Grant will fund radios for visually impaired in Scotland

A generous grant will provide 17 of our Concerto 2 sets to blind and partially sighted people living in the west of Scotland.

Visually impaired people in West Scotland will benefit from specially adapted audio equipment thanks to a generous grant.

The Kells Trust has donated £3,000 to BWBF.

Often, people with sight loss live alone and are unable to read newspapers or watch the television, so a radio becomes their lifeline to the outside world.

However the cost of adapted equipment can be too great for someone on a low income, which many blind people are, so BWBF is there to supply the sets on free loan to those who meet its criteria.

The money from the grant will be used to provide 17 of the fund’s Concerto 2 sets to visually impaired residents in the west of Scotland.

The radios are specially designed to be easier to use for people with sight loss, with tactile markings on the large, well-spaced buttons.

They also utilise strong colour contrast with yellow controls on a charcoal background to help those with residual vision.

Users will also benefit from being able to play CDs, tapes, USB sticks and SD cards through their new sets, meaning that as well as a wealth of digital radio stations, they can also listen to talking newspapers and magazines and audio books.