What’s On Newsletter – September 2026

Read the latest What’s On newsletter for news, events and opportunities for blind and partially sighted people across our region.

Welcome

Welcome to the September edition of What’s On!

This month’s newsletter includes local events, support groups, accessible activities, volunteering opportunities and updates from Sight Support West of England, Wiltshire Sight and Insight Gloucestershire.

As always, you will find a dedicated section for your local charity, followed by activities and opportunities from across the region and online. Whether you are looking to try something new, connect with others or simply see what’s coming up nearby, we hope there is something of interest for you this month.

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9. Whats On Newsletter September 2026 (DOCX, 136 KB)

General updates from your local sight loss charities

Eye Can Gloucester – Monday 28 September

Eye Can Gloucester takes place this month on Monday 28 September, 10am–3pm (last entry 2.30pm) at Dowty Sports & Social Club, Down Hatherley Lane, Down Hatherley, Gloucester, GL2 9QH.

This free exhibition for blind and partially sighted people, families, friends and professionals brings together assistive technology and daily living equipment, local and national services, and a programme of talks. You’ll also have the chance to speak directly to exhibitors and experts about sight loss.

Admission is free, but we encourage you to register in advance to help us plan for visitor numbers. If you can travel to Gloucester we would love to see you there.

Book your free place on the Eye Can Gloucester Eventbrite page, or call 01242 221170 for more information.

Local and Online Meet-ups – dates announced

Our new Meet-ups for working-age blind and partially sighted adults begin this month, with our first Local Meet-ups taking place in Bath and Bristol.

Local Meet-ups

Local Meet-ups are relaxed social get-togethers where you can meet other working-age blind and partially sighted people nearby, grab a drink, have a chat and hopefully make some new connections. There’s no formal agenda – just come along and get to know people.

Bath local Meet-up

Wednesday 9 September, 7pm–9pm
Comptoir Libanais Bath, 4 Newark Street, Bath BA1 1AT
Then on the second Wednesday of each month.

Bristol local Meet-up

Thursday 17 September, 7pm–9pm
Future Inns Hotel Bristol, Bond Street, Bristol BS1 3EN
Then on the third Thursday of each month.

Coming up online

Our monthly Online Meet-ups are informal, friendly conversations rather than lectures or webinars. Each month we’ll get together to explore a different aspect of life with sight loss, swap experiences and ideas, hear from guest contributors and hopefully have a few laughs along the way.

19 October – The AI Frontier: Exploring Tools for Independence
From apps that read menus to smart glasses that act as a digital pair of eyes, AI is changing what’s possible. Come and swap favourite hacks, technology mishaps and thoughts on the hype, the reality and what we really need from AI.
16 November – Pack Your Bags: Let’s Talk Travel
Love travelling, planning your next holiday or wondering how other blind and partially sighted people do it? Come and swap travel stories, practical tips, favourite destinations and the occasional holiday disaster.
14 December – Festive & Fearless: Navigating Christmas with Sight Loss
Grab a mince pie and join us for a festive get-together about navigating Christmas when you are blind or partially sighted. We’ll swap tips and life hacks for everything from cooking and present shopping to protecting your energy and actually enjoying the festive chaos.

Keep up to date with Meet-ups

Want to come along? Complete our short Microsoft Form to sign up for Meet-up updates. We’ll let you know about upcoming Local and Online Meet-ups and how you can join in.

Sign up for Meet-up updates: https://forms.office.com/e/6rnc0RKZxU

You can also call us on 0117 322 4885 if you’d prefer to sign up by phone or have any questions.

Could you help with our Meet-ups?

We’re still looking for friendly volunteers to help with our Local and Online Meet-ups. We’d particularly love to hear from blind and partially sighted people who would enjoy welcoming others and helping create relaxed, inclusive spaces. Sighted volunteers are very welcome too, and full training and support are provided.

Find out more about our Meet-ups, upcoming sessions and volunteer roles.

Find your local Sight Loss Advice Hub

Our monthly hubs offer advice, information and the chance to meet others who are blind or partially sighted. Visit our website to find your nearest hub and social group, or contact your local charity for details:

Sight Support West of England – 0117 322 4885
Wiltshire Sight – 01380 723682
Insight Gloucestershire – 01242 221170

View hub listings on our website

Sight Support West of England news

Sight Support Hub Updates

All of our regular community hubs and social groups continue as normal. Below are this month’s updates for selected groups. You can find full details of all upcoming events and activities on our website. View all upcoming events and activities

Easton Community Hub

Due to building work, our Easton Community Hub will not be running in September or October. Please contact us if you’d like information about alternative hubs during this time.

Little Stoke Community Hub

Our Bradley Stoke Community Hub has now moved to Little Stoke Community Hall, Little Stoke Lane, Little Stoke, BS34 6HR. Join us on the third Tuesday of each month, with a drop-in from 11am–12pm, appointments available outside these times (please book in advance), and a friendly social group from 11am–1pm.

Insight Gloucestershire news

New Community Sight Loss Hub launching in Newent

We’re launching a new monthly Community Sight Loss Hub in Newent this September.

Join us on Friday 11 September at The Chill Out Zone, 36 Broad Street, Newent GL18 1AJ. Drop in from 10am to 11am for sight loss advice and Digital Skills Support, followed by a friendly social group from 11am to 12pm.

The hub will then take place on the second Friday of every month. Friends, family members and carers are very welcome. Call us on 01242 221170 to find out more or book an appointment.

Cheltenham theatre trips

Places are available for upcoming trips:

Thursday 8 October, 2pm – Annie (£45). Book by Monday 21 September.
Friday 11 December, 2pm – Cinderella (price to be confirmed). Book by Wednesday 18 November.

A limited allocation of seats is available on a first come, first served basis. If this allocation is full, tickets may still be available directly from the theatre.

To book, contact Insight Gloucestershire on 01242 221170.

Get involved in See the Difference

This National Eye Health Week, 21–27 September, Insight Gloucestershire is encouraging people across the county to help create a more sight-aware Gloucestershire through our See the Difference campaign.

If you’d like to get involved, you could share our campaign messages, display a poster in your workplace or community, or organise a small fundraiser such as a coffee morning or raffle.

Our See the Difference Guide includes ideas and resources to help you take part.

Find out more and download the See the Difference resources.

Insight Gloucestershire Hub Updates

All of our community hubs are running as normal this month. You can find the latest dates and venues on our website linked below, or call us on 01242 221170 if you’d like to check details of your local hub.

View all upcoming events and activities

Wiltshire Sight news

Wiltshire Sight Hub Updates

Marlborough Community Hub – New Venue from September

From Tuesday 8 September, our Marlborough Community Hub will be moving to the Quaker Meeting House, The Parade, Marlborough, SN8 1NE. Join us for a special welcome session with tea and cake as we celebrate the move and find out more about the support available. The hub meets on the second Tuesday of each month, with a drop-in from 10am–11am, appointments at 11am and 12pm, and a social group from 10am–12pm.

Swindon – Wiltshire Sight Audiobook Group

The Wiltshire Sight Audiobook Group meets on the second Tuesday of each month, from 1pm to 2pm at Swindon Central Library.

At the next meeting on 8 September, the group will be discussing The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, which is available through the public library service on BorrowBox. The group offers a relaxed and friendly space to discuss the chosen book and share other audiobook recommendations. New members are very welcome. For more information, email audiobookgroupvolunteer@wiltshiresight.org

Salisbury Social Group

Wednesday 16^th September – Wiltshire Bobby Van are joining the Salisbury social group to share information about staying safe online. 10.30-12.30, 1^st Floor of Salisbury Library

Salisbury Audiobook Group

Wednesday 23^rd September – Salisbury audiobook group will be discussing Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Von Pelt.

No need to book do come along and join us – 11am, 1^st Floor of Salisbury Library.

Useful information

Bristol – Major bus stop changes in Broadmead

From 30 August, 25 bus services travelling through Bristol city centre will be rerouted away from some of Broadmead’s busiest streets. The changes are part of plans to change transport routes through the city centre in preparation for thousands of new homes, shops and leisure spaces being built in the area in the coming years.

Buses will no longer travel along or stop at Union Street, The Horsefair or Penn Street, with passengers needing to use alternative nearby stops.

If you travel through Broadmead by bus, we recommend checking your route and new stop location before travelling.

Check the Broadmead bus changes and affected services.

Wiltshire – Heating Oil Funding

If you live in Wiltshire and use heating oil, Warm and Safe Wiltshire may be able to help with the cost of heating your home this winter. Funding is available for eligible households, but applications are encouraged as soon as possible while funding lasts. Find out if you’re eligible and apply online or contact Warm and Safe Wiltshire on 0800 038 5722. WArm and Safe Wiltshire link

Leisure and sporting activities

Regular groups

For a list of regular sport, leisure and social groups run by other organisations, visit our Local leisure and social groups webpage.

Bristol – Where We Land: South West Disabled Artist Gathering

Disabled, deaf and neurodivergent artists from across the South West are invited to Where We Land, a one-day gathering hosted by Spectroscope. Taking place on Wednesday 9 September at Ham Green House near Bristol, the day includes keynote talks, workshops, artist conversations and opportunities to connect with other creatives in a welcoming, accessible environment. Travel bursaries are available.

Find out more and book your place at Where We Land.

Accessible cooking – Faith’s Fakeaways

Chef Faith Barber-Hughes, who has Stargardt disease, has created a cookbook designed to make cooking more accessible for people with sight loss and anyone who lacks confidence in the kitchen. ‘Faith’s Fakeaways’ includes simple, healthy family recipes alongside practical tips and information about equipment Faith uses herself as a partially sighted chef.

Faith hopes the book will encourage people not to let sight loss stop them from enjoying cooking.

Faith’s Fakeaways is available in print and as an e-book.

Bristol and Bath – Location, Location, Location looking for house hunters

Channel 4’s Location, Location, Location is looking for house hunters in Bristol and Bath to take part in the programme.

If you’re struggling to find your next home and would like help from property experts Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer, the programme’s casting team would like to hear from you.

They are encouraging anyone who needs help with their property search to apply.

Find out more and apply to take part in Location, Location, Location.

Online – Telephone Activity Sessions

Sense Active offers a range of audio-described physical activity sessions delivered over the telephone by expert instructors, helping you stay active from home. Weekly sessions include seated yoga (Mondays), movement with imagination (Tuesdays), seated dance (Wednesdays) and seated Pilates (Thursdays). For more information or to book, visit Sense Active Telephone Activity Sessions booking form, email alice.turner@sense.org.uk or call 07599 104405.

Warminster – Warminster and Westbury Visually Impaired Club

The Warminster and Westbury Visually Impaired Club meets every Monday from 2pm–4pm at St John’s Hall, Boreham Road, Warminster. As organiser Virginia says, the club is “the greatest fun, and full of the loveliest people.” Members enjoy a varied programme of speakers, entertainers and musicians, followed by afternoon tea with sandwiches and homemade cakes. Transport is available with members collected from home and taken back afterwards. For more information, call Virginia on 01985 219132.

Children and young people

Regular groups

You can find information of regular activities on our website – Activities for children, young people and families

Parents Virtual Hub – 17 September

Our next Parents Virtual Hub takes place on Thursday 17 September, 7.30pm–8.30pm via Microsoft Teams, offering a friendly online space for parents and carers of blind and partially sighted children and young people to connect and share experiences.

Find out more about our Parents Virtual Hub.

Accessible books – Gruffalo Granny launches on 10 September

The audio-tactile edition of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s latest Gruffalo story will be available through the Living Paintings free postal library service from 10 September. This is the same day as the national launch, meaning that children who are blind or partially sighted won’t have to wait to enjoy this highly anticipated new book! Parents or teachers can join the library and pre-order Gruffalo Granny.

Find out more and pre-order Gruffalo Granny.

Royal National College open day

There’s an Open Day at Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford on 18th September for prospective students, their families and professionals Find out more and book on the Royal National College website.

RSBC Step on up Group

The next session of RSBC’s ‘Step on up Group’ for young people preparing to finish year 11 will be on 16th September.

Bath – Para-Swimming Squad

Team Bath AS Para-Swimming welcomes swimmers aged 7–16 with physical disabilities or visual impairments. Whether you’re new to competitions or already have experience, the club offers coaching to help develop your swimming skills in a supportive environment. Sessions take place at the University of Bath’s Sports Training Village. Swimmers should be able to swim 25 metres confidently. Contact paraswimming@teambathas.co.uk to register your interest or arrange a free taster session.

Audio described arts and theatre

Galleries and Museums

Bath – Victoria Art Gallery

Bridge Street, BA2 4AT

Art on Mondays talks for VI Visitors

21 September 2026 – Japanese Prints
12 October 2026 – Bath Society of Artists
2 November – Katharine Wall, Collections Manager
7 December 2026 – The World of the Snowman

Sessions run from 10–11.30. The gallery is closed to the general public on those days so please ring 01225 477232 for access information or email victoria_enquiries@bathnes.gov.uk

Bristol – Arnolfini

16, Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA

Saturday 26 September 10am –11am

The second described tour of the Gallery’s summer exhibitions by Jonathan Baldock and Polly Braden.

Sighted guides available. Drinks and cake in the café after the tour. Please email community@arnolfini.org.uk to book a space. Further information Jonathan Baldock: Held and Polly Braden: Against the Tide.

Bristol – Royal West of England Academy

Queens Rd, Bristol BS8 1PX

RWA 173 Annual Open Exhibition on Saturday 10 October, and 5 December at 10.30am – 12pm.

To join, please email Connie Ngan connie.ngan@rwa.org.uk or call 07745694563 and say whether you will bring a sighted companion or need a volunteer guide. Refreshments available after the tour.

Theatres & Performance – Audio Described Shows

Salisbury Playhouse – Wiltshire Creative

The Haunting of Hill House – Don’t miss this chilling theatrical adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s “near perfect” (Stephen King) classic ghost story. The Haunting of Hill House, based on the novel by Shirley Jackson, adapted for the stage by Olivier and BAFTA winner Stef Smith and directed by Sky Arts Award winner Martin Constantine.

Audio described performances take place at 2.15 and 7.30 on Thursday October 1^st at Salisbury Playhouse. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/events/the-haunting-of-hill-house#dates-and-times or by phone on 01722320333.

Wyvern Theatre

The Wyvern Theatre’s Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, will include an audio described performance on Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.

Find out more and book tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk.

Bath – Theatre Royal

Sawclose, BA1 1ET

5 September – Present Laughter by Noel Coward
15 October – A Man for All seasons with Martin Shaw
2 November – The Sea by Edward Bond starring Jennifer Saunders
19 November – Murder in the Cathedral by T S Eliot. With David Suchet
20 and 29 December at 1pm – Beauty and the Beast.

Pre show audio notes sent before show. Hearing devices available from the bars when the house opens – 30 mins before the show. All performances have touch tours. More details and tickets on 01225 448844. Make sure you subscribe to the Theatre’s Access List.

Cheltenham – The Everyman Theatre

The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, is delighted to be offering audio described performances for the following shows.

Annie on Thursday 8th October at 2:00pm
Cinderella on Friday 11th December at 2:00pm
Everybody’s Talking about Jamie on Saturday 15th May (2027) at 2:00pm

Contact Sally-ann if you would like further details, to book the touch tour or tickets, or to receive the season’s brochure: on 01242 695574 sally-ann.rhodes@everymantheatre.org.uk

Please note: you can book directly with The Everyman Theatre or call Insight Gloucestershire for details of any shows we are organising trips for.

Bristol – Hippodrome

St Augustine’s Parade, BS1 4UZ

3 September – Car Man – dance thriller
29 October – Back to the Future: The Musical
16 December – Sleeping Beauty with Craig Revel Horwood

Book touch tours separately. Contact Access for All bristoladmin@theambassadors.com or call the access booking line 0333 009 5399 for tickets

Bristol Old Vic

King St, BS1 4ED

Main House

25 September – Juliet and Romeo – A re-imagining of Shakespeare’s similarly named play blending dance, theatre and comedy. With touch tour.
31October – Lanny
18 December – Cinderella – A Fairy Tale

In the Weston Studio

14-17 October – What’s the F**king Point – performed by FlawBored a disability-led theatre company. All shows have integrated AD.

For more details and to book – ring the Box office – 0117 987 7877

Support groups and courses

Regular groups

You can find details of regular local social and support groups on our website. These include ongoing activities run by other organisations across our region. Visit our Leisure and social groups page

You’ll also find a wide range of online groups and virtual activities on our Online groups and resources page

Phone Groups – RNIB Living Well with Sight Loss

RNIB is running Living Well with Sight Loss phone groups for adults, as well as family members and others who support them. These courses offer practical information on topics such as benefits, eye health, everyday tips and equipment, hobbies, and organisations that can help. Find out more on the RNIB events and courses webpage or for further information email lwwslenquiries@rnib.org.uk or phone 0303 123 9999.

Take part in research

Gloucestershire – Share your experience of NHS referrals

Healthwatch Gloucestershire would like to hear from people who have been referred by their GP practice to a specialist for tests, diagnosis or treatment in the last 12 months.

The survey asks about your experience of the referral process, including communication and waiting for appointments. Your feedback will help Healthwatch understand how referrals are working in Gloucestershire and help shape services.

Complete the NHS referrals survey.

For help completing the survey, call 0800 652 5193 or email info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk

Bristol and Bath – Become a Sensory Walk Leader!

Your Park are looking for individuals to help others connect with nature by leading guided sensory walks in parks across Bristol and Bath. You’ll receive free training from SENSE, support to map an accessible route and to lead four walks in a park of your choice. Disabled people and unpaid carers who complete the programme will receive a £200 participation bursary to help reduce barriers to taking part. It is a great opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people, and make local parks more welcoming for everyone.

How to get involved?

Visit https://yourpark.org.uk/news/disabled-led-sensory-walks for more information and to read our role profile (also attached).
Fill out an application form here: Volunteer Application Form
Book onto Free Sensory Walk Training (online) here: Sensory Walk Training

The next training will take place on Wednesday 30^th September at 6:00pm.

For more information or for support filling in the forms please contact access@yourpark.org.uk or call Sara on 07926 904 248.

Have your say – Join RNIB’s Network35

RNIB is looking for more blind and partially sighted people from the South West to join Network35, its lived experience network, to help shape their future direction. The aims of Network35 are: helping them make their organisation more sustainable, increasing their impact, and reaching even more people who need their support. There will be a variety of ways to get involved once you’ve expressed an interest, including short discussions, Away Days, email surveys, focus groups and ad hoc questions. RNIB is particularly keen to hear from people whose voices are currently underrepresented. Network35 Expression of Interest Form – Fill out form

Online – Cerebral Visual Impairment Research Study

A postgraduate researcher at the University of Bath is looking for adults with Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) to take part in a dissertation study exploring visual processing. Participation involves a single online video call lasting around 30–45 minutes. The study is open to UK residents aged 16 or over. Ethics approval: 16604-20941. For more information, contact ass333@bath.ac.uk

Looking for online activities?

We keep a list of virtual groups and events from other organisations on our website. These include social groups, webinars, technology sessions and more, all accessible from home. Visit our Online Resources From Other Organisations webpage