RNIB Connect

This summer, RNIB Scotland partnered with Glasgow Speakers Club to deliver a course for five blind and partially sighted participants who indicated their interest in building this skill.
Following weeks of lessons, they delivered their speeches to a captive audience, including The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Dr Jacqueline McLaren and sponsor of this event, Councillor Robert Mooney.
RNIB Connect Radio's Paulina Kuchorew reports.
00:00 - 06:20 Jenn Worral and Robert H. King
06:20 - 13:15 Claire Forde and members of Glasgow Speakers Club
13:15 - 18:45 Luke Teasdale and Morag Wilson
18:45 - 21:40 Councillor Robert Mooney
21:40 - 27:00 The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Dr Jacqueline McLaren and James Adams, Director RNIB Scotland
Image is a group photo taken on a columned staircase at Glasgow City Chambers. Bottom row left to right: Jenn (participant, with guide dog Snowball), The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Claire (participant), John McArthur (Glasgow Speakers Club), middle row: James Adams (Director, RNIB Scotland), Councillor Robert Mooney (sponsor), Luke Teasdale (participant), Morag (participant), Back row: Robert King (participant), Grace Hendry-Nash (Glasgow Speakers Club), Bobby Livingston (Glasgow Speakers Club), and Iona Adamson (RNIB Scotland volunteer).

Following on from the Government’s recent announcement that from 1 April 2027 disabled people in England which includes visually impaired people will be able to travel for free by bus at any time of the day lifting the current restriction of not being able to travel for free before 9.30am apart from at weekends and on Bank Holidays.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Erik Matthies, RNIB Policy Lead to find out more about this landmark change in bus travel in England for blind and partially sighted people.
To find out more about some of the travel concessions that are available for visually impaired people do visit the following pages of the RNIB website - https://www.rnib.org.uk/living-with-sight-loss/money-and-benefits/benefits-concessions-and-grants/leisure-and-travel-concessions/

Now for the next in our regular slots here on RNIB Connect Radio highlighting what is on offer at the National Theatre in London for blind and partially sighted people with audio description.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined again by David Bellwood, Head of Access at the National Theatre to chat about a few up-coming audio described shows at the NT and a couple that are available online with audio description via NTatHome.com.
Audio described performances included:
Some Woman - Saturday 24 October, 2.30pm, touch tour 12.30pm and Friday 20 November, 7.30pm, touch tour 5.30pm, National Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre,
cloud 9 - Saturday 28 November, 2.30pm, touch tour 12.30pm and Tuesday 12 January 2027, 7.30pm, touch tour 5.30pm, National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre,
The Jungle Book - Friday 8 January 2027, 7pm, touch tour 5pm and Saturday 30 January 2027, 1.30pm, touch tour 11.30am, National Theatre’s Olivier Theatre.
From NTAtHome.com with audio description David recommended Hamlet and London Road.
To find out more about the National Theatre’s audio description offer and services for blind and partially sighted people do either call the NT on 020 7452 3961 or visit the NT website-
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
And for more about NTatHome.com and to view many theatre
productions online with audio description do visit- https://www.ntathome.com

David Hogg learns more about Thomas Pocklington Trust’s Education Advice Service…
Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB’ written in bold black capital letters and underline with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font.

With recent news that a new weekly type 2 diabetes jab if approved could replace daily injections for people living with the condition, RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Dr Louise Gow, RNIB Head of Optometry, Low Vision and Eye Care Support along with Berni Warren who is visually impaired and has Type 1 diabetes to find out more about the connections between diabetes and sight loss as well as what life might be like living with the condition on a day-to-day bases as a blind or partially sighted person.
Louise talks about the different diabetes related eye conditions and how they can affect someones vision plus her thoughts on these new weekly injections and how easy it might all be to administer the injections as a blind or partially sighted person.
Berni talks about her life as a visually impaired person and how she copes with being a Type 1 diabetic, how accessible everything is around monitoring her condition and how she is able to live a full life as a visually impaired person as a diabetic too.
To find out more about diabetes related eye conditions do click onto the following link to the RNIB website or call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 for information and advice too - https://www.rnib.org.uk/your-eyes/eye-conditions-az/diabetes-related-eye-conditions/