Poet Liam backs Braille campaign

6:06pm Monday 5th January 2009

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Blind teenager Liam Midwood is supporting a campaign by best-selling crime writer Ian Rankin to get more books printed in Braille.

By coincidence the Shipley 14-year-old was in a studio today recording an audio version of his own second book of poetry out in spring.

Top author Mr Rankin, whose son is blind, is urging writers, publishers and retailers to come together to improve the accessibility of both fiction and non-fiction in Braille as well as large print and audio formats.

And Liam is adding his own voice to the author’s campaign which comes at the start of National Braille Week, marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, who invented the system of writing that uses raised dots to represent the letters of the alphabet.

Liam, whose first poetry book sold more than 350 copies, says he hopes the world-famous writer will be heeded.

He said: “Only about five per cent of all books are available in Braille at the moment. That’s usually only the very best-sellers and to get your hands on anything else is almost impossible.

“We are mostly a forgotten audience and that’s not right. When people write a book they are not realising just how many more copies they could sell if they published it in more formats. Hopefully Ian Rankin will get the message through.”

Susan Crow, of Bradford Talking Magazine, also said printing books and information in Braille should not be an after-thought: “It’s something that should be included right from the start in the budget. It doesn’t have to be an expensive extra.”

As Mr Rankin started his appeal yesterday, he said: “The gateway to education and inspiration that Braille represents can never be under-estimated.

“I support anything that can be done to improve access to reading in all formats from Braille to large print. It is vital that we support organisations like the Braille Press and Royal Blind and the important role they fulfil for people all over the country.”

The author’s campaign also wants to raise £2 million to re-house the nation’s leading Braille printing press in Edinburgh which is owned by the charity Royal Blind.

The Scottish Braille Press is printing a Braille version of his story Death is Not the End to mark the fundraising appeal’s start.

A passage from his novel Fleshmarket Close in Braille will also be pinned to the walls of the real street of that name in Edinburgh.

Richard Hellewell, chief executive of Royal Blind, said: “Braille is used all over the world but outside our community there is little knowledge or understanding about its use. We see National Braille Week as a great way to raise awareness, which we hope will inspire interest and support for Braille.”

Liam’s new book There’s a Traffic Cone Stuck On My Head will be out in the spring, also in Braille, big print and audio formats.