RNIB Northern Ireland's Read for RNIB Day
This event was to raise awareness, and much needed funds, in order to produce many more books in formats that blind and partially sighted people can access.
It is an outrageous fact that only 5-7% of all printed material is ever produced in accessible formats and RNIB NI campaign tirelessly to right this wrong!
To mark 'Read for RNIB Day' in Northern Ireland this year, Stephen Douds, television producer for BBC Northern Ireland, and author of the book 'The Belfast Blitz', came down to the RNIB NI premises in Linenhall Street and gave a reading from his book, which was published earlier this year.
When asked about his motivation for writing his book, Stephen said:
"I've always been interested in the pre-troubles history of Belfast, and one of the things I was very aware of was the Belfast Blitz of 1941. One thing that struck me was the voices and stories of the ordinary people of the city were missing. My motivation was to see if I could find enough written records, enough personal accounts, and collate them in to a book that would make that huge event intelligible and understandable."
Read for RNIB Day is 14 October, but anyone can hold a Read for RNIB event or challenge on any day and any amount raised will make a difference to almost 52,000 people living with sight loss in Northern Ireland.
RNIB NI's Thomas Quigley said:
"Even the smallest amount can help blind and partially sighted people receive vital access to reading tools such as braille, large print and Talking Books. It's incredibly frustrating that blind and partially sighted people such as myself, cant get access to the books we want - when we want them like everyone else."
Download a fundraisers pack crammed with ideas and tips, visit Read for RNIB Day or call, RNIB NI in Belfast on, 028 9032 9373
and help make 'Read for RNIB Day' a success.