In Touch Folgen

William Phillips is a visually impaired cognitive behavioural therapy specialist who works to make CBT accessible to others with sight loss. He lays out how blind people can go about getting mental health support that suits them. There was a huge response to last week’s programme with Ashley Cox’s story about struggling to find a counsellor. We read a selection of your emails.Visually impaired actor Karina Jones stars in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s current productions of As You Like It and Measure For Measure. She describes how they gave one of her characters a white cane, what reasonable adjustments are in place for her at the RSC and why she’s excited that blind people will see themselves represented on stage in the future.Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Emma TraceyPictured: Karina Jones playing Sister Francisca in Measure for Measure. Photographed by Helen Maybanks. Courtesy of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

From July 2019, all new electric vehicles will have sounds added to keep pedestrians safe. Transport minister Michael Ellis, gives us the government’s take. We also hear the thoughts of Jessica Schröder from the German national organisation for the blind, a member of the European Blind Union which led the campaign to add a sound to electric and hybrid vehicles. She tells us why she doesn’t think the new law goes far enough.When Ashley Cox needed help with his mental health, he went online to find a therapist. Eight of them said no straight away, because they felt uncomfortable working with a blind person. He eventually found one and is now doing well, but he doesn’t want anybody else to have a similar experience.Presenter: Lee Kumutat Producer: Emma Tracey

Braille readers have enjoyed magazines from Scottish Braille Press for the best part of forty years. Now the charity says it is discontinuing all of its five publications. Scottish Braille Press CEO Mark O’Donnell explains the decision.Aletea Sellers moved from one side of Birmingham to the other about four months ago. She is still waiting for help from the Guide Dogs Association to learn her way around her new neighbourhood. Erin Jepsen has two visually impaired children and reads and transcribes braille herself. She wanted to find out how changing the word “braille” to “print” in an educational context might challenge some attitudes towards it.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat