In the second part of Linn’s conversation with Colin Dowling from Compass Braille, they talk about how the merge with Torch came about and how it can potentially benefit both organisations.
To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church.
Have you ever found it difficult to take part in church services? Do you discover barriers to participation in church life? At Torch we often hear from blind and partially sighted people who are facing these challenges, so we set up Sight Loss Sunday. This is a day focused around waking the church up to sight loss and supporting church communities to become truly welcoming, inclusive spaces. Listen to Reflections now to find out more! Get resources at https://torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church/sight-loss-sunday/
Over the next two episodes Linn is interviewing Colin Dowling from Compass Braille, an organisation which provides Braille bibles in over 60 languages to blind people world wide. They are also in the process of merging with Torch. In part 1, Colin talks about how he got involved with Compass Braille and what impact the Braille bibles are having on the recipients lives.
To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church.
Today we’re speaking with Tracy Williamson about her new book, Unashamed, which aims help us all live lives free from feelings of shame and past hurts, and to show us how transformative the healing love of God can really be. Get copies in standard print at https://www.unashamed.org.uk/ or in braille and large print from Torch Trust https://torchtrust.org/living-with-sight-loss/books/
Making your church more sight loss friendly doesn’t have to cost much and even little things can make a huge difference. Linn chats to Gill Bradley from St Frideswides Church and Jane Sellers from Spurgeons Baptist church, who share a church building, about the steps they have taken to improve their building’s accessibility. This has benefitted more than the people with sight loss.
To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church.
Continuing from last week’s episode, we’re focusing on two more aspects of encountering Jesus as Christians, led by Bible studies from Torch CEO Tim Jeffrey, and Rev Chich Hewitt who has sight loss and is a long time friend of Torch. The show will still make sense if you missed last week’s, but you can also catch up below!
Why is Sight Loss Sunday important? With Wendy Coxhil
15 October sees Torch marking the third Sight Loss Sunday which celebrates and raises awareness of blind and partially sighted people in church. Linn talks to lay preacher Wendy Coxhill who reflects on why Sight Loss Sunday is important to her and suggests a few different ways churches can get involved.
To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church.
This week’s episode features thoughts by blind friends of Torch which use Biblical stories of people encountering Jesus to reflect on how we today can encounter Christ ourselves in a very real way.
First broadcast on Reflections, this is the incredible story of Emma Meade whose life was turned upside down when her flat caught fire. Talking to Marilyn Baker, she recounts the moment she felt something was off while cooking and how her church family came to the rescue in more ways than one until she was back on her feet. You can listen to Reflections on RNIB Connect radio, on our website, or anywhere else you get podcasts.
To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church.
On this week’s episode we’re celebrating blind and partially sighted Christian athletes Sarah Leiter and Janice Tillet. Sarah will be representing Team GB in goalball at the IBSA World Games between the 20th and 27th August. To follow the games go to: https://www.ibsagames2023.co.uk/
