Our first ever Read for RNIB day
On 14 October 2011 we launched our new signature event, Read for RNIB Day. To mark the day reading themed activities were held across the UK, including reading relays, book sales and literary events. Read for RNIB Day was part of our successful autumn campaign to highlight to the public the challenges of everyday reading that blind and partially sighted people experience - from reading a prescription to getting directions.
World record breakers
To launch Read for RNIB Day we organised a Guiness World Record attempt, which we smashed when 317 people successfully read a line each from an exclusive story by Anthony Horowitz, Called "The Double Eagle has Landed".
Read-a-loud-athon
Read-a-loud-athons also took place in Leeds, Cambridge and Coventry (pictured) to raise awareness of Read for RNIB Day.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part.
Hardest Hit - Day of action
Disabled people are the hardest hit by welfare reforms. We want to stop these cuts.
On 22 October thousands of disabled people took to the streets with their families and friends in cities across the UK to protest against cuts to essential support for disabled people. RNIB supported hundreds of blind and partially sighted people to take part.
The protests took place one year on from the Comprehensive Spending Review, where the Government promised to protect the most vulnerable when making cuts. The Welfare Reform Bill, which will significantly reduce support for disabled people, however, continues to go through Parliament.
Many blind and partially sighted people are anxious about cuts to essential benefits including Disability Living Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance. In total, the cuts will mean an estimated £9 billion loss to disabled people and their families' incomes over the next four years, on top of cuts to many local care and support services.
To get more information about the Hardest Hit Campaign contact RNIB's Campaigns Team on 020 7391 2123 or email campaign@rnib.org.uk
Debenhams launch an enhanced service for customers with sight loss
Last year celebrity stylist Gok Wan hosted a TV programme exploring the relationship blind women have with fashion. Gok focused on the story of Di Cram, who lost her sight as a teenager and hasn't seen herself in over 25 years. On the show Di was given a fashion makeover and helped to rediscover her own sense of style and enjoy clothes again.
The programme generated a lot of interest from blind and partially sighted people and inspired us to help. We spoke to RNIB Members to find out what they thought about clothing and the support they wanted from retail staff. As a result, we have been working with Debenhams, training their personal shopping staff so they can offer a high level of service to customers with sight loss.
How does personal shopping work?
The personal shopping service at Debenhams is free and easy-to-use. Customers can book an appointment at any one of the 134 stores that offer the service. On arrival, they will be met by their personal shopper and taken to a private room to find out what they're looking for and how much they want to spend. They are then brought a selection of clothes to try on. All of the personal shoppers have been trained on how to guide customers with sight loss and how to describe the colour and shape of clothing in a meaningful way.
RNIB Member Liz Cooke says: "It's the difference between never buying any clothes and actually buying clothes and enjoying buying clothes! And somebody goes and finds the clothes for you - it's like being Princess Anne!"
"We're delighted that Debenhams have introduced this service and would like this initiative to be taken up by other large and small retailers on the high street in the near future to help blind and partially sighted women shop more independently." Lesley Ann Alexander, Chief Executive of RNIB
To find out more visit rnib.org.uk/personalshopping. To find your nearest Debenhams personal shopping service or to book an appointment call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999.