RNIB Roundup: Product Videos and More!

I have a variety of exciting things to share with my readers that I have been involved in with the RNIB since my photoshoot earlier this year; from product videos, to an appearance in the Vision magazine, thank you gifts and even being featured on the official RNIB Facebook banner!

Take a look below at some of the projects I've been involved in throughout the year!

Product Videos

Earlier this Spring, I filmed new product videos with the RNIB for their online store; demonstrating how I use the liquid level indicator and Perkins Brailler with corresponding labelling tape adapter. I have now received the final edited videos and have provided a useful transcript underneath each clip.

In this product video I demonstrate how I use my liquid level indicator on a regular basis to avoid spilling my drinks and to accurately define when hot liquid is reaching towards the top of a cup:

"The liquid level indicator is a device that hooks onto the side of a cup or mug. It has 3 prongs, that are metal, that helps to detect when the water is nearing the top of the cup. 

I'm Kimberley Burrows, I'm 26 and I was a premature baby and my Optic Nerves didn't develop properly. If I didn't have my liquid level indicator then I would certainly be having a lot more accidents! It just gives me a bigger sense of confidence around my kitchen. One thing that's great about the liquid level indicator is that it's magnetic; so I keep mine on the side of my fridge so that I know where it is and don't end up losing it!

I use my liquid level indicator for pouring every drink, whether it's hot or cold. When the water is nearing the three prongs it will vibrate and beep - so it's dual-sensory in that it's audio and touch as well. There are two levels; when it's coming to the first level it will be quite moderate in its vibrating and beeping, and nearing the top it's time to stop then.

The liquid level indicator is an example of something simple that can make a huge difference. Visit RNIB's shop for more ideas at rnib.org.uk/shop"



In the second product video I demonstrate how I use my Perkins Classic Brailler and Labelling Tape Adaptor for everyday organisation, labelling of food items and creative writing:

"I first used a Perkins Classic Brailler a few years ago. It's quite easy, just like writing, and it just flows out really!

I'm Kimberley Burrows, I'm 26 and I was a premature baby and my Optic Nerves never developed properly. I first discovered the Perkins Classic Brailler when I starting doing a Braille course. When I first used the Brailler it was just amazing and it opened up a whole new world of communication for me. I personally use it to write stories and jot down notes and I also Braille my labels.

There is a label adapter that I add to the back of the Brailler which feeds through the same way as a piece of paper would. This allows you to then feed tape through and Braille onto the tape to cut off to add to cans, DVDs or CDs. If I didn't use my Brailler to label soups that it could end quite disastrously! I could be getting something completely different out of the cupboard - it could be dog food! So it saves me from humiliation, really. It helps to me spotlight a certain item and I just need that independence.

The Perkins classic is one type of Brailler that's available from RNIB's online shop. Visit rnib.org.uk/shop"

RNIB Shop

Over at the RNIB online shop I can be seen heading the Braille products, with additional photos under the Perkins Classic Brailler! You can view the full range of products available by the RNIB, from magnifiers to lighting to talking products, by visiting their online shop.

Vision Magazine

I can be spotted in the latest issue of Vision, RNIB's magazine for subscribing members, promoting the Perkins Classic Brailler. Article reads:

"Products to make everyday life easier: You can now review products and watch demonstrations on our new online shop! We have listened to your feedback and introduced a number of new features to our new online shop. As well as adding your own product reviews, you can also watch and listen to short films featuring people who use the products.

Kimberley is a keen Braille reader: Another film features Kimberley - a keen Braille reader and writer. Her Perkins Brailler helps her compile short stories as well as to produce braille labels for everyday items - including food items!

Kimberley uses the labelling tape adaptor for Perkins Brailler (code BM42). The white plastic labelling adaptor sits neatly on the back of the Perkins carriage. You then simply slide your Braille labelling tape into the clips at either end of the adaptor, which keeps the tape in place. There's also an adaptor for the Next Generation Perkins Brailler (BM43) and you can use both the 9mm tape and 12mm tape in the adaptors, available in clear or black."

Facebook Page

I'm very honoured to currently be featured in the RNIB's Facebook page banner! It's a huge privilege to be the first thing that many visitors see when they visit the social networking site and means very much to me, indeed!

I also received a wonderful tweet of support

from RNIB's Twitter page too!

Thank You Gifts

...And finally! I have received some wonderful gifts from the RNIB as a thank you for taking part in their projects this year; including a card with a handwritten thank you note from the team I worked with as well as two prints of my photographs taken at MediaCity UK in Salford Quays!

I really enjoyed filming my product videos and taking part in photo sessions for RNIB and would like to thank them for inviting me to be involved with their projects!

My UV Glasses: "They are a huge part of my identity"

The RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) recently shared a handy article focused on the 5 steps to selecting the right glasses for those with light sensitivity, featuring various shots from my photoshoot with them earlier this year. As I'm often asked about my UV glasses, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you why I wear eye shields and how they benefit me as someone with a severe visual impairment.

I was born with Congenital Cataracts, underdeveloped Optic Nerves and Nystagmus, meaning that I now have just a tiny amount of central vision left - made almost entirely of light perception. As a result, I'm constantly struggling with different lighting conditions. It's almost impossible for me to find the perfect situation as too little or too much light further decreases the tiny amount of useful vision that I have left. Whether indoors in supermarkets, with brightly-lit ceiling lights, or outdoors on a cloudy day, where the sky is filled with endless white, my eyes strain painfully and I just want to shut them completely!

After some research, I discovered the benefits of wearing UV glasses and how different coloured filters help to give varying levels of protection to your individual needs. The green filter seemed like the best choice for me, filtering out the most light with 19% visible light being transmitted through the lens, as the other high contrasted filters seemed far too bright. They were described as being "suitable for high degrees of light sensitivity or for use in bright situations" and giving "more definition and protection due to having good blue light absorption."

It wasn't long before I purchased my first pair, back in early 2008, and although they helped me tremendously I found that the design of my glasses were entirely too masculine; especially for a 19 year old who was still discovering her style and exploring fashion trends and accessories.

That all changed in 2013 when the RNIB released a new line of UV frames finally aimed at women! The 'Audrey' glasses were styled after those frequently worn by icon Audrey Hepburn, which brought a much-needed touch of femininity and class to a helpful aid that, for some reason, is often designed in such a masculine way. With large circular lenses encapsulating the full eye, protecting from bright lights and UV rays, incorporating jewelled sequins along the arms of the frames - it was hard for me to say no, and they were quickly added to my online shopping basket!

I have been wearing them every single day since! As well as being fashionable and functional, they are a huge part of my identity and have helped to improve my sense of confidence and self-esteem. Along with protecting my eyes from unwanted light, they also protect me from low-hanging branches and foliage that I would otherwise be injured by when I'm out on a route with my Guide Dog. As a lover of greens and blues they, more often than not, tend to match my outfits and I regularly receive compliments for colour co-ordinating - even though it wasn't intentional!

If you constantly struggle with the light as I do and are considering wearing UV glasses then please read the RNIB's top 5 tips! They have a range of eyeshields and UV glasses available to purchase from their online store.

Envision Steering Group Results

I mentioned in my previous Envision blog post about the election voting process for the new steering group body of the campaigning network, helping to shape and drive campaigns forward and providing a voice of the wider membership.

The polls have now closed and the results are in; I'm very pleased to announce that I will remain a member of the steering group for a second year, continuing my roles s Co-chair and Comms member. The steering group will now have 6 members, rather than the previous 8, with the new steering group consisting of:

- Kimberley Burrows
- Naomi Stevenson
- Chris Reddington
- Mohammed Mohsan-Ali
- Lucy Hayward
- Francesca Balon

A huge number of votes were received altogether and Envision would like to thank those who took the time to vote! Other members in the wider campaigning network are still encouraged to be involved; feeding into campaigns and supporting our presence online via our social media accounts.

I look forward to getting stuck in again this year and helping to promote the network through various avenues, including social media, and building upon my portfolio of already-established campaigning skills. I will, of course, be blogging about everything Envision gets up to in the next 12 months!

Useful Links

• E-mail • Facebook • Twitter • All Envision Blog Posts • Envision Microsite • Envision Launch • Envision Steering Group • Our First Campaign • YouTube Video • Insight Radio Interview

More RNIB Snaps!

As my previous post was so popular (more than 250 views!), I thought I would share a few more snaps from the RNIB photoshoot that I took part in back in January. A few more photos were kindly sent to me which you can view below:

At Salford Quays waterfront with my hair blowing everywhere!

Sitting in the Blue Peter gardens, at MediaCity UK

Tami and I walking over The MediaCity Footbridge

All photos © Mischa Photo Ltd.

Upcoming Events: March - May 2015

Spring is well on its way and I have quite a busy few months ahead which, of course, means the opportunity for more exciting blog posts! Here's what I'll be getting up to in the coming weeks:

Monday, 16th March

30 minute 'equality and diversity' speech and presentation for Cargill; whose staff have been volunteering at Henshaws over the years in a variety of roles from bag-packing to supporting social groups. I was kindly invited to give a presentation on how Henshaws have supported me over the past 2 years and how people can help to support blind or visually impaired employees in the office environment or when out and about.

Tuesday, 24th March

RNIB Group workshop at Judd Street in London, to develop work with children and young people - helping to shape the services that Action and RNIB provide. Parents, children and young people will have the chance to share their experiences. I will be giving a 5 minute speech on the importance of independence and how the Envision campaigning network helped in giving me mine.

Wednesday, 25th March

Visit to Windermere, in the Lake District, to an Action for Blind People event for young people to help present a workshop focused around the Envision campaigning network, that I am currently Co-Chair to. I will discuss how I came up with the name of the network, how it has helped to expand my confidence and independence, develop my interest in Politics and grow my campaigning skills.

Thursday, 26th March

I will be filmed by the Books@Home service, part of Salford Libraries, who deliver audiobooks to me each month free of charge. I enjoy a huge plethora of books and have done so for nearly 2 years now. I will be helping with a short film that will show me receiving and listening to my books, and then give an interview on what the service means to me in terms of accessibility, equality and inclusion. The film will be shared with peers and partners of Salford Libraries to show the importance of the service to those who are visually impaired.

Monday, 30th March
Visit to the University of York to test the accessibility of websites for a student's accessibility study (in the Human-Computer Interaction Research Group). I will be evaluating 6 websites, spending between 40 - 60 minutes on each, using a Mac computer with built-in VoiceOver (my preference!) to undertake regular tests and identify possible problems. 

Thursday, 2nd April

Visit to Madame Tussauds in Blackpool for an accessible hands-on visit of their collection. The staff have kindly arranged a visit for me to have a sighted guide and interactive experience of what they have to offer.

Tuesday, 7th April
'Being Safe Online' module workshop at the Henshaws Resource Centre, in Old Trafford, as part of the TechTalk group. It will be a 70 minute session covering a variety of areas, such as; cyber-bullying, cyber-stalking, trolling, identity theft, sexting, grooming, webcam blackmail and e-mail scams. The session will be interactive with both individual and group discussion and quizzes.

Sunday, 19th April
'Swap With Me' event with First Bus in Bolton, giving the opportunity for blind and partially sighted people to speak directly to bus drivers and staff about their experiences and concerns, as well as the challenges that bus travel can bring. There will also be a session on learning the different types of bus layout, with parked buses in the depot, as well as the chance to sit on the driver's cab and experience things from their point of view. Drivers and staff will be asked to undertake a number of activities including scanning a pass and finding a seat to understand the needs of visually impaired passengers.

Thursday, 23rd April
Visit to the Manchester Art Gallery, with the Henshaws Art Galleries and Meseums group, for an audio described talk and tour of the 'Eastern Exchanges: East Asian Craft and Design' exhibition. The show features over 1,500 years of the rich craft heritage of Japan, Korea and China with exhibits ranging from magnificent court treasures to masterpieces by contemporary makers. It will include historic works from Manchester's collection which have not been exhibited for over 30 years!

Saturday, 9th May
Collection event for Guide Dogs at Tesco Extra in Irlam.

Envision Teleconference: 24th February 2015

Envision held a teleconference last night to reflect on the progress of the first year of the campaigning network, as well as the changes it has made to the lives of the members involved with the steering group - whether it be through building confidence, achieving independence, developing new skills or networking with new people.

This was the final teleconference with the current steering group line-up, as voting is now open to elect members of the new steering group who have put themselves forward.

We first discussed what we felt we had gained from Envision and how that would benefit us in the future. Confidence-boosting, volunteering and employment opportunities were mentioned by my fellow steering group members and I followed this on with how my independence has grown from strength-to-strength over the past year since being involved with the network. I now travel on my own, with my Guide Dog, when previously with my cane I would request that a sighted member of staff meet up with me for the train journey. I'm also much more happy to stay away from home for days at a time without my family, thanks to the Parliamentary trip and RNIB Campaigners Convention.

Following this, we talked about what we enjoyed the most and the least over the past year. The Parliament visit was agreed to be the highlight so far, as well as face-to-face meetings at Judd Street and having the chance to meet other young visually impaired people from all over the country. I felt a need for more workshops and skills-building opportunities as many of the group have expressed in the past that they don't know where to start with social media and / or feel uncomfortable with either Facebook or Twitter and have trouble adjusting from one to the other.

To end, we considered how the running of Envision could be improved for the next year. Suggestions included more regional meetings, more involvement in local areas and the chance to develop social media skills. I mentioned how I would like more communication with the wider network to involve them more with things going forward and access to our social media accounts.

As mentioned above, voting is now open to elect new members of the steering group for the coming year. You can find out more about the nominees, their statements and how to vote via SurveyMonkey by visiting the RNIB site here.

Useful Links

• E-mail • Facebook • Twitter • All Envision Blog Posts • Envision Microsite • Envision Launch • Envision Steering Group • Our First Campaign • YouTube Video • Insight Radio Interview

RNIB Photoshoot

Back in December, I received a kind invitation to have a photo shoot session around my local areas of Manchester and Salford with the RNIB. We spent a day in January on the Metrolink visiting MediaCity UK at the Blue Peter Gardens, Salford Quays at the waterfront and a nearby coffee shop as well as around Piccadilly Gardens and a clothes store.

Here is a sample of the photos captured:

Tami and I sat inside a Metrolink tram shelter

Tami and I sat inside a coffee shop at MediaCity UK

Giving Tami a fuss near to a hot chocolate drink

All photos © Mischa Photo Ltd.

I'd like to say a massive thank you to both Sarahs and Mischa for the wonderful day and for asking me to be their model! Tami and I truly enjoyed ourselves!

European Parliament Photos from EBU's Blind Date Event

I have now received all of the photos from my visit to European Parliament in November with the RNIB and European Blind Union, as part of their 'High Speed Blind Date' event, helping to highlight the need for a strong European Accessibility Act for the 30 million blind and partially sighted people living in Europe.

Catherine Bearder, Lib Dem MEP for South East England

Catherine Bearder, Lib Dem MEP for South East England

Catherine Bearder, Lib Dem MEP for South East England

Catherine Bearder, Lib Dem MEP for South East England

The team of Catherine Stihler, Labour MEP for Scotland

The team of Catherine Stihler, Labour MEP for Scotland

Julie Ward, Labour MEP for the North West

Julie Ward, Labour MEP for the North West

Julie Ward, Labour MEP for the North West

Theresa Griffin, Labour MEP for the North West

All photos © Matthew Winyard, November 2014

Envision Teleconference: November 17th 2014

The Steering Group and I held a teleconference last night to discuss our recently drafted charter. We looked over each of the 7 points, as a group, making clarifications and expanding points to provide more detail of our asks. The amended charter will be e-mailed around to the steering group, followed by the wider network as a whole, in the very near future.

After editing the charter we moved our conversation towards how we would present it to the industry. Do we target individuals or do we look into communicating with head offices in the retail sector? We agreed that the New Year would be a good time in order to do this, with 'New Year Resolutions' being a suitable theme of which to achieve our asks, and perhaps even launch an event nationally to draw attention to the charter itself and the evidence we've explored.

We talked about the bus charter and how that was recently presented with a nationwide event; first with a meeting at the Head Office, proceeded by the Minister of Transport giving a speech, with bus companies following suit and signing up to the charter.

Finally, we conversed about what to do at a local level. Coffee mornings and group meetings at coffee shops, involving visually impaired people for their support, were mentioned as well as contacting local store managers and staff members. This is something we will be thinking about over the next few weeks.

The next steering group teleconference will be held in the evening of Tuesday, December 9th.

Useful Links

• E-mail • Facebook • Twitter • All Envision Blog Posts • Envision Microsite • Envision Launch • Envision Steering Group • Our First Campaign • YouTube Video • Insight Radio Interview

EBU Event at European Parliament in Brussels

Last week I travelled to European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, to represent the RNIB in a two-day 'High Speed Blind Date' event held by the European Blind Union. The event ran on November 11th and 12th and was designed to reach out to MEPs, researchers and journalists through interactive activities to showcase the increasing inaccessibility barriers faced when using manufactured goods, information, services, websites and apps.

There are 30 million blind and partially sighted people living in Europe and manufactured products, such as kitchen appliances, are continuously becoming harder to use independently. The older, more tactile products contain control panels that feature physical buttons and dials but these are slowly being replaced by touch screens and LED screens. ATMs, ticket machines, television menus, shopping and banking are already headed in the same direction of digitalisation. Without audio features or accessible apps to use in conjunction with these products it is becoming impossible for the visually impaired to use everyday items without relying on the help of sighted friends and family.

Blind date with Catherine Bearder,
Lib Dem MEP for the South East

The Blind Date event consisted of shifts of blind and visually impaired people based at individual tables which housed different examples of manufactured goods, both old and new to show the contrast in the ease of access between the two, for the blindfolded 'dates' to attempt to use! Items ranged from remote controls, to washing machine control panels, to an imitation iPad emblazoned with a CAPTCHA image on the screen. CAPTCHAs are verification codes that often appear when shopping or banking online and a huge barrier for visually impaired people when such visual generated responses are not accessible with an audio feature or when the website itself is not compatible with screen readers.

100% of the blind dates I talked with (including MEPs, researchers and journalists based all over Europe) found the older model of washing machine control panel much easier to use with its tangible buttons; and admitted that they wouldn't be able to do their washing independently if faced with an LED screen or a touch screen, with their blindfold still firmly in place. The majority also confessed to finding it extremely difficult when attempting to read the CAPTCHA code, provided on the imitation iPad, whilst wearing the simulation spectacles.

With this foundation of evidence, it is clear that we urgently need the EU to deliver a strong European Accessibility Act to regulate products and services, as well as a robust Directive on the accessibility of websites and apps. With strong political support we can achieve this change.

Meeting with Theresa Griffin, Labour MEP for the North West

I also had the opportunity to have personal meetings with local MEPs (Theresa Griffin, Julie Ward and Jacqueline Foster) to discuss more localised issues that I face in my home area of Salford and Greater Manchester. The discussion was mostly focused around transport, especially buses and trams, in the Greater Manchester area.

TfGM have recently installed scanners on Metrolink station platforms for Concessionary Pass and Concessionary Plus Pass holders to scan their passes. Not only is it difficult for a blind pass holder to actually find the scanner itself on the platform, it is also an obstacle to make sure the pass is facing the correct way against the screen. This is a major concern for me as I have just been matched to my Guide Dog and will be wanting to travel more independently via tram in the very near future.

Buses are also a serious problem with many bus drivers not acknowledging their blind passengers waiting at the bus stop and continuing to drive on, with a good number of drivers not knowing how to correctly support a blind or visually impaired passenger onboard. When I travel to London, for Envision steering group meetings at Judd Street, I always grasp the opportunity of travelling aboard a talking bus when heading back to Euston. I'm constantly blown away by how easy they are to use, with each stop being announced before the destination is reached. In contrast, buses in Greater Manchester do not have these systems implemented and I never know which stop to get off at resulting in disorientation and panic.

The MEPS were enthusiastic and supportive to be involved with helping eradicate transport issues in my area and hopefully we can make a difference to the barriers currently in place to visually impaired and blind passengers.

Small article in the MEN newspaper

about my visit to European Parliament

My visit to Brussels was documented in a small piece featured in the November 10th edition of the Manchester Evening News. Article reads: A blind campaigner is to travel to Brussels to meet MEPS. Kimberley Burrows, 26, backed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), is seeking new laws to remove barriers that people with sight loss face in accessing ticket machines, websites and apps, and household goods. Kimberley, from Irlam, said: "Campaigning and making your voice heard is important if you want to change things and make life better."

The European Blind Union published their Access Denied report online on November 11th to coincide with the Blind Date event. The report summarises the issues that the EBU are currently in the process of working on. You can read more about the two-day event that I attended here and can follow the EBU on Twitter here.

I had an absolutely wonderful experience at the European Parliament and met so many supportive people who had nothing but positive things to say about my involvement with the project, and my enthusiasm for blogging and social media as a severely visually impaired person. I want to say a big thank you to the RNIB and to the EBU for having me at the event!

Final Insight Magazine Scan

Here is my final magazine scan of my illustration featured in the latest issue of RNIB's Insight Magazine, November / December 2014 edition, as their Young Illustrator of the Year for 2014!

The overall theme of the latest issue is 'motivation and reward' and I portrayed that in my final illustration for the magazine, displaying the achievements and opportunities I have received this year since becoming the Illustrator of the Year for the RNIB.

As always, my illustration took most of the month to complete and was created using my favourite mediums of coloured pencils and black fine liner. You can read the accompanying article below:

Young Illustrator

Kimberley Burrows showcases some of her achievements since becoming Insight's Young illustrator for 2014.

"My piece depicts interviews with ITV Granada Reports and the Manchester Evening News, and the Mayor of Salford, Ian Stewart, tweeting that I had the 'Spirit of Salford'. It shows my artwork for John Lewis's 150th birthday which was displayed in their restaurant at the Trafford Centre. And it looks forward to my visit to the European Parliament in November, with the European Blind Union, to discuss accessibility issues with MEPS.

A big thank you to Insight for a wonderful, enjoyable year. I am very grateful for all of the opportunities that it has presented me with!"

Tweets of Support

I have received some wonderful tweets from the official RNIB Twitter accounts recently, as well as tweets of support from fellow Twitter users. I wanted to share my favourites here!

Read about the lovely @Glittered, our Young Illustrator of the Year on @MailOnline http://t.co/O6PUxYlJZm
— RNIB (@RNIB) October 16, 2014

@Glittered Well we've loved sharing your work!
— RNIB (@RNIB) October 16, 2014

Great to see @Glittered in @Femail! 'Amazing illustrations created by blind artist' http://t.co/Jxx9QaEHS1
— Louisa Muhsin (@LouisaMuhsin) October 16, 2014

Congrats Kim! RT @RNIB: Read about the lovely @Glittered, our Young Illustrator of the Year on @MailOnline http://t.co/bhdJgyB7nf #fb
— Welsh whinger! (@alandra09) October 16, 2014

@Glittered hey Kimberley, I'm a sight impaired illustrator from New Zealand. Lovely to read the article about your work this morning!
— PINKY FANG (@PINKSFANG) October 16, 2014

@Glittered I'm looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful drawings! Loved your video about makeup too, keep up the awesome work 😊
— PINKY FANG (@PINKSFANG) October 16, 2014

Fantastic to see our volunteer campaigner @Glittered featured in the @DailyMailUK for her fantastic illustrations http://t.co/6VNgHZImhy
— RNIB Campaigns (@RNIB_campaigns) October 17, 2014

Massive well done @Glittered - these look amazing http://t.co/KR0mHjJb8Z
— Morgan Vine (@Morgypenny) October 17, 2014

@RNIB @Glittered @MailOnline Amazing! What a talent.
— Soundabout (@SoundaboutUK) October 19, 2014

@RNIB @Glittered wow, very talented young woman!
— Beadjoux (@beadjoux) October 20, 2014

The newest edition of Insight Magazine is available now in large print, Braille, audio and PDF formats.

 Insight magazine will move online in 2015 with new opportunities in writing, illustrating and blogging. For more information on how you can subscribe please click here.

Steering Group Meeting: October 23rd 2014

The Envision steering group and I met at the RNIB headquaters in Judd Street, London, last Thursday to discuss the next steps in regards to our coffee shop campaign.

This was my first meeting as a co-chair for Envision and one of the responsibilities within my role is to help chair meetings, by; keeping track of the allocated time set for each topic, ensuring that all items on the agenda are discussed, and that everyone has had the opportunity to have their say and share their views.

I lead on welcomes and introductions, as well as 2 segments of the coffee shop campaign itself - reviewing the feedback received so far through e-mails and hard copies sent in, plus monitoring the SurveyMonkey results, followed by discussion of the VCC teleconference that I chaired recently.

We have almost 70 responses to our coffee shop survey so far which includes initial reponses from the steering group and Envision members earlier this year via mystery shopping, e-mail and hard copy versions sent in through promotion of the survey via the RNIB website, and finally through SurveyMonkey - the electronic version of the coffee shop survey.

The SurveyMonkey version can be found here and will officially close on December 12th at 5pm, allowing as much time as possible to push for any final feedback responses to build a stronger campaign voice and evidence base. If you are visually impaired and feel strongly that coffee shops should stock accessible menus and have greater staff awareness, then please feel free to fill in the form and share your views to help us compose a more accurate charter.

I provided and analysed statistics of the main areas we are looking at in coffee shops; staff awareness, easily identifiable staff and the availability of accessible menus for each of the 4 main coffee chains in the UK (Starbucks, Costa, Cafe Nero and Pret a Manger). Only in 3 instances were visually impaired customers provided with an accessible menu in the feedback we have so far, all from one particular coffee chain.

Next on the agenda that I lead on, was the recent VCC teleconference that I helped to chair. It was held during the evening of October 6th, with various visually impaired and blind campaigners located across England (which included a member from the wider network of Envision and a member of the steering group) on the call to serve as a focus group. This provided the opportunity to collect more feedback to our survey and to also generate some ideas for the development of our charter.

I discussed some of the main points raised during this teleconference, such as lighting, layout and the exterior street furniture, as well as general feedback and comments from each individual question found within the survey.

After breaking for lunch, the steering group and I considered the possibility of producing our findings into the form of charter to present to the industry with our evidence and key asks. We looked at the common themes and generated 5 or 6 key asks which will be developed into a first draft, conducted by myself, over the next few weeks. Through this, we also created a timeframe for the following 4 months to measure our progress which continues on into the New Year.

Key Dates

Here is a timeline of some key dates and deadlines
for Envision during the upcoming months:

Monday, 10th November 2014

First draft of the charter to be completed,
which I'll be leading on and composing.

Monday, 17th November 2014

Final comments from the steering group regarding the drafted charter to be sent in by this deadline. Teleconference in the evening with the entire steering group.

Monday, 1st December 2014

Charter finalised and signed off.

Monday, 5th January 2015

Identify contacts to draft meeting letters to.

January 2015 - February 2015

Identify the next campaign areas we wish to work on, and collect feedback and comments from the wider network. The shortlist can be presented in an electronic format, via SurveyMonkey, for users to vote on their preferable campaigning area. Deadline by February 2015.


The suggestion of 'coffee mornings' was brought up, to be conducted among VI groups or friends, which could be a really useful platform to gather any further key points we wish to draw up for the charter. The coffee mornings could be promoted through blind and visually impaired societies and charities, local talking newspapers and social media.

The steering group and I then generated some ideas of next year's campaign and how to canvas the views of all members within the wider network. The issue of DSA - Disabled Students' Allowances came up quite a lot and may be the leading topic that we wish to include in the shortlist to send out to the wider network to vote on and campaign for. This can be done through SurveyMonkey and sent out via e-mail and social media. Similarly, looking at the steering group for the upcoming year, we could also add a nominations section to the SurveyMonkey so that the entire network can have their say regarding their steering group members.

To conclude our meeting, we conversed about the first year of Envision (which was celebrating its first Birthday, to the exact day, on Thursday, 23rd October - a year since our Parliamentary visit and launch of the network itself) and reflected on the progress we have made so far in our campaign. Each member of the steering group shared their experience of personal development achieved over the past year thanks to Envision.

I have benefitted so much from my involvement with Envision over this past year. My confidence has grown in leaps and bounds, I'm able to address a whole room regarding statistics, quotes and research I've gathered, I've honed my organisational skills, and in particular, my social media skills; documenting each meeting and teleconference via my blog and then promoting through the Envision Facebook page and the Twitter page, which I created and regularly maintain.

I'm looking forward to my next year working with Envision and hope to witness even more progress from our network!

Useful Links

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Envision & VCC Teleconference: 6th October

Last night I chaired my first teleconference with VCC's (Volunteer Campaign Co-Ordinators) and campaigners from across England, two of which are members of Envision - both steering group and wider network, attending the call.

The teleconference was designed as a focus group; an alternate channel of gathering views and experiences, rather than solely through our mystery shopper survey that we've been circulating via social media recently. Everyone on the call had a specific interest in the issue of accessible menus in coffee shops - as well as staff awareness training and less cluttered layouts.

As chair, it was my job to introduce Envision and the work that we do as well lay some ground rules for the teleconference, outline the agenda and ensure that it's followed closely, have good time-keeping and make sure that everyone has had the chance to speak and give their views.

After going through most of the key questions on our mystery shopper survey and collecting a stronger body of evidence from the campaigners on the call, I also encouraged responses for improvements which can be used on our charter to present to the industry.

Some great points were raised, especially around the coffee shop layout; ensuring that there's a clear passage through to the counter, making sure the the counter is as obvious as possible (not right at the back of the store!), ensuring there is a consistent layout throughout all stores pertaining to that particular chain, good lighting for those with low vision, ensuring chairs are securely placed underneath tables, and outside tables and chairs are cordoned off with a metal bar that long canes can detect.

You can provide your own responses and help Envision build a stronger campaign - for accessible coffee shop menus, staff awareness and overall positive experiences - by completing our short survey located at SurveyMonkey, here. Our feedback can then be collated and designed into a charter which the steering group will be focusing on during our London meeting on October 23rd.

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Final Illustration for RNIB's Insight Magazine

I have now completed my sixth and final illustration for RNIB's Insight Magazine, as their Young Illustrator of the Year for 2014. My final piece is based on all of the achievements I have made over the past year; with becoming the RNIB's Young Illustrator contributing to many of these.

My illustration features my interview with Granada Reports and my article in the Manchester Evening News shortly after I became the RNIB's Young Illustrator of the Year, my artwork for John Lewis celebrating their 150th birthday in the summer which was displayed at the Trafford Centre, Salford Mayor Ian Stewart after his very kind tweets of support earlier this year, and an upcoming achievement when I visit European Parliament in November with the European Blind Union.

My illustration took a month to complete and was created using my signature mediums of black fineliner and coloured pencils.

I want to say a big thank you to the Insight Magazine team for their support and for the wonderful opportunities that being their illustrator has presented to me. I have enjoyed my time contributing to the magazine immensely!

Magazine Scan: Fifth Illustration in RNIB's Insight Magazine

I have now received the latest issue of RNIB's Insight Magazine (September / October 2014) featuring my fifth illustration. My newest piece focuses on support at the time of sight loss and the various ways and formats in which to receive aid and assistance.

Young Illustrator

Our young illustrator, Kimberley Burrows, writes: "Support at the time of sight loss is extremely important, and I wanted to depict some of the various forms in my illustration (above right). The most important support network is through friends and family, along with your doctor and ECLO. Helpful information can be sourced through leaflets and online from various organisations and charities including the RNIB, Henshaws Society for Blind People and Action for Blind People - as well as via helplines."

The newest edition of Insight Magazine is available now in large print, braille, audio and PDF formats. For more information on how you can subscribe - please click here.

RNIB Thank You Card Designs

Earlier this Spring, I was kindly asked to produce some new Thank You cards for the RNIB, to be sent out to donors who have recently donated to the charity.

The theme was based on repeated geometric patterns, so I came up with a few pages of ideas which I then shared in person when I visited Judd Street back in April. My designs were held onto and shared in a meeting with other staff members - and it was decided that the below design would be perfect for their cards. I used many different colours as an idea to showcase this design, and the red / orange and blue / green were favoured the most.

With this research, I was then able to come up with four different card designs using the popular blue / green geometric design and red / orange design - as well as mixing them both together! I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

Mock designs are being produced very soon, providing information about myself and my eye condition on the reverse - as well listing my association with the RNIB, as their Young Illustrator of the Year and Envision co-chair and campaigner.

I will be sure to post the cards when they have been printed in the near future!

Envision Teleconference: Tuesday, August 19th

The Envision steering group and I had a teleconference tonight to touch base with each other on how our progress is going regarding distributing the coffee shop mystery shopping questionnaire, and to also start discussion on our next steps in the campaigning process for accessible menus in coffee shops.

I have so far promoted the questionnaire through the Envision Facebook page and Twitter page and I have also used Henshaws Society for Blind People's quarterly Hello! Newsletter to present the questionnaire to service users, as well as their online e-mail mailing list.

You can help with Envision's campaign for accessible menus, in the 4 main coffee chains in the UK, by downloading the survey form here and detailing your past experiences when choosing what to purchase without an accessible menu provided. You are free to share with other visually impaired friends and family members too; the more responses, the stronger our voice!

Responses are to be sent to the Envision mailbox (envision@rnib.org.uk) by September 12th.

Here are my notes from tonight's teleconference!

• Recap of last meeting's agenda

What key points from the agenda had been signed off and completed. Action plans - discussion of the learning points from the Campaigner's Convention that have been received so far, any outstanding ones are to be completed ideally by the end of the week and e-mailed to Lindsay. These will be compiled into one document to then be e-mailed to the steering group as an attachment.

• Questionnaire

Now signed off and being distributed. Kimberley has shared it with the Henshaws mailing list, Henshaws Hello! Newsletter (Autumn edition) and through Envision's Facebook and Twitter pages, Naomi has shared it with the RLSB group and Nina will be sharing with Focus and the Birmingham Actioneers. The campaigns planning group will then sift through the responses, identify key themes, e-mail out the evidence and promote the findings to implement into our campaigning. Aim for September 12th to have all questionnaires sent back.

• Update to the wider network

Discussion around the update to be sent out to the wider Envision network which is now signed off. Agreement to keep communications regular, possibly monthly as a guideline, but be flexible to whenever seems appropriate to share important news items and issues. Rotate the duty of writing updates between each other, particularly comms and co-chairs, to provide everyone with the opportunity to write something. September 19th is penciled in for the next update.

• Charter

The bus charter used in the 'Stop for Me, Speak to Me' campaign was sent out as an attachment recently, to use as a foundation and a formula for our own coffee shop charter. We need to identify what our asks are and to think internally as to what the best mechanisms are. For example, do we just want to focus on menus or look at the whole package of the coffee shop experience? Do we want VI awareness training implemented into the manual, included in a full training day or slotting into the half-day training session?

Once identified we can build our asks around those. Cover the key areas, keep consistent to the focus and responses received in the questionnaires and be logical when pulling all of this evidence and information together under headings to then translate when presenting to providers. It was agreed to draft something for the charter and ideally have something to agree on in time for our October meeting in London. This will enable us to have the charter then signed off and put our focus into planning and lobbying the industry.

Two suggestions came up in the teleconference - one was that we could suggest that each store has a designated supporter for visually impaired people. Looking at the bus campaign, using their charter as a guide, a champion is mentioned to oversee that visually impaired people have found their seat, are aware of the bus number and destination, that drivers do not pull away from a bus stop, etc. We could use similar points, tailored to coffee shops. Another suggestion was to perhaps reach out to a contact within the environment and industry to give their input too, and to help with research in regards to what coffee shops currently provide.

• Upcoming Teleconferences

Teleconferences in the near future, include; one for the Campaigns Planning group on Monday, 15th September between 7pm and 8pm, one for the Communications sub-group held on Wednesday, 24th September between 5:30pm to 6:30pm, and the Co-chairs will have their teleconference on Wednesday, 1st October (time to be decided nearer to the date). Ideally 4 members from each group would be beneficial, though if one or two can't attend then we will try to keep things moving forward as much as possible rather than rescheduling. It just provides the opportunity to touch base with each other, though between those times do feel free to keep in touch and converse, and give input regarding important items.

• Meeting in London

Our next face-to-face meeting will be on Thursday, 23rd October from 11pm to 3pm at Judd Street. Think about the agenda and discussion points you'd like to include; discussion of drafted charter, the practicalities of how to get chains signed up to the charter and the area of focus for the next campaign.

• Next Campaign

Think about putting the question out to the wider network, in the next e-mail update perhaps, of what they think the next campaign should be focused around (employment and built environments were mentioned during the teleconference). This allows them to feel more involved and empowered, in the confidence that they have contributed. Ask that question beforehand prior to the October meeting. Follow it up again through e-mail, and even through social media, to push for more responses.

Useful Links

• E-mail • Facebook • Twitter • All Envision Blog Posts • Envision Microsite • Envision Launch • Envision Steering Group • Our First Campaign • YouTube Video • Insight Radio Interview

Fifth Illustration for RNIB's Insight Magazine

I have now finished my fifth illustration for RNIB's Insight Magazine!

The theme I had to work with this time was 'Support at the time of sight loss' - so incorporated support from friends and family, a Doctor and Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO), and helpful information supplied through the internet, leaflets and helplines.

The illustration took the majority of the month to complete, whenever I had some free time as I've been so busy recently!, and was created using black fineliner and colouring pencils.