Talking to a blind person – just start the conversation!
How important are the words we use? In 2025, we live in a society where words are scrutinised more closely than ever before. It has become more important to use the right terms, especially when referring to a specific group of people, such as those with a vision impairment (VI). As someone who has been blind since birth, I am often faced with people wanting to ask questions and communicate, but who may be prevented from doing so due to a fear of saying the wrong thing. I can’t count the number of times people have [...]
My Experience of Sailing as a Blind Person
When you hear the word sailor, what kind of person comes to mind? When I first heard about a sailing week organised by the Sailing Vision Trust for visually impaired people last year, I imagined sailing as a physically demanding, highly visual, and inaccessible sport. I thought about the challenges: moving around the boat, steering it, and navigating safely. It felt impossible for someone blind like me. But I still wanted to give it a go, and I soon discovered how wrong my first impression was. Taking the first step into the unknown I first came [...]
Meta Glasses – are they worth it?
Hey Meta - these glasses have changed everything As a gadget girlie, I love anything AI-driven. So when I recently found out about Meta glasses, I knew I had to try them. What I didn't realise was just how much they were about to change my life. They have transformed my independence, allowing me to do things I never thought I would be able to do without sighted assistance. And so I figured I would share my experiences in this post for Blindness Awareness Month. What are Meta Smart Glasses? Created by Meta (the same company that [...]
A blind person at work: tough some days, easier than most think
Hear from Changemaker Robin on his experience as a VI person navigating the workplace Let’s start with the elephant in the room: what’s work really like when you’re visually impaired? A VIP, if you will. And no, it’s not the first time that joke’s been made. You’ll hear it again, probably at least once a week for the rest of your life. Landing the job is its own battle, but that’s for another article. This one’s about what comes next. The celebrations are over, the offer’s signed, and now it’s time to see what this whole [...]
Scheme for Low-Income Disabled Writers
Are you a low-income disabled writer based in England? Are you looking for feedback from a professional Reader? Apply to TLC Free Reads! Deadline: Monday 15 September 2025, 11.59pm BST Shape Arts has partnered with The Literary Consultancy for another year to facilitate their Free Reads scheme which provides opportunities for professional feedback for low-income writers from underrepresented backgrounds. TLC, the UK’s leading literary consultancy, runs the scheme every year, helping hundreds of writers on to publication, but its main aim is to support writers developing their work and honing their writing craft [...]
Great toys for vision impaired children this National Play Day
Did you know that the first Wednesday of every August is National Play Day? To mark the occasion, blind writer Charlotte Bateman shares her memories of play as a child, and her top toy picks especially suited for children with sight loss. One of my happiest memories from childhood is spending endless hours just playing. I was born in 2001, before tablets and smartphones took over. Back then, it was all about toys. And as a blind child, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Everything was tactile. I spent hours building Lego houses, [...]
Inclusive Voices short story competition for vision impaired young people
Celebrating Audio, Braille, and Community To mark HiVis Fortnight 2025, Calibre Audio is proud to relaunch the Inclusive Voices short story competition – a celebration of creativity, accessibility, and diverse storytelling. Whether you love to write poetry or prose, they're inviting entries from people of all ages and abilities. Craft a story of up to 550 words that includes at least one of our themes: Audio, Braille, and Community. Who Can Enter? Everyone is welcome! Calibre encourages entries from: People with print disabilities, including current and potential Calibre members. Budding writers of all ages, with or without a [...]
Top tips for making money and securing employment as a vision impaired person
Charlotte shares side hustles to try this summer holidays When I was a teen, many of my sighted peers at school were getting weekend jobs: stacking shelves, working as baristas, waiting tables. But as someone with no useful vision, none of those jobs were accessible. I ended up receiving Universal Credit which provided me with a small monthly income. It meant I could spend money on things like new clothes or eating out. Having said that, the whole application process was pretty laborious, and now that I look back, I wish I’d thought about other [...]
Nine ways ChatGPT can help you live a smarter, more independent life
Top ChatGPT Hacks You Need To Know: Charlotte shares her thoughts on how ChatGPT can be especially helpful for VI users: I was very sceptical about ChatGPT. I assumed it would be unreliable and clunky and full of misinformation. But I can honestly say, I was wrong. It is so clever and it has made a huge difference in not only my job, but also my daily life as a blind person. Here, I discuss my top hacks for living a smoother, smarter and more independent life with ChatGPT. What is it? Developed by OpenAI, [...]
GSCE and A-Level Revision Tips
It's the final push before exams - here are our top ten revision tips! Revising for exams like GCSEs and A-Levels can be tough. But with the right tools and strategies, you can absolutely thrive. Whether you use Braille, screen readers or large print, here are our top revision tips for blind and VI students. 1. Make a revision plan In a document, write out a list of all the subjects you are taking. Divide each subject into topics. Put a star or symbol next to the topics you find most challenging. This will help you [...]
