About Us

The history of VI Talk

VI Talk began as a voluntary group in January 2014.

Jo Fishwick and Michael Allen had been producing podcasts for their old schools past pupils association and wanted to expand on this idea. Since then Michael has left the organisation and Jo with the help of new volunteers applied for charity status and on February 17th 2016 we became a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO).

What we do

VI Talk comprises lots of elements. Main Facebook group with blind and partially sighted people, their families and friends. We also have members who work for other charities, local blind societies and many other organisations that offer services and or support to visually impaired people.

Book club where members can share what they are reading and review the monthly recommended books.

Travel group speaks for itself and is a place where members can discuss all things travel related from the best bus and train apps to holidays abroad.

Resources group where members can advertise events, businesses and organisations relating to visual impairment. They can also sell equipment which might be of use to other members.

In the kitchen, where members offer support and ideas for cooking and baking, also the latest kitchen gadgets. 

Arts and crafts, our members are very creative, from knitting, card making and crochet.

Sports, all the latest from organisations that run sporting activities for the visually impaired.

Music, 5is group comprises of all kinds of musicians and people who like to listen to music.

Gardening and Nature, this is where you can get help and advice relating to growing your own plants, vegetables or herbs.

Media page. This is where our audio content is fed to from our audio boom channel.

Twitter @vitalkpodcast.

Audio Boom Channel. This is where we post all our interviews which can be anything from human interest stories to a chat to representatives from companies, organisations or charities offering services, equipment or support relating to visual impairment. We interview blind and partially sighted people who are performers, musicians and comedians have been amongst them. We also have audio blogs.

We have a monthly newsletter available by email. We hope to be able to offer this in other formats soon.
For those who aren’t confident with technology or just don’t get involved with social media, you can listen to our audio content via the sonata player available from British wireless for the blind fund.

Our trustees

Our volunteers