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Connect
rnib.org.uk/connect-magazine
Bringing together everyone
affected by sight loss
Henry Blofeld:
Memoirs of a cricket
commentary legend
Holiday planning
made simple
Keeping your eyes
healthy this summer
Issue 20 / Summer 2018
Share your story
with us!
Since RNIB’s launch in 1868, we’ve seen
huge changes in the world for blind
and partially sighted people.
We’re proud to have played a part in
helping to bring about changes to
law, delivering unrivalled services and
building a community for everyone
with sight loss.
To celebrate our 150th anniversary
we want to hear about the changes,
developments and milestones that
matter to you.
In 150 words, please tell
us about one of the following:
• a life-changing moment
• a change you want for people with sight loss in the future
• an experience you’ve had with us or one of our services
• a development in the last 150 years that has
made the biggest change to your life
• the technology or product that you can’t live without.
Write, record or film yourself talking about your story
and send it to us by email connect@rnib.org.uk, by post
to Connect magazine, RNIB, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE
or call 0303 1234 555.
Later in the year we’ll be sharing some of your experiences to
help us celebrate 150 years of RNIB and you, our community.
Check out rnib.org.uk/150stories for more information.
Welcome
Contents
2 Share your story with us!
3 Welcome
4 Holiday planning made simple
7 Keeping your eyes healthy
this summer
11 The inside scoop from a BBC
sports journalist
Summer is officially here and in
this edition, we’ll be talking about 13 Tried and tested
being active. navigation apps
If you’re planning a day trip, holiday 16 Campaign update
or staycation this summer, why not
have a look at my tips on accessible 21 Memoirs of a cricket
travel research using your computer commentary legend
or smartphone on page four. There 24 And the winners are…
are also more tips on page 13 on
top navigation apps, courtesy of 26 RNIB’s 150th anniversary:
RNIB radio presenter Steven Scott. Your stories
Our cover story is an interview 28 Contact the RNIB
with cricket commentator Henry Connect team
Blofeld. He spoke to Connect about
the fun he had hosting the BBC
programme Test Match Special
and his latest autobiography on From the cover: Henry “Blowers”
page 21. Finally, if you’re looking Blofeld talks to Connect about
for the right sunglasses this his autobiography and having
summer, we have some great sight loss
advice on page seven.
© RNIB July 2018
Stacy Rowe, Registered charity numbers
Connect member 226227 and SC039316
3
Being active
Holiday planning
made simple
Arranging a day trip, staycation or dream holiday can
be problematic when websites are inaccessible. Travel
enthusiast Stacy Rowe shares her favourite websites
and apps to help you plan your summer holiday.
My name is Stacy and I have very The weekend away nearly didn’t
little vision. I’m not really one for happen, but thankfully after a
sitting still so I’m always looking lot of googling, I was eventually
for places I want to travel to next. successful. We went to Hever
Recently, I wanted to take my Castle in Kent, not just because
partner on a weekend away it was beautiful, but I was able
for his birthday but I wanted to to find the information I needed,
keep it a surprise. I was trying book a room and pay online.
to find a bed and breakfast but
How I start organising a trip
I couldn’t get beyond the front
page of many websites because I always start by googling the
they were inaccessible. “top 10 things to do in the area”
and I look at TripAdvisor, a useful
customer review website. I also
search for the places I want to go
on Facebook, too. That’s often the
most straightforward way of looking
up how people have rated a place.
My top websites and apps
Websites
TripAdvisor (tripadvisor.co.uk)
is a really good source of current
user reviews. The hotel booking
website, Trivago (trivago.co.uk)
has certainly been user-friendly
Stacy Rowe on holiday in Finland for me in the past too.
4
Being active
Hever Castle, Kent
For looking up transport, Traveline Some companies have their
(traveline.info ) is a good transport own apps, and often you will
route planning site and also be able to book assistance
National Rail (nationalrail.co.uk) in advance of a visit.
is quite accessible.
How websites are inaccessible
Applevis.com is also extremely
useful for blind and partially I think websites are becoming
sighted people who use Apple more and more difficult to
products. Go to “categories” navigate these days because of
and select “travel”. adverts and automatic pop-ups
that cover part of the screen.
The search result will show
all the relevant travel apps Pop-ups are images that appear
available and the accessibility over whatever it is you’re looking
ratings, as well as a description at. It’s easy to accidently click on
of what the app is about. them and you find yourself on a
completely different website.
Apps
My screen reader will be reading
A great app for booking
from the page and then just start
accommodation is HotelTonight
reading the pop-up, “image, blah,
(hoteltonight.com). It’s very
blah, blah”, and a whole lot of
accessible and you can use
numbers. It can be very confusing.
Apple Pay so you don’t even
have to fiddle around trying
to put your card details in.
5
Being active
Mattia Felice Palermo/Wikicommons
Arc de Triomf, Barcelona, Spain
How to avoid pop-ups My next holiday
It’s pretty much the norm I’m planning a road trip in Spain.
now for websites to use There’s so much to see and do
pop‑ups to advertise things. and that’s really taxing all of my
Ninety per cent of the time I research skills. I want to see some
use my phone for browsing as waterfalls and go kayaking, so
it’s far more user friendly. there’s a lot of reading to be done.
Apps are great for avoiding
excessive pop-ups too. I have an If you would like to get online or
iPhone and when using Safari, I learn more about technology but
enable Reader Mode as it strips don’t know where to start, our
out anything that isn’t plain text. Tech for Life team is here to
Using apps on my phone has support you. Visit rnib.org.uk/
changed the experience of practical-help/technology-hub
booking trips online for me. to find out more.
Other websites you might like
Euan’s Guide (euansguide.com) features hotels, restaurants,
theatres and more. It’s informed by people with disabilities
and offers a real look at how accessible places are.
Open Britain (openbritain.net) is accessible, informative and
lets you search for destinations and attractions by region.
6
Eye health
Keeping your eyes healthy
this summer
Bright sunlight, pollen and swimming can be irritating or even
harmful to our eyes. Louise Gow, Specialist Lead for Eye Health
at RNIB shares her “Big Three” health tips for how you can
protect your eyes this summer.
from the sun. When choosing
1. Getting the right sunglasses, make sure they have
sunglasses the CE and British Standard
Mark; this ensures you will be
One of the biggest misconceptions protected from ultraviolet light.
about protection from sunglasses is
that darker lenses will protect your You don’t need to buy a specific
eyes more, but that’s not the case. brand of glasses for people
who are blind or partially
Sunglasses protect you from two sighted. The most important
things, ultraviolet light and glare thing to remember is that
wraparound sunglasses will
help you more than just an off-
the-shelf sunglasses frame.
The sun isn’t directly in front
of you; it’s above and at the
side of you too. So if you don’t
have wraparound sunglasses,
you’re not going to protect your
eyes fully from the glare.
When it comes to the colour of
the tint, it’s purely down to your
personal preference. There are
some eye conditions where
specific colours are thought
to be better than others, but it
really does depend on you.
7
Eye health
My advice is to shop around and Traditional sunglasses for people
try different colours to see which with sight loss are not very pretty.
ones you think help the most. You might want to go for a sports
Lenses with yellow tints cut out range. A lot of the ones that
the blue end of the spectrum cyclists and runners use are ideal
so they’ll enhance contrast because they contour right round
and make things look bolder. the side of your face and won’t
let light in from any direction.
Equally, you might find that it’s
worth trying a dark grey or dark With sports sunglasses though,
brown tint and see which one you may be restricted to a
helps you see best. One may cut small range of colour tints so
the glare out more than the other, although they look good, they
but it does come down to what might not actually do the job.
you feel more comfortable in.
8
Eye health
2. Avoiding hayfever
From spring through to the end of When you have been out in the
summer, I see a much higher rate sunshine and you come indoors,
of people coming to the low vision you may have pollen on your
centre with itchy eyes. People clothes, skin and hair. Having a
even come in well into the autumn shower is a good idea as it will
when there is leaf mould that wash away any pollen from your
can affect some people’s eyes. skin and hair. Changing your
clothes also may feel like quite a
Itchy eyes are caused by
lot of effort, but it really can help.
allergens from pollen, and that
causes you to rub them. As you Another thing you can do is put
rub, the itch gets worse and Vaseline around your nostrils
your eyes become swollen. to trap the pollen and stop
it getting into your nose.
The best way to avoid rubbing is to
try and limit the amount of pollen Your optometrist or pharmacist
that gets into your eyes. Wearing may have a few other ideas
wraparound sunglasses not only you could try, so why not book
protects you from the sunshine, yourself an appointment?
but helps to prevent pollen from
getting into your eyes too.
9
Eye health
3. Being careful with contact lenses
During the summer months, They recommend you should
we tend to wear our contact stop wearing your lenses if:
lenses more. Contact lenses
1. your eyes don’t feel good
are perfectly safe to use in the
summer, but remember that 2. they look redder than normal
water is a cause of infection. So 3. or you don’t see as well as
you shouldn’t let any water come you usually do.
in contact with your lenses.
If you notice any of these issues,
Do not shower or swim while contact your practitioner to
wearing your lenses. If you plan to check your contact lenses before
go in a sauna, jacuzzi or hot tub, you continue wearing them.
take your contacts out beforehand.
If you would like to know more You can buy sunglasses from a
about contact lens care, the range of shops, including your
General Optical Council has high street optician or from an
an excellent website called RNIB Resource Centre. You can
loveyourlenses.com. The advice also shop online at
is broken down into a three‑step rnib.org.uk/shop or call the
rule which I think is great. Helpline for more information.
10A day in the life
The inside scoop from
a BBC sports journalist
British-Iranian sports journalist Mani Djazmi recently reported
from the 2018 FIFA World Cup for the BBC World Service. Connect
caught up with him to find out what it’s like to be a registered blind
journalist, and the realities of travelling the world for work.
Mani was born in Tehran in show before going to Iran to
1980, and came to England for cover international games and
a sight-saving operation when interviewing his heroes. Today,
he was four. The operation he is a presenter on the BBC
was not successful and he World Football radio show.
became totally blind.
Is there a typical day in your job?
From a young age Mani had a
My working life is very varied. From
thirst for watching the news,
going on trips around the world
and after doing work experience
and watching football matches,
at his local evening newspaper
to interviewing footballers
he fell in love with journalism.
and presenting or producing
He started out being interviewed
programs from the studio.
on the BBC’s In Touch radio
11A day in the life
How do you navigate huge
crowds at football matches?
My helper is a luxury as they
guide me to wherever we need
to go when it’s really busy. I really
enjoy being in large crowds and
Mani interviewing Croatian have been to plenty of football
footballer and Barcelona matches alone. The more
midfielder, Ivan Rakitić people there are, the better
the sound is for the report.
In May, I travelled to Dubai, Zurich, Often we have to stay two or
London, Manchester, Stockholm, three hours after the game
Gothenberg and Ostersund to finishes to get interviews.
do pre-World Cup interviews! Usually, by the time we leave all
What adaptations enable you the taxis and buses have gone
to be a football journalist? and there’s very little public
When I’m abroad I have a helper transport around. That’s when
to guide me, pick out interviewees my helper will look out for a cab.
and describe things. I use my
BrailleNote to read scripts, which Is sports journalism as
I’ve written on my laptop and glamorous as some might think?
transferred to my BrailleNote It’s not! I’m very lucky to travel as
on a USB stick. My laptop has much as I do, but we stay in the
JAWS and I use it to edit audio, cheapest hotels. There’s also a lot
reports, and interviews. of waiting around for interviews.
My record is nine hours, and we
How do you approach people in didn’t even get the interview in
crowds to get interviews? the end. Patience is definitely a
I don’t think it’s easy for anyone, quality all sports journalists need!
whether they can see or not. You
have to speak to lots of people
Keep up with the latest sports
to hopefully get three or four
action on Mani’s
decent responses from fans.
Twitter @BBC_Mani or visit
My helper will approach people
bbc.co.uk/careers to find out
to ask if they’d like to talk to
about the different career
the BBC. If it’s a yes, I step in.
opportunities available at the BBC.
12Tech spot
Tried and tested navigation apps
Over the last 20 years, navigation technology has
revolutionised independent travel. But with new apps rapidly
entering the market, which ones top the pecking order this
summer? RNIB Connect Radio’s tech champ, Steven Scott,
road tested three of his favourites.
My good friends and co-hosts, As the Soundscape app uses
Sean Preece and Tim Schwartz audio, you will need to wear
and I recently met up and stereo headphones or earphones.
had a day out using the apps I like Apple AirPods, the wireless
Soundscape by Microsoft, UK earphones which automatically
Train Times and BlindSquare. play audio when you put them
in your ears and pause when
I met Sean at the train station
you take them out. You could
and together we went to meet
also use wireless headphones
Tim for a walk around town.
which work by using bone
The app I chose to get me to conduction, such as AfterShokz.
the train station was the new
As I walked towards the station,
Soundscape app by Microsoft
I could hear the direction of the
which is free to download. The
station in front of me. I could hear
app uses audible beacons to
little beeps in my head and as I got
direct me, rather than saying
closer, the beeps intensified. The
left or right, and I could hear
beeping was at its loudest to my left
steady audio in my ear to
and right to guide me to the door.
tell me what was around.
13Tech spot
Once at the station, and having
found Sean, we then needed Sean says: “This feature is
to catch a train to meet Tim. really useful because if I’m on
The app we used to find the a train and I’m not sure what
right train was UK Train Times stop is coming up next, I can
by a company called Agant quickly check the list and it’s
Ltd. It is a paid app and costs updated. So it tells me what
£6.99, but if you do use trains stop it’s just been to, and
a lot, it’s well worth it. It’s when it’s expected at the
available for iOS, and is totally
accessible using VoiceOver.
next one.”
You can use the app to browse
the live departure boards of any We used the UK Train Times app
station in the UK. You can either to check the departure board and
search for a specific station or found out the train we needed to
if you’re at a station already, meet Tim.
the app will use its GPS to work Once we had found Tim, the first
out what one you’re at, and/ thing we wanted to do was find
or what stations are close by. a nice coffee shop. For this, we
The app also allows you to plan a used the BlindSquare app which
journey. All you need to do is enter works both indoors and outdoors.
where you’re travelling from, where BlindSquare gives you information
you are travelling to, the date and about your current location, and
time, and it will provide the details depending on your settings,
of all available trains. Not only also about your surroundings
that, but when you find the one such as the restaurants, shops
you want, double tap on it for a list and entertainment venues
of every stop that train stops at. around you. It costs £38.99 to
download and you can filter or
mute the information depending
on what you want to hear.
There are a number of ways you
can search for information using
BlindSquare: you can search for
specific addresses, look up names
Aftershokz headphones
of restaurants or businesses, and
14Tech spot
Man using headset and the Soundscape app by Microsoft
you can search by keywords. If you The other great thing about
decide to look for a place using key BlindSquare is it saves your
words, select from a list of categories search history, keeps track of
like arts and entertainment, the recent places you’ve visited,
food and travel and transport. and allows you to save favourite
places to a “My Places” list.
Other ways of searching places
or knowing what’s around In the end, we decided to use
you using BlindSquare: BlindSquare to search for cafes in
the area. Starbucks was the closest
My Location searches for
and the app showed us the address,
information using your current
phone number and website. We
location and you can use it by
were able to see how far away it
simply shaking your device.
was, in what direction we needed to
Look Around uses a compass walk, and the directions. We even
to provide information about had the option to order an Uber
anything that you happen to taxi if we didn’t fancy walking.
be pointing your phone at.
The only thing left was to fight
Around Me gives information over who was going to pay
about either your immediate the bill for the coffees!
surroundings or information
about your surroundings within
You can hear more from Steven by
a certain pre-set radius.
listening to Tech Talk on RNIB
Nearby Intersections provides Connect Radio. It’s broadcast on
information about intersections Tuesdays at 1pm and Thursdays
near your current location. at 9pm and Saturdays at 5pm.
15Campaign update
Welcome to the section of Connect where we bring you up to
date with RNIB’s campaigning news.
Campaign to stop people losing their sight due
to cancelled or delayed clinical appointments
Up to 22 people a month are losing their sight because of
cancelled or delayed eye clinic appointments, and RNIB is
working to change this. Helen Lee, Eye Health Policy Manager
at RNIB, tells us about the campaign to improve NHS services.
Patients who have conditions such health to be prioritised within
as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease the NHS, and specifically for
and wet macular degeneration eye health to be included in the
need regular appointments and NHS mandate for England.
treatment. When their clinical
The second relates to the new
appointments are cancelled or
NHS planning system. Currently,
delayed due to the increasing
NHS organisations and local
demand on eye clinics, it can
councils are developing shared
mean these patients losing
proposals to improve health and
sight that cannot be regained.
social care, called Sustainability
Last year, the All-Party and Transformation plans
Parliamentary Group on Eye Health (STPs), in 44 areas covering all
and Vision Impairment held an of England. We are asking for
inquiry into this capacity problem. the issue of eye health capacity
As a result, 16 recommendations to be included in these STPs.
have been identified in a report This will really help to improve
called “See the light: Improving the planning and commissioning
capacity in NHS eye care in of eye care services.
England”. We are confident
that these recommendations, if
To download the report and find
implemented, will help improve
out more about our work to
capacity in NHS eye care services.
support the implementation of the
We are focusing on two calls recommendations visit
to action. Firstly, we need eye rnib.org.uk/appginquiry.
16Campaign update
17Campaign update
RNIB urges further PIP reforms
The Government has accepted some recommendations for
reforming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – but is it
enough? Richard Holmes, RNIB’s Parliamentary and Public
Affairs Manager, isn’t so sure.
Personal Independence Payment will be guidance made available
(PIP) is a benefit which helps with in other formats,” says Richard.
some of the extra costs related to
“Unfortunately, the application
disability if you're aged 16 to 64.
form itself isn’t going to be made
PIP is a crucial benefit, but the
accessible. So from the start, a
current assessment and decision
blind or partially sighted person is
making process is not working
reliant on somebody else to write
for people with sight loss.
down their words. There also isn’t
Richard Holmes believes sufficient reference to the need for
the Government’s response assessors to have awareness or
to the Work and Pensions personal experience of sight loss.”
Select Committee’s recent
RNIB will continue to campaign
recommendations after a major
for change. “We will have regular
review has not addressed a
discussions with Department
number of major issues.
of Work and Pensions officials
“It’s positive that they have agreed and MPs to push for the form
that face-to-face assessments to be made accessible, and
will be recorded and to take for fairer decision making,”
responsibility for the process. says Richard.
They have also agreed that there
18Campaign update
Leigh Pick and Claire Lawrence
have both experienced difficulties
with PIP.
“They will not provide the form by
email or in Word. Having to ask
somebody else to write things
down for you, including things you
might be hiding from your family, is
really stressful,” says Leigh.
Claire also found the whole
experience distressing. “I had to
rely on someone else to write the
application. And the way they ask
questions – making you double
guess your abilities, having to
Leigh Pick
prove you are disabled – is just
bizarre,” she says.
After applying for PIP, Leigh and
Claire had to have an assessment.
Leigh travelled an hour and a half
and Claire had a home visit.
“Luckily, one of my family members
took an afternoon off work to drive
me there as I wouldn’t have been
able to make that journey on my
own,” Leigh says.
“When we arrived, I couldn’t
actually find the building. I was
very lucky that somebody had
searched on Google Maps to see
what the building looked like,
otherwise I would have missed
my assessment.”
For information on our campaign, Claire Lawrence
visit rnib.org.uk/actonpip
19Campaign update
Know Your Rights: Equality Act Toolkit
If you’re blind or partially sighted, it’s important to know
how to protect your rights using the Equality Act. RNIB has
a toolkit to help you do this.
It is not uncommon for blind The first step is always to make
and partially sighted people to a complaint to the service
experience situations where provider. Our Equality Act
they are refused access to a toolkit can help you do this.
restaurant or a hotel with their
The toolkit includes a template
guide dog, or are given inaccessible
for writing a letter of complaint.
information by their bank.
There is also a guide to what you
If you believe that you've been should and shouldn’t include
treated unfairly because of in your letter, and advice on
your sight loss, then you can what to seek as a resolution
challenge the service provider from the service provider.
using the Equality Act 2010.
RNIB is currently in a joint
initiative with Guide Dogs to
develop a new toolkit specifically
for guide dog refusals, and a
second toolkit, which covers
inaccessible information. We’ll
update Connect readers when
these new toolkits are ready.
Download the toolkit from
our website at:
rnib.org.uk/equality-act-toolkit
If you would like the toolkit in
another format, or need help
with making a complaint or using
the toolkit, please contact our
Helpline on 0303 123 9999.
20Book lovers' corner
Memoirs of a cricket
commentary legend
Henry Blofeld’s colourful cricket commentary has kept fans
of the game informed and entertained for nearly half a century.
Henry spoke to Connect about losing his sight and his new
autobiography, “Over and Out: My Innings of a Lifetime with
Test Match Special”.
21Book lovers' corner
The man known familiarly as
“Blowers” began his long career as
a commentator on the BBC’s Test
Match Special (TMS) in 1972, a
role he only retired from last year.
His conversational style of
commentary helped TMS listeners,
including many blind and partially
sighted cricket lovers, feel like
they were watching the match in
Henry’s friendly company.
“I always wanted to try and make
people feel they were actually in
the commentary box with me. I
think the greatest compliment
a radio broadcaster can ever
be paid is when people say
you made them feel like they
were there,” Henry says.
Much of Henry’s success as
a commentator came down If I see buses and endless pigeons
to his bubbly personality coming round the ground,
and ability to make cricket that’s part of the scene.”
enjoyable for everyone. For anyone who has followed
Blowers’ career on the radio,
on stage in his one-man
“You’ve got to try and talk theatre shows, or in the books
about something that’s going he has penned, you could be
to be of interest, and gets the forgiven for thinking you knew
viewer leaning forward in everything there is to know
their seat. If you just stick to about the legend behind TMS.
the cricket, then I think it can But his latest title, Over and Out,
become a little bit boring. contains unheard memories,
including his experiences of
“I’ve always tried to tell people travelling to overseas matches,
what I can see and this brings into meeting and interviewing cricket-
play all the things people laugh at. loving celebrities and entertaining
22Book lovers' corner
stories of the different characters chair by Sunny Gavaskar, a former
he’s commentated alongside. Indian international cricketer,
“I wanted to write a light book that after he incorrectly guessed the
explained what fun the program outcome of a series of balls. “The
was to work on,” Henry says. memory of that moment has
never left me. It was my worst
But as well as talking about his experience at the microphone”,
career highs, Henry uses Over Henry wrote in The Guardian.
and Out to discuss his decision
to retire from TMS last year. “I suddenly realised, you’ve done it
once, it’s no big deal, but if you do
“There were several reasons I it again, it becomes a bigger deal.
finished; I’m nearly 100, good
heavens. The older you get, I “In the end I thought, let’s go
think it becomes harder, and when everyone is going to say,
when something becomes harder, ‘why are you going?’ rather than
it becomes rather less fun. hang on until when they say, ‘why
the hell haven’t you gone?’”
As well as enjoying his anecdotes,
“I think commentary is done readers will find it difficult
differently too. I explain I not to smile at the stories
got less chance to describe as Henry’s unmistakeable
things, which is perhaps the voice narrates the memoir.
only thing I’m any good at.” “My dear old thing, it’s a great joy
for me, talking to you,” Henry says
Henry also touches on the fact that finishing the interview with his
his eyesight is “perfectly good” affectionate trademark expression.
in his left eye, but with macular
degeneration in his right, he felt
it was not going to get better.
In 2016, midway through a Test You can enjoy Over and Out as
match in India, Henry experienced a Talking Book (TB 24452) from
problems with his vision. Later, he the RNIB Library where you can
wrote in The Guardian newspaper, also find Henry’s other titles.
that as he watched on, “everything
went blank. I could see nothing”. For more book news, reviews
During the match, he continued and author interviews, listen to
his commentary but had to be Read On, RNIB Connect Radio’s
corrected from the summariser’s weekly show on Fridays at 1pm.
23And the winners are…
Book lovers' corner
The judges of our writing competition were delighted with the
quality of entries submitted in response to this year’s theme,
“Connections”. Red Szell, a panel judge, interviewed our prose
and poetry winners to find out what inspired their writing.
Prose category winner:
Holding Centre 5 by Cheralea
Rogan focuses on a young
woman who is forced into an
institution when she is unable
to keep up with new technology
trends like social media.
The judges described the story as
“startlingly original” and “darkly
funny”. One judge said: “It’s
dystopian overtones and ambiguous
conclusion made me want to read Red: You clearly edit well by ear.
more.” Here is an excerpt: Cheralea: When I went blind,
I stopped writing for a long
…uniformed attendants time, because I couldn’t get
emerged from the buildings used to my screen reader’s
to herd the people climbing robotic voice. I’ve now got a little
down from the back of the notetaker device, which while still
robotic, responds a lot better to
trucks into an anxious crowd
punctuation and intonation in the
in the centre of the yard. voice, so I got back into writing.
Most were elderly, but others
were younger and looked Red: Where did the haunting
around them warily. Ramps theme of your story come from?
were brought out and a few of Cheralea: I’ve been frustrated with
the new arrivals rolled down the technology I have, laptops that
them in wheelchairs. Several are out of date, and not being able
clutched long white canes to afford all the speech software,
which makes me feel out of sync
or walked beside guide dogs with the world. An idea came that
and were guided to the rest of one day you just won’t be able to
the group by attendants who function in a normal world if you
took their arms. can’t keep up technology-wise.
24Book lovers' corner
Poetry category
winner:
Salt by Alexia Sloane is an
18‑line poem about the sea.
“The writer successfully creates an
immersive sensory effect,” is the
verdict of the judges. Here are
a few lines from the poem:
I want to lose my breath in
you, my delicate Pacific,
Then come up for air slowly,
Red: You featured in the last
Speckled with the salt and edition of Connect magazine
sea foam of your skin. as a trailblazing young classical
I am a giant jellyfish, medusa composer and poet. Do you
see music and poetry as two
all gnawed, snake tentacles
halves of the same whole?
and ricochet eyes and pinkish Alexia: I do. I had to decide
muscle hoarse with sand. between studying composition
or creative writing at university.
Red: It’s a beautiful wild, That process made me feel that
vivid poem. Where did you people see the two as separate
find the inspiration? fields, but for me, it’s all art.
Alexia: I’m very interested in the
role of art and activism as a form
of non-violent protest in society.
I showed my poem to a few people
who said, “it’s not activism, it’s Thanks to everyone who
a love poem”. I thought, is there entered and congratulations to
a reason why romantic poetry our winners. To read the winning
shouldn’t be activist? It was entries from each category in
inspired by beauty in biology, full, visit
which I saw as activism. rnib.org.uk/writingcomp.
25Your voice
RNIB’s 150th anniversary:
Your stories
RNIB turns 150 this year, and to celebrate we want to hear
your stories. Bill Foster and Hannah Powell tell us their
stories of life-changing moments and experiences.
Hannah lost her sight on a “Just like that my life changed
holiday in Greece after drinking completely. It was four weeks
vodka laced with ethanol, causing before I regained some
sight loss and kidney failure. vision and even then I could
only see 10 per cent. I also
“I went to a party with my friends
had kidney failure and was
and spent the following day by the
constantly at the hospital.”
pool. After a long night’s sleep I
woke up and asked my friend to For Hannah, it’s been a very
put the lights on. When she said challenging time, but she is now
they were already on I thought back on her feet again and can do
she was joking as it was pitch almost everything she used to.
black”, 20-year-old Hannah says.
26Your voice
“I now want to work with people
“If it wasn’t for Angela, an with sight loss and have done
RNIB’s Sight Loss Adviser, some volunteering with RNIB.
I don’t know where I’d be. Although I still have bad days
I’ve found a new purpose in
She offered supported to me
life, to help others like me.”
and my family, assisted with
appointments and helped me
get back to work.
Bill Foster from Northern
Ireland has a passion for sailing
and his recent adventure has
challenged perceptions of what
people with sight loss can do.
“I have a hereditary eye condition
called retinitis pigmentosa. Not
only is sailing one of my hobbies,
it’s unlocked a confidence
that’s given me the courage to
go out and try other things. “As a challenge, when the Lord
Nelson was last in Belfast,
“Sailing is brilliant because it’s I climbed to the top of its
very tactile, you constantly have mast. I was 140 feet up but
to be holding, pulling or pushing because I can’t see, I had no
something. If you do it often idea how high up I was.
enough, these moves become “It just goes to show you can do
second nature. almost anything you want to do, as
long as you open your mind up to it.”
“In May I sailed on one
of the tall ships out of Read lots of other people’s stories
Southampton, the Lord online. If you would like to share
Nelson. We simulated the first your story, we’d love to hear from
voyages of the Titanic; it was you. Visit rnib.org.uk/150-stories
to find out more.
a very special trip.
27Information directory
Contact the RNIB RNIB Helpline
Connect team Call 0303 123 9999
Call 0303 1234 555 Email helpline@rnib.org.uk
Email connect@rnib.org.uk Visit rnib.org.uk/ask
Write to
The Helpline is your one stop
Connect magazine, RNIB, 105
shop for help and advice. You
Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE
can use it to access the range of
Want more Connect stories? services we offer, including:
Sign up to the Connect eNews at • eye health information
rnib.org.uk/connect.
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magazine. You can choose from • product information
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• fundraising, volunteering
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and campaigning
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• RNIB Library, including
Listen to RNIB Connect Radio Talking Books, Overdrive,
24 hours a day, seven days a RNIB Newsagent and
week on Freeview 730 and online telephone groups.
on rnibconnectradio.org.uk.
Or download and listen to The Helpline is open Monday
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and listen to our most popular
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magazine, over the phone.
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28You can also read
