FEATURE
25 accepted exactly as they are. In the English language – and, I believe, in most languages – the word‘ blindness’ is used as a negative metaphor, suggesting insensitivity, ignorance, clumsiness, and lack of discrimination. This negative language is also found in the Bible, and has come into our hymn books and our daily speech.
Hull, John M( 2001), In the Beginning There Was Darkness: A Blind Person’ s Conversations with the Bible, London: SCM Press.
Hull, John M,( 2016) Touching the Rock: An Experience of Blindness, London: SPCK.( This book inspired the film Notes on Blindness, 2016, available on DVD.)
c notesonblindness. co. uk c johnmhull. biz
c RNIB rnib. org. uk
c Macular Society macularsociety. org
c Methodist Women in Britain mwib. org. uk
c Shoreline Conversations shorelineconversations. com disabled people: a good practice guide,‘ An inclusive environment considers people ' s diversity and breaks down unnecessary barriers and exclusions in a manner that benefits us all. This is significant because although society and individuals have invested heavily in enabling people to manage their personal circumstances effectively( eg by caring for older people or providing aids and adaptations for disabled people), many people remain unnecessarily“ disabled” by ill-conceived environments. As a result many people cannot take full responsibility for themselves and are prevented from contributing to society.’ 3
1. Edited extract from a summary of the main points from WBU PowerPoint Guidelines: Guidelines on how to make the use of PowerPoint and other visual presentations accessible to audience members who have a vision or print impairment, published by the World Blind Union. bit. ly / WBUppt
2. bit. ly / CTHull, page 40
3. Department for Communities and Local Government, available to view online at bit. ly / DfCaLG
Lynne Ling
Lynne Ling describes herself as exploring the transition between freelance work and semi-retirement, currently working in a voluntary capacity with Shoreline Conversations producing resources and offering training in the facilitation of spiritual conversation. She is a spiritual director and active member of her local Methodist church, circuit and district.
CONSULTING A DISABILITY ADVISOR
Disability advisors employed by your local authority or church district or diocese may be an invaluable source of advice. Maureen Anderson, the Methodist Church disability advisor for Scotland who is herself visually impaired, attended the event. She described her role in advising churches on the practical and physical aspects of good practice in the area of inclusion in worship and in church life in general, donning her hard hat to meet with church property stewards and architects at various stages in the building processes of planning and construction. As it says in Planning and access for