Author: Matthew Horspool

In Touch recently ran a feature on RNIB’s Personal Transcription Service, amit widespread concerns about its future.

Listen to the programme here

We are pleased to announce that our braille SD card is now available to buy. The card contains thousands of books converted from our braille library, including hymn collections and even the latest edition of the NIV Bible.

It is designed to slot into an electronic braille display – a compact, portable device that converts digital text into tactile braille. These devices are growing ever more popular – they display one or a few lines of braille at a time using pins which can be raised or lowered by mechanical means and thus the braille can be endlessly advanced. In this way a whole book can be read on the device with the user pressing a button to scroll to the next line.

Sheila Armstrong, Torch trustee, writes: “Some people have suggested that braille’s dying out, as they can’t imagine heaving all those heavy volumes around – the forty-three volumes of the Bible, for instance. But what if you could have thousands of braille books on something the size of a postage stamp or even smaller? Well, it’s now possible, thanks to little SD cards which can be popped into electronic braille readers. Up comes the book you’ve selected and if you finish it, there are many, many more where that one came from. I have a lot of time for St John’s comment about there not being enough space in the whole world if all the books had been written about our Lord Jesus’ time on earth. If I owned all the braille books you can fit on an SD card, the house would definitely not be big enough to contain them!”

To purchase the SD card at a cost of £10, please call the Client Services team on 01858 438260 or email [email protected].

We hope that this project will reach braille users across the UK, enabling access to so many wonderful Christian resources at no more than the press of a button.

Unlock the world of touch reading with our braille course! Whether you’re a beginner or looking to enhance your skills, this course will teach you the fundamentals of braille.

Every Friday 11am-1pm at Bedford Hall, 72-74 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR0 2AR

Book by calling 020 8688 2486 / 07395 247699 or emailing [email protected]

Boots

2025 will be the 20th consecutive year that RNIB have worked with Boots to provided accessible versions of their Christmas Gift Guide. Christmas Gift Guide are available in audio, braille and large print.

Customers can order their free accessible copy now.

Call 0345 070 8090 or email [email protected]

From Monday 27th October, the content will also be available online, including an accessible PDF of the Gift Guide at boots.com/christmas-gift-guide/accessible-gift-guide.

M&S

Christmas Food Magazine available in audio and braille.

Braille copies can be ordered by emailing [email protected].

Lakeland

Christmas Magazine available in audio. Requests to [email protected] or call 01539 488 100.

Free content

• Alzheimer’s Society Dementia together bi-monthly magazine: Available in audio. Requests to [email protected] or call 0330 333 0804.
• British Heart Foundation Keep your heart healthy publication. Braille copies of the booklet can be ordered via bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/publications/keep-your-heart-healthy-braille-version. Easy Read version is also available at bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/publications/keep-your-heart-healthy-easy-read-booklet
• British Heart Foundation Understanding high blood pressure. Braille copies of the booklet can be ordered via bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/publications/braille/understanding-high-blood-pressure-braille-version
• Deafblind Open Hand magazine available in audio and braille. Request via deafblind.org.uk/get-support/open-hand-magazine. Alternatively, customers can contact the Deafblind helpline to be added to the mailing list: call 0800 13 23 20, text 07903 572885, email [email protected] or text relay 18001 then 0800 13 23 20.
• National Trust Quarterly magazine for National Trust members: Audio and large print requests can be ordered by emailing [email protected] or calling 01733 375 370.
• Vogue Monthly magazine. Audio via vogue.co.uk/article/british-vogue-audio-braille-2025, digital braille file requests from [email protected]
• Charged publications Braille Chess Association quarterly chess magazine for members available in braille. If people are interested in finding out more about the Braille Chess Association please ask them to contact the Publicity Officer at [email protected]. Membership is priced at £10 per year (4 quarterly gazettes) or £20 for five years (20 quarterly gazettes).
• British Legion Magazine available in audio and large print. Membership fees charged at £20 per year. Sign-up here.
• Diabetes Balance magazine available in audio and large print. Sign-up for £3 a month. This includes a sign-up form and an option to pick if they’d like to receive Balance in an a large print or audio format.
• RSPB magazine available in audio. To arrange membership and order magazine please call 01767 693 680.

The “old-fashioned Perkins” is a term we hear (and perhaps use) a lot. Whilst it is true that it was invented over fifty years ago, the evolution in braille writing in the period leading up to the first Perkins Brailler being sold was immense, with dozens of braille writers coming to market. Some of them survived; some of them have been almost completely forgotten; but all of them have a story to tell.

In this Masterclass, we are delighted to be joined by Alan Thorpe, Perkins repair expert and owner of the largest known private collection of heritage braille equipment in the world. We will explore how ideas around braille writing evolved over time, from stylus to Stainsby and beyond, and discover afresh why the Perkins Brailler is considered by many to be a timeless treasure.

Register for the Masterclass here.

To join by phone, please use these details:

• Phone number: 0131 460 1196
• Meeting ID: 878 2641 0908
• Passcode: 123456

Vispero and HumanWare invite you to an exclusive webinar showcasing the future of braille access with Monarch and JAWS. Together, we’ll demonstrate how multiline braille and split braille open new possibilities for education, productivity, and independence.

Discover how cursor routing on multiline displays provides faster, more intuitive navigation across multiple lines of text, bringing braille access closer than ever to the experience of print. Learn how JAWS and the Monarch work hand-in-hand to deliver a powerful, seamless solution for braille users of all levels.

Join us to see firsthand how this groundbreaking collaboration is transforming braille access and empowering users worldwide.

Register for Monarch Meets JAWS

SuperNova 24 Now Supports More Braille Displays

Recent updates to SuperNova version 24 now allow refreshable Braille users to access over 60 braille displays.

Layered Hotkeys

In Layered Hotkey mode, the Braille layer gives you over twenty easy-to-remember commands at your fingertips, making it simple to get more done with fewer keystrokes. For example, pressing CAPS LOCK + SPACEBAR, then B, then O will quickly toggle Braille on and off.

You can also simulate multiple keypresses directly from your HumanWare or Focus Braille display, letting you input Windows commands without moving away from your device.

Automatic Detection

SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader will automatically detect your Braille display when it is connected to your computer.

Braille Output Support

SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader supports two forms of Braille output: Computer Braille and Literary Braille.

Easy Navigation

Learning how to navigate content from a display as well as simulating common Windows commands can help you work more efficiently as it stops you having to move your hands away from your display to the keyboard to perform popular tasks.

Training Course

To find more information about various hotkeys, or for more information about multiple keypresses, visit the Dolphin Braille course.

Free 30-Day Trial

If you’re new to SuperNova or you’re running an older version, you are welcome to try this and other new SuperNova 24 enhancements free for 30 days.

SuperNova Free Trial

Friend of the Braillists Scott Davert has updated his article on AppleVis: Using a Braille Display on iOS: an Introduction.

The update reflects some changes to iOS 26, including Braille Access, and removes some obsolete information.

HumanWare is proud and thrilled to share that the Monarch has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025 in the Accessibility category. This global recognition celebrates our commitment to pushing the boundaries of braille innovation and inclusion.

Read the full article

Calling all braille readers and braille providers! Bookshare is conducting an anonymous survey of both Bookshare members and non-members to learn more about how digital braille is used and how we can better support braille readers through Bookshare improvements.

Complete the survey and help us improve Bookshare