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 [...]
Experiencing nature as a blind person
By Grace Hill Across June The Wildlife Trusts have been getting people involved and engaged in nature for 30 Days Wild. Grace shares her thoughts on exploring nature with sight loss. Hello, I'm Grace and I'm a VICTA Changemaker, and today I'm going to offer some insight into my experience of nature as a blind person. So we often talk about how nature can help our mental health, how going out in nature can help us clear our heads and connect with the world around us. And that is completely true, but there are downsides... [...]
Using technology & cooking when you are vision impaired
By Ikra Shakoor Hi, my name is Ikra Shakoor, I am 27 years old and from Bradford. I have a condition called Bardet Biedal Syndrone which is a rare genetic condition which can affect different part of your body and I also have an eye condition called RP and cataracts. I wanted to share how I use technology and cook in a every day life as a blind person. Accessible Technology A helpful event for accessibility and technology which I attend in Leeds is Sight Village. It's a great event and there is lots of [...]
Misconceptions about guide dogs with Ruqaiya and Bertie
By Ruqaiya Asim I'm blind. My name is Ruqaiya and I'm also an artist and disability advocate. I'd like to talk to you about misconceptions about guide dogs - watch the video to find out more! Have you ever experienced any moments like Ruqaiya with your guide dog? Are you a non guide dog owner who has learnt something new? Let us know in the comments! Follow Ruqaiya on social media to hear more: Instagram: @ruqaiya.art TikTok: @ruqaiya.art YouTube: @ruqaiya.art Stay in the loop! Sign up for email [...]
