RNIB Connect

Century-old charity British Wireless for the Blind Fund today (Wednesday 22 July 2026) launches new brand and direction under the name Visably, as the research from their report Until It Clicks revealed that people with sight loss were missing out on the mental health benefits of tech.
The re-brand marks a significant moment in BWBF’s century-long history. Founded by a group of friends who crafted a makeshift braille-dial radio (or ‘wireless’) for blinded war veteran Sir Ernest Towse, for nearly 100 years the charity has helped tens of thousands of blind and partially sighted people with free specialist and sight-loss friendly technology.
Under the new people-powered brand identity and over the coming months, Visably will launch a series of volunteer-powered pilot projects offering support to the community. Starting in Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow, and working in close collaboration with the wider sight loss sector, the charity will aim to fill service gaps and answer need identified in its research.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was at a reception in central London to mark this milestone for the charity and caught up with Laura who explained how the charity has supported her and her visually impaired young daughter along with why she thinks this is a good change in direction for BWBF.
(Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB’ written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font)

Century-old charity British Wireless for the Blind Fund today (Wednesday 22 July 2026) launches new brand and direction under the name Visably, as the research from their report Until It Clicks revealed that people with sight loss were missing out on the mental health benefits of tech.
The re-brand marks a significant moment in BWBF’s century-long history. Founded by a group of friends who crafted a makeshift braille-dial radio (or ‘wireless’) for blinded war veteran Sir Ernest Towse, for nearly 100 years the charity has helped tens of thousands of blind and partially sighted people with free specialist and sight-loss friendly technology.
Under the new people-powered brand identity and over the coming months, Visably will launch a series of volunteer-powered pilot projects offering support to the community. Starting in Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow, and working in close collaboration with the wider sight loss sector, the charity will aim to fill service gaps and answer need identified in its research.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was at a reception in central London to mark this milestone for the charity and caught up with Sophie Jones BWBF’s Chief Executive to find out more about the history of the charity and their new name and direction under the Visably branding.
(Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB’ written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font)

Edinburgh in August during the Festival Fringe means crowded streets, shifting queues, and venues that pop up overnight. For blind and partially sighted attendees, that can be difficult and exhausting to navigate.
Not everyone has someone available to help, so RNIB Scotland are partnering with Edinburgh Festival Fringe to launch a sighted-guide service ensuring nobody has to miss out on the fun.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined by Neil Atkinson, RNIB Scotland Social Action Community Coordinator, and Albany Wallace, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Access Projects Officer, to find out more about how the partnership on the sighted guide service came about, how it will work and how people can apply for a free volunteer sighted guide for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026.
More details about the sighted guide service and how to apply for a guide for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 can be found by visiting - https://www.edfringe.com/experience/accessibility/sighted-guide-service/
(Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB’ written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font)

With the lead up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with visually impaired Double Paralympic Champion, seven time World Champion and world record holder Para-Cyclist Sophie Unwin to not only reflect on that amazing road race win for Sophie and her Pilot Jenny Holl at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, but how Sophie is preparing to compete in Glasgow with her new Pilot Sylvia Misztal as Jenny will be piloting one of the Scottish tandems while Sophie competes for England with Anna Anna Whitworth-Hay.
More about the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the VI sports including the track Para Cycling can be found by visiting - https://www.glasgow2026.com
(Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB’ written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font)

A new, one-woman show is coming to Brighton in October. As artist Jo Bannon breaks down ‘The Dirty Work’. Hywel Davies has been finding out more.
For more information and tickets, visit the website for the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts