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Back to class: 12 months on
This week Chester and I celebrate another huge milestone – one year since we started on class. No matter how much they prepared me, I honestly didn’t realise how much goes into training with a new guide dog. Once the initial matching process is complete and you get that life-changing phone call, there are a…
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Loud and Proud for Disability Pride Month
Every year as Pride comes to a close on 30 June another, equally important, series of events take over the reins from 1 July – Disability Pride. Much like Pride, Disability Pride is a month-long celebration of the disabled community, some of the amazing advocates and their tireless work, and a means to continue to…
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Musings from a Blind Man: The impact of our actions
Welcome folks to the latest musings of a blind man. This week’s edition is all about the impact of keeping up a brave face when deep inside you’re having a tough time! Last week was a mixture of highs and lows which, with this week being Mental Health Awareness Week seems appropriate to highlight to…
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Musings from a Blind Man: Blind Grillin’
There’s nothing like a warm Saturday afternoon to take advantage of sitting outside (albeit wearing a thick hoodie to combat the chill) with some music in the background and a large joint of pork smoking on the grill. Slowly cooking a side of meat takes a lot of time and patience and it is the…
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Being visually impaired in the digital world: The ever-increasing need for inclusivity
Close your eyes and pick up your phone then try to do something simple like open your messages and very quickly you will come a cropper as you stab aimlessly on the screen and, if you do actually find the app you want, you probably won’t know because there won’t be any audible cues. Now,…
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Musings from a Blind Man: A late-night taxi ride home
I’m sat dozing in the back of a taxi, heading home after a late work event. Chester is laid on the floor next to me in the back of the comfortable MPV, exhausted after such a busy day. As we head on into the night my eyes flicker open and I attempt to gather my…
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Introducing Chester, my Sunburst Saviour
It’s been months since I put pen to paper so sitting here in a dreary Saturday morning, it seemed a fine time to make a fresh brew and open my notebook. So, what’s been going on since I last wrote anything? I’m not going to lie, it’s been a manic second half of the year…
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Navigating Sight Loss – 2 years on
It honestly feels that things have always been this way and, even though I have only just passed my second anniversary of being registered Sight Impaired, so much has happened that I often forget what life was like before. I promise you this piece won’t be about what a voyage of discovery I’ve been on…
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Van life: Can this blind petrol head really be happy in the slow lane?
If someone had told me 6 months ago that I would be sat outside my 20+ year-old camper van at 8 o’clock on a rainy Sunday morning in early Spring looking out at the Brecon Beacons. I’d have laughed in their face. But, here I am, pen in hand, legs wrapped in a blanket and…
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An open email to the candidates for West Berkshire local elections: April 2023
With the local elections around the corner, I wanted to find out a little bit about the stances of the potential counsellors for my local Tilehurst ward of West Berkshire Council. This email has been sent to the candidates of all the parties standing for election which are: Conservative Liberal Democrat Labour Green I’ve copied…
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Same World, Different Perspectives
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