RNIB Connect

We know how difficult it can be for blind and partially sighted people to get that first run on the career ladder or come back into work after a break.  Well one way the RNIB is helping visually impaired people to take that first step into employment or return to work is through the RNIB See Work Differently Work placement scheme.
These are paid placements for a fixed term of twelve weeks and are generally for fourteen hours per week 

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined by Manus Fraser, who is coming to the end of his placement as an RNIB Public Affairs Assistant, and Rhys Felton, RNIB Public Affairs Officer who has been supporting Manus, to find out what the See Work Differently Work Placement scheme is all about, why Manus wanted to apply for a placement, how Rhys has been supporting Manus during his placement and the benefits of the scheme for other visually impaired people who might be looking at ways of getting into work or coming back after a break.

Future RNIB See Work Differently Work Placements will be advertised through the recruitment pages of the RNIB website and to find out more about the placement scheme do visit - https://www.rnib.org.uk/living-with-sight-loss/equality-and-employment/see-work-differently-placement-programme/

(Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB’ written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font)

Each week, RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell sits down with Simon Antrobus, CEO of RNIB, to look at some of the big stories coming from the UK sight loss charity.

This week Simon talks about the ten year anniversary of the Accessible Information Standard, RNIB Talking Books Garden winning awards at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show this week, and finally the launch of the You've Got Braille podcast.

If you, or someone you know, would like information on the support and services available from RNIB, go to www.rnib.org.uk

You can call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or ask your Smart speaker to call RNIB's Helpline.

#RNIBConnect

Image Shows RNIB's CEO Simon Antrobus, Smiling, Wearing A Black Jacket With A White Shirt

The RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 celebrates the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and the incredible impact that gifts left in Wills have on the RNIB’s work too.

Award-winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has again worked on the RNIB Talking Books garden which in many ways brings the Library of the Imagination to life through the garden’s design.

After the end of the RHS Sandringham Flower Show elements of the RNIB Talking Books Garden will be donated to the Tapping House Hospice Care Trust in Kings Lynn and our Toby Davey caught up with their Chief Executive Niki Ellis to find out what it means to her and the Hospice to be able to use some of the plants from the Talking Books Garden in their own garden for their patients and their families. 

The RNIB Talking Books Garden has been kindly supported by players of the Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust.

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 and the RNIB Gold Medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows Toby and guide dog Boston in front of the large RHS logo at the RHS Flower Show Sandringham

The RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 celebrates the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and the incredible impact that gifts left in Wills have on the RNIB’s work too.

Award-winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has again worked on the RNIB Talking Books garden which in many ways brings the Library of the Imagination to life through the garden’s design.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was taken on a tour of the RNIB Talking Books Garden by Paul to experience some of the tactile and audio features of the garden. 

The RNIB Talking Books Garden has been kindly supported by players of the Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust.

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 and the RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows designer Paul and his partner posing together for a photo.

At the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey took a stroll around the show and came across the Vision Norfolk, Vision in Bloom Garden and caught up with Penny Whitby from Vision Norfolk and Rajul Shah the designer of the garden to find out more about the design of the Vision in Bloom Garden and how gardening can be made accessible for blind and partially sighted people.

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026, the Vision Norfolk Vision in Bloom Garden and the RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows Toby interviewing Penny Penny and Rajul. He's holding up a big microphone with a fluffy wind shield and Penny is standing further back in a big straw hat with Rajul at the front in a bright patterned top.

The RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 celebrates the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and the incredible impact that gifts left in Wills have on the RNIB’s work too.

Award-winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has again worked on the RNIB Talking Books garden which in many ways brings the Library of the Imagination to life through the garden’s design.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with a number of visitors to the garden for their thoughts and reflections on the garden as well as RNIB Talking Books.

The RNIB Talking Books Garden has been kindly supported by players of the Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust.

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 and the RNIB Gold Medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows visitors at the garden reading the information leaflets with a bed of bright green grass gently swaying in front of them.

The RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 celebrates the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and the incredible impact that gifts left in Wills have on the RNIB’s work too.

Award-winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has again worked on the RNIB Talking Books garden which in many ways brings the Library of the Imagination to life through the garden’s design.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Steve one of the RNIB volunteers who was manning the garden on Press Day to find out how the day had gone for him.

The RNIB Talking Books Garden has been kindly supported by players of the Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust.

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 and the RNIB Gold Medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows Toby and guide dog Boston in front of the large RHS logo at the RHS Flower Show Sandringham

The RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 celebrates the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and the incredible impact that gifts left in Wills have on the RNIB’s work too.

Award-winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has again worked on the RNIB Talking Books garden which in many ways brings the Library of the Imagination to life through the garden’s design.

The garden has been kindly supported by players of the Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust and RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Morag Fodor, Long-Term Partnerships Officer, Postcode Lottery just after she had been on a tour with Paul Hervey-Brookes for her thoughts and reflections on the design of the garden. 

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 and the RNIB Gold Medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows Juliet, Morag from the Postcode Lottery, designer Paul Harvey-Brookes and his partner posing together for a photo.

The RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 celebrates the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and the incredible impact that gifts left in Wills have on the RNIB’s work too.

Award-winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has again worked on the RNIB Talking Books garden which in many ways brings the Library of the Imagination to life through the garden’s design.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Lynne Livingston, RNIB Development Officer, to find out more about the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and her thoughts on such an amazing gold medal winning garden.

The RNIB Talking Books Garden has been kindly supported by players of the Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust.

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 and the RNIB Gold Medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows Toby and guide dog Boston in front of the large RHS logo at the RHS Flower Show Sandringham

The RNIB gold medal award-winning Talking Books Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 celebrates the 90th anniversary of RNIB Talking Books and the incredible impact that gifts left in Wills have on the RNIB’s work too.

Award-winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has again worked on the RNIB Talking Books garden which in many ways brings the Library of the Imagination to life through the garden’s design.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Helen Smith, Head of Supporter Experience at the RNIB, who came up with the concept for the garden celebrating 90 year’s of RNIB Talking Books.

The RNIB Talking Books Garden has been kindly supported by players of the Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust.

To find out more about the RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 and the RNIB Gold Medal award-winning Talking Books Garden do visit the following pages of the RHS website - https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show

Image shows Helen laughing as she speaks with visitors to the garden. She's wearing a bright pink polo shirt, has mid-length light hair and dark glasses. Bright green foliage surrounds her.