RNIB

We're biased, but we believe our Talking Books service is iconic. And we aren't the only ones. Another icon, Adjoa Andoh, thinks it too. You can listen to Adjoa and many other famous voices in a special edition of Pride and Prejudice, which has been recorded to celebrate 90 years of Talking Books. rnib.in/TalkingBooks90 [Video transcript: Well, talking books are rubbish, aren't they? I mean, who wants to listen to them? No, I love talking books. I've done stuff for the RNIB for decades. Yeah, I think it's a fantastic service. And just personally, one of my beloved uncles had a brain tumour a few years ago that we'd go on to kill him. But before that, it made him blind, and he was a voracious reader, and he was very cross about not being able to read anymore. And so Talking Books came as a big surprise to him because he'd never been blind before. A revelation and then an absolute boon. So in his last days, Talking Books was there at his side. And so I am eternally grateful and very proud to have been part of your team for a bit.]

Hi, I’m Marie, RNIB’s Employment Manager leading our Visibly Better Employer work. I work from home, in my office surrounded by plants. I’m proud of my team of Inclusive Employment Specialists who support employers to make their workplaces accessible for blind and partially people. Although we’re homebased, we frequently travel across the UK to meet and engage with employers at various events. We network in many ways; we host meetings, carry out presentations, and facilitate interactive workshops. Building lasting relationships is an important part of the role, and for me, it’s the most enjoyable part too! RNIB Visibly Better Employer (VBE) is a quality standard for employers in which we support organisations to improve their recruitment and working practices for people with sight loss. Our important work is funded by players of People's Postcode Lottery and it’s their support which makes it all possible. I always feel uplifted by the employers who share our passion for inclusivity. Organisations from across the UK are working with us, from retailers to Government, and charities to construction – even a Zoo! - are becoming a Visibly Better Employer for blind and partially sighted people. And I look forward to welcoming even more in 2026. So, if you want to chat further to me or my wonderful team about how you can make your workplace accessible, check us out here https://lnkd.in/enWZkMHv or email us on VisiblyBetterEmployer@rnib.org.uk [Image Description: A selfie of Marie on a polaroid style graphic. She’s looking into the camera with a gentle smile. She has shoulder length brown hair and is wearing a vibrant pink knitted top and dark brown, oval glasses. “Marie Clarkson, Employment Manager (Visibly Better Employer).”]

We’re delighted to be back at 100% Optical, at Excel London this weekend. You can visit us at stand J58 where you can find out more about how our resources and training can help you better support your patients with sight loss. RNIB’s Preeti Singla and Louise Gow will also be hosting a workshop on Monday on Accessible Communication and the Art of Effective Symptoms and History Taking. [Image description: Visit us at 100% Optical Excel London 28 February - 2 March Stand J58. Pink graphic with spectacles symbol above the text.]

Dearest gentle reader, prepare your fans and fortify your nerves, a royal spectacle awaits. We’ve audio-described Queen Charlotte’s wigs for your listening pleasure. This author offers thanks to the illustrious Liz Gutman for describing Queen Charlotte’s wigs in all their splendour. [Video transcript: Queen Charlotte's Wigs Audio described for the Ton. Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton reads Whistle Down paper with arched eyebrows and her lips pursed. She stands in front of a window with fine green curtains. She wears a massive wig towering nearly 2 feet above her head with a hollow in the middle which looks like an elaborate nest. Seriously, it even has twigs in it. Silver bejewelled twigs of course. The wig is dark at the roots but lightens to a mass of tight white curls. The curls are shaped around the hollow in the centre where several gleaming crystal Swans rest. Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton sits in a plush red chair reading a Whistle Down paper with a sly smile. Soft sunlight illuminates her face. She wears a light blue silk dress with an embroidered floral pattern and a tall, elaborate pale grey wig which towers perhaps a foot above her. The wig is comprised of soft whirling curls, almost like she's at the hairdressers with lots of rollers in. Clusters of jewelled blue flowers and huge pearls adorn the wig. Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton stands in a room with cream coloured walls and gilded accents, flanked by two of her ladies in waiting and Brimsley by her side. She is fabulously dressed with an elaborate pale pink silk gown, a large wig and jewels. The wig is grey and defies gravity, rising above her head in a love heart shape. It's made-up of tight silky curls, with one section featuring larger curls which resemble pale grey roses. A tiara peeks out in the centre. The centre section of her dress is pale coloured and mostly covered by the huge pale pink gown, which features sinuous curving patterns of pale pleated fabric snaking down each side.]

It is a question often raised: is listening to an audiobook reading? Indeed it is! Charlotte Ritchie and Shazia Mirza, who both feature in our special Talking Books 90 edition of Pride and Prejudice, tell us why. Read our special edition of Pride and Prejudice in celebration of Talking Books' 90th birthday rnib.in/TalkingBooks90 [Video transcript: Voiceover: Is listening to an audio book reading? Charlotte Ritchie: Yes. I mean, I, I think any way in which you're getting the words that the author has written into yourself is reading. Shazia Mirza: I do believe that listening to an audio book is reading because you still have to think about the words that are being said. So when you read a book, you're thinking about what you're reading and you're trying to imagine the circumstances or the place or the characters. When you're listening to an audio book, you also have to do that. You also have to imagine the characters. You have to get into the mind of the characters and you have to follow the stories. So you still have to concentrate and you are still taking in what is being said. It's just a different form of taking that in.]

When Amrit lost her sight, the liquid level indicator was more than a gadget; it allowed her to make a hot drink independently and safely again ☕ What gadget would you recommend to other blind and partially sighted people? [Video description and transcript: Amrit sits at a table in front of some industrial style shelving and speaks to us. She wears a white, v-neck t-shirt with black leaf patterns. Her long, straight, black hair is tied in a low pony, cascading over her shoulder. She wears rectangular glasses and a red lip. So a social worker came to visit me and I told her that I had scolded myself a few times and she very kindly told me about a gadget called the liquid level indicator that is sold in the RNIB shop. I'd never heard of it. And she happened to have one with her that she showed me where you placed it into your cup. And it allows you to be able to pour hot and cold drinks. And when the liquid reaches the top of the cup, it makes a bleeping noise. And if you're making tea or coffee, then you want to add milk. It makes a different sound when you've reached the very top. And ideally it sounded wonderful and just what I needed. But because I hadn't used much assistive equipment before, I was not really very sure about whether it would work. I had to really build trust that it would bleep at the right time. And she practised with me a few times and then said, you know, I'll be back in a few weeks and just try and use it, maybe have a family member with you until you build the trust. And I, I used it and instantly it, it worked. And I was just so, so incredibly happy that I had found something that would allow me to be able to continue to make tea on my own and do it safely. It's such a fantastic piece of equipment and I recommend that every visually impaired person has one in the kitchen.]

It’s been less than a week since someone confused us with our good friends RNLI and RSPB. In case you were wondering, we support blind and partially sighted people. Although we do love birds and boats. 🥰

Our message here is simple, children and young people with vision impairment deserve to thrive and have equal opportunities in education. ✏️ [Image description: Image one: “SEN Reform” The letters are in individual coloured boxes and are bold. “Children with vision impairment still need more support to thrive. With 35,000 children and young people with vision impairment in England, mostly in mainstream education. They deserve support in the classroom that actually works.” Image two: Tick box list, “So please, Department of Education, we’re calling on you to: - Back the Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment - Make sure everyone has equal access to education by having a sufficient number of Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment."]

There are so many ways RNIB Bookshare can help school, but graphics have size limits, so here are just five [Finger point] Thousands of schools are already using RNIB Bookshare to remove barriers for students with visual impairments, dyslexia and other print disabilities before those barriers ever become setbacks. The real question is why haven’t you told your school about RNIB Bookshare yet? [Image Description: “Five ways that RNIB Bookshare can help your school 1. Makes learning accessible for all print disabled students 2. Gives instant access to over a million curriculum aligned titles 3. Provides books in multiple accessible formats to suit each student’s needs 4. Supports your school in delivering inclusive education 5. Saves teachers time with free, ready to use resources.”.]

Tell us, whose dulcet tones would you most like hear read an audiobook? Are Adjoa Andoh, Phil Dunster, Corinna Brown, Lisa George, Lucy Scott, Mark Bonnar, or Alistair Petrie on your list? Consider yourselves most fortunate! All of these distinguished voices feature in our new edition of Pride and Prejudice in our Talking Books library to mark the 90th Anniversary of the service. rnib.in/TalkingBooks90 [Video transcript: "Phil Dunster: Who would you want to read an audiobook to you? Ben Willbond: Hhmmm Alistair Petrie: Lucy Scott Lucy Scott: Janet Mcteer. She read The Secret Garden years ago. I thought it's like warm honey. Corinna Brown: Oh my gosh. Samuel L Jackson. In background: Good choice. Ben Willbond: I'm going to go - this is going to be quite an odd one. I'd like Paul Rudd to read me an audio book because I think it would be a lot of fun.]