London's Premier Radio launches new show for disabled Christians

In October 2007 Premier Radio launched a show aimed at Christians with disabilities in association with the Torch Trust for the Blind.

Hosted by blind presenter Marilyn Baker, the Insight program is now broadcast Sunday afternoons at 4PM. "I'm very excited to be presenting this new program on behalf of Torch Trust for the Blind," Baker told Premier. "Insight is aimed at people who have disabilities or people who are just interested and want to make a difference."

The first programme was broadcast on the eve of Disability Sunday (October 7) and featured Paul Dicken, the founder of Through the Roof and Disability Sunday and others from Torch Trust and Prospects Causeway talking about how they were raising the profile of disabled people in churches.

"In Britain 9.5 million people are disabled -- that's more than 1 in 7. Few of our church congregations reflect this, " comments Torch Trust's Chief Executive, Dr. Gordon Temple. "Disability Sunday is an opportunity for churches to raise awareness of the needs for disabled people and to celebrate the contribution made by disabled people to the life of the church."

Insight is to be the first program on Premier Christian Radio aimed specifically at listeners with disabilities, but the station has a long history of connecting with disabled people and often receives letters of support from the disabled community. With Insight, Premier has designed a program that it is hoped will appeal to a wide range of disabled Christians.

"We want this to be your show," Baker told her audience during the first programme, "We're going to hear stories of people's faith and their struggles and achievements. We're going to try and address topics that will interest you."

Click here to listen to a sample programme using your computer's media player. There is a delay while the media stream is set up.

The sample, broadcast recently, features Through The Roof Development Manager Tim Wood and Integr8 volunteer mentor, Alan Whetherly talking about the ‘Influence’ mentoring project.


In the Norwich area you can listen online at: http://www.premier.org.uk/player.cfm or by selecting Sky Digital 0123, Virgin Media 968 or Freeview 725 on an appropriate
receiver.

Thanks to Michael Ireland,Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service for the story

Torch launches new "Foursight" campaign aimed at churches

The Torch Trust for the Blind have launched their Foursight campaign to challenge churches into attracting people with sight loss into their congregations.

Just imagine what it would be like to go to your church if you had little or no eyesight.

How would you get there? Would the steward show you to your seat? Would somebody sit next to you and give you any help that you needed during the service? How would you know if your friends are in church this morning? Are the church Bibles, songbooks, order of service and newssheet available in a media that you could use?

How would you join in?

Churches that wish to help those with sight loss can follow "Four Steps" on the Foursight website

Briefly, the Four Steps are:

1. Recognise the Need

National statistics suggest that a congregation of just 30 is likely to have one person who has a degree of sightloss that could make it difficult for them to read the songbook, appreciate the flowers, see the preacher or view the PowerPoint screen.

2. Register to access resources

Visit the Foursight webpage http://www.foursight.org.uk and complete the simple form, giving the name of your church and your contact details. Once registered you will have access to a growing body of on-line resources that will help you and your church make a difference for blind and partially sighted people.

3. Order the Church Pack

The pack includes a welcoming guide, details of publishers of Christian material in braille, large print and audio, and a list of suggestions of how your church can reach out to blind and partially sighted people in the local community and overseas.

4. Prepare for Now and the Future

Just think one in four of us will suffer some sort of sight loss, temporary or permanent during our life times. It could be you!