Posted Tuesday 10 July 2012

London celebrities rally in support of VocalEyes’ new initiative

London Beyond Sight |  bringing London to life through audio descriptions

London celebrities and well-known figures are joining VocalEyes’ new initiative ‘London Beyond Sight’ which was launched on Wednesday 6 June 2012 on its website www.vocaleyes.co.uk/londonbeyondsight. Through audio descriptions, London Beyond Sight opens up an array of London landmarks, from acknowledged attractions to the more obscure, individually chosen by celebrities like actors Andrew Sachs, Barbara Windsor, Zoe Wanamaker, David Harewood, Alison Steadman, as well as former England cricket captain Mike Gatting OBE, politician and Vice President of the Royal National Institute of Blind People Lord Low of Dalston CBE, Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, neuroscientist and broadcaster Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE, and founder of the London Festival of Architecture Peter Murray.  Over the coming weeks and months others will be added with imminent offerings by actor Mark Rylance, Sandy Nairne director of the National Portrait Gallery, Shami Chakrabarti director of Human Rights organisation Liberty and Baroness Neuberger DBE, Senior Rabbi to the West London Synagogue, her chosen landmark.

Barbara Windsor describes the Theatre Royal Stratford East for VocalEyes’  | London Beyond Sight
Photographer: Alex Griffiths

VocalEyes champions access to culture for blind and partially sighted people.  Expert describers have worked with each of the prominent Londoners to put together a script, which illustrates through dialogue the history, style and significant facts, whilst sharing the Londoner’s personal anecdotes and memories behind their choice.  Some 15 London landmarks launch this new facility for blind and partially sighted people, with significantly more being added over the coming months.  They include the Cenotaph, ZSL London Zoo, The Buxton Memorial Fountain near Westminster Abbey, the Gates of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the statue of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, Bedford Park in Chiswick, Tower of London, St Martin in the Fields and Gordon’s Wine Bar, London’s oldest wine bar near Charing Cross Station.

Judy Dixey, director of VocalEyes said, “TripAdvisor’s recent announcement highlighted that London is the best place to visit in the world.  We want to make sure that some of what  is on offer in London, during the coming months and into the future, is available to blind and partially sighted people. Thanks to the involvement of the generous celebrities, a new accessible element has been added to the treasures of London for blind and partially sighted people to experience and enjoy the culture, architecture and hidden gems of England’s capital city in a new way. Of course, it is open for all to view.”