The UK Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF) is saddened to learn of the recent death of one of its honorary members, Bill Poole.
Known to many of us, Bill served as Chair of the Braille Authority of the United Kingdom (BAUK) for many years prior to that organisation – with others – helping to form UKAAF. His commitment to the rightful place of blind and partially sighted people in society was tireless, along with his enormous contribution to BAUK, realising only too well the need to integrate braille and technology if braille was to have a secure future.
He was also active in his work on RNIB committees over five decades helping to influence its decision-making. In particular he was part of the National Federation team in the 1970s which fought successfully to increase the proportion of representative blind people on RNIB’s Executive Council.
There will be other ways in which UKAAF will remember Bill as a person and his work in due course.
Roger Firman, 18 January 2021