In Touch

The new Apple Plus SciFi series See is about a world in which everyone is blind. Until twins are born sighted and become a reason for tribes to go in to battle. Blindness consultant Joe Strechay tells Peter White how you teach sighted actors to portray blindness. Advent For Change, a not-for-profit enterprise, has developed a braille advent calendar. She explains why it doesn’t contain chocolate. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Earlier this year a high court judge decided that the rule which sets out the requirements for a tactile voting device to be available at every polling station is itself unlawful, because it does not allow blind or partially sighted people to vote "without the need for assistance". And this isn't the only concern about our right to a secret and accessible vote. So what changes can we expect before and during polling on the 12th of December? The Electoral Commission has already set out its proposals for improving matters and Ailsa Irvine the commission's Director of electoral administration and guidance, explains what this means for the upcoming election. Visually-impaired students are struggling to get textbooks in electronic formats they can access. We ask where the fault lies: with the textbook publishers or with the platforms from which the books are downloaded. Or, is it a bit of both? Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

Keith Jones is a lawyer and works from home. He wanted to volunteer for the charity Hospice of the Valleys. He went for an interview and was accepted. However, a risk assessment was carried out on the location, and it was deemed unsuitable for him to work there. Keith says it’s discrimination but can he sue? Sean Delaney from the National Council of Volunteer Organisations outlines the law in this area. A Southampton woman has been given £3m compensation for the delays in her eye treatment leaving her severely visually impaired. University of Southampton NHS Trust has reviewed the waiting times for NHS Trusts and say delays are a national problem. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists agrees and says 230 more training places are required. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by pointing out the £33.9bn it says it plans to inject into the NHS by 2024. Michael Cassidy, vice-president of the Association of Visually Impaired Chartered Physiotherapists, reflects on 100 years of blind physiotherapists. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

In 2018 Ofcom set out guidelines for TV providers to make their electronic programme guides (EPGs) accessible. It outlined there should be text-to-speech information as well as magnified text. Programmes that are audio-described should also be easy to find. Digital UK which provides the Freeview platform is undertaking a consultation on which channel their accessible EPG should appear. Liz Reynolds from Digital UK explains why this consultation is needed. WeWalk is a smart cane which fits on to a regular cane and provides information about obstacles as well as giving users access to digital maps via a smartphone. Our reporter Lucy Edwards tries one out. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat

On the 10th of October, the Scottish parliament passed a bill which, in part, bans parking on pavements. It is the first nationwide ban in the UK. Joe Irvin, chief executive officer of the campaign group Living Streets, says it is a win for pedestrians and blind and partially sighted people. But how will it be enforced, and does it go far enough? What is it like listening to the streets at night if you’re homeless? Hugh Huddy immersed himself in amongst rough sleepers in Cardiff, and recorded what they hear all night. He tells Peter White, what the experience taught him. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat