November newsletter 278

The Vision Fund

The Vision Foundation has just launched a new fund: “We have three funding priorities that describe the work we support and how we want to bring about change for London’s blind and partially sighted population.

Our application process asks you to identify which priority (or priorities) your work meets. All the grants we make must meet at least one of our priorities. Applications will be assessed on the quality of the work rather than the number of priority areas they are working towards.”

The three priorities are:

  • Opening London up
  • Empowering those at risk
  • Preventing avoidable blindness.

The Vision Foundation is the new name for the Greater London Fund for the Blind.

Further details at: https://www.visionfoundation.org.uk/about-us/apply-for-funding/.


Call for the end of 'reading tax'

“Children’s laureate Cressida Cowell and former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq have joined 90 MPs calling on the government to scrap the “reading tax”on ebooks and audiobooks.

Huq, who is now a children’s author, led a delegation to the chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid at his Downing Street residence on Thursday to deliver a letter signed by the MPs. In it, they demand the government “end the unfair tax on learning by zero-rating VAT on e-publications”.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/oct/31/konnie-huq-and-90-mps-call-for-end-to-reading-tax-in-uk


York woman up for national sight loss award

A York woman has been shortlisted for a national award in recognition of her work on breaking down the barriers of sight loss. Holly Tuke, who has retinopathy of prematurity after being born at 24 weeks, has been shortlisted in the Social Media Influencer of the Year category at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

 Holly writes a life blog titled ‘Life of a Blind Girl’. She started the blog in 2015 as both a creative outlet and to share her experiences of living with sight loss. The blog covers a variety of topics writing about everything from how people can make their blogs and social media channels more accessible, to employment and disability and her favourite pieces of accessible technology.

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/18033060.young-york-innovator-national-sight-loss-award/


Designing email for visually impaired subscribers