The Torch Trust for the Blind is to hold the first ever all-braille church service to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the man who invented the most effective method by which blind people could read and write, Louis Braille.
The non-denominational service will be held at St Martin’s-in-the-Fields in London's Trafalgar Square in March.
Blind people will be leading every aspect of the service, including reading the Bible lesson, preaching and leading prayers, and with blind musicians playing the organ and leading the singing, all using Braille.
Torch Trust is organising the event as part its own 50th anniversary celebrations. Also involved are the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People), the Association of Blind Catholics, the Guild of Church Braillists and Churches Together in England.
Marilyn Baker, the Chair of Torch Trust who is blind and an accomplished singer-songwriter, will be participating in the service.
She comments: “I couldn’t have achieved a fraction of what I have without braille. I rely on it for writing songs, for studio work, for performing at concerts, even for recipes when entertaining. It’s something for which I certainly want to give thanks to God.”
Dr Gordon Temple, Chief Executive of Torch Trust, said: “Around 2million people live with sight loss in the UK, many of whom have lonely and unfulfilled lives. Even churches can be daunting, difficult places for blind and partially sighted people.
Torch Trust runs the Foursight for the Church initiative, which seeks to help churches better include blind and partially sighted and to provide the accessible media resources they need.
"We hope that the forthcoming Louis Braille service will both raise awareness of blind and partially sighted people in our churches and of the importance of braille to them - making an excellent start to our own 50th anniversary year."
Dr Mike Townsend, Technical Director of Torch Trust, an RNIB trustee and a local church leader, says: “I don't think I would be able to do my job without the braille system. Today I have a tiny computer with a braille display. It is smaller than a print Bible, and yet it contains three complete Bible translations, several hymnbooks, my sermon notes, plus newspapers and books for my Open University work.
"Eighty per cent of the blind people in employment use braille. Without Louis Braille's invention, I would be with the rest, unemployed.”
