussed in the show: Lost for Words: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Lost-for-Words-Audiobook/B06XC63H14?ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_&pf_rd_p=d5008f37-07b0-4d76-b44d-2b41ca41066e&pf_rd_r=XGHDR8RSQVC5FJ5JA55T Cold In Hand: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Cold-in-Hand-Audiobook/B004FTUG6K?ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_&pf_rd_p=d5008f37-07b0-4d76-b44d-2b41ca41066e&pf_rd_r=XGHDR8RSQVC5FJ5JA55T The Pigeon Tunnel: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Pigeon-Tunnel-Audiobook/B016E8URPE?ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_&pf_rd_p=d5008f37-07b0-4d76-b44d-2b41ca41066e&pf_rd_r=XGHDR8RSQVC5FJ5JA55T Audio credits: Lost for Words ©2017 Stephanie Butland (P)2017 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd. Cold in Hand, used by permission from W.F. Howes Ltd. The Pigeon Tunnel, used by permission from Penguin Random House Ltd.

Kerry Burke, Eilidh Morrison and Reece Watt are all from Scotland and are members of the youth forum Haggeye. Haggeye first began in 2007 as part of RNIB Scotland. Its a place where young people from all over Scotland can meet to socialise and campaign on issues such as accessible transport, the need for more educational material in formats such as braille and audio and more. We speak to the three youngsters about their involvement in Haggeye and their lives more generally. We ask for their thoughts in relation to education, jobs, relationships and The Scottish Youth Parliament, of which Kerry and Eilidh are members. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website Image Description: the image shows three young people sat around a table having a discussion and enjoying a cup of tea. On the table is a large red spotted teapot. In the foreground are two young females, seemingly enjoying each other's conversation. Between them is a young man in a striped shirt and glasses. He is leaning in to listen.

Back in 2007, Craig Lundberg was a decorated British Army soldier. He was one of the army's youngest junior leaders and was frequently being used by special forces. However during a roof top fire fight, Craig was hit with an RPG and was blinded instantly. Shortly after this happened, Peter visited him in Liverpool to hear about how he'd coped with his sudden sight loss. Back then, Craig's determination to lead a 'normal' life and the maturity in which he faced the realities of becoming blind made us want to revisit him, 14 years later. This episode is all about how Craig's life has panned out, his pursuits in extreme sport, his businesses and about the day to day life of this family man. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website Image Description: pictured is Craig Lundberg stood outside the estate agency that he owns, called Whitegates. To the far left of the image is one of the shop windows, displaying available properties. Craig is stood on the right side of the image, in front of another window that has a huge white Christmas sleigh on display, with teddies of Olaf from Frozen and an elf sat inside it. The window itself is larger than the other and it has a two stencils on it, one of a Christmas tree and the other reads 'Merry Christmas'.

We visited St Vincent’s School in Liverpool where the children have been dubbed Climate Heroes for their work toward climate action. The visually impaired pupils have been doing their bit to ease the environmental crisis, by planting and growing their own produce and handing it out to their local community, by writing stories to encourage and influence discussions about climate change and they've been thinking up ways technology can reduce our carbon footprint. They've undergone various climate related projects this year, and some of their pupils even attended the COP26 summit in Glasgow. We hear about all of these. Join in the In Touch Christmas party, where we speak to comedian Jamie MacDonald, jazz and soul singer Katriona Taylor and musical couple Denise Leigh and Stefan Andrishin who tease out a few of the challenges of Christmas as blind or visually impaired people. They share festive anecdotes, jokes and Katriona treats us with some festive tunes. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: pictured is Peter White and one of St Vincent’s pupils, Abyan Farouk in the school's chapel. Peter is stood on the left and Abyan on the right. To the right of Abyan is a Christmas tree adorned with red and gold baubles and gold lights. To the left of Peter is a grand display of marble angels.

The Life in the UK test allows people to apply for British citizenship and its a test that requires substantial revision and preparation. Brian Alyward is originally from the Republic of Ireland, and he explains what happened when he initially found that the revision and preparation materials were not provided in his preferred format; braille. When it comes to enjoying art work, it can be dependent as much on texture as it is on visual effect. There have been many blind or partially sighted artists over the years who have used their changing eyesight to add individuality to their interpretations of art. So when we heard about a recent exhibition in London, that featured the work of blind or visually impaired artists, we wanted to know what it was all about. Our reporter Fern Lulham attended the exhibition and spoke to some artists about their fascinating creations. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: pictured is a large white wall with scripture printed in braille markings. To the left of the image is a woman's hand feeling along the tactile braille markings. She is wearing a large golden ring.

All further education colleges are legally obliged to develop accessible websites, learning, teaching and assessment materials to students who need them. But new research suggests that eight out of ten colleges in the UK are not doing this. The research was conducted by disability consultancy company, All Able on behalf of Thomas Pocklington Trust. It tested the pathways blind and partially sighted students may use to find out about support a college may provide. On this, we speak to co-Director of All Able, George Rhodes, a college student shares her experiences with access to specialist technology and information during her course and we ask David Hughes, the Chief Director of the Association of Colleges, about what they're doing to change this inaccessible culture across some of the UK's colleges. When we heard from Valerie Brown about her concerns over the retirement age of her current guide dog, Jack we thought we'd get her some clarification. We invited Valerie to put this concern, along with others she had, to Peter Osborne who is the Director of Operations for Guide Dogs. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: the picture shows the midsection of a man who is waiting at a zebra crossing with his guide dog. In his one hand is his dog's harness and in the other, a red and white cane. The guide dog is a black Labrador, wearing a yellow harness. It is sat at the curb's edge and is seemingly looking right into the camera.

Parliament has revealed their plans to recruit a National Clinical Director for Eye Care, which could help transform services for patients. Until now, there's been no national clinical representation for eye care within NHS England and NHS Improvement, despite ophthalmology being the biggest out-patient department in the NHS. Last week, Minister Maria Caulfield announced that recruitment is now underway. We speak to the Chief Executive of the Macular Society, Cathy Yelf about this important development for eye care services and what she hopes the new recruit will achieve. And you may have heard of a visually impaired Mayor before, but how about two in the same household? We're joined by Richard and Sue Lees who have both been Mayor of Taunton in Summerset; Sue is the current Mayor and Richard was elected in 2005. We talk to them about what the role entails, what led them to the post and their responses to our third item about access to Santander's bank cards. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: the image shows a woman getting an eye examination. Her head is leant toward a retinal camera, while the optometrist pulls down her bottom eye lid for closer inspection. A yellow light is being shone in her eye. The image represents eye care and that this element of the practice could potentially be transformed with the introduction of the new National Clinical Director for Eye Care.

We had an inbox brimming with your questions and investigation requests, and so this program is dedicated to getting you some answers. On the program, we speak to the BBC News at 10's Executive News Editor, Paul Royall about the lack of English audio translations on their reports from Afghanistan. We speak to Virgin Media O2's Chief TV and Entertainment Officer, David Bouchier about their lack of a talking Electronic Program Guide on their latest set top box. And from access to pictures on the TV, to access to pictures in a gallery, we had a request to investigate the lighting situation in some of the exhibitions at the British Museum. The museum were not available and so we invited lighting experts, ASCO Lights to tell us what solutions they recommend. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: the image shows a lone man in a long dark bricked room with an arched ceiling. He is examining some pieces of art on the wall, which are each lit with a single spot light. The image represents how galleries and museums often have very low lighting, making it difficult for some visually impaired people to enjoy.

Gender dysphoria is a condition where a person experiences discomfort or distress because there's a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity. It's sometimes known as gender identity disorder, gender incongruence or transgenderism. On this episode of In Touch, three visually impaired people tell us about their experiences with their gender transitions. We discuss why they've chosen this path, what have been the effects on their relationships with their family and friends, and how their visual impairments interact with their gender identities. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: a person with a white cane is sat alone on a park bench. The image represents isolation, as the participants in the show explain how they felt lonely when beginning to explore their gender identities (this is not representative of everyone's experiences).

Recently, a number of In Touch listeners have told us they're finding more touch screen card machines in their daily lives. These are the machines that do not have any raised buttons or tactile feedback. Supposedly, this type of machine is the future because most are operated by a similar technology as what is inside a smart phone. This gives a business a wider variety of payment options, and they can often be quicker and more reliable than the traditional machines we're all used to. But just how accessible are they when blind or visually impaired people are not able to use the contactless payment feature? We speak to three visually impaired people about their experiences on this, we ask a small business why they decided to opt for a touch screen machine, we ask a manufacturer about whether accessibility is considered in the design process of their machines and to The RNIB about what you can do if you are unable to use one. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

In this music special, we'll be speaking to three visually impaired musicians about how they navigate their careers, what part their visual impairments play in that, and to what extent they buy the common misconception that blindness and good musicianship are linked. You'll be hearing from: Chris Campion, a heavy metal session guitarist from London. We talk about his career, spanning across many different genres of music, and about his solo tracks that were released over the lockdowns. Katriona Taylor, who is a soul and jazz singer and songwriter from London. She has just released her fifth album called Blind Passion, that celebrates blind artists with her original compositions and arrangements. And Michael Stimpson, a classical composer who has re-released a piece of work called The Angry Garden. Upon its original release, twenty years ago, the intention was to highlight climate change and today, unfortunately, its themes are still current. It has been re-released to coincide with the COP26 summit currently happening in Glasgow. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: a man in a colourful floral shirt and jeans is sat playing an electric guitar. The guitar was once owned by John Lennon and George Harrison. The image was captured during a recording of Antiques Roadshow, where the guitar turned out to be one of the most valuable items ever brought in, due to its rarity.

In the first interview since the problem occurred, Channel 4's chief marketing officer and executive lead for inclusion and diversity, Zaid Al-Qassab explains what has happened to their audio description and signing services. Neither has been working since the end of September. We ask why there were no back up services, what measures will be put in place to avoid it happening again, and most importantly when these services will be back up and running. We all know that global action is needed to prevent worsening climate change and its severe consequences. The UN Climate Change Conference, or COP26, is just around the corner and it is seen as the last chance for us to make a positive impact on our future. We discuss the relationship between sustainability and inclusion and highlight some of the problems visually impaired people are facing with so-called sustainable infrastructure. We assess the consequences of leaving people with disabilities out of future sustainability plans. We hear from Ann Frye, an international specialist on the transport needs of disabled and older people and Iain McKinnon, of the Global Disability Innovation Hub, who is also part of a panel at COP26 discussing these themes. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Website image description: In the forefront are large solar panels. These are surrounded by green trees and foliage. The back of the image shows tall high-rise buildings, a city landscape. The image represents the moulding of sustainable infrastructure and city life.

When you first register for a certificate of visual impairment and you have informed your local authority that you may need care and support, they have a legal duty, under The Social Care Act, to carry out an assessment. This assessment is designed to evaluate what kind of extra support you need, perhaps it is help around the home or navigating the outside world. But problems seem to occur when a local authority does not have the specialist knowledge of visual impairments in order to diagnose the most suitable help and when newly blind people are not aware of what they are entitled to. On the programme, we hear from two people who have experienced problems in accessing social care assistance from their local authorities. We discuss rehabilitation, a service which offers visual impairment training, and why certain areas of the UK don't have the necessary specialist support. Our guests include: Professor Fred Reid, a long time campaigner on behalf of visually impaired people, and honorary professor of history at Warwick University. Simon Labbett, chair of the Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network, and a rehabilitation officer for the blind and John Dixon, the RNIB's policy lead on social care.

We are 60 years old! Peter White shares his fondest memories and experiences of presenting In Touch and we hear something of the programme's history from one of the original producers. Also, cornea and retina specialists have begun to notice eye-related complications in people who have recovered from COVID 19. Some people have experienced blurred vision while ill with the disease, but it appears that for some, the effect can remain, long after they've recovered. In some cases, it's thought that the disease blocks or restricts blood supply to the retina, which results in a condition called retinopathy. In some extreme cases, vision can be impaired. We investigate this with the Clinical Director of the Association of Optometrists, Dr Peter Hampson. And we hear from someone who successfully uses assistive technology in their place of work. And it may not be the job role you're expecting it to be... Producer: Fern Lulham Presenter: Peter White

Figures by the consumer group Which? show that, over a six year period, the number of bank branches across the UK have decreased by around 44%. The number of cash machines have also decreased; in just two years, we've lost nearly 11 thousand of them nationwide. But what does this mean for people who may prefer to use cash or visit their local branch? We speak with the Head of Money at Which?, Gareth Shaw about their findings on this. We also talk to the UK's largest provider of cash machines, LINK about the future financial landscape in the UK and to The Baron Holmes of Richmond, Lord Chris Holmes about a new pilot scheme that aims to keep the cash flowing within local communities. And when it comes to employment, around just one in four visually impaired people of working age have a job. As you may know, there are many barriers that prevent people getting into work, but one of those is perhaps that job seekers and perspective employers alike are unaware of the technology that will aid visually impaired people when in work. Well, our reporter Fern Lulham is here to help and has put together some information about some of the best work-based technology on the market. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

It can be a common occurrence to hear your doctor say 'if only we'd caught this sooner'. Well, the reading department at Moorfields Eye Hospital have created a way to detect signs of one of the most common causes of blindness, all in under 30 seconds. They've done this using artificial intelligence technology and it can detect Dry Age Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD. There is currently no treatment for this condition, unlike the 'wet' form of the disorder, but it is an exciting development in AI medicine. We speak with Dr Konstantinos Balaskas about how it all works and with Cathy Yelf from the Macular Society about potential future treatment for the condition. Sport England have dedicated £1 million to get visually impaired people more active. It will be delivered through a three year campaign called See Sport Differently. It comes as new figures show that blind and partially sighted people are twice as likely to be completely inactive as people without a vision impairment, with more than half of people with a vision impairment doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. Paralympics GB medal winners Chris Skelly and Libby Clegg have launched the campaign, we will be speaking with Libby about it, her sporting career and what she plans to do now she's announced her retirement.

September marks the start of the new university term. We hear from some visually impaired students who are returning to their studies. They tell us about their experiences with university life so far, and what they're expecting from this new academic year. We also hear from a former disability student advisor about what support is available for visually impaired students and from Rachel Hewett from the Vision Impairment Centre For Teaching and Research at the University of Birmingham, about all things student finance.

Audio Description has been around for over 30 years: it is filling in the silences on TV, films and the theatre so that blind and partially sighted people can follow the action easier. The current legal requirements for audio description, for all of the major broadcasters, is set at 10% but there are currently no legal requirements for on-demand streaming, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime etc. We speak with one of the Principals in Ofcom's Content Policy team, Cathy Taylor about Ofcom's plans for on-demand streaming and ask whether the requirements should be set higher than 10%. There has been a boom in people playing video games over the lockdown period, and there are plenty of visually impaired people who have been joining in on the fun. We hear about an audio only video game that is entirely accessible to blind and partially sighted players. It is rather rare for an audio only game to reach the major consoles but this one is available on the Xbox. Its called The Vale: The Shadow of the Crown. We hear a review from someone who has played it and we speak to the game's developer, Dave Evans.

It is claimed that social media is so popular these days, that there are now more people using it across the globe than are not. But how easy is it to navigate and participate in when you're blind or partially sighted? We'll be speaking to two social media influencers, who are using different platforms to educate people about sight loss. We'll also be speaking to Facebook and Instagram's head of accessibility, Mike Shebanek, about what they are doing to ensure ease of use for visually impaired people. And, if you're new to social media or tend to avoid it because its too tricky for you to navigate, we offer some general tips and advice on where you can go for help.

Over the weekend, Team GB's visually impaired athletes won multiple medals: including gold across the cycling, swimming and judo. We check in with our reporter Mani Djazmi who brings us details of those medal wins and interviews with some of our gold medallists. And there could be many reasons why you'd be put off visiting the gym. It could be perceived attitudes or thinking that gyms may not provide the necessary adaptations for you. Well, under the Equalities Act, it is a legal requirement for a gym or leisure centre to make reasonable requirements if you request them and tonight, we'll be hearing about a gym that have done just that for their visually impaired members. We promise we're not trying to push you into training like a Paralympic athlete, but instead would like to show you that getting active can be easier than you may think.

Recently, there has been some criticism about the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games going ahead, due to a rise in coronavirus cases in Tokyo. Despite this, the games have commenced and on the show, we hear about how they were justified from the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons. And our reporter Mani Djazmi is in Tokyo and will be telling us who to look out for and about the atmosphere within the Tokyo site, given the pandemic restrictions. And it may seem unlikely that someone who is completely blind can enjoy photography. But we'll be speaking to professional photographers, Pete Eckert and Karren Visser. Karren Visser is progressively losing her sight and she tells us how photography is helping her adapt. Pete Eckert joins us from Sacramento in California. He has had a plethora of opportunities throughout his career due to his unique style of light photography - including shoots for Volkswagen, Playboy and Swarovski. They'll both be telling us how they do it despite having limited or no sight at all and about what photography means to them. Website photograph: 0845 3 by Pete Eckert Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

It may not come as a surprise to you that, for many years, unemployment rates amongst blind and visually impaired people have been consistently high. This is despite government efforts to combat this. Well, the recent release of two reports has put disability employment back on the agenda. We ask the Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson about this government's plans, outlined within their new disability strategy, to get more blind and visually impaired people into work. And the sight loss charity The Vision Foundation has recently published their See My Skills report. It gives a detailed but rather bleak insight into the employment landscape for blind and visually impaired people. We speak to two people with direct experience of seeking work, the charity's Chief Executive Olivia Curno and previous Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and now Vice Chair of The Vision Foundation, Lord David Blunkett about the report and what their charity is doing to help the situation.

During the lockdown period, we all added an extra 40 minutes a day, on average, onto our TV watching time; whether that was watching live TV or via streaming platforms. But are there sufficient levels of audio description available able to accompany this increase? We'll be asking this of some TV consumers and looking into the minimum legal requirements for audio description, set by the UK's regulator of communication services Ofcom. Goalball is the sport designed to be played by blind and visually impaired athletes. And, like all parasports, it has a classification system that determines what athletes will compete together to make it an equal playing field. However, some athletes of goalball believe that their classification system has discriminated against them because they are deemed to have 'too much sight' to compete at an international level. We speak to one of the athletes on this and hear about a new PHD research study that could determine any future changes to the sport's classification system. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

Home learning can be difficult for blind and visually impaired children. But the charity Guide Dogs is aiming to change that with their new Tech for All scheme. Within the pilot of the scheme, Guide Dogs are aiming to provide free iPads to around 3,500 children to help them with their school work and overall independence. We talk to the charity's Director of Operations, Peter Osborne about the background to the scheme and we hear from a family who have benefitted. If you've not heard of him already, we're introducing you to stand-up comedian Jamie MacDonald. We talk to him about his career to date, including his Radio 4 comedy series Life on the Blink and his latest project, a BBC 2 documentary called Blind Ambition. The documentary examines blindness in relation to the way creative people, across different professions, continue to create fantastic work despite losing their sight. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

There has been more than a year of uncertainty about whether the Olympic and Paralympic games will actually go ahead in Tokyo this year. The Olympics are already in full swing and the Paralympic games will start on the 24th of August. Ahead of the games, we hear from two visually impaired para athletes, Alison Peasgood of triathlon and Elliot Stewart of judo, about how the past year has been. We hear about their training and fitness levels and how they're feeling about heading to Tokyo to compete. We'll also hear from Team GB's Paralympic Chef de Mission - the woman taking our athletes to the games, Penny Briscoe and BBC World Service's Mani Djazmi on the medal hopefuls for this year. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

Plans to require voters to show photo ID at polling stations were recently introduced in Parliament under the Elections Bill. But The RNIB are concerned that this will make the electoral process even less accessible for blind and partially sighted voters, who are seemingly disproportionately less likely to hold a passport or driving licence. We talk to the RNIB's Director of Development Keith Valentine about the charity's concerns surrounding this. And we get some answers from Network Rail's Head of Public and Passenger Safety, Allan Spence about their plans for tactile paving across their network. There have been some promising signs emerging from Network Rail over the last 12 months, as they have installed tactile on a significant number of platform edges. However, their current plans to equip all stations by 2029 has been dubbed by charities as not being quick enough. Tonight, we're asking whether this installation could be sped up, what funds are available for said installation and whether any temporary safety measures are being put in place whilst these plans are being carried out. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

There have been some promising signs emerging from Network Rail over the last 12 months around the installation of tactile paving on the edge of their train station platforms. But tonight, we're questioning whether action is being taken quickly enough to make train stations a safer place for blind and visually impaired rail users. Last year, a Freedom of Information report showed that 35% of the UK’s train platforms did not have tactile paving. But what is the situation a year on? We revisit the discussion about braille’s future within the technological age. Since braille’s invention by Louise Braille almost 300 years ago, it is undeniable that braille has radically enhanced the lives of some blind people and, of course, has continued to do so ever since. But it is also true that it can be a complicated system to learn, it can take great sensitivity of touch, and is only mastered comfortably by a very small percentage of the population. We hear your thoughts on this and those of Dave Williams, The Chair of the Braillists Foundation. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings

Fern Lulham sits in for Peter White. Wheelie bins pose yet another potential obstacle for blind and visually impaired people when navigating pavements. North West Leicester City Council will potentially be able to impose fines to people who leave their wheelie bin on the pavement after bin day. Residents could be liable if there is an accident due to the obstruction. They have recently launched a consultation exercise, that will ask local residents about their thoughts on how to pave their way to a solution. We speak with North West Leicester City Council's head of community services, Paul Sanders on this. Becoming a parent can be both a scary and incredibly exciting experience - especially if you are blind or have a visual impairment. We hear the experiences of some new parents, from when they were expecting to what it is like now they have their little bundles of joy. Are you thinking of having children? We offer some advice from Kate Crofts from Blind Parents UK. Producer: Beth Hemmings

A longitudinal study by the Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research at the University of Birmingham and the Thomas Pocklington Trust, identified key challenges experienced by blind and visually impaired people when they moved on to Further Education. It also found that many did not gain quality employment despite earning qualifications in line with the general population. And is assistive technology making the learning and usage of braille more scarce? We want to hear your views on this - email [email protected] We get things started by talking to Anna Janickyj, a braille teacher and personal tutor from Sense College Loughborough.

The disability charity Sense are calling on the Government and local communities to prioritise disabled people as the country plans its way out of the Coronavirus restrictions. It's been laid out in their ‘Left out of Life’ report, which reveals the extent to which people feel worried about going out and anxious about measures like social distancing. We speak to the charity’s CEO, Richard Kramer. Echolocation has long been endorsed as a way of helping people who are blind or partially sighted to navigate the world. The University of Durham have been studying the potential of the technique for some years - we'll get an update from the author of the latest report. In the study, Echolocation was taught to people with and without sight, of varying ages and it revealed some rather surprising results…

Rapid lateral flow tests for Covid-19 were criticised earlier in the year for not being accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. The government promised to do better, but did it happen? Spectators are making a welcome return to some of the big sporting events of the summer, including Test matches and the European Football Championship, but they are only allowed into stadiums if they can show proof of a negative lateral flow test or double vaccination. Are you itching to get back to water-cooler chat in the office? Or does the thought of commuting again fill you with dread? We discuss the merits of continuing to work from home versus returning to the office.

Getting the right lighting in the home can be life-changing for people who are blind or visually impaired. Tonight we get a preview of a new guide due to be published by the sight loss charity Thomas Pocklington Trust which gives solutions to some common lighting problems. We invited one of our listeners, who emailed in about the subject, to put the questions to the author. And, after a big response from you on our item about e-scooters, we speak to one of the three operators of the trials starting in London this week. We'll find out about plans for audio warnings and how they intend to make sure scooters are parked safely.

In this special programme, we examine the role genetics plays in both the inheritance of sight loss and its future treatment. We hear about the latest breakthrough reported in the journal 'Nature Medicine' in which the vision of a completely blind man was partially restored using light-sensing proteins first found in algae. He was treated with a type of therapy called optogenetics, which uses the proteins to control cells at the back of his eye. And we discuss the merits of gene testing with the Chief Executive of Retina UK about how genetic testing can help people with inherited sight loss make future choices about their lives.

New figures show there have been over 200 injuries and 1,100 complaints to local authorities since the trial of electric scooters began in 50 towns and cities across the UK. Sight loss charities are calling for stricter enforcement of existing regulations to keep people who are blind or visually impaired safe. And we speak to blind or visually impaired football fans as they make a welcome return to stadia.

The pandemic has accelerated our use of the digital world, meaning accessible websites and apps have never been more important. So who's doing it well and who could do better? We've been collating your examples of website accessibility and put them to Robin Christopherson from AbilityNet, who offer advice for companies and public bodies on making their online platforms suitable for people who are blind or visually impaired. Also - we review the latest software to be included on the Amazon Alexa and Google Home platforms. And Josh Gregg from the University of York talks about his project to make sure future technologies like augmented reality are designed with accessibility in mind from inception. You can find out more about his research at bit.ly/audioar

Up until now it's been virtually impossible for people who are blind or visually impaired to cast their vote completely privately. But new technology trialled at polling booths in Norfolk last week could change all that. We hear from someone who took part. And after recovering from meningitis, a double lung transplant and seven cornea operations, Sam Roberts talks to Peter White about his newfound love of extreme sports.

How does language affect how we view disability; and who gets to decide what words we should use? Peter White discusses the changing terminology around visual impairment following a report by the charity Leonard Cheshire showing that nearly three quarters of disabled people feel more needs to be done for non-disabled people to understand that their words can offend. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Simon Hoban

Only one in four registered blind and partially sighted people of working age are in employment and on tonight's programme we hear one woman's struggle to get a job. Angharad Paget Jones applied for 2,000 jobs and had 200 interviews before she was offered a position - and she believes discrimination was sometimes to blame. And now that restrictions are easing, how are you feeling about going out and about again? Lots of us have lost a bit of confidence in the pandemic - we hear from two listeners about their concerns.

We speak to the woman whose sight deteriorated in the pandemic because her appointment was cancelled. And what are the very specific challenges for blind and visually impaired people when it comes to moving house? From labelling boxes to scoping out the new area, we hear from three listeners who've done it - and have some tips on how to make sure it goes smoothly.

Habilitation gives young people who are visually impaired crucial life skills, such as mobility and auditory training, to help them develop confidence and live their lives. But a new report has laid bare the chronic shortage of habilitation officers and revealed a patchwork of services provided by local authorities in England. One local council provided habilitation support to just 3% of the children and young people with vision impairment in their area, and another provided this service to 47%. We talk to the parents affected and ask what needs to be done to improve the situation. And we meet the blind footballer who, having achieved his dream of playing for the England blind football team, is taking his love of sport into the classroom as part of his latest venture - disability awareness training.

3,000 puppies are to have their DNA sequenced via sailva swabs in order to build a database that will help improve the success rate of fully established working guide dogs. The 'Born to Guide' project is being led by Dr Tom Lewis, who told us how the database will establish links between dog genetics, health and behaviour. And we meet Xavier Hopkins - the visually impaired mountain biker who makes a mental map of the courses he rides, before hurtling down them at very high speeds.

The Government's promised £3 billion pounds to transform bus services in England as part of its 'Bus Back Better' plan. But how much of the money is dedicated to improving accessibility? Our reporter Fern Lulham has been finding out whether services like talking buses are soon to become commonplace across the country. Meanwhile thousands of rail staff have been undergoing training to help them understand the appropriate help to offer people who are disabled. And find out what happens when Peter White attempts to follow a cake recipe set out in Bake Off star Ruby Tandoh's latest audio book.

Sarah Leadbetter, from Narborough in Leicestershire, is classed as clinically extremely vulnerable. However government correspondence advising her to shield was not sent in a format she could access - which she argued was discrimination. After her legal challenge, the government has agreed to review its communication with disabled people. While shops on the High Street are closing, Amazon has opened a new one - with a difference. Billed as 'contactless' and utilising the firm's app, shoppers fill their bags and leave without using any tills, receiving a receipt later. We test it out for accessibility. And are people who are blind or visually impaired being left short-changed by less favourable betting odds when they choose to have a flutter over the telephone?

The way banks work has been hugely affected by Coronavirus, with customers encouraged to go online and keep visits to the already dwindling number of branches to a minimum. Telephone banking has also changed, with an increased reliance on voice-activated technology rather than keypad entry. We ask whether those changes have helped with accessibility. And following our recent story about the online trolls who doubted the existence of Helen Keller, we hear from one user of social media who's challenging the disability deniers with a dramatic video on the site TikTok.

The RNIB have announced big changes to their braille library service. From next month braille books will be smaller, slimmer and newly printed on demand. Users won't even have to return the books but can instead choose to upgrade by buying a more robust spiral-bound version. The new Census 2021 forms are dropping through letterboxes and the organisers, the Office for National Statistics, are promising it will be the most accessible yet. We'll hear from their Deputy National Statistician Iain Bell about what they've got planned. A telephone contact centre is available on 0800 141 2021 in England and 0800 169 2021 in Wales. And the TV soaps often seek to reflect life back at us by featuring storylines about illness or medical conditions. Coronation Street is the latest to do that with their portrayal of Charles Bonnet Syndrome - a condition affecting people with sight loss that often involves frightening hallucinations. We talk to the actor Richard Hawley who plays the newly-diagnosed Johnny Connor in the soap.

When attending hospital appointments became so difficult during the pandemic, Moorfields Eye Hospital developed an app that allows you to keep track of your vision at home. It links the user up with a specialist who can monitor the results for any changes and decide whether a face-to-face appointment is really necessary. We get the verdict of one listener who's been using it. And after our recent interview with visually impaired writers sharing their experiences of getting published, we hear from two listeners who wanted to offer their own advice. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCERS: Mike Young and Simon Hoban

We focus on the death of Cleveland Gervais. Cleveland was blind and, one year ago, he fell from the platform edge and was struck by a train at Eden Park Station in South East London. There was no tactile paving strip on the edge of the platform he fell from. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has now released its report into what happened. We hear from the Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents Simon French, Cleveland's partner Sekha Hall, rail safety expert Clive Wood from Guide Dogs and Allan Spence who's Network Rail's Head of Public and Passenger Safety. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

We hear from Sarah Leadbetter who's mounted a legal challenge over inaccessible Covid related information. She argues the government did not give her accessible details about shielding. She's now been granted a judicial review at the High Court. And the famous life of the American deaf-blind author and disability rights activist Helen Keller is well documented. So why have doubts emerged online, particularly among younger people, that cast doubt on all she achieved? We'll hear from visually impaired writer and historian Selina Mills. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

Transport For London's Mark Evers talks to Peter White about why their physical assisted guidance keeps being withdrawn. Now it's reinstated again, will they be able to keep it that way? And our reporter Johnny Cassidy looks at the world of the binged TV box set. Why isn't audio description available on every episode when a box set is placed on an on-demand TV service? Channel 4 took some time to make audio description available via its All 4 service for every episode of its new hit show "It's A Sin" (produced by the Red Production Company). PRODUCER: Mike Young

We hear from In Touch listeners who've now had the first of their Covid vaccinations. How did they hear about where to go? What was the process like when they actually got the jab? And the RNIB has announced it's selling off its London HQ. The search is on for smaller London premises. RNIB Chief Executive Matt Stringer tells us why they need to make this move. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

Peter White hears some of the problems being experienced by visually impaired people when it comes to getting tested for Coronavirus. And how to make sure you know when it's your turn to get a vaccination. Among our guests is GP Dr. Anshumen Bhagat and Sarah Lambert from the RNIB. There's a link on this programme page to the RNIB website for further guidance when it comes to getting an accessible Covid test. PRODUCER: Mike Young.

Two of our reporters, Fern Lulham and Emma Tracey, tell Peter White about the apps they use in their daily lives. And we hear from the boss of StitchFix UK about their efforts to make online clothes shopping easier if you're visually impaired. Fern Lulham has also featured on the BBC World Service Digital Planet programme to talk about "Blindness In The Digital Age". You can hear more of that programme here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csz994 IN TOUCH PRODUCER: Mike Young

The UK railway industry's new "Passenger Assist" app is finally being launched in March. It was supposed to be introduced in 2019. We hear from the app's designers and from a visually impaired rail user who's given the app a try. And the new descriptive Zoom sessions opening up access to royal artworks. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

We hear from some of the people affected by the delayed Paralympic Games after Covid restrictions led to Tokyo 2020 being postponed. Can the games really go ahead in 2021? Looking ahead to the 2021 games are Paralympics GB’s Chef de Mission Penny Briscoe, judo stars Chris Skelley and Dan Powell, 2016 gold medal winning runner Libby Clegg and Tim Reddish from the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

Peter White speaks to three visually impaired writers about how they got started. What tips do they have for someone hoping to get published themselves as a poet, a playwright or novelist? What part does blindness play in their creative work? Our guests are Claudine Toutoungi, Mandy Redvers-Rowe and Tanvir Bush. PRODUCER: Mike Young

Anna Tylor, the new Chair of Trustees at the RNIB, talks to Peter White. She's joined the charity after its gone through reputational and financial challenges in recent years. Anna has previously chaired the Vision Foundation and Dyslexia Action. PRODUCER: Mike Young

The battles to get our town and city centres more user friendly for the visually impaired. What can we learn from Australia? Brisbane based accessibility expert John MacPherson is our guest. We hear from Peter Osborne of Guide Dogs about the renewed efforts to link up animals and owners during the pandemic. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

It's emerged more than a third of the UK's railway platforms are still without tactile paving. It was designed thirty years ago to make it very clear to a blind or visually impaired rail user exactly where the edge was. Caroline Pidgeon, a Lib Dem member of the London Assembly, asks how long will it take before this safety measure is universally installed? As university students across the UK prepare to head home for Christmas, we hear from two first years who are visually impaired. How has their first term worked out during a pandemic? PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

We hear about the newly launched Freeview Play Accessible TV Guide which you can find on channel 555. We hear from Gavin Ellis who led the development of it. And calls to save the RNIB's giant print library which is due to shut in January. Are the alternatives to a borrowed large print book, particularly for younger readers, going to be as good? PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

Peter Wilkins tells us about the loss of his wife who died in a care home he was barely allowed to visit due to Covid restrictions. He says the isolation felt by those with sight loss in care homes is unbearable. And London Underground changes its policy for blind and visually impaired users. Physically assisted guidance is resuming after it was stopped for eight months due to Covid. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

The RNIB says its closing its giant print lending library in January next year. We hear from the RNIB's Director of Services David Clarke. The disabled artist and film-maker Richard Butchins will be telling us about his latest TV programme. It challenges the importance of good vision in making great art. The Disordered Eye is on the BBC iPlayer now and is available with audio description. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

Cabinet Office Minister Chloe Smith and RNIB Chair Eleanor Southwood discuss the technological changes being introduced to help blind and visually impaired people vote independently and in secret. We also look at the situation in the US and hear how technology is helping voters cast their votes in the race to the White House. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

Peter White chats with Steve Daley who, at the age of 43, retired as captain of England's partially sighted, 5-a-side "Futsal" team after last year's World Cup final. Futsal is FIFA's recognised version of small-sided football. In total he represented England at nine World Cups and nine European Championships, winning Silver and Bronze medals along the way. The FA has now offered him the Head Coach role which Steve has accepted. And, with a new TV advert featuring a blind actress, we'll hear from the people who made the ad. Are opportunities growing on the small screen for blind and visually impaired actors? PRODUCER: Mike Young

News of a global study into dry age-related macular degeneration. Its aiming to help experts understand the role genetics may play in the disease. Professor Paulo Stanga from the London Vision Clinic talks us though what the study involves and how you can take part. There is a number to call if you want more information about this trial. It's 01438 532 142. The link for more details is also on our website. Also in this programme, the public transport challenges we face as we travel around the world's big cities. We'll hear from globe trotter, Mona Minkara, about her best and worst experiences. PRESENTER: Peter White. PRODUCER: Mike Young.

Fern Lulham sits in for Peter White (you can see a picture of Fern, with her guide dog Nancy, on this programme's page on our website). The Audio Description Association will be telling us about the falling numbers of theatres offering audio described performances in recent years. They're hoping there'll be a reversal of that trend once the theatres start to reopen after lockdown. And Fern chats with Sinead Kane. Sinead was the first registered blind solictor in Ireland. And, three years ago, she was the first blind woman to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days. Sinead is now calling for for more people with visual impairments to get involved in sport of any kind. She says she's frustrated at not being encouraged to participate in sport when she was younger. PRODUCER: Mike Young

Guide Dogs, the RNIB and the Thomas Pocklington Trust have joined forces to launch a research project on the needs of blind and partially sighted people. Keith Valentine from the RNIB tells us why they're doing it and how you can take part. The survey link is on our website. Or you can call 0161 507 7360. Or you can email: [email protected] Also on the programme, blind Indian music legend Baluji Shrivastav chats to Peter about plans for his 70th birthday. We'll hear just how tough 2020 has been for musicians like him. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

We hear from a blind student who's facing the start of his first year at university during the pandemic. We also meet a student who's taken a year out rather than return to university when social distancing and other restrictions are in place. Among our expert guests offering advice and support are Elin Williams from Look-UK. We also hear from Rachel Hewett who is from the Vision Impairment Centre For Teaching and Research at the University of Birmingham. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

A programme responding to your emails on a range of subjects. Talking about the latest glaucoma treatments, our guests include Karen Osborn who's the Chief Executive of Glaucoma UK. Also joining us is Gus Gazzard from Moorfields Eye Hospital. And with the latest on the pros and cons of driverless cars, we hear from a leading designer in the industry. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

The government is being urged to double its spending on research into eye disease. Fight for Sight, the charity which campaigns for the ending of preventable sight loss, argues that visual impairment is costing the country billions of pounds and that more than half the two million cases of visual impairment in the UK today are preventable. The Chief Executive of Fight for Sight, Sherine Krause, joins us. And we meet Carl Morgan who, it's believed, is the first blind musical therapist in England. We find out what his working life involves and what challenges he's faced. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

Tim Reddish is visually impaired and won numerous swimming medals when he competed in three Paralympics . He's been National Performance Director for the Disability Swim Team and he's chaired the British Paralympic Association. He's currently a member of the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board. We hear from him about the impact of delaying the 2020 games in Tokyo for a year. And we learn about the blind Japanese women who travelled their country as Goze musical performers. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

A look at what specialist and mainstream schools are doing to help blind pupils get back to school safely. Can social distancing be achieved without leaving a blind pupil feeling isolated? Advice from chartered environmental health practitioner Dr. Lisa Ackerley on using public transport again as safely as possible. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

The National Pharmacy Association and the Macular Society discuss how best to maintain a steady flow of drugs and medicines into the UK from the EU after the Brexit transition period runs out at the end of December. And we hear from Stefano Sbrulli, the Italian photographer who captured lockdown on film from the perspective of blind and visually impaired people in the country. We also speak to one of the people who was snapped by Stefano. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

We look at the challenges facing people who are blind or visually impaired when they return to work for the first time since lockdown. We'll get advice from Maria Shinn. She's from ACAS which gives employees and employers free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. And our reporter Fern Lulham heads to London's Donmar Warehouse to check out a sound installation based on the novel "Blindness" by the Portuguese author José Saramago. Playwright Simon Stephens has adapted the book and Juliet Stevenson stars in the production which focuses on the the rise of a global pandemic. Presenter: Peter White. Producer: Mike Young.

Peter White hears about the efforts some blind charities are having to make to revive their finances and services after lockdown. And, Haben Girma, the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, tells us about the Her Abilities Award and the drive to celebrate more women with disabilities. PRODUCER: Mike Young

There are now more places where you have to wear a face mask but there are exemptions if you have a disability. The national charity Sense says the government should do more to raise awareness of exemptions as they report a rise in the number of abuse cases related to the wearing of masks. Could a robotic guide dog ever replace the real thing? We talk to Anthony Camu, a student who has designed a prototype of a new device that leads the user as a guide dog would, and Angela Wood, chair of Hab Vi UK, about the pros and cons. And if you're still not sure about going out to a real pub, how about The Staying Inn, a virtual pub, especially welcoming to blind and visually impaired people, where the pub quiz doesn't have a picture round.

Abbie Robinson is a champion paraclimber. She talks to us about her passion for the sport and how she wants more blind and visually impaired people to take up the sport so it can qualify as a Paralympic event. Simon Mahoney suddenly found he had to learn how to cook for himself when his wife recently died. He's now decided to put all that he has learnt into a new book. Simon talks to us about cooking safely, but with aspiration, when you have no sight. Presented by Peter White Produced by Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

At the beginning of next year, when Britain leaves the European Union, rules will be different for taking dogs to EU countries. What will be the impact on guide dog owners? We speak to guide dog owner David Lucas and Chris Theobald from Guide Dogs. There has been a growth in on-line dating during lockdown. What are the issues for blind and visually impaired people? Has it been a good experience and will people continue to use online dating services? Fern Lulham is a self-confessed veteran of dating online who has been looking at the evidence. Joy Addo and George Sullivan share their experiences. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

Ten years ago the shooting of PC David Rathband by the fugitive killer Raoul Moat shocked the UK. Blinded in the attack, the police officer eventually took his own life. The manhunt unfolded in real time against the relatively new backdrop of social media. We talk to writer Christopher Hogg whose award-winning drama Rathband explores the resonances of a tragedy which mirrored the communication failures and breakdowns which still define the medium today. He discusses the role Peter White's early interviews played in the conception of the drama and Robin Paley-Yorke discusses his role as host of a new Zoom performance and the perspective living in the North East and losing some of his own sight in a violent incident brought to the project. Lord Low of Dalston gives us his take on the new Business and Planning Bill which makes it easier for bars and businesses to put seats out on the pavement and Consultant Paediatrician Pete Thomas tells us about a revolution taking place at Moorfields Eye Hospital during Lockdown. As Director of Digital Innovation he tells us about the thousands of patients accessing online consultations throughout lockdown and how the technology could change how consultants work in the future. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

The government has begun a trial of rental e-scooter schemes and any local authority can apply. What are the concerns for blind and visually impaired people and can anything be done about it? We speak to David Davies from Pacts, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, a charity which advises parliament on road safety issues. The charity Scope has done some research on which streaming platforms are the best when it comes to audio description. Why don't they all provide the same accessibility? And we speak to two blind gamers about the release of The Last of Us Part 2. It's been hailed as a game changer as it has sixty accessibility settings and a host of features which mean you can play it without seeing it. Steve Saylor and Sightless Kombat give us their reviews. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

The Charity Commission's report into the failings at the RNIB's care homes says it is 'one of the worst charity failures we have come across'. We hear from RNIB's Chief Executive and Head of Policy, Matt Stringer. He tells us what will happen to people in the residential homes and how they will repair their reputation for the future. Lord Blunkett talks to us about the challenges to visually impaired people as we come out of lockdown and whether any benefits can emerge from it.

As lockdown is relaxed, Peter gathers three people of different ages and walks of life to consider the impact of the last 12 weeks - and what the future holds. Elin Williams of Look UK is at the start of her working life. Emma Williams is part of the Independent Living Skills Team at New College Worcester, and Kevin Mulhern is a writer and producer of TV and radio. Together they sum up how lockdown has affected them, from enjoying the accessibility of online communications, to feeling that vital navigation skills have waned through lack of use. Emma imagines the challenge of teaching young blind people living skills if you can't touch them - and Kevin considers how blind people's assertions of independence will be tested in a world where direct help may be less forthcoming. Looking to the future, Elin raises the question of whether the ease of online protest and blogging may have to be replaced by a more forthright activism. Presented by Peter White. Produced by Kevin Core.

Many visually impaired people are still struggling to do a regular shop but a new scheme may help. The RNIB has joined with other visual impairment charities and DEFRA to provide help to those who have not been able to access priority shopping slots online. We hear how sports students Kali Holder and George Williams have been continuing their sports studies while their college is closed. Lucy Proctor is Executive Principal at the Royal National College and she tells us about the challenges of re-opening for students while maintaining social distancing. To access the shopping scheme, you can telephone 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk.

Last year the High Court branded arrangements for voting for blind people "a parody of the electoral process". But the Scottish Parliament has approved a new pilot which will see blind and visually impaired people able to vote in secret in devolved elections. Previously many blind people have described being forced to take someone into the booth to vote for them because tactile voting devices have been unavailable in polling stations. Scotland's Minister for Parliamentary Business Graeme Dey explains how the pilot will work. And there's a new resource for music teachers who don't know how to set about working with a blind or visually impaired child. Adam Ockelford, founder of The Amber Trust takes us through the challenges and rewards, and we hear from nine-year-old Eleanor Stollery about her singing lessons - and work on the stage. And Anna Brook tells us why she took issue with an email she thinks made the assumption blind people did not work. We hear about how an email about concessionary travel in the West Midlands got to a much bigger audience. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

The face-to-face training of guide dogs came to an end with lockdown. And the crisis has led to questions about how dogs may be losing their skills in this period of relative inactivity. Guide Dogs Director of Operations Peter Osborne takes on questions about how much of the delays pre-dated Coronavirus and where the My Guide project fits into future plans. You can contact their helpline on 08007811444. And Iris Peel puts the miles in. The accomplished runner was training for the Manchester Marathon when Covid struck. She thinks she can safely go out with her guide runner in a park operating while still respecting the two metre social distancing rule, but England Athletics say it's not safe. Should blind people lose their ability to make distancing choices that are left up to other members of the public? And attention is turning to the NHS tracing app which will be a key tool in fighting Coronavirus. But how accessible was the version trialled on the Isle of Wight? Ruth Hollingshead of Sight for Wight gives us her verdict. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

All parents are feeling the strain of educating their children at home. But for blind parents of sighted children, the dizzying array of apps and worksheets with varying degrees of accessibility can be a struggle. Father-of-two Nick Adamson is navigating the landscape well, and he's joined by Hetal Bapodra, who, with no sighted adult in the house, is finding things difficult. Sean Randall of Blind Parents UK is on hand to give his view of what it's reasonable to expect in the way of help. We had a big response to our item on the consequences of social distancing for blind and VI people, so we hear listeners' takes on our new world of less direct contact. And four years ago the family of Sirine Jahangir was struggling to get her into a mainstream secondary school, so we chatted to her father. Now dad and daughter return under happier circumstances. She's just won rave reviews after a stellar solo performance on Britain's Got Talent. We talk about nerves, being on stage and hopes for the future. Presenter Peter White. Produced by Kev Core

In this special programme we discuss what the rules on social distancing mean for the way blind and visually impaired people live their lives. For example, is it safe for a stranger to guide someone by the arm? What concerns are there around using public transport? We speak to Kirsten Hearn, a blind listener who raised the issue before lockdown. We hear how she is feeling now. We hear the experience of those who live in countries just emerging from lockdown. Peter Brass is a board member of the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted and Lars Bosselmann is director of the European Blind Union based in Paris. To get some answers, we speak to Professor Robert Dingwall, a sociologist with a public health specialism based at Nottingham Trent University. Presented by Peter White Produced by Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

Why Uber is being taken to court by a blind user who says he's had his journeys cancelled after he has told them he has a guide dog. During the outbreak of the Covid-19 what is happening to eye treatment? In the latest in our round-up of what's happening around the UK, we hear from Raymond Curran, Head of Ophthalmic Services for the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland. Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge want your help to carry out a survey of how people are keeping themselves in trim during lockdown and hear what the problems are. It’s being organised online by Dr Dan Gordon, principal lecturer in Exercise Physiology and a former Paralympic cyclist. We find out exactly what he wants to know. You can take part by visiting the British Blind Sport website.

Social distancing introduced many challenges for blind people, including shopping with fewer people guiding you, and little access to online shopping slots. A petition from blind organisations called for recognition that while blind people may not be more susceptible to Covid-19, more help is needed. We look at the latest pronouncements on vulnerable people and shopping from government. And we've more in our series on how different parts of the nation are delivering emergency eye care with less face to face contact. Dr Iain Livingstone, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Honorary Lecturer at University of Strathclyde takes us into a consultation which has been made possible by new investment by the Scottish Government. It allows remote access to eye scans in designated emergency eye care centres - and we hear a patient being examined by smartphone. And you may have noticed there are a lot of fitness experts urging us to get up and move at the moment. But how do you join in if you can't see what they're doing? Jane Taylor of the You Tube Channel If Ginger Can do it joins us to explain how you can keep fit and stay in. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kev Core

Covid-19 has not stopped people needing eye appointments - and emergency help. But what you can expect across the UK when it comes to a sudden loss of sight or a serious problem differs. We speak to Sali Davis, Chief Executive of Optometry Wales about the surprising procedures which are available from high street optometrists - and why the picture near her is different to England. And we remember a man who brought hours of fun to blind people who had previously been excluded - John Slade - who pioneered accessible board games after his own children struggled to play Ludo. His daughter Val tells us about a pioneer. And we catch up with our panel of blind and visually impaired people adapting to lockdown. From the challenge of housework to the virtual pub, they tell us about their changed lives. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kev Core

The effects of Age-related Macular Degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma don't change because of lockdown. And people with some conditions are worried that the cancellation of existing appointments to prevent the spread of Coronavirus could mean an irreversible loss of vision. President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Dr Michael Burdon is on hand to explain what you should expect when it comes to cancellations, but also what happens if a consultant decides you should definitely be seen. Gary Ankin is one of many guide dog users who has found himself having to cope without a dog. He was about to take ownership of a new one, and he tells us how people like him are managing now that training has been paused. And one more in our series of blind characters from history who raise the spirits - John Fielding - the astonishing magistrate who became known as the Blind Beak of Bow Street. Think of an 18th Century Sherlock Holmes crossed with a reform activist and you're nearly there. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kev Core

Peter White hears from sight loss charities struggling during the Coronavirus crisis. Will a financial aid package announced by the Chancellor work for them? We hear tips on using video conferencing when you're visually impaired. And remembering the blind marchers who, a century ago, headed for London demanding fair treatment. PRODUCER: Mike Young.

Keeping a safe two-metre distance during the Covid-19 lockdown presents a serious difficulty for people who are used to being guided when they shop. So a new petition by leading blind organisations is calling on the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to include the blind and visually impaired in its list of 1.5m vulnerable people who receive priority online shopping slots. We talk to reporter Mani Djazmi about his own quest for groceries and whether an exception should be made. And The RNIB has announced the immediate suspension of its physical Braille library lending services. Dave Williams tells us what other reading options are being made available. And another entry in our series of notable blind historical figures - the 16th Century recorder player and composer, Jacob Van Eyck, featuring the insights and music of Piers Adams. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

Coronavirus lockdown measures pose many problems for blind and visually impaired people. Will services become more stretched as hospitals and social care come under more pressure? How do you navigate shops which are occasionally bare when it comes to essentials? We hear the concerns of listeners - as Cathy Yelf of The Macular Society has definite advice for people with the condition - to not skip on your crucial, sight saving injections for fear of having to stay indoors. And a calming piece of relief from Coronavirus - we want to hear about the blind people of history who have led fascinating lives and intrigued you. We've already heard about Nicholas Saunderson, the blind boy from Barnsley who rose to the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Cambridge. That story has reminded one listener of a blind bell ringer who enchanted the people of Cambridge - and made a bit of money in the process. Tell us about your favourite historic blind figures at [email protected] Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

In a special focusing on careers and the job market for blind and visually impaired people, we hear from young people first entering the world of work. Reporter Fern Lulham gives us her insights, and Jess Clements, workplace co-ordinator at Blind in Business, tells us about how attitudes to the workplace and the horizons of young blind people are changing. John Lynch from the Royal National College for the Blind tells us about their work and changes to the DWP system for helping VI people find a job. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

As more information about measures to reduce the impact of coronavirus is revealed, what is their impact on the blind and visually impaired? Reliance on touch - and the impact of too much caution - could have serious implications according to listener Kirsten Hearn. And Director of Operations at Guide Dogs Peter Osborne tells us what his organisation is doing to mitigate the situation in a time of upheaval. And he hinted at a change on our programme a few weeks ago - but Grant Shapps has revealed measures to ban pavement parking in England. We work through the implications of a consultation with Tom Walker, and Sarah Lambert, Head of Social Change at RNIB gives a reaction. And - if you need some light relief, a clip from Chris McCausland's recent Now Show appearance on the joys of Audio Description. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

The view persists that blindness can lead to other senses being somehow more acute - but are they just better trained? The notion of "neuroplasticity" comes up in consideration of the work of our first guest, Professor Vera Morgan Head of the Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit in the University of Western Australia. Her studies support the idea that the congenitally blind, or those who become blind in their early years are somehow protected from schizophrenia. If this is the case - could the cause of the phenomenon be harnassed to combat mental illness? We hear again from 12-year-old Hester Poole, who visited a blind school in Africa and interviewed the lawyer and disability activist Yetnebersh Nigussie, who calls going blind "winning the lottery". And there are plenty of fascinating blind characters in history. But have you heard of Nicholas Saunderson? Born in Penistone in the 17th Century and blinded by smallpox as a baby, he went on to become Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge - a seat held by Sir Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking. This fascinating character is now the subject of a musical, No Horizon. Director Andrew Loretto and leading man Adam Martin tell us about bringing a figure who may have been forgotten back into the limelight. Presented by Peter White. Produced by Kevin Core.

Radio 4's All in the Mind programme is running a big survey on how we feel about touch. Peter White talks to the presenter Claudia Hammond about why they especially welcome contributions from blind listeners. We explore what to do when you find an app that isn't accessible. And interview the blind comedian David Eagle who has just been named best newcomer in the influential Chortle Awards.

The government has launched its plans to make the UK a world leader in accessible travel. Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, tells us what the investment will achieve. We hear from Professor Paul Bishop from the University of Manchester about new developments that may help people with macular disease, which is the biggest cause of blindness in the UK. And, what would it be like to have your sight restored? Blind playwright Mandy Redvers Rowe talks about her new BBC drama, 'Second Sight'.

Voretigene Neparvovec – is the first in a new generation of gene therapies which can be injected into the eyes of patients - and it's available on the NHS. It's a major development for people with the inherited retinal disorder Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), but as ever, we want to get to the real implications for blind people. Fresh from performing one of the newly-available procedures, Professor James Bainbridge tells us exactly who it can help. And there are changes ahead for the RNIB Reading Service, as it shifts from the old Overdrive system. We talk to Jackie Brown who has been testing the new system, and the RNIB's Alison Long who assures us the changes won't affect those who rely on postal delivery rather than technology. And we catch up on the course Architecture Beyond Sight for blind and visually impaired people. Zoe Partington of Disordinary Architecture tells us more, and artist Fae Kilburn tells us about her experience of studying the built environment and why it can be a difficult place for the partially sighted. The course has inspired us to ask for your suggestions of developments or buildings which are rotten to navigate if you're blind or VI. Send your suggestions to [email protected] Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

As the government consults on the use of e-scooters on roads, Christiane Möller of the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV) tells us about the impact the vehicles have had on blind people in her country. And Adam Solan, a teenager who has already struggled with abandoned bikes for hire in Oxford, gives us his perspective. And Valentine's Day is nearly here. But what are the challenges of being a blind bride? Sassy Wyatt is a blogger and she's agreed to keep us about how she is preparing for the big day... It won't be long until we know exactly who will represent Great Britain in the Paralympics. And we're taking a closer look at some of the runners and riders. But Nicola Naylor won't be travelling at speed. She talks to Fern Lulham about the exacting skill of dressage. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

The BBC is pausing its plan to shut down the Red Button text service after protests from blind users. But can it be saved long term? How safe are blind children as they go online? And the opportunities on offer for blind 18-35 year olds to volunteer to work abroad. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

A call has gone out for more male blood donors. It turns out that male blood is crucial for the eye drops needed to control a rare eye condition. Sjogren's Syndrome is an auto-immune disease which can have several effects including aggravating already dry eyes. We'll hear from someone with Sjogren's Syndrome and an expert on the condition. And we meet Melissa Reid - a gold medal winning triathlete who now has become a champion surfer too. Presenter: Peter White. Producer: Mike Young.

Peter White hears about the talking technology that is slowly being added to the UK's buses. When will more public transport get the equipment that tells you where you are and where you're headed? We hear about the app designed to help people with macular degeneration to continue to read text. Producer: Mike Young Presenter: Peter White

Peter White with a focus on smaller blind charities in the UK. We hear from Visionary, an umbrella organisation which represents more than a hundred of these charities. The Chief Executives of Sight Concern Worcestershire and Sight Service Gateshead tell us about the challenges they face. And we hear from the people who use the services on offer. PRODUCER: Mike Young.

Leading eye experts in the UK have signed an open letter in The Guardian calling for more funds for medical research. We'll hear from Professor Chris Hammond who is one of the signatories of that letter... And Fight For Sight's Dr Rubina Ahmed. And we meet Mike Tetley, the blind physiotherapist who's still working after more than 60 years.

This is the second episode in which a flautist, a singer, a composer and multi-instrumentalist swap stories about making it in their chosen profession. They discuss how they got into the industry, whether blindness gives them an advantage and share their tips for success Guests: Liz Hargest, Shaun Hayward, Andre Louis, Anne Wilkins. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

A flautist, a singer, a composer and multi-instrumentalist swap stories about making it in their chosen profession. They discuss how they got into the industry, whether blindness gives them an advantage and they also share tips for success. Guests: Liz Hargest, Shaun Hayward, Andre Louis, Anne Wilkins. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Fern Lulham assumes the role of festive fashion correspondent and gives the low-down on what’s hot this chilly Christmas. Emma Williams, who teaches visually impaired students at New College Worcester techniques for daily living, talks Peter through the best way to approach the task of present wrapping. And just three of Lee Kumutat’s favourite In Touch treasures from the past eleven years. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Fern Lulham

In May the High Court ruled that the use of Tactile Voting Devices was unlawful. Blind and VI people are regularly confronted with polling staff who do not seem to realise the rules, so ahead of the General Election we discuss what you're entitled to with Ailsa Irvine from the Electoral Commission. We also hear from Rachael Andrews who brought the case on the basis that her vote as a blind person was not secret and independent. Lucy Edwards is no stranger to In Touch, she's a You Tuber, a reporter and now - Radio One's first blind DJ. She tells us about making a piece of radio history as experienced music DJ Jill Barkley gives her a few tips about navigating the wheels of steel without sight. And as a ban on Russian athletes competing in world sport is renewed, Mani Djazmi guides us through the world of drugs in disabled sport - and the thorny question of whether unscrupulous coaches can sometimes make blind sportsmen and women unwittingly cheat. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

In response to the RNIB announcing the sale of its three care homes and three colleges, In Touch has been contacted by an employee who says staff weren’t warned their workplace was being sold. 23-year-old Josh Mcentee lost his sight three years ago in an horrific car accident. He found he was still able to do martial art Jiu jitsu – and is setting up classes for sighted and visually impaired people. He tells us why Jiu Jitsu works for him. What’s in the party manifestos for visually impaired people – and how accessible are they? Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Sean Dilley

The RNIB is proposing to sell its remaining schools, colleges and residential care homes after taking the decision to close The Pears School in 2018. Peter White asks new CEO Matt Stringer how this fits in with its strategy for the future. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Do visually impaired children have more disrupted sleep than sighted children? University College London is looking for children to take part in sleep research. And we fulfill one listener’s request to learn about how visually-impaired people met their significant others. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

The new Apple Plus SciFi series See is about a world in which everyone is blind. Until twins are born sighted and become a reason for tribes to go in to battle. Blindness consultant Joe Strechay tells Peter White how you teach sighted actors to portray blindness. Advent For Change, a not-for-profit enterprise, has developed a braille advent calendar. She explains why it doesn’t contain chocolate. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Earlier this year a high court judge decided that the rule which sets out the requirements for a tactile voting device to be available at every polling station is itself unlawful, because it does not allow blind or partially sighted people to vote "without the need for assistance". And this isn't the only concern about our right to a secret and accessible vote. So what changes can we expect before and during polling on the 12th of December? The Electoral Commission has already set out its proposals for improving matters and Ailsa Irvine the commission's Director of electoral administration and guidance, explains what this means for the upcoming election. Visually-impaired students are struggling to get textbooks in electronic formats they can access. We ask where the fault lies: with the textbook publishers or with the platforms from which the books are downloaded. Or, is it a bit of both? Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Keith Jones is a lawyer and works from home. He wanted to volunteer for the charity Hospice of the Valleys. He went for an interview and was accepted. However, a risk assessment was carried out on the location, and it was deemed unsuitable for him to work there. Keith says it’s discrimination but can he sue? Sean Delaney from the National Council of Volunteer Organisations outlines the law in this area. A Southampton woman has been given £3m compensation for the delays in her eye treatment leaving her severely visually impaired. University of Southampton NHS Trust has reviewed the waiting times for NHS Trusts and say delays are a national problem. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists agrees and says 230 more training places are required. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by pointing out the £33.9bn it says it plans to inject into the NHS by 2024. Michael Cassidy, vice-president of the Association of Visually Impaired Chartered Physiotherapists, reflects on 100 years of blind physiotherapists. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

In 2018 Ofcom set out guidelines for TV providers to make their electronic programme guides (EPGs) accessible. It outlined there should be text-to-speech information as well as magnified text. Programmes that are audio-described should also be easy to find. Digital UK which provides the Freeview platform is undertaking a consultation on which channel their accessible EPG should appear. Liz Reynolds from Digital UK explains why this consultation is needed. WeWalk is a smart cane which fits on to a regular cane and provides information about obstacles as well as giving users access to digital maps via a smartphone. Our reporter Lucy Edwards tries one out. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

On the 10th of October, the Scottish parliament passed a bill which, in part, bans parking on pavements. It is the first nationwide ban in the UK. Joe Irvin, chief executive officer of the campaign group Living Streets, says it is a win for pedestrians and blind and partially sighted people. But how will it be enforced, and does it go far enough? What is it like listening to the streets at night if you’re homeless? Hugh Huddy immersed himself in amongst rough sleepers in Cardiff, and recorded what they hear all night. He tells Peter White, what the experience taught him. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Burger King had to apologise after a staff member refused to read a brownie’s ingredients list to a blind woman with a nut allergy. So how should visually impaired people go about finding safe meals when eating certain foods has serious consequences? UK Hospitality safety advisor Dr Lisa Ackerley, and Philippa Lomas, a blind mum of two children with severe food allergies, share their thoughts. Descent Into Darkness by Simon Mahoney tells his sight loss story and is, he hopes, a companion guide for those going through similar. He explains why he thinks getting registered sight impaired is important, how he deals with unwanted help, and introduces the term gratitude burn-out. www.wingingitblind.com

Lucy Edwards spent six years perfecting her beauty routine after she lost her sight, and has passed on all she learnt in a book called The Blind Beauty Guide. She gives fellow blind journalist Emma Tracey her best makeup tips. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Pictured, from left to right: Emma Tracey and Lucy Edwards standing in the In Touch studio.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal has found Bobby Qureshi put his own financial interests above the interests of his visually impaired patients. Qureshi was medical director at the London Eye Hospital, now under different management, implanting a new type of lens to patients who have macular degeneration. The tribunal found patients did not receive enough information on the risks prior to having the procedure. Cathy Yelf CEO of the Macular Society which gave evidence to the tribunal from 20 cases, gives her reaction to the tribunal’s verdict, and what it means in the uncharted territory of treatments for macular degeneration. Chris Albert is a member of the very successful Blind Sailing team which has come away from a regatta in Canada with the World Championship trophy. He describes why Blind Sailing gives him some of the freedom back that he lost when he lost his sight. Presenter: Peter White Producer: lee Kumutat

Two visually-impaired opera singers tell us their stories. New Zealander Joanne Roughton Arnold chose singing opera over playing the violin. Alan Pingarrón from Mexico is taking part in a Royal Opera House training programme. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Toby Davey

22-year-old Matthew Shiffrin contacted Lego to ask them to make instructions for their construction sets accessible to visually-impaired people. The blind Lego enthusiast had been devising his own, with the help of a friend, for ten years and making them available on his own website. The toy company has met the challenge and released instructions in a downloadable format for screenreaders, for braille, and to listen to directly online. Peter White speaks to Matthew Shiffrin about why he loves Lego so much when it’s not historically been accessible to him, and also to Fenella Blaize-Charity from Lego about its plans. 12-year-old Hester is this week’s studio guest, and she and her Mum Sarah, try out the new instructions with mixed success. Hester also shares her recent experience of visiting a blind school in Ethiopia. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Pictured: Sarah, Hester and Peter in the Radio 4 studio in Salford.

This is the second episode of our series examining the times in our lives as blind people when we are faced with a loss of control and power entirely caused by our visual impairment. Both programmes look at ways of gathering yourself, restoring your dignity, suppressing that sense of powerlessness, and giving you back the control everyone needs to be functioning adults. Situations like feeling loss of control because of access, orientation and/or mobility. Handing power over to someone else over something you need help doing. Our thanks to everybody we spoke to during researching these programmes. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

This is the first episode of a two-part series examining the times in our lives as blind people when we are faced with a loss of control and power entirely caused by our visual impairment. Both programmes look at ways of gathering yourself, restoring your dignity, suppressing that sense of powerlessness, and giving you back the control everyone needs to be functioning adults. Situations like feeling loss of control because of access, orientation and/or mobility. Inability to take part in a meaningful way in activities: moving house, financial transactions, managing forms and paperwork. Our thanks to everybody we spoke to during researching these programmes. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Guillermo Robles took the pizza company Domino's to court because he claimed he was unable to access their website and app to order his meal of choice using the software that reads the screen aloud to him. He also claimed he was unable to take advantage of their discounts, and build his own pizza. But Domino's argues that the Americans with Disabilities act, the Ada, pre-dates the introduction of websites that was passed in nineteen-ninety, and that in any case making its website accessible would place an undue burden on the company. Guillermo lost his case, but then won on appeal in a federal court. But now Domino's Pizza says that because lower courts can't agree on the online responsibilities of companies, the US Supreme court must provide some clarity. Quartz journalist Ephrat Livni gives us the facts of the case, and Chris Danielsen from the US National Foundation for the Blind explains why this case is so important at this particular point in time. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Michael Tupper from Clitheroe in Lancashire tells Peter White about legal action he is taking against East Lancashire Hospitals Trust because they aren’t giving him details on appointments and other information in his preferred format, large print. Michael is being supported by RNIB, whose legal adviser, Sam Fothergill, provides us with the legal background of the case. We also hear from LookFest, which is a weekend festival in Hereford for blind and partially sighted young people. Reporter Lucy Edwards brings us the atmosphere and chats to parents and their children. Finally, Christina Keiller who has two sensory impairments, joins us from Brighton and explains the challenges she faces of being both visually impaired and having hyperacusis. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Tom Walker

RNIB and manufacturer GEO are developing a smart meter that will be accessible for blind and partially sighted people. Audrey Gallagher from Energy UK tells Peter White about the meter and its accessibility features. We also hear from John Worsfold from RNIB who tells us about how the meter has been tested. The Department for Transport is conducting surveys on textured paving. Ann Frye, formerly head of the DfT accessibility unit, tells us how textured paving got started in the UK and Europe and the points she would make if she took part in one of the surveys. Finally, Dan Brown from the Office for Rail and Roads tells Peter about improvements visually impaired passengers will receive when travelling by train. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Tom Walker

Caroline Casey has been campaigning for more disability inclusion for the past decade. Earlier this year she took her cause to Davos – the summit for big corporations. She wants 500 CEO’s to sign up to making and acting on one commitment around disability for their company. James McCarthy from Blind in Business, a charity working to boost the employment rates of visually impaired people at entry level, says recruiters must be incentivised to increase disabled recruitment. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

For World Emoji Day the social media company We Are Social and the RNIB are collaborating to find ways to make emojis more accessible to visually impaired people. Sarah Bailey of the RNIB tells us what they've come up with so far, and we test social media expert Fern Lulham, on their uses and their meanings. The Tree of Dreams is a story about expectations, reality, fantasy and family, devised by Ipswich’s resident company of visually impaired people, with dynamic Audio Description by the internationally renowned Rationale Method, using beat-boxing sound effects to heighten the experience for both blind and sighted audiences. In Touch reporter Toby Davey gets a taste of this new way of conveying performance to visually impaired people. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

William Phillips is a visually impaired cognitive behavioural therapy specialist who works to make CBT accessible to others with sight loss. He lays out how blind people can go about getting mental health support that suits them. There was a huge response to last week’s programme with Ashley Cox’s story about struggling to find a counsellor. We read a selection of your emails. Visually impaired actor Karina Jones stars in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s current productions of As You Like It and Measure For Measure. She describes how they gave one of her characters a white cane, what reasonable adjustments are in place for her at the RSC and why she’s excited that blind people will see themselves represented on stage in the future. Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Emma Tracey Pictured: Karina Jones playing Sister Francisca in Measure for Measure. Photographed by Helen Maybanks. Courtesy of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

From July 2019, all new electric vehicles will have sounds added to keep pedestrians safe. Transport minister Michael Ellis, gives us the government’s take. We also hear the thoughts of Jessica Schröder from the German national organisation for the blind, a member of the European Blind Union which led the campaign to add a sound to electric and hybrid vehicles. She tells us why she doesn’t think the new law goes far enough. When Ashley Cox needed help with his mental health, he went online to find a therapist. Eight of them said no straight away, because they felt uncomfortable working with a blind person. He eventually found one and is now doing well, but he doesn’t want anybody else to have a similar experience. Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Emma Tracey

Braille readers have enjoyed magazines from Scottish Braille Press for the best part of forty years. Now the charity says it is discontinuing all of its five publications. Scottish Braille Press CEO Mark O’Donnell explains the decision. Aletea Sellers moved from one side of Birmingham to the other about four months ago. She is still waiting for help from the Guide Dogs Association to learn her way around her new neighbourhood. Erin Jepsen has two visually impaired children and reads and transcribes braille herself. She wanted to find out how changing the word “braille” to “print” in an educational context might challenge some attitudes towards it. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Should blind people bother with the ironing? Blind mum Emma Williams and blind dad Allan Tweddle explain why and when you should bother and give our presenter Lee Kumatat a lesson and tips for getting it right. While some visually impaired people need a first aid certificate to move forward with education or work, some have found it hard to gain the necessary accreditation. Johny Cassidy meets Alan North, a partially sighted trainer who’s helping them to qualify. Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Emma Tracey

Blind and visually impaired prisoners in the US state of Maryland have been awarded $1.4 million by the correctional service for discrimination. They successfully claimed they were not given access to information, jobs and courses to give them equality within the prison or during rehabilitation. Eve Hill, representing the group, says some have had to pay for sighted guide assistance, and others to perform sex acts to have information read to them. Tyrell lost his sight through a gunshot wound and says life was lonely and tough for him as a visually impaired prisoner. Benjamin Burrows, from Leigh Day solicitors, says he has represented visually impaired people in a number of cases here in the UK, and the picture is similar. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Joy Addo, sole parent to a three-year-old, shares tips on keeping her home tidy. Dave Williams of the RNIB says they have plans to increase the number of games available in its catalogue. And VocalEyes trustee Joanna Wood, tells the story of how going to a described theatre performance, revealed more to her than what was happening on-stage. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

There’s evidence that board games can sharpen cognitive skills and help us to connect socially. So why are the numbers available to visually impaired people dropping? There have always been fewer games available and most of us will have had to adapt a game or do something to make it work for us. Brailling your own cards, sticking bump-ons on boards and game tokens and having clues and questions read for you by someone else. But should the onus always fall to us? Three guests discuss the barriers to making more board games accessible: Michael Heron – accessible board game blogger, Kate Evans – Marketing Manager at UK Games Expo – and Dan Rugman – from the Braille Chess Association. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

In Touch listeners share their voting experiences, and one Australian citizen tells how she was able to vote independently in the recent federal election. The European Blind Union has researched the main accessible forms of voting throughout Europe, and the results are surprising. A gym in Uckfield, Sussex has listened to the needs of one visually impaired woman, made some small changes, and enabled her to exercise comfortably and confidently. We find out how they did it. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

A sighted author on writing a book about a woman regaining sight. A project to tell the stories of blind women around the world. And one listener’s view on accepting her blindness. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Pictured: A blind girl learning braille in a school in India. Courtesy of the 'A Light in Darkness' project.

A landmark High Court judgment says tactile voting devices are 'unlawful'. And a new way of getting around Gatwick Airport. Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Tom Walker

Two guide dog trainers from the Liverpool Guide Dogs Centre, Nina Swindells and Jan Johnston, tell presenter Lee Kumutat about Positive Reinforcement Training, which the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is in the process of introducing across its twenty training schools. Lee also speaks to David Grice, GDBA’s Head of Canine Behaviour and Training, about the rationale for the new methodology. Finally, we hear from visually impaired organist, David Aprahamian Liddle. In 2002, David got the opportunity to play the organ at Notre Dame Cathedral. David tells us about how he made a braille chart to remember the organ’s layout, the rehearsal and how he felt when he had finished his recital. Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Tom Walker Photo description: Presenter Lee Kumutat stands in between Guide Dogs trainers Nina Swindells and Jan Johnston, and guide dogs Farley and Pepper. They are in front of the parcours outside the Guide Dogs training centre in Liverpool on a sunny day.

Dave Steele was diagnosed with the hereditary condition retinitis pigmentosa five years ago. He found translating his grief and loss into poetry was cathartic for him, and quickly discovered that it helped others who were also coming to terms with visual impairment. The Colorado Center for the Blind in the United States, run by the National Federation for the Blind, offers a nine month course to people who want to learn skills for living life as a visually impaired person. At the end of the course, they must pass a final assessment. It's called 'The Drop' and involves being driven to an unknown location, handed a phone on which they can only make emergency calls and told to find their way back to the Centre. Danielle Montour completed 'The Drop' back in September. She tells us how it helped her to become more comfortable with her blindness. And Chris Fisher went from being fully sighted and studying for his pilot's licence to, four weeks later, being totally blind. Chris, always good with maintenance and building things, turned back to what he knew before losing his sight, and has built a commercially viable business as a wood turner. Chris shows Tom Walker around his workshop. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Tom Walker

Last week we reported on the concerns of some listeners that changes to the software Apple uses on its iphones and macs could compromise their privacy. We reported that by showing that a screen-reader was being used on a website, it could reveal that the person browsing was visually impaired. They'd released scant information about this new feature at the time, until the day after our broadcast. They then published a blog, with more details clarifying the new feature was not automatically enabled. Ben Mustill-Rose updates us on this development. Is reading someone's personal mail for them a data breach? Do you have to stay in a dog-friendly area in a pub if you are a guide dog owner? We clear up some legal misnomers with Cloisters barrister Catherine Casserley. And Yuen Har Tse who successfully won a discrimination case against Aviva tells us why winning the case isn't exactly a straightforward victory. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

In the latest version of Apple’s software for both iPhones and Macs, a feature has been included that tells websites a screen reader is being used. A screen reader is software that takes information from the screen and turns it in to digital speech or braille. This new feature is turned on by default. While it can be turned off, some blind people argue it shouldn’t be on by default as they don’t want websites or their developers, knowing they are blind. Ben Mustill-Rose is a developer who’s blind working at the BBC. He explains how the feature works and what his, and others’ concerns are. Beyond Sight is a project challenging the tendency for architects to prioritise the visual above all else. As part of this, UCL is offering a week-long summer school to visually impaired people interested in becoming architects. The course will cover how design can incorporate other ways of imagining and creating space. We speak to Mandy Redvers-Rowe one of the course coordinators and to Carlos Mourao-Pereira a blind architect. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Retina UK formed in 1976 as a voluntary organisation and is now helping to fund and develop treatments for genetic eye conditions. But for the first time in its history, it is conducting a wide-ranging piece of research into the lives of people who have genetic sight loss. Chief Executive Tina Houllaghan explains why. Tom Walker meets a keen blind archer from west Wales, who says the sport helped him out of his depression. And the Milton Mountaineers celebrate 50 years of gaining summits with a climb up Mount Snowdon. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Richard Kramer, the chief executive of Sense, a charity that supports people who have a hearing and visual impairment, tells Peter White about his concerns over the delays in appointing a minister for disabled people, following the resignation of Sarah Newton MP nearly a fortnight ago. Peter White talks to Kerry Fielding, a visually-impaired woman from Blackpool, who is experiencing significant delays with her application to Access to Work for specialist equipment to enable her to take up a new job in customer services. Peter also speaks to Thomas Panek, the president and CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Instead of being guided by sighted runners, Thomas recently completed the United New York half-marathon using a relay of three guide dogs. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Tom Walker

Driverless vehicles are being tested at the moment but at the Blind Veterans UK Centre in Ovingdean, Brighton, a six month trial for the use of visually impaired people has just got underway. Reporter Lucy Edwards went to find out what some of the blind veterans think of them. Roy Symons is turning 100 on Friday. His secret to a long life? Keep organised, keep your independence and have a tot of something strong each day. Peter White visits him in his home in Harrow to toast him on his birthday. Presenter: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Peter White Reporter: Lucy Edwards

The Royal National College for the Blind has sold its southern campus to Herefordshire Council. Peter asks why did it have to be sold, and why did the council want to buy it? After 25 years of providing services to visually-impaired people in Merseyside, Henshaws Society for the Blind is moving out of Liverpool. Henshaws' director of community services tells us why. Jo Parsons used to be a chef before retiring to Devon a few years ago. She has not stopped cooking though, setting up a pudding club in her local community, to fund cooking lessons for aspiring visually-impaired cooks. Yuen Har Tse is taking Aviva Financial UK to court for discrimination for not providing her correspondence in a format she can read. She tells us why she has taken this step. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Dr Damion Corrigan wanted to be a medical doctor and when that seemed out of his reach, he took another route to working to improve medical testing. He says the field of science is opening up for prospective visually impaired scientists. Comedian Chris McCausland and actor Chloe Clarke debate whether it's a realistic assertion that all visually impaired roles on TV, in film and on stage should be played by partially sighted actors. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Virgin Trains offers customers a new way of booking assistance during travel on its routes. It has developed a skill for Amazon Alexa-enabled devices. Emma Tracey tries it out for us and Vic Whitehouse from Virgin Trains explains why they've developed it. Hester, an eleven-year-old visually-impaired student from Bath, is going on a fund-raising journey to Ethiopia. She'll be visiting other visually-impaired schoolchildren and doing a 5km run to raise money for the school. Hester says she's nervous but looking forward to the experience. Mike Lambert believes more resources and effort should be put in to inclusion for visually-impaired people, after Liz Smith, a Conservative in the Scottish Parliament, put forward a motion questioning the current "presumption of mainstreaming" for visually-impaired students. He explains his personal reasons for why he is sure inclusion should work. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Peter White talks to Cathy Yelf, the chief executive of the Macular Society, about the first treatment to target the underlying genetic cause of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We feature feedback from last week’s programme in which we heard from Emily Brothers, whose guide dog was attacked by another dog. Guide dog owner Sandra Drewell, has had a similar experience. And Peter talks to Charmian Cvek about her experience of caring for her mother who was losing her sight. Charmian tells us how her mother’s sight loss affected their relationship. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat and Tom Walker

In November of last year, Emily Brothers’ guide dog, Truffle, was attacked by two dogs in Sutton, South London. As a result of her injuries, Truffle was out of action for six weeks. Emily was unhappy with the support she received from Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Reporter Dave Williams spoke to Emily at her home. John Carlin from GDBA responds. Also, we hear listeners’ feedback from the radio play, Blind School, which was broadcast on Radio 4 last Tuesday, and which we featured on In Touch on January 29. We also include your comments on the extended podcast from the same programme. And finally, also following feedback from a listener, we hear from Hugh Brasher on the London Marathon’s U-turn to award official medals to guide runners. Presenter: Peter White Reporter: Dave Williams Producer: Tom Walker

Visually impaired tenants of a block of flats in west London, run by the Thomas Pocklington Trust, are concerned about the Trust's proposal to make changes to its housing scheme. They explain their worries and we hear from the Trust. Is it right to presume that mainstream schools are the best places for blind and visually impaired children to learn? Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament Liz Smith has tabled a motion challenging that presumption. What does she want it to achieve? Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Reporter Tom Walker finds out why the closure of the RNIB Centre in Bristol has locals up in arms. Colin Whitbourne, RNIB's Head of Network Operations in the South, tells us the thinking behind the decision. And the writer Mandy Redvers-Rowe on the very personal story at the heart of her radio drama Blind School, which features a cameo performance by none other than Peter White. The play, co-written with Sarah McDonald-Hughes, will air on Radio 4 on February 5 and tells the story of Nina who struggles in her early days at Charlesworthy School. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Tom Walker Photo description: Colour photograph of the writers of Blind School – Mandy Redvers-Rowe (left) and Sarah McDonald Hughes (right) – stood closely together outside the College on the playing field, smiling at the camera.

Listeners tell us why they think their sighted running guides should receive a medal on completing the London Marathon. Organisers tell us these policies are under review. The BBC's technology reporter Rory Cellan-Jones has been to Cambridge to see a new tactile innovation for helping teach visually impaired children how to write computer code. Listener Annie Rimmer has got back to In Touch to share some good news she heard from the National Lottery about plans to make their app more accessible to visually impaired users. And Listener Mike Kelly told the programme two years ago of his trepidation about his impending retirement. We caught up with Mike to find out how retired life suits him. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Dave Williams Reporter: Rory Cellan-Jones

Dame Joan Plowright was discovered as a stage actor in the late 1950s before going on to have a stellar career – starring in The Country Wife, A Taste of Honey and as Saint Joan. She became Lady Olivier on marrying Sir Laurence Olivier in 1961. They were married until his death in 1989. Dame Joan took parts in film and television production up until 2014 when her worsening eyesight compelled her to retire. She lives in her home in Sussex where she and Sir Laurence came to live once he had retired. She openly speaks of her career, her life with her husband and family and her attitude towards her failing sight. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Icons is an epic new history series for BBC Two profiling great people from seven different fields of human endeavour. It asks you to vote for your favourites, and ultimately decide who was the greatest person of the 20th century. Icons: Activists is on BBC Two, Monday 21 June, @ 9pm. If you want to find out how to vote for Helen Keller or any of the other nominees featured in the series then go to www.bbc.co.uk/icons, where you can also find Terms and a Privacy Notice. Extant theatre, a company of visually-impaired performers and directors, is about to start a new tour with ‘Flight Paths’ – the cast are Amelia Cavallo and Sarah Houbolt, actors and circus performers who perform part of the show on aerial silks. The show will be made accessible through creative audio description and new sound technology called spatialised tracking. The shows run from 5th Feb – 5th March. Peter White talks to two of the performers. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Photo description: Promotional photo for FLIGHT PATHS 2019 tour by Chris Andreou.

In 2013, Norway's equivalent Equality and Human Rights Commission was given the authority to fine both public and private sector organisations if they didn't make their websites usable to a certain standard. There are suggestions from campaigners in the UK that the same approach should and could be adopted. Robin Christopherson from AbilityNet believes it is something that would work in the UK. Malin Rygg from Difi, the Norwegian organisation tasked with auditing websites, says they haven't fined any companies yet, but they have issued warnings. While Arnt Holte from the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted thinks while accessibility is slowly improving, he is concerned that new EU legislation only governing the accessibility of public sector websites, and soon to be law in Norway, will water down the powers of Difi and only see them being able to enforce accessibility on public sector websites. The Netflix film, Bird Box, is its biggest hit to date, having been downloaded 45 million times since its release last December. It's a post-apocalyptic story where characters must wear blindfolds or they will contract a deadly disease. The film has spawned a social media craze called the Bird Box challenge where people are donning blindfolds and performing tasks and taking part in activities such as driving. Journalists Emma Tracey and Lucy Edwards discuss the film, and concerns raised by some blindness organisations, that the craze will have a negative impact on the public's perception of blindness. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Sally Clay’s recommended audiobook: Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson Ryan Kelly ‘s audiobook recommendation: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North Peter White’s audiobook recommendation Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Peter White

At the age of 14, Israel Martin’s life was on the verge of going off the rails. Growing up in Newham in East London, Israel was a member of a gang which committed crime and got involved in fights. When he started to lose his sight, his life changed, but not as he would have originally expected it to. Our reporter, Tom Walker, has been speaking to Israel at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford. Also, Peter White meets visually impaired dancer, Janet Salt from South Manchester. Janet led a very busy life until she started to experience depression. Janet tells Peter about how, with the help of ballroom dancing, she regained her confidence. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Tom Walker

Due to a long fought-for change by member states to EU legislation, the UK government now has discretionary powers to abolish VAT on all ebooks. The CEO of the Publishers’ Association says that no VAT would help people on low incomes including some visually-impaired people for whom these are essential. Reporter Tom Walker looks in to why Ofcom ruled that a London shock jock overstepped the mark when he derided a visually-impaired man for wanting to be the first person to train with a guide-horse in the UK. Tom Walker also asks Allan Tweddle, a candidate in the recent local elections, whether a grant for aspiring visually-impaired politicians which is to be-reinstated in 2019, would have been of use to him. In Your Pocket, a one-buttoned smartphone, will now be able to video call with a volunteer assistant. Roger Wilson-Hinds tells us why In Your Pocket and Be My Eyes app are teaming up. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Reporter: Tom Walker

Going to university presents special challenges if you are blind or visually impaired. It may be your first time away from home. You have to learn a whole new level of independence from finding your way around unfamiliar spaces, to decoding lectures and fitting in with your new friends. Peter White talks to three students about their experiences.

The early symptoms of a rare form of Alzheimer's disease, known as Posterior Cortical Atrophy, presents problems for people in seeing and making sense of the world. The disease starts in the visual cortex at the back of the brain. Its impact is devastating and its progression is aggressive. Doug Banks, who is 58 and has PCA, likens it to looking through a shattered mirror. He talks to Peter White about the other ways it affects his life. Alzheimer's Research UK's chief medical officer David Reynolds tells us what's happening to Doug's brain. College student and young actor Ellie Wallwork has had her big break. She is to play the lead guest role in Sunday's episode of Dr Who. She tells Peter White how she got the part and where acting fits into her future aspirations. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

In 2012 Simon Rockman set up a simple-to-use mobile phone service aimed at the older visually impaired person. Fuss Free phones had one button, which put your call through to a call centre and they would either phone someone or text them for you. Now Fuss Free Phones has closed. Peter White asks Simon Rockman what went wrong and will any customers be left out of pocket? Reporter Tom Walker meets Juliette Parfitt who began losing her sight in her early twenties. Since then she says she has struggled to find age-appropriate information and services and feels it is an age-group whose problems are sometimes overlooked. One solution for Juliette might be a Facebook group called VI Talk. It has over two-and-a-half thousand members who share stories and tips and tricks on how to cope with life as a visually impaired person. Jo Fishwick from VI Talk tells us about it – and the seven other spin-off groups ranging from information on blind sports, to a book club. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

On the centenary of Armistice Day, over 100 blind veterans assembled at Horse Guards Parade in London. Some were blinded in action. However, most started to lose their sight well after their service had ended. Reporter Dave Williams went to talk to them as they assembled for this historic event - we hear just some of their stories. Also, Peter White visits 97-year-old blind veteran Peter Van Zeller. He is a resident at a Blind Veteran’s UK care home, and shares the story of when he first discovered a previously-unknown family connection to the home, and the charity. Presenter: Peter White Reporter: Dave Williams Producer: Lee Kumutat

Over the next 12 months, In Touch is planning a series of stories and interviews looking at the changing landscape of our streets, and the ways in which councils, rehabilitation trainers and technology can help visually impaired people cope with this fast-changing picture. Professors Anna Lawson and Rich Romano are both leading on different projects looking at the future of towns and cities. Prof Lawson’s is focusing on the elements that cause people to feel excluded from the streets, while Prof Romano’s is looking at using virtual reality and digital means of putting planning in to the hands of the people. National Braille Press, a non-profit organisation in the United States, offers a prize of up to 20,000 US dollars to people inventing new ways of getting braille and tactile information in to the hands of visually impaired people. Peter White speaks to President of National Braille Press Brian MacDonald, and 2015 winner Betsy Flener. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

What help can you get if you struggle to recycle your rubbish? Listeners talk about the problems they have with recycling their rubbish: from knowing which bin to put the right rubbish in, to finding it again once it has been collected. We talk to Wayne Priestly from the Association for Public Service Excellence about what help visually impaired-residents can expect to receive from their local council. Professor Christopher Tyler from London City University believes he has found evidence artist Leonardo da Vinci had an eye condition called Strabismus – where the eyes are misaligned. He thinks this may have had an impact on the way Da Vinci represented three-dimensional art on a canvas. Ross King, biographer of Claude Monet, says Monet's cataracts impacted his work later in life. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Last week the Royal National Institute for the Blind announced the closure of the Pears Centre, a children's home and school, run by the charity. The Pears Centre will shut in November after Ofsted raised significant concerns about the management of the Specialist Learning Centre. The children at the centre will need to find new placements. We get reaction from Hardeep Rai, a parent, whose son is a resident at the Pears Centre, in Coventry. And we'll find out how best to wow the audience if you're doing public speaking. We'll report from a new course being run by Blind Veterans UK designed to help servicemen do speeches and presentations - both to help in the jobs market and to act as ambassadors for the organisation. Learn more about how to engage an audience and how to make the most of your body language. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Jess Quayle.

A school for visually impaired children with additional disabilities is being closed.

Tom Walker talks to visually-impaired attendees of the first conference of the Partially-Sighted Society. Anita Plant, CEO of the PSS talks to Peter White about the charity's relaunch. RNIB Optometrist Louise Gaw talks to Cheryl Gabriel about the way lighting can help someone with low vision, make the most of their residual sight. Louise stresses the importance of getting professional help from a rehab worker or local blind society, to advise on the best lighting options, depending on the eye condition of the individual. Claudia Hammond presenter of All in the Mind, tells Peter that the BBC's Loneliness Experiment online survey, which was previously inaccessible with a screen-reader, has been changed and it is now accessible. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted. Jackie Brown wants better access to domestic white goods, which don't require sighted help to set up. Robin Christopherson from AbilityNet, suggests smart options which use apps, speech and wifi to enable a blind person to take control of their domestic appliances. Jackie is concerned however, that not everyone is comfortable using smartphone technology and the demise of the button and tactile switches will leave some people behind. Simon Cox, of Cobalt Systems talks about the issues around producing specialist equipment, but says his company has just launched a new talking induction hob. Tom Walker reports from Worcester New College on a new innovation hub which aims to give students and the public better access to assistive technology.

A question often-asked of blind and visually impaired people, by both sighted and other blind people, is "is your partner blind or sighted?" Peter White explores the reasons behind this question, and blind and visually impaired peoples' reaction to it. Guests: Amie Slavin, Jonathan Mosen and Rob Murthwaite. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

16-year-old Grace Marsh talks of her vision loss and her poetry aspirations. Actor Karina Jones lands an iconic role as a blind character.

21-year-old Allan Hennessey was born in Iraq totally blind. His parents applied to the UK for him to undergo laser surgery, which restored a minimal amount of vision in one eye. Later Allan and his family settled in the UK on a council estate in east London. While attending a mainstream school, he rejected all attempts to teach him to read braille or adapt to his visual impairment, preferring to rely on the support and safety net of the multicultural community in which he thrived. In high school, he was sent to a school for blind children, which he found claustrophobic and soon left. He lost his way academically in the middle years of high school and then, on a whim, decided to try for Cambridge. Allan has this year graduated with a 1st class Honours degree in law and plans to be a barrister - and he still uses no adaptations - we ask him why. On the 21st of August, there will be a total solar eclipse in the US. This is being touted as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity and it seems visually impaired people are not to miss out. NASA has sponsored the making of a tactile book depicting the different stages of the eclipse. There is a smartphone app people can try that allows the user to trace their finger over a picture of the eclipse, and the phone will play a sound or vibrate according to the intensity of the lightness shown on the screen. Harvard University has been working on a project to stream the sound of the eclipse to visually impaired people over the internet from Wyoming, one of the14 states with a ringside view of it. We speak to Allyson Bieryla from Harvard University about the project. And finally, we ask Virgin Media whether they really meant to send out a form for visually impaired people to have their doctor fill out declaring their visual impairment before they could receive their bill in braille.

In August 2016 it became mandatory for health and social care providers to offer patients written information in whichever format they required - whether that be via text, email, braille, audio or large print. The implementation of what is called the Accessible Information Standard has recently been reviewed with mixed results. We put some listeners' experiences of getting required information in a required format from the NHS to Olivia Butterworth from NHS England. Peter White talks to Vanessa Potter about her book, Patient H69 about her experience of losing her sight over 72 hours, and what it was like learning to see again. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

What's the best approach when it comes to holidays for blind and partially sighted people? TravelEyes is a company which takes both blind and sighted people on holiday - the visually impaired traveller pays full price, and the fully-sighted person pays up to 50% of the full cost and agrees to guide and describe the attractions for the visually impaired travellers. But what if you have an additional need like a hearing impairment? The travel company says that in some cases, customers who have an additional need will have to take someone along as a carer. Peter White speaks to the company's founder Amar Latif about this policy. Circus Starr provides children who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to experience the circus a chance to do so... and they've audio described the experience for young audience members. We find out from a professional audio describer how narrating a performance for children differs from adults. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

A look at the range of specialist and non-specialist gadgets available for identifying objects and travelling around. Joining Peter to share their experiences of solutions offered by technology are guests Jackie Brown, the incoming chair of the British Computer Association of the Blind, and Dave Williams, a freelance trainer on technology. If you'd like to find out more about the products discussed in tonight's programme please call the Radio 4 Action Line on 0800 044 044 for the next 24 hours and ask for the Factsheet. Producer: Lee Kumutat Presenter: Peter White.

Two listeners to In Touch talk about some of the obstacles they faced when looking to move. Danielle Burgess is looking for a new home to rent, and is discovering how separate she feels from the process because everything needs to be described to her. Ben Rendle, his visually impaired partner and their family recently bought a flat off-plan and had to find a way of envisaging it for himself. Penny Melville-Brown has baked all her life, and didn't stop when she lost her sight seventeen years ago. She has recently won an international prize which will see her baking all over the world to show how blind people can bake. Producer: Lee Kumutat Presenter: Peter White.

Cyrus Habib lost his sight when he was eight, and in January this year aged 35 took up an elected position as Lieutenant governor of Washington State in America. He talks to Peter White about walking the fine line between sympathy and empathy when campaigning, and how technology is helping him do his job. Listener Nick Adamson has been working for the same company in the same role for the last 12 years. He has no immediate plans to change jobs, but says contemplating a career move when you're blind throws up many challenges. He talks to Dave Williams who has recently changed jobs, about his concerns. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

Blind people with no light perception can suffer from a variety of sleep problems. Its now been proved that for the majority of blind people with no light perception, the lack of light makes it impossible for a gland situated in the brain to produce sufficient levels of a hormone called melatonin. This can lead to circadian sleep disorders which can occur when the body clock does not fall into a regular rhythm. Blind listeners tell In Touch about the impact poor sleep can have on their quality of life. We also hear from Lynn McGovern of The Circadian Sleep Disorders Network, a support and advocacy group which works on raising awareness of disrupted sleep, . Russell Foster, a Professor of Circadian Neuroscience and Head of Ophthalmology at Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosiences, Oxford University has spent many years researching sleep problems in blind people and he tells Peter about the current thinking on why blind people persistently suffer from problems sleeping. Producer: Lee Kumutat Presenter: Peter White.

Listener Mike Kelly lost his sight in his thirties, shortly after he'd finished his training as an architect. He underwent intensive rehabilitation and has had a successful full time career in the civil service. Now aged 65 Mike has chosen to retire. Mixed in with the excitement of starting a new chapter in his life, he has some fears and concerns as well. David Black who has Retinitis Pigmentosa was attacked three times. Despite having studied martial arts he felt unable to defend himself as a blind person. He sought help from a charity in Scotland which runs self-defence courses for disabled people. David's confidence has sky-rocketed since and he now teaches the same course which helped to boost his confidence, to other blind people. Emma Tracey from BBC Ouch went along to meet David and and pick up one or two self-defence tricks. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

After a ten year career holding various roles in national blindness charities, in 2014 Marsha De Cordova entered the world of politics when she became a councillor in Lambeth, south-east London. Last Thursday evening, she unexpectedly won the seat of Battersea from the Conservative minister Jane Ellison with a 10% swing. Born with nystagmus, a condition which makes it difficult for the eyes to focus, she is planning to champion disability rights as she takes her seat in Parliament later this week. We bring you this exclusive interview from Central Lobby in the Palace of Westminster. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

Rachael Andrews wanted to vote in the general election held in 2015, but when she and her blind husband arrived at her polling station, the device that was supposed to be in place to help them vote secretly and independently couldn't be found. She launched a legal challenge against her local authority to try to change the situation. She tells us why and what the outcome was. Don't worry if you haven't waded through all seven political party manifestoes, BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue has, and he'll be picking out some of the key policies of interest to blind and partially sighted people. In the RNIB's latest survey of blind and partially sighted voters, half say they weren't able to vote secretly or independently on polling day. Campaign manager Hugh Huddy tells us what the RNIB is doing to change this situation. Back in March, listener Ian Brooks was offered a job interview as a programmer, until the company heard he had a guide dog, when the interview was cancelled. Three months on, and ian's back to tell us what happened next. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

Due to a genetic eye condition, identical twins Daniel and Michael Smith both lost their sight when they were 18. Now, seven years on and following their much published story, the brothers talk to Peter White about the impact their blindness has had on their lives in the intervening years. They speak candidly about the stress they have experienced working in very visual jobs in the City of London. Michael is about the qualify as a lawyer and Dan is working as an investment banker. They last appeared on In Touch three years ago and in this programme speak of the changes they have experienced since last meeting Peter. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

Kirsten Hearn and Red Szell join Peter White to talk about their personal experiences of having their lovers mistaken for carers, when they are out together. The panel all offer advice on how to deal with awkward situations, including when a member of the public or shop assistant asks a 'does he take sugar?' type question. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

Peter White talks to the author of The Braille Legacy - a musical currently staged at The Charing Cross Theatre in London, which dramatises the life and achievements of Louis Braille, who invented the tactile writing system. Ellie Southwood who has been to see the show, gives a review from a blind person's perspective. Last week in Spain the first international blind tennis tournament was held with 12 countries competing for international rankings. Chris Baily came home with a trophy for Great Britain and the title of World Number One in blind tennis. He tells us what it means to him and his hopes that one day Blind Tennis will be a paralympic sport. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

Andrew Bastawrous CEO Peek, which is a social enterprise providing technology and support to healthcare providers, which will help them screen people for eye disease. He is currently doing this work in Africa as part of a campaign called Clearly, which aims to find global solutions to improve vision correction. Tom Walker reports from a running club in Bristol which encourages blind and visually-impaired people to run with a guide.

Tracy Pearson, Leader of RNIB's Reader Services responds to listeners queries about talking books. Tracy tells Peter White that the service is in good shape and that where problems have been pointed out by customers, they have tried to take them on board and make appropriate improvements. Tom Walker meets visually impaired MKDons supporter Jeff Newell and they go to watch his team play Southend United at Southend's ground. Jeff has to use his monocular to watch the action as the ground does not have an audio commentary for blind fans. Peter also talks to Tony Taylor from Level Playing Field, a charity which promotes access for disabled football fans. Southend United said that they are planning a move to a new stadium, which will be accessible. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

Baluji Shrivastav is one of India's greatest sitar players and musicians. Now UK based, he has formed the Inner Vision Orchestra, comprised of blind and visually-impaired musicians from around the world. Baluji talks to Peter about his long held passion for music and in particular the sitar, for which he is probably best known. Corinna Bauer is one of the leading researchers at Harvard, who has found that there are anatomical and functional differences in the brains of early blind people, which enable their occipital lobe (the part of the brain used for seeing), to take on other roles, including that of hearing. The effect is that a blind person may experience improved hearing as a result.

Peter White talks to the Acting Chief Executive of Guide Dogs Steve Vaid about his plans for its future, and asks whether waiting lists for dogs are too long and whether the organisation is spreading itself too thinly. We also hear from Aleksandra Surla, who's moved to the UK from Slovenia, about her struggle to keep her guide dog Pingo with her. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

Professor Pete Coffey from UCL reacts to the recent US case, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, of three women who paid for stem cell treatment in a private clinic, in which cells from their own body fat were injected into their eyes and which left them all with virtually no vision. Prof Coffey explains the difference between the US and UK procedures. He also updates us on his own trials, seeking to treat Macular Degeneration. The GDBA on people who decide to return their Guide Dogs.

Ian Brooks is a very experienced computer programmer and was approached by a job agency about a position for which he was ideally qualified. All went well and the agency told Ian to expect a call from the prospective client. However, after revealing that he had a guide dog, the interview offer was suddenly withdrawn, as the employers claimed they would not be able to accommodate a dog in the office. Lawyer Declan O'Dempsey explains the legal implications of a similar situation and says that in cases like this, under equality legislation, both the agency and their client would be deemed to be acting in a manner which would be deemed discriminatory, by not making reasonable adjustment for a disabled applicant. Tom Walker visits one of Pure Gyms premises and speaks to a blind woman who has been helped to use the equipment by a personal trainer. This is part of a new initiative by RNIB to train the trainers at Pure Gyms to make their places accessible to blind and visually-impaired people. One of the new features which has been introduced is a wrist-band worn by a vip, which they pass over the security pad to gain entry to the gym, rather than being required to key-in a code number, which had previously been the case. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

James Harding, the BBC's Director of News, tells Peter White about a new one million pound fund, earmarked to train and recruit disabled journalists. Derek Sinclair, from the organisation Contact-a-family explains child benefits. Charlotte talks about her visually-impaired daughter who has additional disabilities and tells Tom Walker that although she's well-connected into a parents' network she is still confused as to which benefits she is entitled.

on February 23, Greater Manchester Police were called to Levenshulme by two witnesses who reported a man with a gun behaving in an agitated manner. The attending firearms officers tasered the man and subsequently discovered he was blind and that what had been thought to be a gun was, in fact, his folding white cane. This follows a similar incident in 2012 when a blind man's white stick was mistaken for a samurai sword. In last week's case, the police apologised, and the Professional Standards Branch of Greater Manchester Police, carried out an investigation. It found that the police had acted appropriately and the blind man has not, thus far, made a complaint. We speak to Solicitor Advocate Sophie Khan who represented the case in 2012 on her concerns about the training undertaken by police when it comes to tasering vulnerable people. Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, tells us that the training and policies in this area are constantly being reviewed. Red Szell tells us why he's decided to part with his firs guide dog after nine months. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Editor: Eleanor Garland.

Dr Tanvir Bush talks about a recent experience she had when she was involved in a hate-crime as a result of her blindness. She also talks about her new novel 'Cull' which is a satire exploring a world in which hate crimes are tolerated, resulting in what she calls the 'dehumanisation' of disabled people. Tanvir is hoping to crowd-fund the publication of the book. Gough is an Australian comedian, writer, director who talks to Peter about his approach to film-making. He has formed his own production company and offers his work online. BBC Washington Correspondent Gary O'Donoghue talks about his friend, the actor Tim Gebbels who has died aged 49, following a short illness.

RNIB's Acting CEO Sally Harvey talks to Peter White about the charity's plans for its future. Will it merge with the charity Guide Dogs and what impact will the RNIB's restructuring plans have on jobs - particularly those held by people who are blind? We hear from an employee of the RNIB's dedicated Cliffden Hotel - currently for sale - and her crowdfunding initiative to raise more than a million pounds in order to buy it and maintain it as a specialist hotel for blind and partially-sighted guests.

Media commentator Kevin Mulhern gives his view on the leadership situation at RNIB and GDBA, the leading UK charities for blind and partially-sighted people. Both organisations currently have temporary Chief Executive Officers in place and Kevin speculates on the impact this could have on the confidence of blind people in the charities' ability to lead and lobby for them in the future Tom Walker meet Les Lightfoot, who was the victim of a serious assault last year. Les talks about how he rebuilt his confidence with the help of Henshaws Society for Blind People and has written his own set of tips for other blind and visually-impaired people on how they can stay safe and protect themselves. These are available on the Henshaw's website.

NHS England's Head of Public Policy Olivia Butterworth asks for listeners' experiences of obtaining information in an accessible format, following the recent introduction of the Accessible Information Standard. We hear from Mel Griffiths who was refused information in a format she could read, when her physiotherapist said they didn't have time to email it to her. Student Charles Bloch was refused a taxi journey with his guide dog and the taxi driver was taken to court and fined for the offence. Charles said that he was disappointed that the situation arose for the driver to be sued, but that he felt he had to stand up for his rights as someone with a disability. Tom Walker reported about an initiative in Liverpool aimed specifically at training taxi drivers about how best to help blind and disabled passengers. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

Peter White is joined by RNIB's Geoff Fimister, disability employment advisor Caroline Stansfield and Professor Roy Sainsbury, to discuss the implications of the Government's green paper on Work, Health and Disability. Peter asks Geoff and Roy about the RNIB's statistic claiming that 1 in 4 blind people of working age are in employment. Mike Lambert's latest column outlines his experience of the changing work place, where he feels there is now an emphasis on quantity rather than quality, which puts blind people at a disadvantage. For more information contact the RNIB Campaign Hotline on 020 7391 2123.

Tom Walker visits Northern Ireland to meet three visually-impaired women: musician Clare Bowes lost her sight in the Omagh bombing of 1998 and has since set up her own music academy. Andrea Begley won the BBC talent TV programme The Voice' in 2013. Andrea talks to Tom about her experience on the show and the impact her visual impairment has had on her career. Joanna Toner runs 'Laughter Yoga' sessions, for sighted and blind participants. Tom joins a session and talks to some of the people taking part. Presenter: Tom Walker Producer: Cheryl Gabriel .

The Canute is the latest development in refreshable multi-line Braille and is demonstrated by Ed Rogers from Bristol Braille Technology. Sean Randall is a teacher at Worcester New College where the Canute has been tested by students. Sean talks to Peter about its pros and cons. Amit Patel is totally blind and has fitted a small video camera to his guide dog Kika's harness. The footage has enabled him to witness the good and not so good behaviour of people with whom he comes into contact during the course of his travels.

Peter White is in Istanbul for the second of two programmes recorded in Turkey. Maggie Moore is a guide dog owner and has inspired blind and partially-sighted people in Turkey to set up their own guide dog association. Led by lawyer Nurdeniz Toncer, the first association has just been launched. UK guide dog trainer Alan Brooks has been training Ece Onderoglu in England, to become Turkey's first guide dog mobility instructor, as well as training Nurdeniz with the training of her dog Kara. Peter talks to them about the training programme and the culture of pet ownership in the country. They are all optimistic about the association's future and Nurdeniz tells Peter that Maggie has been a great role model for blind people in Turkey. Richard Moore the Ambassador tells Peter that he is very supportive of Maggie's work and admits to the project providing 'Canine soft power' in helping support diplomatic relations.

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted.

Journalist Richard de Costobadie is a big fan of BBC news online. Recently however, he suspects there is a trend towards some stories being presented in a format he cannot access: video clips, without explanatory audio, but scrolling text overlaid instead. Mark Fulcher is a blind piano-tuner who wants to be able to submit his claim form for Access To Work electronically, as on several occasions his completed hard copy claim forms have gone missing once he's sent them off. The DWP respond. And writer Red Szel returns with another column, this time on the language of visual-impairment.

LOOK, the charity supporting parents of blind children is 25 years old. CEO Charlotte Carson talks to Peter White about the legacy left by her parents Jennifer and Gareth Bowen and her aims for the organisation's future. Denise Leigh and Joy Addo, also both blind mums, talk about the problem of carrying or transporting babies, if you are blind or visually-impaired. Charlie also offers her experience as a partially-sighted mum to two young daughters.

Peter White talks to Simon Rockman, founder of Fuss Free Phones, and to Steve Tyler of RNIB. The company has partnered with RNIB to offer a mobile phone answering service to help blind and partially-sighted customers make and receive calls. BBC Washington Correspondent Gary O'Donoghue talks about his experience of working on the US Election and explains the impact of a change of government's names and faces will have on the way he does his job.

Peter White talks about guide dog waiting lists with BBC reporter and guide dog owner Ian Hamilton, who's been waiting for a replacement dog for over six months. Ian Macrae and Hazel Dudley look at accessible watches. Ian reviews the smart watch from Apple and Hazel shows Peter two talking watches by Verbalise which she describes as 'dressy'. Joy Addo presents her first column on being a blind Mum.

Richard Leaman is to step down as CEO of Guide Dogs, without an explanation. Peter talked to Rose Hewitt, Chair of COGDO, the Circle of Guide Dog Owners, who said that the members she's spoken to, want the charity to return to providing its core function of providing guide dogs for blind people. Ffion Miles is about to go on a trip to Australia and tells Peter about the planning involved. Ffion has relied heavily on the internet and social media to connect with people and organisations who can help her. During his recent visit to Brazil, Peter met Marcos Lima who collects miniature models of famous landmarks and buildings from around the world.

Fight for Sight's CEO Michele Acton, joins Peter White to talk about the charity's work funding medical research into eye disease. Stand-up comedian Chris McCausland reviews the Amazon Echo, a wireless voice-activated smart speaker, which is a mainstream product accessible to blind and partially-sighted people due to its voice-activated controls.

Peter White is joined by Cathy Yelf, CEO of the Macular Society, who talks about their new report calling for more collaboration in the funding of medical research to find a cure for Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Neil Heslop, newly appointed CEO of Leonard Cheshire Disability talks about his new role and the way in which he plans to lead the organisation.

Peter White is joined by Brazilian singer and journalist Monica Vasconcelos, who is the subject of a World Service documentary, in which she talks of her sight loss. Tom Walker meets Tony North who has been using a new reading device called OrCam. The user wears it like a pair of spectacles and points to text or information for the device to read out. Assistive technology consultant Graham Page talks about other platforms which are available to help blind and partially-sighted people access the written or printed word.

Guide dog owner Kim Milward was illegally refused a hotel booking with her guide dog. She tells Tom Walker about her experience. CEO of Guide Dogs for the Blind Association - Richard Leaman gives his reaction. Plus, he doesn't rule out a possible future merger between GDBA and RNIB. Writer Red Szell pens his latest column and muses about being something of a reluctant guide dog owner.

Peter is joined by quizzer Nicki Cockburn who recently took part in the BBC TV programme 'Make Me An Egghead' and reached the semi-finals. She talks to Peter about how she first became interested in entering competitions and the tricks she enlists to remember things. Jackie is a listener who has asked the DWP for an electronic version of the Personal Independence Payments claim form. So far they have only been able to offer her an audio CD of the questions and told her that blind people usually get someone sighed to help them fill in the form. Tony Shearman meets the couple behind the Room Mate, their latest invention to make public toilets accessible, by way of using a bespoke audio description.

David Haynes of Action's Customer Council tells Peter how alarmed he was that the council was not consulted about the planned closure of the Action hotels. Jason Hill explains the concessionary TV licence rate for blind people. Tony Shearman talks to blind comedian Chris McCausland about his new solo show in London's Soho Theatre.

Peter White talks to retiring CEO of RNIB, Lesley-Anne Alexander. Lesley-Anne reflects on her legacy as RNIB leader and the future of the charity sector for blind and partially-sighted people. Peter asks about her views on streamlining resources within the sector and her policies on employment for blind and partially-sighted people within the organisation. She also explains how the charity's funds are divided between campaigning and service-provision.

Peter White is in Rio with a preview of the 15th Paralympic Games. He talks to Tim Reddish about his role as Chair of the British Paralympic Association. He also talks to members of the GB visually-impaired Judo Squad about their hopes for medals. Richard Lane presents a column on the perils of mobile phones and Tony Shearman meets photographer Sue MacPherson and talks to her about her latest exhibition in which she uses blind people as her subjects.

Action's three specialist hotels are under threat of closure, as Action announces that they are no longer able to run them. Action's Director of Operations Teri Stephenson talks about some of the reasons behind this decision. Tom Walker, Susannah Hancock & Geoff Long take a look at the new polymer five pound note, under the supervision of the Bank of England's Chief Cashier Victoria Cleland Producer: Cheryl Gabriel.

For partially-sighted travellers, using the new e-passport can present unexpected difficulties when trying to use the automated gates at airport customs. Stephen Hallett, Richard de Costobadie and Sarah Newman give their experience and suggest solutions. Tony Shearman meets Janice Wheeler who has taken up boxing. Janice spars with a sighted friend and takes to the ring to demonstrate her skills. Writer Stephen Kennedy talks about his latest play, 'Death and the Beatles Fan', which has been aired on RTE.

The new generation of watch. Ian Macrae demonstrates a watch which uses Haptic technology and enables you to tell the time by a series of vibrations. Tom Walker goes to Salford to meet Paralympic swimmer Hannah Russell as she makes her final preparations for Rio. She'll be competing in the Fifty and One Hundred metres Freestyle, and the One Hundred metres backstroke. She made her Paralympic debut aged sixteen at London 2012, walking away with three medals. What can she achieve this time round ? And more on the challenges of recording your assessment interviews when applying for things like Personal Independence Payments PIPS). Presented by Peter White Producer Cheryl Gabriel. Editor Beverley Purcell. Guest; Hannah Russell Guest; Ian McCrae.

What does carrying a white cane or using a guide dog actually signify? Does it say to people that you're partially sighted, or completely blind? A new film by the Royal National Institute of Blind People tries to explain to the general public what it's like to be visually impaired, and all the different varieties of sight-loss. Also, why making a recording of your benefit assessment interview is fraught with difficulties. And if you're applying for a job, when's it appropriate to disclose your eyesight problem: on the application form or in person at an interview. Presented by Peter White Producer Siobhann Tighe.

The Marrakesh Treaty was designed to make the sharing of books more seamless between countries, and therefore make more literature available to people with visual impairments. It needed 20 countries to ratify it, and this was achieved at the end of June. Dan Pescod from the Royal National Institute of Blind People tells Peter White what happens next, and what it could mean for readers in the UK. Meanwhile. three guests give their suggestions for absorbing summer reads, and talk about the devices they use to read their books. They are: BBC Washington Correspondent Gary O'Donoghue, author Tanvir Bush and avid reader, Adrienne Chalmers. Adrienne Chalmers's choices: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke published by Bloomsbury The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields published by Fourth Estate Gary O'Donoghue's choices: The Lonely City by Olivia Laing published by Canongate Books Hotels of North America by Rick Moody published by Little Brown and Company Tanvir Bush's choices: Good Kings, Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum published by Oneworld Publications Sight Unseen by Georgina Kleege published by Yale University Press Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat.

Glastonbury likes to be inclusive, but how easy is it if you're blind or visually impaired? Two of our listeners, Dave Kent and Hazel Dudley, test it out for us. Listen to how they get on camping, getting around the muddy site, and enjoying the hundreds of performances. They investigate how accessible Glastonbury really is and find out whether they'll ever go again. Producer: Anna Bailey Editor: Karen Dalziel.

One London father describes the problems he's had getting his blind 11 year old into a suitable secondary school. He's so worried about the time it's taken to resolve, that he's had to move home to another part of the city. And new author, Mark Hardie talks about his first novel called Burned and Broken and describes how his blindness has influenced his writing.

According to the charity British Blind Sport, not enough blind and visually impaired people are keeping active and getting involved in sport. Peter White talks to Dave Gavrilovic who is vice chair of the organisation, as well as being a huge cricket fan himself, and fitness instructor and Pilates teacher Jane Taylor, about why it's important to stay fit. They discuss the benefits of staying active, groups that you can join, and ways you can exercise even if you want to stay at home.

We visit New College Worcester as it marks 150 years of educating blind teenagers. The secondary school has been through many changes, going from a single-sex school, to being co-educational. We speak to teachers and pupils about the school's ethos and curriculum. We also hear from Jade Sharp, who complained to Transport For London when a number of Uber drivers refused to take her and her guide dog. Five of them have been successfully prosecuted and fined.

Hull has just introduced a charter which spells out how the city is easier for blind people to get around. We go and find out if it's working. And we speak to the journalist and crime novelist, Susie Steiner, about her eye condition, retinitis pigmentosa. Is her failing sight fuelling her creativity or just frustrating to manage? Presenter Peter White. Producer Siobhan Tighe.

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted.