WE’LL LET PEOPLE SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

Being able to enlarge text or listen to a document can make a frustrating task manageable. Accessible technology isn’t a luxury - it helps me take control of everyday life.

Jesse, blind android user A helpful thing 8 October 2026

When someone has both sight and hearing difficulties, a noisy place can make following a conversation much harder. A little patience and clearer communication can make them feel included.

roseanne, VI Something I wish you knew 8 October 2026

Bigger print isn’t always the answer. Sometimes a digital document that can be enlarged, adjusted or read aloud works better. Asking someone what they need makes more difference than guessing.

Ricky, visually impaired Something I wish you knew 8 October 2026

Independence doesn’t mean doing everything without help. It can mean learning a familiar route, asking for directions or having time to practise. Support and independence can go together.

Anonymous A misconception 8 October 2026

I’m a dad of a teenager who lost most of her sight two years ago. The assumption I’m tired of correcting is that she’s “brave” just for existing. She’s not brave for getting the bus or going to college. She’s a normal kid doing normal things with different tools. Calling her brave every five minutes turns ordinary life into a performance.

Stephan, dad of a partially sighted teenager Parent or carer perspective A misconception 3 October 2026

One thing I’d like a stranger to understand: when I ask “which way is the exit?” I’m not testing you. I’m not being dramatic. I genuinely cannot see the signs you’re pointing at. A quick “straight ahead, then left after the coffee shop” is pure gold. Hand-waving and “over there” is useless.

Emily, blind since childhood Something I wish you knew 3 October 2026

The thing that makes me laugh (and probably shouldn’t) is how often people lower their voices and speak extra slowly the moment they realise I can’t see them properly. As if blindness also removed my ability to understand normal volume and speed. I’m not hard of hearing. I’m just missing the visual part of the conversation. Speak normally. I’m right here.

Sarah, partially sighted A lighter moment 3 October 2026

I wish strangers understood that my guide dog is working, not available for pats, selfies, or “oh she’s so cute can I say hello?” conversations while we’re trying to cross a busy road. She’s my eyes. When you distract her, you distract me. And yes, she is adorable. She also has a job.

Mark, guide dog user Something I wish you knew 3 October 2026

I’m the mum of a partially sighted six-year-old. Please stop saying “but she looks fine” like it’s a compliment. Looking fine doesn’t mean she can see the whiteboard, the ball coming, or the friend waving from across the playground. Looking fine is the problem.

Anonymous, mum of a partially sighted kid Parent or carer perspective A misconception 3 October 2026

I’m blind from birth and the assumption that still exhausts me is that I must live in darkness or sadness. I don’t. I live in texture, sound, smell, and the ridiculous amount of detail my cane and my ears pick up that most people walk past. Sight is one sense. I have five that work overtime.

Anonymous, blind since birth Something I wish you knew 3 October 2026

What genuinely helped? The stranger on the train who simply said “There’s a free seat two rows up on the left, the one by the window” instead of grabbing my arm and steering me like a shopping trolley. Information, not ownership. That one sentence made me feel like a person, not a problem to be managed.

Aimee, partially sighted A helpful thing 3 October 2026