NEWSLETTER No. 368
The RNIB has led major initiatives to raise awareness of sight loss and improve accessibility across the UK. In partnership with LADbible Group, the Blind Hijackers campaign challenged misconceptions by placing blind creators at the centre of popular content, reaching over 300,000 engagements and shifting public perceptions. Personal stories, such as BBC reporter Ian Hamilton’s partnership with his guide dog Major, alongside RNIB volunteers representing the organisation at Windsor Castle, highlighted independence, inclusion, and the power of volunteering. On a national level, RNIB advocacy has influenced political discussions, including calls for accessibility to become a priority in the House of Commons and campaigns to make voting accessible through BlindVotersCount. Despite this progress, serious concerns remain, with many patients in Wales still waiting too long for sight-saving treatment.
Raising awareness of sight loss with LADBible
When we found out that only 2 in 5 people in the UK feel they have a good understanding of the lives of blind and partially sighted people – we knew we had to do something about it.”
RNIB and LADbible Group have collaborated on Blind Hijackers, a groundbreaking campaign designed to challenge perceptions of blind and partially sighted people. As part of RNIB’s ‘BeforeYouAsk’ initiative, the campaign took over LADbible’s platforms, integrating blind and partially sighted voices into five of its most popular formats. By placing blind and partially sighted creators at the forefront of culturally relevant content, the campaign encouraged audiences to see beyond sight loss and find common ground through shared passions. This was the first-ever full accessibility-focused takeover of LADbible, reinforcing their commitment through screen-reader compatibility, alt text, and accessibility training.
The campaign resonated with those who experienced it, with over 300,000 engagements with the content. Importantly, results showed that people’s knowledge and perceptions of sight loss changed as a result – which is exactly what we were aiming for.
Read the full article here: https://www.rnib.org.uk/news/raising-awareness-of-sight-loss-with-ladbible/
Major: The dog who guided me through eight years of TV and radio - BBC News
Major was reporter Ian Hamilton’s guide dog for eight years. From a quiet test walk to eight years on the road, Major never put a paw wrong; he guided, he worked, he kept me safe. We’d been a team since I arrived at a hotel in East Kilbride in August 2017 to start training for my seventh guide dog.
I’d done this six times before, but it never feels routine. You’re standing there thinking, ‘right… is this the dog who’ll guide me through the next stretch of life?’
Read about Ian and Major here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq1rz4rw22o
From fixing iPads to meeting Royalty - volunteers take trip to Windsor for State visit
Two volunteers with sight loss visited Windsor last month (Thursday, 4 December) to meet a Royal request and to explain how volunteering can bring communities together. Jonathan Abro and Simon Holt, who both volunteer for RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People), were part of the reception team who shone a light on the tireless work of volunteers as they met HM The King and the President of Germany at an event at Windsor Castle in December.
The event marked an opportunity for Germany to explore the success of a volunteering initiative launched in Britain two years ago. On the Bank Holiday Monday of the Coronation in May 2023, more than seven million people joined in the Big Help Out while double that number tucked in at the inaugural Big Lunch across the UK as part of the new monarch’s focus on recognising the contribution of volunteers to British life.
Read the full story here: https://www.rnib.org.uk/news/from-fixing-ipads-to-meeting-royalty-rnib-volunteers-take-trip-to-windsor-for-state-visit/
Accessibility must become priority for House of Commons - Committees - UK Parliament
Accessibility must become a major priority for the House of Commons and be woven into the fabric of what it does, according to a landmark report from the cross-party Modernisation Committee.
Following a significant inquiry into access to the House of Commons, the Committee has made a series of recommendations calling for improvements to the institution’s physical environment, procedures, practices and communications. With only 12 percent of the historic Palace of Westminster – home to the Commons Chamber – currently step-free, and with a wider parliamentary estate made up of several buildings with accessibility challenges, the Committee’s conclusion is that disabled MPs, staff and visitors face unacceptable negative impacts.
A focus on accessibility must become embedded in the culture of the House of Commons, with accessibility being a shared responsibility between all who work on the parliamentary estate. Visitors should be asked upon entry if they have a disability or access need and offered support accordingly, and line managers should receive mandatory training on how to support disabled and neurodiverse individuals.
Creating a true democracy – making voting accessible
Yet, for many blind and partially sighted people, this right remains elusive. In 2024, RNIB launched a dynamic, multi-faceted campaign using the local and general elections to highlight the need for widespread systemic change.
RNIB engaged candidates from all political parties, providing practical guides for inclusive campaigning, and developed a dedicated webpage to mobilise supporters. By trialling accessible voting solutions in the May local elections and gathering real feedback, we ensured that advocacy was grounded in lived experience building on the robust data from our 2023 accessible voting trial. The promotion of a template letter meant that voters with sight loss could request accessible voting equipment for the General Election.
Harnessing the power of digital media, the campaign used Influencer videos and a viral TikTok demonstration of a combined audio-tactile voting device to capture imaginations and spread the message far and wide. The ‘BlindVotersCount’ open letter, calling on the next Prime Minister to guarantee a secret and independent vote for people with sight loss, attracted over 2,400 signatories and was delivered to Downing Street – a powerful symbol of collective determination. The campaign video was viewed 4.8 million times – clear evidence of the interest this topic draws.
Read the full story here: https://www.rnib.org.uk/news/creating-a-true-democracy-making-voting-
accessible/
Patients at risk of permanent sight loss 'waiting too long' for treatment - BBC News
Specialist eye care in Wales has made huge leaps over the last two decades, yet the resources have not kept up, specialists claim. A new report by a committee of politicians said more than 80,000 patients at greatest risk of permanent sight loss are waiting too long for sight-saving treatment.
Kristian Shearan said he waited years for treatment that could help stall the progression of his sight loss, because of staffing and funding issues. ‘It can be quite stressful worrying how am I going to be this time next year? Am I going to have sight?’ he said.
Read the full story here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yjd4dv04qo