RNIB Conversations

In this week's sight loss story, Hubert chats to Lee Roak. They talk his sight condition, Lee's passion for the support he has been given throughout his education journey, how he wants to give back, and his love for doing radio.

With 2026 marking the 50th anniversary of the first ever Winter Paralympic Games held in Sweden in February 1976 with teams of blind and partially sighted athletes competing in both alpine and nordic skiing for the first time too here on RNIB Connect Radio’s we thought it would be a good time to look back on that very first Winter Paralympic Games and find out what it was like taking part in the games for the first time as a visually impaired Paralympian.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Mike Brace CBE DL who was there along with five other young visually impaired athletes competing for Great Britain at that very first Winter Paralympic Games.
Mike began by telling Toby about how the opportunity came about for him to compete as a blind person in that very first Winter Paralympic Games plus what the training was like to get him and the other visually impaired skiers ready for the games.
Mike then talked about how the games have evolved over the last 50 years from his view point competing as a blind skier in that first ever Winter Paralympic Games, managing the great British Paralympic Cross-Country Ski Team from 1988 to 1994, Chef de Mission for the Great British Team at the Winter Paralympic Games, Director of ParalympicsGB and being involved in bringing the summer Olympics and Paralympic Games to London in 2012.
Mike ended by reflecting on the great success of the Paralympics GB visually impaired skiers over recent years winning many medals, how with the right support and opportunities blind and partially sighted people can achieve so much in sport at whatever level to finally thoughts on the legacy of both the Winter and Summer Paralympic Games.
To find out more about Paralympics GB and opportunities to get involved in some of the Paralympic sports do visit - https://paralympics.org.uk
And for more about other opportunities to get into sport as a visually impaired person do visit the British Blind Sport website - https://britishblindsport.org.uk

With International Women’s Day celebrated on Sunday 8th of March, we’re discussing what it’s like to navigate the online space as a visually impaired woman.
Joining Paulina Kuchorew on the Happy Hour are RNIB’s Social Media Officer Lisa Adams and blogger and Social Media Manager with RNIB Holly Tuke.
Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB’ written in bold black capital letters and underline with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio’ is written in black in a smaller font.

Now for a roundup of accessible arts events as RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey catches up with Jess Beal from VocalEyes, the national audio description charity providing access to the arts for blind and partially sighted people to share some of the accessible events that are featured in their regular email newsletter.
Audio described shows and events included:
The Devil Wears Prada, Tuesday 10 March, 7.30pm, touch tour 5.15pm, Dominion Theatre, London,
Fawlty Towers The Play, Thursday 12 March, 7.30pm, Ipswich Regent Theatre,
The Mesmerist, Saturday 21 March, 3pm, touch tour 2pm Watford Palace Theatre,
Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, Wednesday 1 April, 7.30pm, Theatre Royal Brighton,
Marie & Rosetta, Saturday 4 April, 7.30pm, touch tour 6pm, @Soho Theatre, London.
To find out more about these and other up-coming described arts events as well as details on how to sign up to the regular VocalEyes What’s On email newsletter do visit -
https://vocaleyes.co.uk

The landmark exhibition “Tracey Emin: A Second Life’ at Tate Modern traces 40 years of her ground-breaking practice, showcasing career-defining sensations alongside works never exhibited before.
The exhibition celebrates Tracey Emin’s raw and confessional approach as she poses profound questions on love, trauma, and autobiography. Demonstrating her lifelong commitment to painting, showing her recent work as the culmination of the ways she has channelled her life into her art.
At the Press View of the ‘Tracey Emin: A Second Life ‘ exhibition at Tate Modern on Wednesday 25 February 2026 RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey was joined by Jess Baxter Assistant Curator of the exhibition for an insight into the work on display along with a look into the life of Tracy Emin the Artist too.
The ‘Tracey Emin: A Second Life’ exhibition continues at Tate Modern until 31 August 2026.
There will be an audio described tour of the exhibition on Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 5.30pm and more about these and other audio described tours can be found on the Tate website or by either emailing [email protected] or calling 020 8778 8888.
Do visit the following pages of the Tate website for more about the ‘Tracey Emin: A Second Life’ exhibition - https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tracey-emin
Image description:
Tracey Emin
My Bed
1998 © Tracey Emin. All rights reserved, DACS 2026. Photo credit:
Courtesy
The Saatchi Gallery, London / Photograph by Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd