In Touch Folgen

Keeping a safe two-metre distance during the Covid-19 lockdown presents a serious difficulty for people who are used to being guided when they shop. So a new petition by leading blind organisations is calling on the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to include the blind and visually impaired in its list of 1.5m vulnerable people who receive priority online shopping slots. We talk to reporter Mani Djazmi about his own quest for groceries and whether an exception should be made. And The RNIB has announced the immediate suspension of its physical Braille library lending services. Dave Williams tells us what other reading options are being made available. And another entry in our series of notable blind historical figures - the 16th Century recorder player and composer, Jacob Van Eyck, featuring the insights and music of Piers Adams. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

Coronavirus lockdown measures pose many problems for blind and visually impaired people. Will services become more stretched as hospitals and social care come under more pressure? How do you navigate shops which are occasionally bare when it comes to essentials? We hear the concerns of listeners - as Cathy Yelf of The Macular Society has definite advice for people with the condition - to not skip on your crucial, sight saving injections for fear of having to stay indoors. And a calming piece of relief from Coronavirus - we want to hear about the blind people of history who have led fascinating lives and intrigued you. We've already heard about Nicholas Saunderson, the blind boy from Barnsley who rose to the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Cambridge. That story has reminded one listener of a blind bell ringer who enchanted the people of Cambridge - and made a bit of money in the process. Tell us about your favourite historic blind figures at intouch@bbc.co.ukPresented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core

In a special focusing on careers and the job market for blind and visually impaired people, we hear from young people first entering the world of work. Reporter Fern Lulham gives us her insights, and Jess Clements, workplace co-ordinator at Blind in Business, tells us about how attitudes to the workplace and the horizons of young blind people are changing. John Lynch from the Royal National College for the Blind tells us about their work and changes to the DWP system for helping VI people find a job. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kevin Core