Insights from Torch Trust

In the second instalment of Insights Live, Minister Mike Payne asks how he can spread the word about sight loss friendly church, particularly in South Wales, and help make churches more inclusive. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church . Please click here to learn more about...

In the first of the Insights Live episodes, lay minister Wendy Coxhill, who is herself blind, asks what can be done about churches telling some people that their visual impairments and the tools they use to lead a service are too distracting for the congregation. And as a consequence, they're told to step down To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, e...

In this episode, we revisit church building accessibility. It's a lot easier and cheaper than you may think. And Paul puts his sighted spin on it. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church . Please click here to register for Insights Live .

You may have been wondering whether churches have any legal obligation to make their services accessible to blind and partially sighted people. Linn and Paul discuss what churches have to do and what they ideally should be doing to provide an inclusive environment. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.o...

By law, you can't deny a guide dog in church, but what do you do if the guide dog poses a health and safety risk because it's ungroomed and the hair gets everywhere? Linn is joined by colleague and former sight loss friendly church advisor Paul Rhodes to unpack this scenario. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit t...

In this episode Matthew and Linn discuss what to do if you have a blind person in your congregation who won't accept any practcal help, perhaps because they have yet to come to terms with their sight loss, or because they're finding the subject difficult for any other reason. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit t...

In the second part of the conversation with Ordained priest Melissa Carter, Melissa and Linn talks about the spiritual side to studying theology as well as Melissa's passion for children's spirituality. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church . Please click here to register f...

In this episode, Linn chats to Melissa Carter who is an ordained priest for The Church of England. and registered blind. Melissa talks about her calling to the priesthood at the age of 17, how working in conveyancing prepared her for the role and then the practical aspects and challenges of the training itself. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260,...

On this weeks episode, Linn is joined by Jean Kerr from Thy Kingdom Come. They talk about its history, what Thy Kingdom Come done to include blind and partially sighted people and how they're hoping to further improve their accessibility. Please email jean.kerr@lambethpalace.org.uk with your feedback and suggestions. "> ">To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01...

Saturday 6 May sees the coronation of King Charles III and for many, this is the first and in some cases the only coronation they will witness. in this episode, Linn talks to Keren Mallinson, head at client services at Torch about two coronation related resources Torch has produced to mark the occasion. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email sl...

One of your congregation members are blind and would like to take on a leadership role and they have all the skills required except technology skills. In this episode we discuss why that might be, ways they can get training and workarounds that can still insure their full inclusion and participation. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@...

A new blind or partially sighted person has just started coming to your church. You have a very helpful congregation member who goes out of their way to welcome them and give them all the help they need. However, the help seems to be more of a hindrance to them. In this episode we discuss how to deal with this scenario. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858&nbsp...

You are an SLFC and a blind or partially sighted person came to visit, only to complain that their access needs weren't properly met. In this episode we discuss how a church can be proactive so that this is less likely to happen as well as how visitors can prepare to get the best possible experience. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@...

Imagine if you're running a prayer group and one of your members who happens to be visually impaired, is taking over the group with their personal issues and this having a negative effect on other group members as well as the leaders. In this episode we discuss what may lead a person to behave like that and how to deal with it effectively, yet tactfully so everybody in the group gets heard. To con...

With several platforms offering easy tools and templates, building a website has never been easier. In this episode we offer up some tips and tricks to make sure your church website is as user friendly as possible. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church .

In this episode we discuss challenges and top tips for making palm crosses if you have little or no sight. We also give tips on how to include blind and partially sighted people in your Palm Sunday parade. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church .

All age services happen across many churches and because they tend to be different to regular ones, there are things to keep in mind when making them inclusive for all. You'll also get to hear how Linn and Matthew feel about Action songs. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-chur...

Easter bonnets, arts and crafts and Easter egg hunts are popular activities associated with Easter. Listen to this episode to learn how to make these activities inclusive to blind and partially sighted children. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church .

Many churches include drama in their activities and may even have a dedicated drama group. We talk about ways to make this inclusive so that everyone can enjoy it to the fullest. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church .

In this episode we discuss how communion varies in different churches and how this impacts both giving and receiving communion as a blind or partially sighted person. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church .

Services like Lent and Mourn day Thursday often have periods of silence within them, be it in the middle or at the end. This episode discusses how to effectively help blind and partially sighted people so that they too can enjoy these periods of silence, knowing their practical needs are met. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtru...

Prayer activities can be a great way to make it easier to engage with prayers. In this episode we discuss how to make them as inclusive as possible so that all congregation members can enjoy them regardless of visual acuity. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church .

Putting our foot in our mouth is something we all do at some point. In this episode we discuss what to do when that happens as well as things to avoid saying that can be difficult to swallow, or offensive for blind and partially sighted people. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendl...

We always talk about ways churches can support blind and partially sighted individuals whether they're newcomers or members. But today we're taking a look at what visually impaired individuals can do to make it easier for churches to support them.

For the final episode of 2022 Linn talks to Sheila Armstrong, former Torch employee and guide dog owner about what to do if a church isn't happy about someone bringing a guide dog. To contact the Sight Loss Friendly Church team at Torch Trust, call 01858 438260, email slfc@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org/sight-loss-friendly-church .