Braille Week will this year be marked between the 7th and 13th October. It always happens in the week that World Sight Day occurs, which we’ve already blogged about here.
Braille is named after Louis Braille, who invented the code of Braille over 200 years ago. He himself was blind from the age of 3. Louis studied a system named Sonography and developed it into the Braille used today and since then, millions of blind, deafblind and visually impaired people use Braille every day. It’s estimated that it is used in 120 countries around the world and allows blind, deafblind and partially sighted people to read books and other important documents. Some phones are even fitted with Braille coding.
Glen Sheader, charity co-ordinator at Bolton Society for Blind People, had this to say about Braille Week. “Bolton Society for Blind People have a small braille group that runs every Tuesday, however it isn't very popular these days. It remains a fantastic means of communication, however advances in technology has taken over. To date there are only 3% of the blind and partially sighted people that can read braille.”
Bolton Society for Blind People provide valuable support and guidance to blind and partially sighted people in Bolton. They run regular events and training so their members can meet up in a social setting. They are always looking for volunteers to join their team too, in order for BSBP’s activities to take place. If you want to access their services contact them on 01204 337896.
