RNIB Connect

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 another audio described theatre review.We stepped into the wild this week with a vibrant telling of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, celebrating the beauty of love in all its forms at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre with description from Professional Audio Describer Carolyn Smith.About ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Bard veterans and newbies alike will enjoy The Rep’s return to Shakespeare. Starring the hilarious Adam Carver (aka cabaret sensation Fatt Butcher) and set in the heart of Birmingham where Brummie accents punctuate this much-loved comedy.When a love-struck teenager is forced to marry a man, rather than the woman she loves, she has a few options: certain death, live a lie, move to a nunnery… or flee to a messy, neon party in an enchanted forest!Beyond the city walls, boundaries blur, music pulsates, and love is celebrated. Inhibitions are unleashed and love potions spill into more re-couplings than an episode of Love Island.This night on the tiles also features a feel-good soundtrack of pop music and original songs that will have you dancing in your seats: but maybe Sweet Dreams aren’t made of this…? The feisty fairies are locked in their own conflict; the seasons are pulled into climate chaos and the young lovers’ moonlit escape from reality loses its shine.Directed by The Rep’s Artistic Director, Joe Murphy and Deputy Artistic Director, Madeleine Kludje, step into the wild with this vibrant telling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, celebrating the beauty of love in all its forms.For more about access at the Birmingham REP including details of audio described performances 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 underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font)

UK sight loss charity RNIB has been giving it’s response to some of the announcements, relating to the lives of blind and partially sighted people, contained within the King’s speech.RNIB Connect Radio’s Allan Russell spoke to Rhys Felton, to look at the positives within the speech and what the charity would liked to have heard prioritised.Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white and black 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.

An upcoming fundraiser will see one yoga teacher tackle the Jurassic Coast walk. Dawn Blezard from Pathway Yoga lives with Stargardt Disease and wants to support the RNIB, after the charity has been there for her since the diagnosis.She spoke with RNIB Connect Radio's Paulina Kuchorew.Find out more about Dawn's fundraiser through her social pages, you can find her on Instagram or (9) FacebookImage shows Dawn doing a yoga pose and laughing. She's outdoors, with a nice stone wall behind her. One leg bent and resting against her thigh, her arms out and a big smile on her face, she's holding the tree pose. She's dressed in hiking clothes with a dark waterproof jacket, solid shoes and navy/grey leggings.

Seable Holidays have secured funding for 16 young blind and partially sighted adults aged 18 to 26 to take part in a transformative trip to Sicily this autumn which will also help them to build their confidence around travel, independence and personal development too.RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined by Damiano La Rocca founder of Seable Holidays to find out more about this amazing trip to Sicily for young visually impaired people.to find out more either email Seable Holidays via info@seable.co.uk or visit their website - https://seable.co.uk(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)

Fancy improving your public speaking skills?RNIB Scotland is partnering up again this summer with Glasgow Speakers Club to run a weekly Public Speaking Course for blind and partially sighted people.Participants will develop confidence speaking in different situations from social settings to job interviews.Joining RNIB Connect Radio's Paulina Kuchorew is previous participant, Jen Worrall. The public speaking course is going to run for six weeks in Glasgow and will take place Wednesdays between 1pm and 3pm, with the first meeting on Wednesday 3rd of June.To find out more about the club get in touch via email with Conor.Joseph@rnib.org.uk or call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999Image 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.

There are many ways in which you can help the RNIB in making a more inclusive society for blind and partially sighted people and one way is through the regular RNIB Voice of the Customer Focus Group meetings.The most recent Focus Group meeting was all about the RNIB’s research around Primary Eye Care with the focus group looking into community eye care. RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined by Robin Kaye, Research and Insight Officer from the RNIB’s Insight team, Lucille who is visually impaired and took part in the recent Voice of the Customer Focus Group plus Rob Cooper, RNIB Director of Strategic Engagement and Implementation to find out more about the research and how the focus group meeting went too.To find out more about the RNIB research programme and to get involved in future voice of the Customer Focus Groups do email community.insight@rnib.org.uk or call the RNIB helpline on 0303 123 9999.(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)

Time to browse through some of the products that are available in the RNIB’s online shop as Charlee Jarvis, RNIB Shop buying administrator gives RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey a walk through some of the items that are currently on display including the Hable Speechlabels. Designed for blind and partially sighted people, the Hable Speechlabels are QR labels scanned by your smartphone allowing you to quickly and clearly identify everyday items through recorded labels and messages.To find out more about the Hable Speechlabels that are available in the RNIB online shop and many more products do visit - https://shop.rnib.org.uk/connect(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)