TheBlindJournalist: Living With Retinitis Pigmentosa Documentary

TheBlindJournalist: Space Camp

“One small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind.”

These were the famous words Neil Armstrong said when he stepped onto the moon. That leap is simply now a flight to America.

To go to space is a dream many people have. But with the many years of vigorous training and commitment involved, along with the financial setbacks, this dream cannot be a reality.

However, a space camp which has been running in Huntsville, Alabama for the past 32 years aims to give this very opportunity to aspiring astronauts.

The camp was set up by Dr. Wernher von Braun in 1982. The opportunity allows individuals to experience the real-life jobs of astronauts through simulators. The camp which runs for 49 weeks out of the year aims to teach attendees the preparations astronauts make before going into space and undertake various roles over the duration of the camp. Roles include manning mission control, constructing and launching your own rocket, designing your own space patch and climbing the simulated Mars climbing wall.

Although the camp was originally designed for young children to improve their Maths and Science skills as well as improve on their teamwork; it also has camps for adults and families.

Andrew Rechenberg, Senior Systems Engineer at Sherman Financial Group, who attended the adult space camp said:

“Adult Space Academy was one of the most rewarding things I have done for myself in my adult life.  Most people I've spoken to about it have said something to the effect of "I always wanted to go to Space Camp as a kid."  After they say those words I tell them about my experiences and make sure they know that they can still go as an adult.

It actually FELT like I was a kid again.”

There are also camps especially for those who are blind\visually impaired or have other special needs.

Dan Oates, who is the coordinator for Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students Said in an interview over email:

“As a result of Dr. Wernher Von Braun touring the U. S. Space & Rocket Centre in 1982.  He saw a need for children to attend a camp, similar to soccer camp, band camp, etc., where they could learn about science. This is why he created the camp.”

To date Space Camp has had over 650,000 graduates with 6 of those graduates actually going on to become astronauts.

Jennifer Linchy, who attended the camp in October, said:

“Ever since I was a child and I saw the movie "Space Camp" it was my dream to go and it initiated my interest in the sky above. I gave up on my dream to go to space when I was older but the Adult Space Camp allowed me to make my lifelong dream a reality. I am now moonstruck and I am counting the days until I can return again”.

Dan Oates, furthered:

“Space Camp is not for amateurs.  While there are many independent companies looking at flying civilians into space, the industry isn’t ready to take that step yet. For interested individuals who wish to go on camp. Simply go to http://www.spacecamp.com and register.”

Brian Simmons, from Illinois, who also attended said:

“I've always had an interest in space and Adult Space Camp brought together a group of sixteen people like me and taught us about teamwork, leadership and most importantly, building friendships”.

To go on the Adult Space Academy camp for three days it would cost $500, and for 4 days it is $600. The camp is open to anyone from any country but a good level of English is needed to fully participate in the program.

Extended Comments

Jennifer Linchy furthered:

“Last year I liked Space Camp's Facebook page. They posted about their adult programs and I had commented that it was on my bucket list and I dreamed of going”.

Andrew Rechenberg furthered:

“Living on the Space Camp campus makes you experience the same wonder and awe you felt when you thought about being an astronaut as a child. That feeling alone is worth the price of admission.

If you can take 3-5 days away from your "regular" life, you won't regret spending them like an astronaut at Adult Space Academy”.

listen to ‘TheBlindJournalist: Space Camp Story Teaser ’ on audioBoom

TheBlindJournalist: Inventor of Vimto To Be Remembered

The cordial, Vimto is a much loved drink across the world. But did you know the inventor was from Blackburn? John Noel Nichols is to be remembered by a plaque which will be placed outside his house on Adelaide Terrace. 

In this post you will find an audio interview with Ray Smith from Blackburn Local History Society and a Piece To Camera from myself outside the house of John Noel Nichols.

Work Experience

The joys of working life – well I say work but it was work experience. There were many and I aim in this post to define what they were.

 

At University we are educated about the theory and practice of journalism, in a variety of different contexts, through modules. This is done to prepare us for working life and to mould us into employable individuals, with the relevant skills needed to be professional journalists. Even though we are given assignments which make us put into practice what we have learnt. I found that until you find yourself in a real working life environment, you don’t appreciate the value of what you learn. On the other hand however, it is only until you are ‘in the field’ that you truly learn, regardless of how many assignments you do.  

 

I shadowed various industry professionals and also was on placement at BBC Radio Lancashire. The beauty of this placement was I got treated as a fellow member of the team and I was given tasks to do for the programmes that would air on the radio. Although this may seem a daunting task, it is actually the best way to learn. I was sent out to conduct vox pops that would air on the drive-time show, be a reporter and interview Steven Burke MBE, who won a gold medal at the Olympics for cycling, and also produce a package on Asian carers. As well as partaking in production meetings and sharing ideas for programmes and stories.

 

The shadowing was arranged partyly through myself but mainly by Deborah Robinson, UCLan Senior Broadcast Journalism Lecturer. I was offered the work placement by John Clayton following on from a careers event at UCLan. All these opportunities were perfect for my Work Placement module, JN3048. The best part of the placement for me was not only producing the work but working with professional journalists and listening to my work going out live on the radio. The skills which I gained from working with professional journalists and working for a highly acclaimed radio station cannot be taught in a classroom.  

 

There is an old saying which states “Actions speak louder than words.” Going on work experience showed me this because regardless of how many hours you spend in a library or classroom. Only when you are putting theory in to practice you will truly learn.

 

Note: Nothing will prepare you for the 8am starts though!

TheBlindJournalist: Asian Carer Interview

Listen to my interview with Shenaz Ibrahim, a business woman from Darwen, who has chosen to care for her elderly mum at home on top of looking after her husband, children and business. Find out why by hitting play. Produced for BBC Radio Lancashire.

listen to ‘TheBlindJournalist: Asian Carer Package’ on Audioboo

TheBlindJournalist: Dom Smith Interview

A big house, lots of money, family, love? I pondered to myself trying to answer the million dollar question; what is the key to happiness?

Hoping to unlock the answer I went and interviewed Dominic Smith, who has been voted one of the happiest men in the UK.

It isn’t hard to realise why Dom Smith, a disabled 27-year-old from York, has been awarded this title. As soon as I saw him I was greeted with a heart-warming smile and firm hand shake.

I sit down with Dom, over a nice cup of tea, and ask him:

Q: What is your official job title and how long have you been doing that job? 

I am the editor and publisher of Soundsphere magazine and Soundspheremag.com. I am also the co-founder of Disabled Entrepreneurs and The Creative Condition. 

Q: Do you have any brothers or sisters? 

I have one sister, and four step-sisters and one step-brother.

Q; How did you become one of the happiest men in the UK - were you nominated?

I'm still not sure how that happened. I got a tweet saying I was in the Independent on Sunday as part of their 2013 Happy List. It was awesome. I guess someone researched me, and the stuff that I do! It's a great feeling.

Q: When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you see yourself as one of the happiest men in the UK?

Most days. Some days more than others I do feel that way, but whenever I feel sad, I think about all the inspirational people who are out there and all of my awesome family and friends. Also, the fact that I have a very cool job helps!

Q: What does it take to be one of the happiest men in the UK?

I would say, at the core: Determination. Drive. Social skills, or the ability to just talk to people and be nice. The ability to chill out. Always making sure you treat everyone with respect, because then you get it back. Finding a way to be useful to others is also important. Soundsphere and Disabled Entrepreneurs are huge tools for people to use for promotion and support, and having the ability to do that makes me very happy. 

Q: Why do you think you are one of the happiest men in the UK?

Because I'm probably the luckiest person I know.

Q: Do you feel your upbringing or family life is one of the reasons you are so happy?

Absolutely. I had the greatest support from family and friends growing up. I am eternally grateful to everyone that helped me get to where I am. All of my family are really cool.

Q: For some people money, women, or chocolate makes them happy. What puts a smile on your face?

All of those things make me happy too! I'd say mostly, putting a smile on other people's faces. Knowing I've helped a band or entrepreneur do something, or I've helped someone get a cool job with a reference. I'm constantly meeting awesome people that keep me motivated and inspired to keep going.

Q: On the flip side; what makes you sad or angers you?

Escalators. I hate them.

Q: What advice would you give to all those people who always complain that they aren't happy with their life?

I think it's down to circumstance. I've met people who haven't had the support I had growing up, who have done some wonderful things in their lives, and inspired others. I think it's important to understand that not everybody can be happy all the time, I'm not!

I think that it's important to celebrate the smallest things in life, and a lot of those small things can happen throughout a day; being able to get up, having a good conversation with a friend, seeing someone you haven't seen in an age, eating a particularly great food, going to a gig, helping someone at work. Everyone has the potential to do immense good in this world. Not for fame, or money necessarily. And, while your happiness or good deeds may not impact the world, they'll have a great impact on the others around you. I think by doing as many good things as possible, it attracts and brings happiness to you. 

Q: What is your outlook on life?

Don't worry be happy.

Q: Do you have any role models or inspirational figures that motivate you?

Shane Bratby (Disabled Entrepreneurs) for his strength of character, Mike Cooper (The Creative Condition) for his determination. My dad for his drive, my mum for her patience, and my sister for her patience.

In terms of celebrity? Marilyn Manson for not giving a f*** about trends or appearance in music and art when I was growing up. Also, every Paralympic athlete ever. There are loads! The human race and its potential is astounding, most of the time.

Q: To smile it costs nothing but why do you think people don't smile often enough?

Because they don't drink enough tea. Also, they don't appreciate the little things, and are always going after stressful stuff! Everyone's always running about, not just in work (which is fine because there are deadlines...), but in every day life, nobody ever stops to appreciate what they have, and the opportunities that are right there. It's not about the stuff you don't have – the job, the car, the fame. Everybody you meet, from people on the streets, to producers, artists and whoever can create a new exciting opportunity for you. If you have nothing. Then go find something, and someone that can support you, and help you to have something. People will help, and they'll be happy because of it. Support others, and help others to be happy, and you'll be happy too. The more you do that, the more people will help you, and the more support you'll get from more people. That's just my opinion, though!

Q: How do you deal with pressure or stress?

I drink tea. Lots of tea. And chat to friends.

Q: Can you describe yourself in one word?

Chaotic.

After another firm handshake and heart-warming smile I thank Dom and end the interview.

A big house, lots of money, family, love? Well actually its all of these things and more. But tea is the key.

TheBlindJournalist: Interview with Olypic Gold Medalist Steven Burke MBE for BBC Radio Lancashire

Listen to my interview with Olympic gold medalist Steven Burke MBE as he put a new cycling track through its paces in Nelson. The interview was produced for BBC Radio Lancashire.

listen to ‘TheBlindJournalist's Interview with Olympic Gold Medalist Steven Burke MBE’ on Audioboo

TheBlindJournalist: What is on my iPhone

This blog post is following a request by a follower who has requested I do a video where I talk about what is on my iPhone and which applications I use to assist me. Below is a video and further on you will find screenshots of the folder which contains the applications I use to aid me. I mention a few of the apps and what they do in my video. Also further on you will find two screenshots. One is where you need to go to in order to enlarge the text size on your device and the second is the various optinos available for accessibility. .

Screenshots:

In the above image you will find the applications I use to aid me. 

VisionSim is a simulator of various different eye conditions. As well as using the iPhone's camera to simulate how a sufferer would see, the app contains symptoms and information about each condition. 

TapTapSee is a fantastic app. It enables you to take a photo of an object and it will then process the image and tell you what it is. 

BrailleCoder is an app which teaches you the basics of braille and has short exercises to help you learn.

BigMagnify is a magnifying app which uses your camera for your phone to become a magnifier. You can chose the level of zoom you prefer and it also has an inbuilt torch facility if you need light. 

Go to Settings > General > Text Size. This will allow you to use the slider to decide to what extent you would like to enlarge the text on you iPhone for messages, emails and other apps which allow the iPhone to adjust the size.

Go to Settings > General > Accessibility. Here you will find various options to enable you the opportunity to choose what features you would like to activate to ensure your phone is accessible. The VoiceOver feature is essentially a screen-reader. It is extremely useful. 

TheBlindJournalist: Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation – A medieval practice in the 21^st Century.

Mohammed Salim Patel in Burkino Faso investigates the trauma millions of women face around the world.

A hospital has been created in Africa to restore the genitals of females.

Over 100.000000 (one hundred million) women in Africa have had their genitals mutilated. The mutilation takes place when the women are young girls. In some parts of Africa it is felt that if a woman is not mutilated then she is viewed as unclean and wouldn’t get married. The women are very young girls when they are taken for the cutting and therefore don’t have a say in the matter. The individuals who carry out the circumcisions are not trained medical proffessionals and often use razor blades to do the mutilation, therefore increasing risk of infections because the tools are not steralised.

There are many different forms of mutilation. They vary from clipping off the cliterus, stretching off the labia or partial\total removal of the genitalia. The most sever form of mutilation is infibulation – this is where the outer lips of the cliterus are removed, which causes a lot of blood loss, a small twig maybe inserted before the wound heals in order to allow the woman to relieve herself and maintain periods. Once the procedure is complete the woman’s legs are bound together for up to four weeks, entailing that intercourse and showering becomes impossible, this is done so that the husband knows their wife to be is a virgin. Some girls are married off at the age of 12.    

The hospital, ironically named, ‘The Pleasure Hospital’ is based in Burkino Faso, which is one of the poorest countries in the world. The hospital was set up by the religious movement called the Raelians. They set up a charity called ‘Cliteraid’ where people were asked to sponsor a cliterus. Once enough money was raised they decided to open up this hospital. The Raelians are a religious movement that believe life is for pleasure. Those who follow the movement believe in UFOs and that the human race is governed by Aliens outside the earth. The earthly raelians mainly reside in Canada and California.  The hospital has been made so that those women who have been genitally circumcised get their cliterus restored. Doctors from America volunteered to launch the hospital and to give guidance and training to local doctors on how to carry out the operations. The husbands of those woman who have been mutilated are very keen that their wives get operated on and repaired.

The mutilation causes severe pain during labour and sex for the women. It also denies them pleasure.

As part of some religions, such as Judaism and Islam, male followers are told to undergo similar cuttings. The men have their penis’s foreskin circumcised and also shave their pubic hair. This is because it was an action that the Prophets practiced and authorised. This act is not done to cause pain or discomfort. It is seen as a form of cleanliness. Female genital mutilation however, has no eligious backings. Even though some parts of Western Africa, who follow Catholicism, say that it is a religious practice. The Catholic Church completely forbids the action.

Cultural traditions are being misinterpreted for religious ones. In the UK up to 24,000 girls, under the age of 18, are at risk also. Recently there have been incidents where mutilation has taken place in UK hospitals. Two doctors are currently under questioning by police on the matter. It is illegal in the UK for female genital mutilation to take place. There are also reports that mothers send their daughters back to their homelands in Africa so that the procedure can be done.  

On the day of the launch at the hospital the doctors were told that the Burkino Faso’s Ministry of Health couldn’t allow the hospital to be open. The Raelians felt that this was because the government don’t agree with their religious beliefs. However, the American doctors managed to get local doctors to allow them to use their facilities to fulfil the operations. In the three days after the start of the operations the American doctors repaired 29 women’s genitalia. But they were eventually told that their rights to work in the country were refused and therefore had to leave.

As well as the Raelians standing up, to  try and repair the circumcised woman and prevent this 

tradition continuing, many organisations and campaigns have been launched around the world to create awareness and make a change.

A church in Kenya have started up a project to create an alternative to circumcisions. Elderly women hold residentials camps where young women and girls are taught how to cook, be good wives, mothers and women. Previously these camp would end with circumicison taking place however, it now ends with a graduation ceremony and the girls are awarded with a certificate. 

The project which is called ‘The Alternative Right of Passage’ is run by the  Catholic Diasees of Meru and The Catholic Relief Services in order to eradicate the previous practices. 

TheBlindJournalist: Impact of living with Retinitis Pigmentosa

“Could this be my last day seeing…”

TheBlindJournalist Mohammed Salim Patel looks at an eye condition which has the potential of leaving sufferers totally blind. The symptoms of the condition and the impact upon the patients and their families will be presented.

Vision is a sense that can be, and is, taken for granted by us all.

There are many different eye conditions out there in the world. Some more severe than others. Due to the nature of Retinitis Pigmentosa it would fall into the severe category simply because it can lead to a life without vision.

Retinitis Pigmentosa, or RP for short, is a degenerative and hereditary condition but unlike other eye conditions that can be controlled by wearing glasses, or having surgery. RP currently has no medical cure. However, there is a lot of money being spent around the world on research to find a cure. This has resulted in possible cures and pioneering surgery to take place on human ‘guinea pigs’. One of the latest advances has come from the Oxford University who have been working with Oxford Eye Hospital on a possible cure for blindness. They have called this treatment ‘gene therapy’.

Symptoms

In the back of the human eye there are light sensitive cells called photoreceptors. For those suffering with RP these cells gradually stop working as the condition deteriorates resulting in these cells dying and therefore entailing to blindness.

Furthermore, those with RP have night blindness because the cells in the eye which are used for seeing in low-light or complete darkness (rod cells) do not develop. RP sufferers also have tunnelled vision because their peripheral vision is non-existent.

All the symptoms that have been measured above are only a few of the main symptoms associated with the condition. However, there are a lot more.

Other symptoms include:

Scotoma – blind area in centre of vision

   

Constricted visual fields – no peripheral vision. If a ball was to be thrown at someone with RP they can’t see it coming in their direction, left or right, until it hits them; they wouldn’t know. Hence why there are no boxers who suffer from the condition.

Flashes – these are sudden flashes of light that originate in the eye. This is because the retina is tearing apart or detaching from the blood vessels that nourish it. Therefore causing sudden flashes caused by the brain as it tries to interpret the messages being sent due to the detachment.

Floaters – these can be either dark spots, thin white threads or cloudy areas floating in the eye. These can be scars on the retina making themselves visible. As sufferers age the floaters increase in number.

Increased glare sensitivity – glare is light that obscures or makes it difficult to see the intended visual target. Sunlight shining through a window or car head lights at night can be possible causes of glare affecting the patient. This is why some sufferers of RP struggle in sunlight due to shadows. Hence why they may were sunglasses or caps.

Reduced contrast sensitivity – this is where those who have RP cannot see or find objects due to the contrast sensitivity for example if they drop a 50p coin onto a white marbled floor they wouldn’t be abled to see it.

Reduced visual acuity – this is where vision is blurred and indistinctive. Small or distant objects become very blurred and significantly so in dim light. This is why a lot of light is essential in order for somebody with RP to see as best as possible.

Distorted colour sensitivity – this is where colours cannot be differentiated easily unless they are the primary colours. Therefore sometimes making it difficult to colour co-ordinate clothing.

Slow light adaptation –this is where an individual with RP takes a very long time to adjust from dark-to-light areas and light-to-dark areas. The transition period in order for the eyes to adjust to their surroundings can be extensive.

Sudden loss of whole or part of visual field – this can be a very serious issue that would need immediate medical consultation. It maybe symptom related or an issue with the brain and the eyes. For some sufferers the loss of visual field can last a short duration and for others it becomes lifelong. For some the area that has lost the vision becomes black or brightly coloured and for others they hallucinate.

Visual distortion – this symptom would also require immediate medical consultation. This is where straight lines become wavy or have breaks. Objects seem larger or smaller than usual. This is caused by sub-retinal bleeding and therefore distorting the retina.  

Simulator
Below are two images. Both images are of a window looking out into the garden. Image 1 is the view of a sighted person. Image 2 is the from the view from somebody who is at the halfway stage of Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Image 1:

Image 2:

Support

In the United States 1 in 3500 people suffer from the condition and approximately 1 in 3,000 to 4,000 people suffer from RP in the UK. In comparison to the population of the UK there is only a small minority of individuals suffering from RP however, in 1975 a society was founded by a group of people with the condition.

Chief Executive, of RP Fighting Blindness, David Head said:

“RP Fighting Blindness was founded because the group was concerned at the lack of knowledge about RP in the medical profession, the lack of treatment or cure, and the lack of support for people with RP”

“We exist to do two things; our first objective is to find a treatment for RP. Secondly we provide key information and support services to people with RP, their families, and indeed anyone with an interest in the condition”

Impact

Even though RP is an international eye condition the impact upon each individual varies from patient to patient.

Nadia, 18, from Blackburn who was diagnosed with RP at the age of seven said:

“Living with RP has presented me with an array of obstacles both physical and emotional. Nevertheless, I feel that it has moulded me in to the individual that I am today. I believe that every one of us is different in some way but for those of us who are more different, we simply need to convince the less different that we can do the same things they can, just differently or with some help. Optimism is key.”

Living with a visual impairment does not only affect the individual with the disability but also their family members.

Ilyas Patel, 47, Father of Nadia and TheBlindJournalist, said:

“My heart slumped and my tears were uncontrollable upon hearing the words from the consultant that

“I am really sorry to say Mr Patel but both your beautiful kids have RP and there is no cure”

RP isn’t a condition that is always diagnosed at an early age. The diagnosis can come at any point in a person’s life because the condition may not be apparent until the photoreceptor cells start to die and therefore impact upon the patient.

Junyad Ahmed, 15, from London, who was diagnosed at 14 said:

“Since being diagnosed with RP it has affected my life in many ways from my school life to my social life. It has pretty much affected all aspects of my life. I am missing out on things that sighted people are able to do such as go out at night but I am hopeful to Allah that things will change for the positive one day. It is very hard for me to be positive because I am really struggling to come to terms with the condition I have and the possible way in which it may impact on my life. I cannot comprehend what a life will be like being totally blind. I get very depressed and upset whenever I think about RP. My sister has lost her sight due to the condition and that scares me even more. Knowing that there is a lot of research taking place for cures is what I hold on to for hope and I hope that one day things will change for the better”

That day seems to be coming soon. Junyad has been referred to receive the gene therapy trial.

Due to RP being an inherited condition it is common that siblings will both suffer from the condition and that one of the siblings, if not both, carry the RP gene and therefore could pass it on to their children.

Rukshana Shaheen, 29, a single Mum from Birmingham said:

“It hasn’t been easy being a mum with an eye condition. I can’t always do certain activities with my daughter. But she understands and she is very supportive. If it wasn’t for my daughter I don’t think I could cope. We fight it together.”

Cure

The latest breakthrough in a cure for RP came in January of this year. Gene therapy is where a harmless virus carries a working copy of a gene, which sufferers do not have, and this virus is injected behind the retina using a fine needle. The virus infects light sensitive cells and the gene is then released. This gene then produces protein which helps preserve vision.   Professor, 

Robert MacLaren, of Oxford University who is leading the trial said:

“In truth we did not expect to see such dramatic improvements in visual activity. It is still too early to know if the gene therapy treatment will last indefinitely”

However, it seems that there may be light at the end of the tunnel for a cure to Retinitis Pigmentosa.

TheBlindJournalist Mohammed Salim Patel reporting 

TheBlindJournalist: Voting Rights for the Blind

VOTING RIGHTS
Written By TheBlindJournalist Mohammed Salim Patel in London

Emily Pankhurst and Beatrice Webb started it. Now Stephen Vincent Anderson joins their ranks. Voting rights have been at the forefront of public debate for centuries. Whether you are male or female. Abled or disabled. Tory, Liberal Democrat or Labourite. It does not matter. Everyone wants the right. Even today. In the 21st century. It is difficult to believe that people are still having to fight to have a secret vote with the confidence, and comfort, that their vote is theirs. Who are these people? Which country do they reside in? The answer is the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Currently blind and visually impaired voters in the UK do not have the ability to vote secretly. With the current system they have two options. The first is to request assistance by a helper provided at the station to read the information on the ballet paper and sign for them. The second option is a tactile overlay that has braille and raised number flaps. However, there is no guarantee that their voting wishes have been accurately articulated on the ballet sheet, given that they cannot check it themselves. In America, incidents have been reported where votes have been tampered with by the helpers. This has prompted one registered blind politics student to step up and tackle the issue.

Stephen Anderson, a 22 year old, from Harrow has decided to make his own mark by creating an e-petition in order to ensure that blind and visually impaired individuals have the voting process made accessible for them. The e-petition was created on 28th December 2013 which needs 100,000 signatures to get the matter discussed at the House of Commons. To date the petition has received 103 signatures and can be found at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/59635.

Resistance to changing the system focuses predominantly around the lack of willingness to adjust. Also the financial and technical implications to create a better system. There are a few MP’s that don’t accept there’s a problem with the current system. One of these MP’s saying: “The current system is accessible and there’s no need for change” One possible solution as seen in the United States, is to have a computer in every polling station in the UK. This computer would allow accessible voting to all. As the US have shown this system helps because in the 2012 American elections 60% of 305 million Americans voted, possible suggesting that making voting accessible increases voters.

When considering how far away change is Stephen Anderson shrugs then sniggers and says: “It’s as far away as the politicians of this world want to make it. They could still get this organised for 2015, albeit it requires coalition and opposition support which is currently lacking.” There are however a handful of MP’s who have all acknowledged the principle of accessible voting and have backed the action of a petition. Along with the Royal National Institute for the Blind who also support the petition as seen by a recent tweet inviting people to sign it.

Stephen Anderson’s petition is designed to raise awareness to the lack of an alternative for blind and visually impaired voters to vote independently at elections. These voters feel the current two options are insufficient. In order to use the current facility the individual needs to be a braille reader but with only 20,000 of the 250,000 blind and visually impaired residents in the UK being braille readers clearly more needs to be done. Stephen Anderson adds: “I have limited sight and have never used braille as a means of working practice.
What I propose is a computerized system so that people with a lack of vision can vote. Without any breech of the principle of the secret vote.” The suggested solution of a computerized system would entail having a computer at each of the 10,000 polling stations in the UK. As well as additional manpower to ensure the system runs smoothly. To do this there would be a large amount of money needed but Stephen Anderson strongly feels that: “This money could be found. I mean, if we can find £120 billion to bail out the banks, we can find a couple of million to set this up properly.”

With there being 250,000 registered blind or partially sighted people in the UK; 15% of whom have no sight at all. But also with an ageing population and the rise of Macular Degeneration and deteriorating sight occurring in the elderly. The petition could be of use to them too. Sheila Norris who is an elderly lady coping with sight loss says: “It is very hard for me now. I need my glasses wherever I go and even with them on I can’t always see small writing. A better system definitely needs to be put into place”

The most populated area of visually impaired people in the UK is Hereford; with one in seven people living there having some form of registered sight loss. One of those residents animatedly said: “Why in 2014 is this issue still up for debate and also correspondence from the public sector in accessible formats is a legal requirement, and surely voting comes under this bracket” A senior lecturer who specialises in International Relations at Leicester University said: “The current situation is outrageous. I had no idea it was this inaccessible” Stephen Anderson says: “This is the problem, as visual impairment is so rare, these debates take place in more secluded institutions, such as colleges for the blind and care homes. However, for this to work this must come to the political mainstream, and I sincerely hope that we can have this debate with our elected officials in order to make progress on what I believe to be such a vital issue.”