Braille Penfriends: A Message from Chris Norman at Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind

I’m trying to start a scheme at Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind to give our braille learners a real-world application for their braille. To this end, I’m writing to ask if anyone would like to be a penfriend to one (or more if you like) of our learners. I’m not 100% sure what this scheme will look like, other than that people will be matched based on their answers to the below questions, and there’s probably going to be a letter sent once a month or whatever. We’re not looking to create an environmental disaster or nations braille paper shortage here. Once matched, I’ll ask people for a postal address so that an initial letter can be sent. I’m more than happy for people to be individuals or another organisation who teach braille.

We don’t have a huge number of braillists, so there’s a possibility that this message will generate more responses than we have learners. If that happens, I’ll email people to let them know.

If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] answering the following questions:

  • Name:
  • Age bracket (18-30, 31-50, 51-70, 71+):
  • Interests E.G.: Music, cooking, fishing, films:
  • Any other information you’d like us to know:
  • I understand that CRCB will hold this information (probably in a spread sheet or word document) for the purposes of matching me to a suitable penfriend (Y/N):
  • I understand that any future communications with that penfriend may be monitored (directly or indirectly), and I am free to terminate the communication whenever I like and am under no obligation to give a reason (Y/N):
  • I understand that any problems I have with the scheme or the person I’m pen-friending should be directed to Chris Norman on [email protected] (Y/N):