Episodes

  • Connie Evans (1921- 2025) - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Connie Evans (1921- 2025) - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 30 2025
    About Connie Evans:

    Connie Evans was born in 1921 in London’s East End and was raised in Shoreditch. Living in wartime London, Connie worked in Dalston as a machinist making menswear, before later joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service. While serving, she met her partner, Ted, whom she married in 1943.

    In her later years, Connie supported people in need within her local community, supplying wheelchairs and becoming Chair of her local residents’ association. Eventually, she joined the Chelsea Pensioners at Royal Hospital Chelsea, where she gave talks to school children about her wartime experiences. In 2019, the Royal Chelsea Hospital published an article detailing her vivid memories of life on the home front.

    Connie passed away in 2025 at the age of 103. We wish to thank Connie and her family for her participation in Seen.

    Joshua Bratt’s reflections on photographing Connie for Seen

    “Connie was warm, kind and had effortless poise. It was lovely to shoot someone that had lived as long as her and seen so much during her life. She’s a wonderful example to us all.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit     www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    1 min
  • Red Szell - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Red Szell - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 30 2025
    About Red Szell:

    Red Szell is a writer, broadcaster and blind rock climber. Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in his teens, he has been registered blind since 1989, and lives in London with his wife and their two children.

    In 2013, he became the first blind person to climb the Old Man of Hoy – the tallest sea-stack in the Northern Hemisphere at 450ft high. The feat was captured in a BBC TV documentary, and Red’s account of the adventure, The Blind Man of Hoy, was published in 2015. He continues to climb and use his platform as a blind athlete and broadcaster to promote the message that we should focus less on what we have lost and more on what we can still achieve.

    Red’s reflections on Seen

    “I was photographed at BethWall, a London Climbing Centre in Bethnal Green, during a weekly training session with my climbing partner, Carl.

    I hope that people will leave this exhibition with a greater appreciation of the wide range of jobs and activities that blind and partially sighted individuals can undertake – if we are given access and opportunity. We are natural problem solvers, because we have to be.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit     www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    1 min
  • Mike Duxbury - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Mike Duxbury - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 30 2025
    About Mike Duxbury:

    Mike Duxbury lost his sight to childhood glaucoma at the age of 6. Undeterred by his sight loss, Mike continues to pursue his wide range of passions – including attending and graduating from agricultural college, driving racing cars, travelling the world, becoming a confident public speaker and a talented musician, and above all, achieving his ultimate dream of becoming a farmer in his own right. Mike has spent the last 25 years developing projects to help people with disabilities in the telecoms industry, and most recently, the farming industry.

    Continuing in his quest for equality and inclusion, Mike created the first working farm built by a blind person. As CEO of Inclusive Farm Scotland at MacRobert, he aims to build a better world for disabled people and those with differences – using his drive and passion to create equal opportunities for all.

    Mike’s reflections on Seen

    “The moment this photo was taken, I was thinking about what farm jobs needed to be done and enjoying the surroundings that I had created for myself and others.

    I hope Seen challenges the stigma around the capabilities of blind people. No matter our differences, we are able to do the things that we are most passionate about and remember, dreams do come true.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    1 min
  • Maud Rowell - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Maud Rowell - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 30 2025
    About Maud Rowell:

    Maud Rowell is a writer, photographer and civil servant. She began losing her sight at age 19 due to a rare degenerative disease called FEVR. She went on to study Japanese at the University of Cambridge before training as a journalist. Her first book, Blind Spot: Exploring and Educating on Blindness, was published in November 2021. Maud now works for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs while writing her next book, which explores her adventures in remote Japan following a $25,000 grant awarded through the 2021 Holman Prize. Her short film, Picturing Wonderland, about the beauty of blindness and analogue photography will be released this year.

    Maud’s reflections on Seen

    “This image was taken in Kew Gardens, a place that represents many important things to me – nature, history, memory, and connection. From primary school trips to getting engaged here last year, I love that it’s always changing and growing and will keep doing so long after I’m gone.

    I hope visitors to this exhibition will come away appreciating that blindness is a spectrum. Everyone’s way of seeing is unique, and that’s a beautiful thing. I want everyone to be able to take pride in their identity and celebrate the diversity that makes us all strong. To anyone struggling with sight loss: you are not alone. I promise you that acceptance is not the end of the road. You can – and will – reach a place where blindness can inspire you to make art, meet new people, learn new skills and see what no one else can.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    1 min
  • Ian Treherne - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Ian Treherne - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 29 2025
    About Ian Treherne:

    Ian Treherne is an Essex-born and based photographer with a truly unique take on the world, navigating it through the lens of RP Type 2 Usher Syndrome – a condition that combines blindness and deafness. From the moment he was told he was going blind at age 15, he knew he wanted to see and capture as much of the world as possible. Now working as a commissioned photographer, he serves as an ambassador for numerous charities and regularly collaborates with major brands including Apple and Canon UK.

    Throughout his career, Ian has been an advocate for accessibility in the arts, working to ensure that blind and partially sighted people have the opportunity to express themselves creatively. His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions around Europe.

    Ian’s reflections on Seen

    “Joshua chose the Soif studio in Hackney to reflect the studio environment I work in. It gave him the freedom and time to be creative in a controlled space and experiment with ideas. It was an unusual experience to be the subject of a photograph – but an enjoyable one!

    I would like visitors to be inspired by others with disabilities to pursue their passions. My personal journey – from a man losing my vision to becoming a photographer – serves as an inspiration to others, with or without disabilities. I aim to show that it’s possible to transcend limitations and achieve greatness in whatever field one chooses.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    1 min
  • Lord Blunkett - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Lord Blunkett - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 28 2025
    About Lord Blunkett:

    David Blunkett is a UK politician who transitioned from leading England’s fourth largest city (Sheffield), to becoming the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside in 1987. He joined the incoming government in 1997 and served for eight years in Tony Blair’s Cabinet. During that time, he held the posts of Education and Employment Secretary, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. After leaving government, David worked with a number of key charities – including RNIB – and advised on diverse issues such as cyber security, education and skills.

    Having stepped down from the House of Commons at the 2015 general election, David was awarded a seat in the Upper House in the Dissolution Honours list that same year, taking the title of Lord Blunkett, of Brightside and Hillsborough in the City of Sheffield. That year, he became Professor of Politics in Practice at the University of Sheffield Department of Politics and Chair of the Board of the University of Law, based in London. More recently, David led on the production of a major report on the future of education and skills for the now Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer.

    David’s reflections on Seen

    “The photo was taken in the House of Lords, which is my working environment.

    I hope that Seen will encourage people to feel that blind and partially sighted men and women can – and do – live equal and successful lives across life’s many settings.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    1 min
  • Sylvia Chengo - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Sylvia Chengo - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 27 2025
    About Sylvia Chengo:

    Sylvia Chengo is a digital content creator, storyteller, public speaker and mother who uses her platform to amplify underrepresented voices and redefine perceptions of blindness, parenthood and identity.

    Experiencing life-changing sight loss shortly after the birth of her first child marked the beginning of a journey that transformed Sylvia’s personal and professional life. Today, she empowers others by sharing lived experiences through advocacy work and authentic online content – proving that visibility is not just about being seen, but about being heard. She is also a director at Beyond Strength CIC, a community interest company supporting families navigating disability and chronic illness.

    Sylvia’s reflections on Seen

    “This portrait was taken in Barking Park, a location rich with meaning. I grew up in Barking, and the park is steeped in personal memory. Now, it’s a regular destination for long walks with my children, a space where we laugh, connect and simply be. There’s something quietly powerful about revisiting the same paths I once walked as a child, now as a blind mother raising children of my own. The location captured not just a moment, but a full-circle story of resilience and belonging.

    I hope visitors leave Seen with a deeper appreciation of the complexity, creativity and confidence that exists within the blind and partially sighted community. This exhibition doesn’t just challenge misconceptions – it invites people into our world. My hope is that it opens the door to collaboration, advocacy and new narratives, where lived experience is recognised not as a limitation, but as a source of innovation and strength.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    2 mins
  • Chris Hunt Skelley MBE - Seen Exhibition Audio Description

    Chris Hunt Skelley MBE - Seen Exhibition Audio Description
    Aug 26 2025
    About Chris Hunt Skelley MBE:

    Chris Hunt Skelley MBE PLY embodies resilience, determination and the power of adapting to life’s challenges. From being diagnosed with ocular albinism at 19 to becoming a Paralympic Champion, his journey inspires audiences worldwide. As a Tokyo 2020 Gold Medallist, Paris 2024 Bronze Medallist and former World No.1 Judoka, Chris demonstrates how challenges can become stepping stones to extraordinary achievement. His recognition with an MBE for services to the community from King Charles underscores his impact both on and off the mat.

    Chris’s reflections on Seen

    “I chose Gracie Swindon BJJ, Self Defence and Martial Arts Centre for the location of my portrait because the venue is a mat. The judo and Brazilian jiu jitsu mat is my escapism, it’s my time to tune out the world. When I’m struggling with my mental health or my sight loss, going to the mat is a relief and centres me. It’s my safe space. It’s where I feel whole.

    I hope visitors leave with a deeper understanding of the lives of blind and partially sighted people, and how these portraits capture the joyful, multifaceted lives we lead.”

    For more information about the exhibition and to view more portraits by Joshua Bratt please visit www.rnib.org.uk/seen
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    1 min