Dear all,
I hope you are all keeping well as we approach the end of 2025!
It’s been a really busy few months here at TAVIP and here are some of the highlights …
TechABreak 2025
In September we had our TechABreak Conference in Harrogate which was a great success. We had 70 people involved in the event including guests, exhibitors, volunteers and tech support and we had a packed programme which offered a range of really interesting presentations, hands-on sessions, an exhibition of equipment as well as an opportunity to socialise over meals.
The sessions included a panel discussion looking at the future of tech, Braille 200: Past Present and Future, a session on the Future of Mobility Tech, a remote presentation from Amos Miller and Luke Buckberrough at Glidance, a look at the use of SMART devices in the home and a look at Innovations in AI. Exhibitors included Humanware, Sight and Sound Technology, Bristol Braille, and Ashirase. It was also great to have colleagues from Guide Dogs on hand to demonstrate some of the latest navigation technology such as the WeWalk 2 and the Biped Noa, and to make recordings of some of the sessions, which will be shared shortly. We also ran some Masterclass Live sessions for the first time on Saturday afternoon with one looking at Programming and the other at Mastering Microsoft Office.
We had some great feedback from guests including these two comments which summed up what a great weekend we had:
“The great thing for me about the weekend was meeting so many wonderful friendly people. I am really not very technical, and I thought I would be a fish out of water, but everybody was really accommodating – so much so that I was inspired to set up my smart plugs Upon return from the TechABreak weekend.”
“It was a great time to network with others and share experiences and knowledge of technology. The conference was extremely well run and the sessions were interesting and engaging. I also really appreciated the exhibition and the chance to see some new kit in a quieter environment than is possible at other sector events. The hotel was very comfortable too and the food delicious. I would highly recommend this event to visually impaired people wanting to learn more about what tech can do for us now.”
Next year’s TechABreak event will be taking place at The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September 2026 and booking details will be shared in the New Year. The Board continue to explore other locations for the event but The Old Swan currently serves us very well in terms of price, facilities and the hospitality and helpfulness of the hotel staff.
TAVIP Career Talks
The following week we kicked off a new series of TAVIP Career Talks with Patrick Moran. Patrick is visually impaired and has until recently been working in cyber security, principally for Citi where he was the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) for EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa). He is also a global leader in strengthening support for and access to assistive technology.
Here is a link to listen to the TAVIP Career Talk with Patrick Moran.
Masterclass
We followed that up with a Masterclass on the Nuts and Bolts of Programming delivered by TAVIP Chair of Trustees Tony Stockman. Tony took us through the steps involved in writing programmes using statements and building up small programmes using Python. Tony shared some resources which people can use to try out programming for themselves.
Here is a link to the resources, and to a recording of the Masterclass on the Nuts and Bolts of Programming.
Visit to The National Museum of Computing
On 29th October a group of nine TAVIP members and eight sighted guides met at The National Museum of Computing which is in the grounds of Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes. We had a fascinating tour and a very warm welcome from staff and volunteers at the Museum where we heard about the development of some of the earliest computers to support the code breaking work at Bletchley Park through to the mainframes of the 1960s and the early PCs of the 1980s. Quite a few of the group remembered using these devices in times past!
The trip was also a great opportunity for members to meet up in a social environment, and we’ll look at organising more trips in 2026 as they seem to be very popular.
Feedback from the day included the following comment: “A really good day out, the chance to meet new friends and hook up with old ones, and to physically feel part of the organisation as a new member. It’s very easy to feel very remote when an organisation runs a lot of web-based events, but meeting together makes you really feel part of the community.”
The team at the museum provided opportunities to touch parts of the computers and to hear them in action as well as describing the history and innovation that went into the early machine. They were also really keen to hear how they could make the museum more accessible for blind and partially sighted people and will give a warm welcome to other groups or individuals that would like to visit in future.
Sound Without Sight wins top honours at International Sound Awards 2025
Sound Without Sight, which is a project hosted by TAVIP, has been crowned the winner of the Social & Culture category, and the ceremony as a whole, at the International Sound Awards 2025. Dubbed “the Oscars of Sound,” the awards recognise impactful music related projects, products, and services.
Jay Pocknell, Project Manager, represented Sound Without Sight at the awards ceremony, which took place in Berlin on September 5th 2025, as part of the Music Frontiers conference.
“It was really awesome to be recognised not only with an award but what they call the Grand Prix, which is the highest award you can get,” he said. “I’m really proud of what the project has achieved so far because it has come from genuine community need and is a very organic project in that way.”
Projects are voted on by a panel of jurors from companies such as Spotify, Apple, and Meta.
To qualify for the Grand Prix, which had last been awarded in 2022, Sound Without Sight would have scored at least nine points out of a possible ten.
“I’m looking forward to connecting with the jury to try and maximise our relationships with some of those companies who might be able to help us grow and create opportunities for our members”.
Kai Bronner, Managing Partner of the awards, shared that: “Sound Without Sight’s mission to empower blind and partially sighted musicians with access, community, and innovation embodies the very essence of the ISA: using sound and music to inspire, to include, and to make the world sound better.”
The project produces resources and hosts events, to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes.
Well done to Jay and the team at Sight and Sound!
Events coming up
On Thursday 4th December there will be the last TechChat session of the year so do drop in for a chat with other members. Please note that there won’t be a Tech Chat in January.
On Wednesday 10th December at 7.30pm we will be having a ‘Christmas Special’ Masterclass looking at some of the latest Smart Glasses which you might want to ask Santa for, and highlighting things to consider when deciding which would work best for you. There will also be an opportunity for you to share what tech you are hoping to get this Christmas, and why.
We are also hosting another TAVIP Career Talk on Monday 15th December at 7.30pm with Matthew Horspool and Sydney May who will be sharing their experiences of working in the field of Assistive Technology, and sharing some thoughts on how young people can explore this as a career.
We’ll send out further details on these in due course.
Other sector events
It’s been a busy season for sector events with The Visionary Conference in September and TechShare Pro last week. Sight Tech Global is coming up on the 9th and 10th December and you can find out details about Sight tech Global here. BETT 2026 is a big exhibition of educational tech and takes place at London Excel from 21st to 23rd January 2026 and is well worth a visit. Details of BETT 2026 here.
The Age of AI
I’ve also spotted that Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes have a temporary exhibition called The Age of AI. It is an interactive experience with variable light levels, projections and sound which is running until 30th December.
The exhibition looks at how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly developing and is already a part of our day-to-day lives. It also explores the history of AI and its possible future.
There are large print guides available to collect at the start of the exhibition. There is also a 40-minute audio description for blind and partially sighted visitors which takes you on a tour through The Age of AI exhibition. Designed to listen as you move through the space, it includes moments to pause and explore.
For further information call 01908 272673 or email enquiries@bletchleypark.org.uk.
Maths Bonanza – can you help?
The national lottery have awarded Vision Through Sound a grant to convert Maths graphics into tactile form, using the 2 dimensional data possible on the Canute Console.
The graphs can also be embossed to paper.
They are interested in hearing from anybody who would like to contribute to the design of these graphs, or test the results that they send out.
Most of the work can be done remotely, and the grant will cover travel expenses and refreshments.
If you are interested please get in touch with Steph Sergeant on Mobile: 07793 906 745
Email stephanie@visionthroughsound.co.uk
That’s all for this edition. Do remember to email info@tavip.org.uk with any suggestions for webinars or trips in 2026.
Best wishes, and speak soon,
Julian.
Julian Garner. Chief Executive