RNIB Connect

Sam Ralfe (AKA blind mum) has started writing a series of children's audiobooks inspired by the adventures of her son and guide dog. Amelia spoke with her to learn more. Buy Leo and Toe Toe's park adventure on Ko-di - Leo and Toe Toe's park adventure audiobook - Sam Ralfe Blind Mum's Ko-fi Shop Find Sam on Facebook as BlindMum - Facebook Find Sam on Instagram as @blind_mum - https://www.instagram.com/blind_mum/ Find Sam on Tiktok as @samralfe - Sam Ralfe - Blind Mum (@samralfe) | TikTok 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. 

Scotrail are holding events at railway stations across Scotland to mark Disability Pride Month. David Hogg caught up with RNIB Scotland's Connor Joseph to learn more…

At the  RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse 2025 RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey chats with Helen Smith RNIB's Head of Legacy Engagement to find out how Press and RHS Members day has been in the Gold Medal Award winning RNIB Legacy Garden designed by award winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes. The RNIB Legacy Garden has been kindly supported by players of the People's Postcode Lottery. To find out more about the RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse as well as ways of leaving a legacy donation to the RNIB do visit - https://www.rnib.org.uk/rhsflowershow (Image shows a watercolour illustration of the RNIB Legacy Garden at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse. It features two lattice pods surrounded by green trees and colourful flowers. The setting is designed to be accessible and provide a rich sensory experience.)

On the first public day of the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse 2025 RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey chats with Beverley who is visually impaired and her sighted husband Richard about how they found it going round and exploring the Gold Medal Award winning RNIB Legacy Garden designed by multi-award winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes. The gold Medal award winning RNIB Legacy Garden has been kindly supported by players of the People's Postcode Lottery. To find out more about the RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse as well as ways of leaving a legacy donation to the RNIB do visit - https://www.rnib.org.uk/rhsflowershow (Image shows a watercolour illustration of the RNIB Legacy Garden at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse. It features two lattice pods surrounded by green trees and colourful flowers. The setting is designed to be accessible and provide a rich sensory experience.)

There are nine AD performances with touch tours at the Edinburgh international festival this year, Amelia spoke to Callum Madge to learn more about what's on offer. See the full program on the EIF website - What's on | Edinburgh International Festival Learn more about access at the EIF on their website - Access | Edinburgh International Festival 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. 

On the Press and Members Day at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse 2025 RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey chatted with Nicole, one of the visitors to the Gold Medal Award winning RNIB Legacy Garden designed by multi-award winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes, to find out how Nicole found it going round the garden, exploring some of the tactile areas of the garden and how the garden is helping to raise awareness of sight loss too.  The gold Medal award winning RNIB Legacy Garden has been kindly supported by players of the People's Postcode Lottery. To find out more about the RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse as well as ways of leaving a legacy donation to the RNIB do visit - https://www.rnib.org.uk/rhsflowershow (Image shows a watercolour illustration of the RNIB Legacy Garden at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse. It features two lattice pods surrounded by green trees and colourful flowers. The setting is designed to be accessible and provide a rich sensory experience.)

On the Press and Members Day at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse 2025 RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey chats with Niall, one of the RNIB Volunteers who has been manning the Gold Medal Award winning RNIB Legacy Garden designed by multi-award winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes, to find out how visitors have found it walking around the garden, exploring some of the tactile features, going into the sight pods and also what Niall thinks of the garden himself too.  The gold Medal award winning RNIB Legacy Garden has been kindly supported by players of the People's Postcode Lottery. To find out more about the RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse as well as ways of leaving a legacy donation to the RNIB do visit - https://www.rnib.org.uk/rhsflowershow (Image shows Toby and Niall sat chatting on one of the seating areas in the RNIB Legacy Garden with Niall's guide dog at their feet)

Multi-award winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes has designed the gold medal award winning RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse 2025 which has been kindly supported by the players of the People's Postcode Lottery. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey went on a tour of the RNIB Legacy Garden with Paul Hervey-Brookes to explore some of the amazing features of the garden.     To find out more about the RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse as well as ways of leaving a legacy donation to the RNIB do visit - https://www.rnib.org.uk/rhsflowershow (Image shows a watercolour illustration of the RNIB Legacy Garden at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse. It features two lattice pods surrounded by green trees and colourful flowers. The setting is designed to be accessible and provide a rich sensory experience.)

Join Jonathan Abro on the final of our Vietnam Travelogue series. This week he visits Saigon and visits the impactful war remnants museum, before his final stop at a beautiful beach. Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues. 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. 

Toby Davey is in the RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Wentworth Woodhouse 2025. RNIB is at RHS Wentworth this week and we'd love you to vote for the RNIB Legacy Garden, created by multi award winning Designer Paul Harvey Brookes for the People's Choice Award. Just go to rhs.org.uk/WentworthPeoplesChoice (Image shows a watercolour illustration of the RNIB Legacy Garden at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse. It features two lattice pods surrounded by green trees and colourful flowers. The setting is designed to be accessible and provide a rich sensory experience.)

Ever wondered what it is like to live, study and work abroad with a visual impairment? Well Jennifer Murray catches up with Gatz Sandro Fuertes Osorio to learn more about his experience. 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.

Jennifer Murray chats to Sabine Jover about her sight loss journey. 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 the Surfing England visually impaired sessions coming up fairly soon RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey caught up with Paralympic triathlon bronze medalist, three times world champion visually impaired surfer and sports coach Melissa Reid to find out what it is like to go surfing as a visually impaired person and what it might be like stepping on a surf board for the first time too. Melissa will be at the up-coming Surfing England VI surfing sessions in Croyde, Devon on 14 and 15 August 2025 giving some advice about surfing to the blind and partially sighted people taking part, passing on her in-depth knowledge of the sport and some of her coaching techniques too.   There is more about the up-coming VI surfing sessions on the Surfing England website - https://www.surfingengland.org/2025/05/22/2025-vi-surfing-sessions/  (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 the RNIB Legacy Garden designed by multi-award winning Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes and kindly supported by players of the People's Postcode Lottery about to go on show at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse 2025 from 16 to 20 July 2025, RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was joined by Hazel Johnston Long term partnerships manager at the People's Postcode Lottery to find out more about how players have been supporting the work of the RNIB and helping to make the garden possible. Hazel began by giving an overview of how the People's Postcode Lottery works and how players have been supporting the RNIB for some time now.  Toby asked Hazel whether there were any features of the RNIB Legacy Garden that might work well in her own garden before asking what Hazel would like visitors to the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse to take away from visiting the garden and what Players might gain from knowing that they have helped to make the RNIB Legacy Garden possible too. To find out more about the RNIB Legacy Garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse, how to purchase a ticket for the show as well as ways of leaving a legacy donation to the RNIB do visit - https://www.rnib.org.uk/rhsflowershow And to find out more about the People's Postcode Lottery do visit - postcodelottery.co.uk Image shows a watercolour illustration of the RNIB Legacy Garden at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse. It features two lattice pods surrounded by green trees and colourful flowers. The setting is designed to be accessible and provide a rich sensory experience.

This weekend's ‘Revvv It Up' festival in Dungiven, Northern Ireland will be a mixture of full throttle action and fundraising for good causes. Hywel Davies has been finding out more. For more information and tickets, visit the Revvv It Up Festival website - Revvv It Up Festival 2025 – A Weekend of Horsepower, Music & Family Fun! Tickets, Sat 19 Jul 2025 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

For over 9 years now, UK sight loss charity RNIB has been working and campaigning to make all NHS England patient information, available to blind and partially sighted people in an accessible way. RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell spoke to Anna Tylor and Khadija Raza, from RNIB, to find out if there's light at the end of the tunnel. If you'd like more details, please go to rnib.in/AIS2025 or visit www.rnib.org.uk #RNIBConnect 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.

Alex Brooke is an amazing fundraiser and also a proud dad to 13-year-old Izzy, who also happens to be visually impaired following a diagnosis of Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy at birth. Recently, Alex did a 10K run in support of RNIB and he joined Paulina Kuchorew to tell her more about the event and his daughter. 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. 

Each week, RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell sits down with Matt Stringer, CEO of RNIB, to look at some of the big stories coming from the UK sight loss charity. This week Matt talks about The NHS 10 year Plan, Welfare Reform, employment and Eastenders. 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 Amazon device to call RNIB's Helpline. #RNIBConnect Image shows a smiling Matt Stringer, CEO of RNIB, wearing glasses and a grey Jacket.

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next of his regular audio described theatre reviews for 2025 This week we have ‘Ghost Stories' as the UK Tour visited the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre with description by Professional Audio Describer Sue Reading. About ‘Ghost Stories' ‘An immaculately crafted evening of entertainment' - Time Out A truly terrifying theatrical experience created by The League of Gentlemen's Jeremy Dyson, and Andy Nyman, co-creator of Derren Brown's television and stage shows. GHOST STORIES mixes the very best of theatre with the buzz of a thrill-ride, delivering something truly unique. When Professor Goodman, arch-sceptic out to debunk the paranormal, embarks on an investigation of three apparent hauntings – as recounted by a night-watchman, a teenage boy, and a businessman awaiting his first child – Goodman finds himself at the outer limits of rationality, and fast running out of explanations. After exhilarating audiences for two years in the West End and across the world with record breaking, sell-out productions and a smash hit film, GHOST STORIES is “Genuine scary fun” (Sunday Times), a worldwide phenomenon more spine-tingling and fantastically terrifying than ever. “I had to sleep with the lights on” (Metro). Are you brave enough to book? For more about the UK tour of ‘Ghost Stories' with details of dates and times of performances around the country do visit the production website - https://ghoststoriesplay.com To find out more about access at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre including details of audio described performances do visit - https://www.grandtheatre.co.uk/access/ (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)

How does sight loss impact creativity? How can you inject some more playfulness and expression into your daily life? We gathered three panellists in to discuss creativity and playfulness as a blind or partially sighted person in our latest Roundtable. Join composer Bobby Goulder, Writer Ellen Renton and Volunteer Liam Mckinney for this month's roundtable. Learn more about Bobby on his website - Bobby Goulder - Sound Without Sight Learn more about Ellen on her website - Ellen Renton 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. 

On Wednesday 9th of July, the government's welfare bill passed its final House of Commons stage as MPs have voted in favour, following some further amendments.  But what could this mean for blind and partially sighted people in the UK?  Joining us now to discuss the bill is RNIB's Policy Lead, Roisin Jacklin. For the full RNIB response visit: Read the outcome of UK MPs final vote on the welfare bill | RNIB If you have questions around the bill you can call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 and if you would like to get involved in future campaigning email Campaign.Mailbox@rnib.org.uk 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.

The Braille Chess Association recently had a tournament in one of the UK's most iconic institutions. Amelia spoke to Abi Baker to learn more... Learn more about The Braille Chess Association on their website - BCA – Bringing Chess To Visually Impaired People 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. 

Do you enjoy listening to audio plays for radio? Well Jennifer Murray catches up with Tony Vale to learn about his involvement in the writing of audio plays. To learn more about Tony's work, you can contact him at the following email address: tony@valemail.uk Four By Four's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FourbyFourUK/posts/four-by-four-team-member-tony-vale-is-one-of-the-writers-for-this-community-led-/1813775638841772/ Image description: 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.

Enjoy the mesmerising Water Puppets and the thundering Train Street of Vietnam in this travelogue with Jonathan Abro. Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues. 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. 

Join Jonathan Abro on the fifth of our Vietnam Travelogue series. This week he wanders along the Mekong river and tries more delicious food.  Tune in to 'The Lunch Break' on RNIB Connect Radio every weekday from 12 noon to 1pm for more Travelogues. 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. 

HMRC are making sure that young people have all the things they need to be ‘summer-job ready'. Hywel Davies has been hearing about the new features in the accessible HMRC app.

Jennifer Murray chats to Ania Grudna to learn about her sight loss journey. Image description: 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.

Jennifer Murray speaks to Javier Rodriguez from Madrid, Spain to learn about his sight loss journey. Image description: 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.

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with Andrew from V I Safety who are also the main sponsor of this year's exhibition. For more about V I Safety do visit their website - https://visafety.co.uk  Image shows Toby posing with his recording kit by a Sight Village banner. Behind him a door open wide shows a busy exhibition space. Toby is smiling and is wearing a light check short sleeve shirt. He's holding his big interview microphone and is wearing his headphones around his neck.

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with Jesper from Be My Eyes. For more about Be My Eyes do visit their website - https://www.bemyeyes.com Image shows Toby posing with his recording kit by a Sight Village banner. Behind him a door open wide shows a busy exhibition space. Toby is smiling and is wearing a light check short sleeve shirt. He's holding his big interview microphone and is wearing his headphones around his neck.

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with Aram from KAPSYS about KAPX their new wearable device for orientation and obstacle avoidance. For more about KAPX do visit the KAPSYS website - https://www.kapsys.com/en/produit/kapx-2/ Image shows Toby posing with his recording kit by a Sight Village banner. Behind him a door open wide shows a busy exhibition space. Toby is smiling and is wearing a light check short sleeve shirt. He's holding his big interview microphone and is wearing his headphones around his neck. 

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with two people from Look UK to find out more about how the charity supports young blind and partially sighted people. For more about Look UK do visit their website - https://www.look-uk.org Image shows Toby posing with his recording kit by a Sight Village banner. Behind him a door open wide shows a busy exhibition space. Toby is smiling and is wearing a light check short sleeve shirt. He's holding his big interview microphone and is wearing his headphones around his neck.

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with Emma from Blind in Business to find out how they support blind and partially sighted people into employment.. For more about Blind in Business do visit their website - https://blindinbusiness.org.uk Image shows Toby posing with his recording kit by a Sight Village banner. Behind him a door open wide shows a busy exhibition space. Toby is smiling and is wearing a light check short sleeve shirt. He's holding his big interview microphone and is wearing his headphones around his neck.

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with David from HumanWare for a demo of the Dynamic Tactile Device the Monarch Braille tablet.   For more about HumanWare and the Monarch do visit - https://www.humanware.com/en-united_kingdom/monarch/ (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)

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with Julian from the Technology Association of Visually Impaired People (TAVIP). To find out more about the Technology Association of Visually Impaired people do visit -https://www.tavip.org.uk Image shows Toby posing with his recording kit by a Sight Village banner. Behind him a door open wide shows a busy exhibition space. Toby is smiling and is wearing a light check short sleeve shirt. He's holding his big interview microphone and is wearing his headphones around his neck.

Sight Village is the UK's leading exhibition of the latest technology, products, and support services for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey was at Sight Village Central in the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham taking in the atmosphere and chatting with a number of the exhibitors and caught up with Pierre about the soon to be launched Luna Glasses that cold be a game changer for people with a number of eye conditions who experience night blindness. For more about Luna Glasses do visit the Sight and Sound website - https://www.sightandsound.co.uk/product/luna-glasses/ Image shows Toby posing with his recording kit by a Sight Village banner. Behind him a door open wide shows a busy exhibition space. Toby is smiling and is wearing a light check short sleeve shirt. He's holding his big interview microphone and is wearing his headphones around his neck.

British Blind Sport, a UK based charity which champions inclusion and accessibility across sport and physical activity, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025. RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell spoke to BBS CEO Alaina Macgregor to find out how the charity will mark the milestone. If you'd like more info on British Blind Sport, go to www.britishblindsport.org.uk You can also call them on 01926424247. #RNIBConnect Image Shows RNIB Logo, White Background With RNIB In Bold Black Letters With A Solid Pink Line Below

Time to catch up again with registered blind boxer and wrestler Anthony Ogogo to hear about his new coaching venture and fatherhood…

Each week, on RNIB Connect Radio we sit down with Matt Stringer, CEO of RNIB, to look at some of the big stories coming from the UK sight loss charity. This week Matt reflects on two major political events, the passing of the Welfare Reform Bill in the commons on Tuesday evening (1 July 2025) with some last minute major changes to the bill and the publication on Thursday (3 July 2025) of the NHS 10 year Health plan for England. 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 Amazon device to call RNIB's Helpline. #RNIBConnect Image shows a smiling Matt Stringer, CEO of RNIB, wearing glasses and a grey Jacket.

Would you like to learn about Wymondham Players which is a theatre group? Jennifer Murray chats to Georgette Vale to find out more. If you would like to contact Wymondham Players, you can email them on: secretary@wymondhamplayers.org.uk  You can also visit their website at the following link: Wymondham Players Image description: 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.

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next of his regular audio described theatre reviews for 2025 This week we have ‘Spitfire Girls' at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre with description by Professional Audio Describer Carolyn Smith. About ‘Spitfire Girls' New Year's Eve, 1959. Decades after answering the call, two women separated by the war meet again as the rain hammers down on the windows of The Spitfire pub. As we hear their story, we're transported back to a time when female pioneers defied expectations and soared through the skies. Spitfire Girls is inspired by the extraordinary true stories of the women who dared to fly during WWII and the incredible bond that tied them together. Funny and heart-warming, this is an untold story of strength, courage and loss. But above all else, hope. Written by Katherine Senior, Directed by Seán Aydon, Designed by Sarah Beaton. To find out more about access at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre do visit - https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/your-visit/accessibility/ (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)

NHS England has published its 10 Year Health Plan for England. RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell spoke to Vivienne Francis, from RNIB, to discuss what this could mean for blind and partially sighted people. 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.

Fulham Reach Boat Club, a fairly new rowing club on the River Thames in London, very close to Hammersmith Bridge have been running the ‘Row the Rhythm' sessions for blind and partially sighted people to give them an introduction to the sport of rowing and the opportunity to get out rowing on the Thames too. RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey made his way down to the banks of the River Thames to find out more about the ‘Row the Rhythm' sessions at Fulham Reach Boat Club firstly chatting with Julia Philipson, Chief of Community Development at Fulham Reach for a bit of background to the Club and why they wanted to put on the ‘Row the Rhythm' sessions for blind and partially sighted people. After chatting with Julia Toby caught up with Ollie one of the Coaches at Fulham Reach Boat Club to find out how he found it coaching someone who is visually impaired in rowing for the first time and how his coaching techniques had developed over the sessions with feedback from the visually impaired people taking part in the ‘Row the Rhythm' sessions.  Charlotte another of the Coaches at Fulham Reach Boat Club who is also visually impaired explained to Toby about how she got in to rowing, coaching at the club, coping with her own sight loss and how she can still carry on coaching but in a slightly different way.  Finally Toby caught up with Ashley and Angel, two of the visually impaired people who have been taking part in the Row the Rhythm sessions, to find out why they decided to come down to Fulham Reach Boat Club and give rowing a go. Ashley and Angel explained to Toby what it is like rowing on the Thames as a visually impaired person, the freedom rowing gives them and what they would say to encourage other blind and partially sighted people to take up the sport of rowing. To find out more about Fulham Reach Boat Club do visit their website - https://www.fulhamreachboatclub.co.uk There is much more about the sport of rowing along with details of where to find a rowing club near you on the British Rowing website - https://www.britishrowing.org (Image shows Toby with mic, headphones and life jacket in the sunshine on the bank of the river Thames with the pontoon, Hammersmith bridge and some of the boats and rowers in the background)

The UK Government's welfare bill passed its first vote in the Parliament on Tuesday, but what do blind and partially sighted people think of it? Hubert Pawelkiewicz spoke with Simon Hart to find out what he thought. And to hear RNIB's response to the bill, hear our interview with Sophie Dudgeon, RNIB's Head of Campaigns & Public Affairs: LINK Want to share your thoughts on the bill? Drop us an email: radio@rnib.org.uk 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.

On Tuesday 1st of July, following a significant last-minute concession, the Welfare Reform Bill passed through its first vote in the House of Commons. But how does the blind and partially sighted community feel about the result of the vote? Robert Kirkwood spoke with Selina Mills to hear her thoughts on the matter. And to hear RNIB's response to the bill, hear our interview with Sophie Dudgeon, RNIB's Head of Campaigns & Public Affairs: LINK Want to share your thoughts on the bill? Drop us an email: radio@rnib.org.uk 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.