In Touch Folgen

As more information about measures to reduce the impact of coronavirus is revealed, what is their impact on the blind and visually impaired? Reliance on touch - and the impact of too much caution - could have serious implications according to listener Kirsten Hearn. And Director of Operations at Guide Dogs Peter Osborne tells us what his organisation is doing to mitigate the situation in a time of upheaval. And he hinted at a change on our programme a few weeks ago - but Grant Shapps has revealed measures to ban pavement parking in England. We work through the implications of a consultation with Tom Walker, and Sarah Lambert, Head of Social Change at RNIB gives a reaction. And - if you need some light relief, a clip from Chris McCausland's recent Now Show appearance on the joys of Audio Description. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

The view persists that blindness can lead to other senses being somehow more acute - but are they just better trained? The notion of "neuroplasticity" comes up in consideration of the work of our first guest, Professor Vera Morgan Head of the Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit in the University of Western Australia. Her studies support the idea that the congenitally blind, or those who become blind in their early years are somehow protected from schizophrenia. If this is the case - could the cause of the phenomenon be harnassed to combat mental illness?We hear again from 12-year-old Hester Poole, who visited a blind school in Africa and interviewed the lawyer and disability activist Yetnebersh Nigussie, who calls going blind "winning the lottery". And there are plenty of fascinating blind characters in history. But have you heard of Nicholas Saunderson? Born in Penistone in the 17th Century and blinded by smallpox as a baby, he went on to become Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge - a seat held by Sir Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking. This fascinating character is now the subject of a musical, No Horizon. Director Andrew Loretto and leading man Adam Martin tell us about bringing a figure who may have been forgotten back into the limelight. Presented by Peter White. Produced by Kevin Core.

Radio 4's All in the Mind programme is running a big survey on how we feel about touch. Peter White talks to the presenter Claudia Hammond about why they especially welcome contributions from blind listeners.We explore what to do when you find an app that isn't accessible. And interview the blind comedian David Eagle who has just been named best newcomer in the influential Chortle Awards.