In Touch

For many blind and visually impaired people, access to public transport is a key element of living independently. So just how accessible is it, and what's being done to remove the barriers that plainly still exist?
In this episode, we hear from Seren Jaye about her experience as a seasoned visually impaired bus user. We're also joined by the Director of Policy and Research at the Campaign for Better Transport, Silviya Barrett who tells us about the charity's work to make bus travel more accessible.
Meanwhile, over on the railways, we hear from Engagement Manager at the Thomas Pocklington Trust, Dave Smith and Accessibility Lead for Greater Thameslink Railway, Carl Martin about their partnership to produce station audio guides. Frequent train user David Best tests a guide out and gives us his feedback.
Presenter and Producer: Fern Lulham
Production Coordinator: Helen Surtees
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.’

Finding the motivation to get fit and active can be difficult, especially when there can often be some barriers to entry for blind and partially sighted people. With this in mind, In Touch has assembled a panel of sporty visually impaired people to provide tips and advice on how to get started, or maintain your current fitness programme. Roy Turnham is captain of the England blind football team and works with British Blind Sport, who provide advice and opportunities for blind and partially sighted people to to get involved with sport. Rehnaz (Naz) Khan is a runner and she has set up her own visually impaired running club in Cardiff, called VI runners. And James O'Driscoll works as a personal trainer and owns his own gym called Simply Fit.
If you're looking for a sport or fitness group you can get involved with in your area, British Blind Sport's activity finder may help: https://britishblindsport.org.uk/activity-finder
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Helen Surtees
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 legal case is being brought against the British Museum over a lack of accessibility for visually impaired people to the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition. Dr Yusuf Ali Osman raised the case after being initially told that there were no plans for an audio described tour of the historical artefact. Dr Osman, along with other visually impaired people with similar complaints, describe the issue and we hear about the British Museum's plans for access to the tapestry in future.
A recent global study has found that 1 in 5 visually impaired people are encountering what they believe to be 'bogus' eye treatments. The majority were found online, but some participants were even sceptical of the treatments being offered by their clinicians. Research Fellow Dr Lee Jones of Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology delves into the study's findings for us and advises on what patients can do to protect themselves from potentially harmful treatments.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Helen Surtees
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 research by RNIB has found that only 13% of visually impaired people surveyed feel their disability benefits actually cover the additional cost of their disability. This research comes at a time where the Personal Independent Payment is under review and so In Touch hears from the RNIB about their research and how they are contributing to this review.
To celebrate National Poetry Day, In Touch has brought together two visually impaired poets to discuss the concept of 'non-visual noticing'. A term coined by one of our panel poets Claudine Toutoungi. It is the art of noticing the non-visual aspects of the world as a source of inspiration for poetry. The Blind Poet Dave Steele also joins the discussion and shares some of his work, which often has the theme sight loss and addresses how it can impact you and those around you.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer & Reporter: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Helen Surtees
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.

Anela and Scott Wood are keen theatre goers, and they regularly attend the audio described showings of the biggest musicals at their local theatre in Bristol. However, they were recently surprised to find that assistance around the theatre (help with things like getting to the bar and other facilities) was no longer a clear-cut issue. The couple tell us what happened.
'Making Fashion Accessible' is an initiative designed to help visually impaired people access London's Fashion Week. Its aim is to turn runway shows at this prestigious fashion event into multi-sensory moments for blind visually impaired guests; through tactile fabric swatch booklets, guided touch tours, (feeling designer garments and talking about them before or after the show) and scent and sound associations. The runway and outfits were also audio described for attendees during the show. Fern Lulham attended London Fashion Week to find out more about how Hair & Care's project works.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer & Reporter: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Helen Surtees
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.