In Touch Folgen

Amendments to the Elections Bill are making their way through Parliament at the moment. They are not yet set in stone, but they include some significant changes to our rights to a fully independent and secret vote at polling stations. The RNIB have raised their concerns surrounding the wording of these proposed amendments; they think it will water down our protections and assurances to a secret vote and they have issued an online petition. We speak to the Chair of the RNIB, Anna Tylor and also to Rachael Andrews, who initiated (and won) a high court ruling that the current accessibility provisions for blind and partially sighted people at polling stations is unlawful.A new educational astronomy project, called Audio Universe, has been launched by the universities of Newcastle and Portsmouth. It's a guided tour of our galaxy, and its aim is to allow people full access to the wonders of the universe, and to encourage visually impaired people to become keen amateur astronomers, or even contemplate a career in astronomy. They've done this by turning the light from objects in space into sounds so that blind and partially sighted people can hear, spatially, where different planets and stars are located within our galaxy. We hear some of the project, we speak to two youngsters who have experienced the Audio Universe and also to blind astronomer Dr Nic Bonne, who is also the expert tour guide in the project. We also speak to Rachel Lambert, a teacher for visually impaired children and the space ship's captain.The music in the project is by Dr Leigh Harrison, the sound design is by Dr Chris Harrison of Newcastle University and Dr James Trayford of the University of Portsmouth.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite image description: pictured is planet Earth and other distant stars in our galaxy. The image shows these from outer space. In the top left is a series of bright blue stars, surrounded by smaller stars that are less bright and more distant. In the foreground is Earth, with half of it in darkness. In the top right is a series of bright red stars, which perhaps represent other planets or large stars.

The recent amendments to the Highway Code give, among other things, priority to pedestrians. This sounds like seemingly good news if you're blind or partially sighted; but charity Guide Dogs have raised concerns that, especially in the early stages, these changes could be dangerous as road users take time to get used to the new rules. We ask Guide Dogs' head of canine affairs, John Welsman to outline their concerns and what this all means for blind or partially sighted pedestrians. You may be a fan of cartoons or animated films, but have you ever had a go at making one? 11-year-old Elodie Bateson has been blind since birth, but she does not let this stop her creating short films on her iPad. Our reporter, Fern Lulham found out how she does it.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite image description: pictured is a woman, dressed in dark clothing and a hat, crossing a road with a black guide dog and a white cane. At the top left of the image is a series of parked cars, with a large white van at the forefront of them. The sun is shining down on the road and is reflecting off of the pavement.

There are many types of eye conditions that can cause blindness or low vision and we often get requests to cover some of them in more detail. Tonight we're discussing Retinal Vein Occlusion with medical retina consultant Luke Nicholson from Moorfield's Eye Hospital. We discuss how the condition affects the eyes, the causes and the treatments. What techniques do you have for reading the room in social situations? Perhaps you listen out for the rustling of clothes or pick up on a hefty exhale when someone is irritated. Well, tonight we speak to blind Australian psychologist Courtney McKee about the kinds of techniques she uses to understand what is happening in a room, both in a work environment and in a more relaxed party environment. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite image description: pictured are eight people sat around a dinner table, celebrating. One gentleman is stood, seemingly giving a speech whilst everyone else is smiling or laughing in his direction. The image represents a busy social setting, which can sometimes be difficult to read.