RNIB

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s first report shows how woefully ill-prepared the UK was for Covid-19. This is especially true when considering blind and partially sighted people’s rights. Today’s report sets out critical lessons to learn for the future. We know contingency planning didn’t adequately consider the needs of disabled people. This wasn’t only the result of a new, unknown virus, but systemic failures to act on the experience of past outbreaks when blind and partially sighted people’s needs had been raised as a concern. Despite the introduction of the NHS Accessible Information Standard, requiring health and care bodies to communicate with blind and partially sighted people in a format they can read, shielding letters were sent in formats people couldn’t read. This was unacceptable and we’re yet to be convinced it won’t happen again in a future emergency. Data shows that for some age groups, blind and partially sighted people were 40% more likely to die from Covid-19 than the general population. Four years on, we’re still waiting for research to find out why and how this increased risk could be prevented in future pandemics. The government and devolved administrations must implement the report’s recommendations quickly. They must also urgently improve their understanding of the effects of sensory loss and account for this in future pandemic readiness planning.

"brat summer" I whisper to myself as I add alt text to my images to make them accessible to blind and partially sighted people. [Image description: The words "alt text" against a vibrant, lime green background, mimicking the album cover art of charlie xcx's "brat"]

This #WorldEmojiDay, our message is simple: Please don't overuse emojis in your social media posts 🙏 Here is what putting emojis between each word sounds like to blind and partially sighted people using a screen reader. Annoying, right? So, only use one or two emojis per post. [Video description: A tweet from RNIB that says "this is what screen reader users hear when you over-use emojis" with the clapping hands emoji in between each word. A robot voice reads this out, which sounds like: "This clapping hands is clapping hands what clapping hands screen clapping hands reader clapping hands users clapping hands hear clapping hands when clapping hands you clapping hands over-use clapping hands emojis clapping hands."]

This #WorldEmojiDay, our message is simple: Please don't overuse emojis in your social media posts 🙏 Here is what putting emojis between each word sounds like to blind and partially sighted people using a screen reader. Annoying, right? So, only use one or two emojis per post. [Video description: A tweet from RNIB that says "this is what screen reader users hear when you over-use emojis" with the clapping hands emoji in between each word. A robot voice reads this out, which sounds like: "This clapping hands is clapping hands what clapping hands screen clapping hands reader clapping hands users clapping hands hear clapping hands when clapping hands you clapping hands over-use clapping hands emojis clapping hands."]

If you thought Jordan Pickford was mad when he had to save goals during the Euros, you should see us when we spot posts without alt text. Here's how to score points and add descriptions to your images: https://lnkd.in/eXG2Sgcd. [Image description: 'Us when we spot another post without alt text’. A meme style post of England player, Jordan Pickford, giving a side eye to the camera. He is waiting to go on the pitch before the England and Spain Euros Final.]

🦮 Don't forget! [Image descriptions 1. RNIB Tweet: "Note: we love that you're all really excited about new MP Steve Darling and his guide dog, Jennie, but just a little reminder to add alt text when you're sharing pictures of new MP Steve Darling and his guide dog, Jennie (lightbulb emoji). It's easy to do - here's an example!" Image in screenshot: Steve Darling MP and his guide dog, Jennie, at the beach on a sunny day. Jennie, who's a golden retriever with long, wavy, golden fur is standing on a wall, wearing her harness. She's roughly at the same level as Steve, who's stood next to her. He's wearing a suit and a maroon tie. They both have big smiles on their faces - Jenny has her tongue out, but Steve doesn't. There's a pier jutting into the sea in the background. 2. RNIB Tweet that shows only the picture with the image description visible in the picture. "Image description: Steve Darling MP and his guide dog, Jennie, at the beach on a sunny day. Jennie, who's a golden retriever with long, wavy, golden fur is standing on a wall, wearing her harness. She's roughly at the same level as Steve, who's stood next to her. He's wearing a suit and a maroon tie. They both have big smiles on their faces - Jenny has her tongue out, but Steve doesn't. There's a pier jutting into the sea in the background."]

✍️ Phew! Exam season is coming to an end and results will soon be on their way! We're proud to have produced over 600 accessible educational exams in the last academic year for blind and partially sighted students. Our work with schools, universities, exam boards and educational providers has ensured students receive equal access to their education. Mathematics, sciences, foreign languages, music and more, there's no subject paper too complex to be made accessible. If you work in an educational setting and would like to make your documents accessible, contact businesslink@rnib.org.uk for more details. #Accessibility #AccessibleFormat #WorkingWithRNIB [Image Description: A graph where all the information is represented in braille. The vertical axis is titled cumulative frequency and the words length (mm) on the horizontal axis. Numbers range from 0-60 vertically and 0-100 horizontally. The line contained within the graph rises exponentially as both cumulative frequency and length increase.]

We are delighted to be awarded The Charity Awards Campaigning and Advocacy Award for our campaign to stop the closure of over 800 ticket offices across England and at Glasgow Central Station. The Government scrapped its proposals to close them in a stunning U-turn last October. As well as taking part directly in the consultation on the proposals, almost 2,000 blind and partially sighted people sent a letter to their MP asking them to share their concerns with the transport minister, reaching nine out of ten MPs. Hundreds of people also wrote to their local newspapers to reiterate RNIB’s call to scrap the proposals. This led to MPs from across the house sharing emails sent to them in a parliamentary debate, referencing RNIB statistics and the impact closing ticket offices would have. Thank you to everyone who supported this important campaign! Read more about the Award on the Charity Awards website: https://lnkd.in/emchWn3h #CharityAwards [Image description: Matt Stringer, RNIB CEO, Lydia Williamson-Sawyer, RNIB Campaigns Officer, Eleanor Thompson, RNIB Director of Campaigns, and Gorki Duhra, RNIB PR Manager, standing in a row at the Charity Awards holding the award for Campaigning and Advocacy, which is yellow and pink with a gold crown in the middle.]

Share to save someone from having to explain themselves for the millionth time. 🙃 [Image descriptions: 1. "If you see a blind or partially sighted person using a phone, they aren't faking it." White text on a pink background. A hand drawn arrow points to the next slide. 2. "If you see a blind or partially sighted person without a cane or a guide dog, they aren't faking it." White text on a blue background. A hand drawn arrow points to the next slide. 3. "If you see a blind or partially sighted person playing video games, they aren't faking it." White text on a green background. A hand drawn arrow points to the next slide. 4. A screenshot of a tweet by Alan Stewart @alstewglasgow reads: "When people ask me how I can use a smartphone or tablet if I am blind, I reply 'I use a smartphone and tablet because I am blind.' A black hand drawn arrow points to the final slide. 5. "Be an ally. Follow blind and partially sighted people on social media. Listen, learn, and share." Black text on a white background. The "RNIB See Differently" logo is in the bottom right corner.]

New rules have stopped Manchester student and Paralympic swimmer Mar Gunnarsson from flying in and out of the UK with his guide dog. It's a breach of EU regulations, that still apply after Brexit for airlines to refuse to carry a recognised assistance dog. Mar's experience isn't an isolated one. The EUROPEAN GUIDE DOG FEDERATION is gathering evidence of the problems guide dog users are having travelling by air for the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC): https://rnib.in/EGDFSurvey [Image description: Mar crouching down beside his black Labrador guide dog in front of a plane which has the airline's name flyPLAY on the body and engine.]