Torch Trust: All Content

In honour of Valentine's Day on the 14th, we're exploring how weddings can be made more accessible and sight loss friendly with the help of two people who speak from experience: Niall, who got married 5 years ago and is visually impaired, and Linn who got married 4 years ago and is blind.

The 08th of February in 2026 marks Autism Sunday, and this week on Reflections we chat with the Sensory Healthy Church about how they're helping churches become more accessible for those living with sensory conditions like Autism and ADHD. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedback, call 01858 438260 email info@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org .

We’re covering plenty in this week’s edition of Reflections, including hearing about some new technology for those living with sight loss to help them access live events, we've got the latest news on Torch Holidays which are taking place in 2026, and we’ll be marking national story telling week with a quick catch up with our torch resource curator and finding out what’s currently in the Torch libr...

On Reflections this week, we’re going to hear the testimony of Doctor Trevor Stammers, a man of science, an expert in medical ethics, and a GP on the verge of total burnout, who in conversation with Mark Maddavan, shares the story of how in a single hour his world went dark, lost his sight, but found God. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedback, call 01858 438260 email info@torch...

We've reached the middle of January, when Christmas seems like a distant memory, and spring is still far away. So in this episode, we speak to opera singer and psycho therapist Victoria Oruwari who gives us some tips on how to find joy in the middle of the heart of the winter. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedback, call 01858 438260 email info@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust...

Most of us has felt that God can seem far away sometimes, no matter where we are on our faith journey. In this episode, we hear from Torch CEO Sarah Dawkins who talks about how we can hold on to a bigger truth, that God is always with us no matter what. And Marilyn Baker reflects on how God have used people to give her practical help in her own life. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or fee...

In the first 2026 edition of Reflections, we dive into the journey of the three magi through a poem and a creative piece by our late friend and former Chair Of Trustees, Dr. Mike Townsend. Coptic Christmas is taking place the day after Epiphany. And we also hear from Phil Hanna about how itis celebrated. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedback, call 01858 438260 email info@torcht...

In the final 2025 episode of Reflections, we revisit some of our favourite moments throughout the year. They include the new Torch initiatives, The Hopes Project and The Chaplaincy Service, the interview with deaf author and music lover Emily Owen, the Sound without Sight project, The Assante Twi Braille Bible and the amazing Beech Band invention by Carl Beech. There's also a heartfelt new-year me...

In this Christmas Day Special, we journey to Nigeria, Sweden and Norway to hear how Christmas is celebrated there. We hear the Nativity reading from Luke 2 1-20, Catherine Campbell's Christmas day reflection from her book Journey With Me Through Christmas and we hear from visitors to Sight Village London about what Christmas means to them. All excerpts from Journey With Me Through Christmas are fe...

On the final Sunday in Advent, churches around the world light the candle that symbolises love. In this episode we hear from Catherine Campbell, the author of Journey With Me Through Christmas as she reflects on who has shown her Christlike love and what love in action looks like to her. We also talk about the different Greek words for love and hear a reflections from Torch's head of comms Zoe Byr...

For the third Sunday in Advent, we focus on the theme of joy. In this episode, Torch Together Coordinator Becky Davies reflects on what makes her feel joyful and Chair Of Trustee tony Brown shares a funny story about Billy Graham, a Limousine and a very surprised police officer. All excerpts from Journey With Me Through Christmas are featured with the explicit permission of the author and IVP book...

The second Sunday in Advent is all about peace. In this episode, Torch's head of Production Paul Rhodes reflects on how the fact that he never worries about anything makes him experience peace, the peace the shepherds must have felt when the angels revealed the news of the birth of Jesus and we hear a few more bits from last year's carol service. All excerpts from Journey With Me Through Christmas...

It's the first Sunday in Advent, and in churches all around the world, one candle is being lit to signify hope. So this episode features a hopeful reflection from Vicki Bryson, a snippet from last year's carol service and a excerpt of the book Journey With Me Through Christmas by Catherine Campbell, which focuses on the theme of hope and waiting. All excerpts from Journey With Me Through Christmas...

It's easy to talk about the more challenging aspects of being blind. And although it's important to do so, to improve quality of life for blind and partially sighted people, it's also important to stop and appreciate when being blind can give you advantages in life. In this episode, we're hearing from Stephanie Sergeant about the many ways she feels being blind has blessed her. To contact Torch Tr...

With so many things going on in the world today, from wars and famines, to increased costs of living, it's easy to feel anxious and perhaps a little sad and confused. Today's episode reflects on how we can still turn to God's promise of hope in these confusing times. We hear from Marilyn Baker herself, as well as torch staff member Sarah Brookman. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedba...

Remembrance Sunday is marked on the closest Sunday to Remembrance day itself and features many of the same rituals, including the wearing of poppies and the two minutes silence. This week's episode features a conversation between Producer Linn davies and former staff member Matthew Horspool, taken from our Insights podcast, about things blind and partially sighted might find tricky around this day...

Client Services is the first point of call when you get in touch with Torch, and this week's episode features new team leader Julie Jones. Julie talks about differences between life in South Africa and the UK, her sight loss journey and the main areas she'd like to focus on in her new job. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedback, call 01858 438260 email info@torchtrust.org or vis...

It's nearly the end of October. And since this is the first Sunday after the clocks have gone back, Marilyn reflects on different aspects of time, from how Jesus always made time to heal those who needed it, to how time is a love language. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedback, call 01858 438260 email info@torchtrust.org or visit torchtrust.org .

This episode features some reflections from Marilyn's personal podcast Hope For The Heart. She touches on how different people in the Bible dealt with the huge responsibilities and blessings they were entrusted, including Mary, who became the earthly mother of Jesus. She also shares a real life story about the positive effects of love and forgiveness. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or fe...

In this week's episode we give you a special edition celebrating Sight Loss Sunday. This is Torch's invitation to churches to wake up to the gifts of blind and partially sighted people. We hear this year's sermon by Phil Bryson and reflections on what it's like to be blind and partially sighted and in leadership roles. To contact Torch Trust with any comments or feedback, call 01858 438260 em...