Foresight Newsletter

Mr Hans Cohn (6 May 1923 – 18 January 2018) was a tireless campaigner for the rights of blind and partially sighted people. After losing his sight as a child, he attended Worcester College for the Blind before training as a physiotherapist. He had a great interest in braille and could read it in three languages.

Awarded an MBE for his work in support of education, social equality and career opportunities, he achieved great things for people with sight loss during his lifetime.

Mr Cohn left an extremely generous gift in his Will to RNIB. The gift allowed RNIB to produce a collection of classic titles in braille, comprising some of the great works of literature. In honour of his generous gift, this collection is called ‘The Hans Cohn Collection.'

Dave Williams, Inclusive Design Ambassador at RNIB, has leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a rare genetic eye condition which causes blindness from birth. Dave, and the rest of RNIB’s Inclusive Design team, work to ensure that organisations are delivering inclusive and accessible experiences that make a difference for blind and partially sighted people. Whether it’s facilitating awareness training for organisations, testing and advising on the design of accessible technology, or representing RNIB at industry conferences, Dave is committed to making sure that accessibility and inclusion is prioritised within society.

Sarah Matthews, age 45, worked as a bookseller and illustrator before losing her sight due to an accident that disconnected her optic nerve. Sarah has rediscovered a love of reading and been able to be part of her son’s education, all through the power of braille.

Meet Richard Simpson, one of our incredibly dedicated fundraisers. Richard’s challenges have included kayaking the Thames, walking from John O’Groats to Land’s End and trekking an impressive 485 miles of the Camino de Santiago challenge unsupported. Richard (63) was shocked when he was suddenly diagnosed as severely sight impaired three years ago but is determined to remain fully independent and continue challenging himself. So far, he’s raised an amazing £9,241 for RNIB, and his newest adventure, walking 1200 miles from Canterbury to Rome, is his most ambitious yet.

If you’re inspired by Richard, we've got lots of ways you can get involved and raise funds to support blind and partially sighted people when they need it most.

Following the general election on 4 July, RNIB would like to welcome the new UK Government led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and new and returning MPs across the UK.

Our Interim Director of Campaigns, Eleanor Thompson, said:

“We’re really looking forward to working with the new government and the new Parliament, to create a country where there are no barriers to people with sight loss.

I’d especially like to thank our campaign volunteers and supporters because you helped us achieve a huge amount in just a few short weeks, making parliamentary candidates aware of the importance of campaigning accessibly, and championing what’s important to blind and partially sighted constituents.”

RNIB Helpline Advisor shares her recipe for courgette bread.

“This is a recipe that was shared with me a few years ago by a friend and is a family favourite in my household. As a trained chef, my hobbies include cooking, baking and looking after my allotment. I like to experiment with the produce we are growing, and this bread was perfect as I always have too many courgettes - you can even use frozen shredded courgette too!”