My Norway Adventure – Chasing the Northern Lights
By Rhiana Ralls Hi everybody, I’m Rhiana and I’m partially sighted, with a number of different causes and variables. I am 20 and live in South West Wales. I'd like to share an account of my recent adventure to Norway and the accessibility of the cruise for others travelling with a vision impairment. We arrived at Newcastle docks the night before our big adventure. The cruise ship Borealis was due to set sail the next morning. I spent that night resting after the 8-hour car journey. The accessible room was nice and the staff at [...]
Digital accessibility – Blackboard Ultra
Hello, my name is Mohammed Alomrani. I am a second year student, studying a degree in Digital Education at the University of the West of England. As a blind student using the Non Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) screen reader, I was invited by UWE's Digital Capability team to test the accessibility of Blackboard Ultra. This opportunity enabled me to challenge the social barriers faced by disabled students in digital learning environments. Some of these challenges included use of virtual learning environments and the inaccessibility of learning materials. The collaboration resulted in a comprehensive blog post titled "Blackboard Ultra and [...]
My braille journey
By Eliza Humphrey Hello, I am Eliza, a VICTA Changemaker and life-long braille user. I have been blind since birth and have always used braille to read and write. For me, it has allowed me to access so many different parts of my life, from schoolwork to music, enabling me to pursue my interests and enjoy activities with family and friends. With 2025 celebrating 200 years of braille, I would like to celebrate the tactile code and explain how I use it every day. What is braille and its different types Braille is a system [...]
I’m blind and this is why I love Ju-Jitsu
By Kieran Clarke The reason that I love Ju-Jitsu so much as a blind person is because it doesn't really have to be adapted for me. I can spar, compete, train and do everything that everyone else can do without any adaptation, unlike other sports. Ju-Jitsu primarily relies on contact and feel of your opponent, so this is great for someone like me that relies on these senses more than the average person. However, sometimes when I'm grappling, I do tend to accidently poke my opponents in the eyes. And I promise this is not from [...]
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 [...]
Celebrating our love of books together!
Let's celebrate all of our entries! We'd like to say a massive thank you to all the children who entered our World Book Day celebration! Here is the final line up of submissions where you’ve dressed up and told us about your favourite books. All of the children who took part this year received a a free Voxblock audiobook reader so you can continue to explore your love of literacy! Catherine from the VICTA team has also selected some of her favourite entries to receive a pair of POGS The Elephant headphones, we’ll be in touch soon if you [...]
Join blind artist & VICTA Changemaker Ruqaiya’s on a tour of her exhibition
Join VICTA Changemaker and blind artist Ruqaiya Asim for a tour of her current exhibition 'Can You See Me Now?' The exhibition is all about spreading disability awareness and sharing Ruqaiya's experiences of how she navigates the world as a blind person. Ruqaiya talks you through the features she's put in place to make sure her art is accessible for you to experience if you have a vision impairment. You can still catch 'Can You See Me Now' in person until 29 March Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, from 9 am – 5 pm. Location: [...]
Free Support for VI Prospective University Students
Are you a visually impaired student starting university this autumn or currently in your first year? The process of applying to university is stressful for everyone but can be even more difficult when you have a visual impairment. Arriving at university as a VI student can be daunting. With the support of the LOOK University Mentors, LOOK wants to help take some of the stress out of it. Through our University Mentoring programme, funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, you will be paired with a VI young person who has already been through the application process [...]
The World’s First Period Detection Product for the Blind
What is FlowSense and how is it useful? As you approach your teens, you will start to notice changes in your body. You might get spots. Your voice might change. You might discover hair growing in new places, like down there or under your arms. Emotionally, you might also find your mood changes a lot and feelings become more intense. Whatever it is, the most important thing to remember is, you are not alone. These changes are all normal, and every one of your classmates, both male and female, will be experiencing them too. In today's [...]
