New Events System Test

Here in the UK, restaurants, pubs, hotels and cafes have now been open for nearly two weeks, since the 4th of July.

As we continue to move towards a “new normal”, what steps has the hospitality sector taken to ensure venues are accessible and safe for blind and partially sighted people?

Join us when we’ll be discussing navigating these spaces as blind and visually impaired people. From accessing apps (many venues require you to download an app to place an order) to the availability of Braille menus, we’ll be discussing what venues have got right (and wrong) on accessibility.

Pour yourself a drink, and join us from 6 on Friday!

Cheers!

Jenny Langley walks us step-by-step through the braille code, using Fingerprint as a reference.

Join Ben and Liam for our weekly cooking and food group.

This week we’ll be discussing store cupboard essentials: the jars, tins and packets you can use to create a delicious meal in minutes. We’ll be talking about the things you need, and, just as importantly, the things you don’t need. There’s nothing more annoying than finding a recipe calls for ten different spices and flavourings which you don’t have to hand.

From selecting ingredients to labelling spice jars, we hope this weeks session helps you stock your store cupboard with confidence!

We’re all being encouraged to avoid public transport and make journeys on foot wherever possible, but how can you navigate an unfamiliar area as a visually impaired person?

Join us this week when we’ll be talking about GPS wayfinding apps, from Soundscape to Blindsquare. Ben has been testing them out around his town and will be reporting back how he got on.

Whether you’ve never considered using your mobile phone as a navigation aid or are a seasoned GPS pro, we’re hoping this session will equip you with the tools you need to navigate the world with confidence.

Jenny Langley walks us step-by-step through the braille code, using Fingerprint as a reference.

Join us for this week’s Clever Cooking session, when Ben and Liam will be taking a back seat as Gheeta Shammana (who’ll be a familiar voice if you’ve joined us before) leads us through an introduction to Indian cooking.

With a special focus on accessibility, Gheeta will be walking us through the ingredients, equipment and techniques you need to make perfect curries from scratch at home.

Gheeta will lead us through a couple of recipes, before taking questions from the group to help you perfect stunning Indian dishes at home. We hope you’re able to join us for what promises to be a fascinating hour of new spices, recipes and techniques!

Join us for our weekly catchup call. This week, we’ll be discussing job seeking and employment.

Although the major epidemic wave we experienced during Spring here in the UK seems to at last be subsiding, many people are becoming increasingly concerned about the effect of the pandemic on the economy, and the job market in particular.

There are reports of hundreds of applicants applying for each open position in parts of the country, so we’ll be discussing what blind and partially sighted people can do to stand out in a crowded job market.

We’ll be discussing everything from when to disclose your visual impairment to a prospective employer, to how to begin building a personal social media “brand” to impress hiring managers. We’ll be joined by professionals from a variety of fields to talk about how best to go about finding and applying for a new role.

Join us as we try to make sense of the often confusing and contradictory advice we’ve all heard before about how best to appeal to a prospective employer!

We’re starting Fingerprint volume 5 this week with a recap of the signs for was and were. Afterwards we’ll learn the signs for IN and EN.

“A microwave is all you’ll ever need in your kitchen, discuss”

That’s not the essay title of an avant-garde university module of dubious value – it’s actually a statement made by one of our regular attendees and the topic for this evening’s session.

Join us to learn about what microwaves can do for both new and seasoned cooks alike, some weird and wonderful uses you might not have thought of and for a demo of a talking microwave from Cobolt. We’ll make sure to leave plenty of time for questions and for you to tell us about any culinary masterpieces you’ve created in your own microwave as well.

This Friday we’re joined by a Braille icon, Judy Dixon.

Judy currently works for the National Library Service in America. She is also on the International Council on English Braille and an author of books relating to Braille and assistive technology published by the National Braille Press. She owns what is widely considered to be the largest selection of Braille slates and frames at over 270.

Join us for a live recording of BrailleCast. We’ll be joining the dots on Judy’s incredible story, plus leaving plenty of time for questions, in what’s being slated as a not-to-miss session for anyone with any interest in Braille.