RNIB Connect

Changes are being made to Child Benefits. Hywel Davies has been hearing from HMRC how the new change could affect you, and how you can make sure you’re getting the correct benefits that you’re owed.
You can find more information on the gov.uk website - Child Benefit: How it works - GOV.UK

A new course, hosted by the University of Strathclyde, will help boost the number of Vision Rehabilitation specialists, who provide a vital role for people who are losing their sight. 
RNIB Connect Radio’s Allan Russell spoke with Laura Walker, Visibility Scotland CEO, and Susan Shippey, Chair of Vision Collaborative Scotland, to hear more about the course and why it’s vital to build the low numbers of specialists in this area.
If you’d like more info on the course, go to www.sightscotland.org.uk/vision-collaborative-scotland or www.strath.ac.uk

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The annual spending power of people with disabilities in the UK, Purple Pound, is worth Billions of pounds but service providers could be missing out on their share, if their customer service fails them at the starting line.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Allan Russell spoke to Gavin Neate from Welcome, to talk about the web based solution that supports the disabled customer, as well as the service provider, to find, or deliver, 1st class service.
For more info on the system, go to www.wel-co.me

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Next Door is an app where neighbours can organise events, share recommendations, request to borrow items and sell on second hand goods.
Amelia spoke to Social Anthropologist Dr Anna Machin and Alice Skeats from Nextdoor about neighbourly connections…
Learn more about Nextdoor on their website - Nextdoor
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The Linbury Prize exhibition at the national theatre in London presents the work of the 2025 prize recipients.
12 emerging stage designers have been selected for their technical skill, artistic ability and creative vision as the brightest talent from across the UK.
The exhibition is being made accessible to blind and partially sighted people through the use of the NaviLens codes not only to navigate around the exhibition but to hear descriptions of the prize winning Theatre Designer’s work too.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey visited the national Theatre to explore the Linbury Prize winning Theatre Designer’s work through the use of the NaviLens app on his iPhone and the codes dotted around the exhibition. Before going round the exhibition he caught up with Jock Maitland, Design Skills Coordinator from the Learning Department at the National Theatre to find out more about the history of the Linbury Prize and why the National Theatre wanted to provide greater access to the exhibition to blind and partially sighted people through the use of the NaviLens codes.
The Linbury Prize Exhibition continues in the Lyttelton lounge of the foyer of the Lyttelton theatre at the National Theatre in London until 6 June 2026 and more details can be found by visiting - https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/about-us/skilled-makers/linbury-prize/ 
(Image shows photograph of one of the costume designs by Kathy Udaondo, an off-white or cream coloured dress with long wide sleeves, a high neck, a wide skirt and long strips of the same fabric draping down the front of the dress from the shoulders. There is a blurred orange light in the foreground out of focus, perhaps a piece of furniture, and an abstract and illuminated blue wooden clad wall behind)