In Touch

The British Wireless for the Blind Fund have a free app called Speech Radio, which is set up to provide easy access to thousands of radio stations. They have recently partnered with radio aggregator Airable, and can now provide thousands more stations from all around the world. BWBF's Head of Technology David Beard tells In Touch about what is now on offer and how the app works.

What is 'showdown' in the context of blind and partially sighted people? It could mean a confrontation intended to settle a dispute, certainly, but we are exploring the specialist sport showdown. It is a fast-paced table top sport that was originally designed to be played by people with visual impairments. Our reporter Fern Lulham tried her hand to see if she would become the next showdown showstopper.

Presenter: Peter White

The Ray-Ban Meta Glasses is a range of smart glasses that work in conjunction with a smart phone app. We have been hearing excited murmurings about their potential benefits for blind and partially sighted people and now they will soon work in conjunction with the free service, Be My Eyes. This service connects visually impaired people with sighted volunteers to assist with daily tasks. What we are also hearing is that there is some confusion surrounding certain AI capabilities, especially as UK users had to wait before being told it that it can now be accessed here. The picture, however, is not the same for everybody and so we have brought together two visually impaired people who have the specs, to assess the issue.

The charity, Sight Scotland has tried to find a way to make the ancient practice of yoga accessible to blind and partially sighted people. Our reporter Ian Hamilton went along to a class in Edinburgh to find out more.

Presenter: Peter White

In Touch reflects on a specific element of the Autumn Budget that relates to the Work Capability Assessment, following concerns raised by the dual-disability charity, Sense. Their CEO, Richard Kramer explains how the proposed amendments could impact people's ability to find and maintain work and the receipt of certain benefits.

We get answers to your questions: including why some visually impaired people are having issues with accessing a survey about the future of the NHS and why some people are having difficulty calling back their guide dogs when they are free running.

Presenter: Peter White

What are the big names from across the sight loss sector doing about the current provision of technology training? We have brought together a panel of guests from RNIB, AbilityNet, TAVIP, Visionary, Sight and Sound Technologies and rehabilitation specialists to discuss this issue. On last week's programme, we focused on why so many visually impaired people aren't able to access meaningful in-person technology support and what is stopping the sector from sorting it out. In this programme, we're getting some answers on what they are currently doing within this space.

Presenter: Peter White

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 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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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