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Each week 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 started by talking about the launch of the RNIB’s Be Helpful Guide and campaign which provides hints and advice for sighted people on how best to offer a helping hand or voice to blind and partially sighted people, wonderful news that His Majesty King Charles III will be continuing the Royal patronage of the RNIB and ending with congratulations to everyone at RNIB Connect Radio on winning Gold for Community Station of the Year at the 2024 ARIAs (Audio and Radio Industry Awards) on Tuesday 7 May 2024 in London.

If you, or someone you know, would like information on the support and services available from RNIB, go to www.rnib.org.uk

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For all those lucky blind and partially sighted Swifties, Taylor Swift fans who do have tickets for the up-coming The Era’s Tour concerts at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on Friday 7, Saturday 8, and Sunday 9 June 2024 there will be live audio description of the concert provided by two of ADA Scotland Describers.

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Veronica Kinahan, who has described many Scottish Opera productions over the years but this will be her first description of a big outdoor music concert with fellow Describer Caroline Jaquet, to firstly find out whether there are any differences or not when it comes to describing an opera compared to the Taylor Swift concerts.

Veronica then explained to Toby how she and Caroline will be preparing their description for the live concerts and how the live audio description will work on the night for those lucky blind and partially sighted people who do have tickets to the Taylor Swift concerts in June at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield stadium.

If you do have tickets and would like to access the audio description on the night of the Taylor Swift concerts please do email ADA Scotland via admin@adascotland.com so that they are able to ensure that you have a headset to listen to the live audio description.

For more about ADA Scotland do visit their website - https://www.adascotland.com  


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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 in his regular Connect Radio theatre reviews.

This week Vidar was reviewing Emma Rice’s up-to-date version of the French folk tale Blue Beard which certainly has a powerful political punch at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

About Blue Beard:

Blue Beard the Magician makes hearts flutter and pupils dilate. With a wink, a stroke and a flick – things just seem to vanish. Cards, coins, scarves… and women. Puff! Gone. Without a trace. He meets his match when his young bride discovers his dark and murderous secret. She summons all her rage, all her smarts and all her sisters to bring the curtain down on his tyrannous reign.

This celebration of female power – revelling in all kinds of naughtiness, sensuality, rage and joy – is a music-fuelled feminist revenge plot infused with high comedy, tragedy, romance, and just a sprinkle of spine-tingling horror. Narrated by a chorus of nuns, don’t miss the live score, incredible performers, and breath-taking set design – it’s the ultimate night out with a powerful political punch.

Emma Rice brings her own brand of theatrical wonder to this most beguiling and disturbing of tales. With her signature sleight of hand, Blue Beard explores curiosity and consent, violence and vengeance – all through an intoxicating lens of music, wit and tender truth.

For more about access at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre including details of audio described performances of their productions do visit the access pages of the REP website - https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/your-visit/accessibility/


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The Outlook Trust was set up in 2000 to offer adventure sports and activity weekends and holidays for young blind and partially sighted people with activities ranging from sailing, rock climbing, zip wires and much more all from their base on the shores of Lake Windermere. 

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined by Jeff Davies from the Outlook Trust to firstly give a bit of background to the setup of the trust, then highlight the range of activities on offer to blind and partially sighted young people.  

Jeff then talked about how all the activities that the Outlook Trust offer are facilitated and supported by trained instructors and support staff before ending with some of the feedback they have had from young visually impaired people who have attended their weekends and holidays.

To find out more about the Outlook Trust and book a place on one of their adventure sport activity weekends or holidays for a young blind or partially sighted person do visit their website - https://www.outlooktrust.org/events/


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This June sight loss charity ‘Blind Veterans UK’ are encouraging everyone to raise money and mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, by getting creative with the number 80. As Hywel Davies has been finding out.

If you'd like to support Ian's 'Blindfolded Bimble', you can find more information on his Just Giving page - Supporter of Blind Veterans UK is fundraising for Blind Veterans UK (justgiving.com)

National Galleries of Scotland are offering a free descriptive gallery tour and art workshop for blind and partially sighted people centred on Johannes Vermeer's 'A Young Woman Standing at a Virginal'. The event takes place on Wednesday 15 May from 10.15am to 3.30pm.

This piece comes Scotland as part of National Treasures, a programme celebrating the National Gallery’s bicentenary. To celebrate 200 years of the National Gallery, 12 of the UK’s most iconic and well-loved paintings from the gallery's outstanding collection are being lent to 12 venues across the UK.

Amelia talked to Meg Faragher from the National Galleries of Scotland to learn more.

Learn more by going to the National Galleries of Scotland Website - https://www.nationalgalleries.org/event/visually-impaired-programme-live-gallery-vermeer-edinburgh

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