As part of th RNIB campain and our march on parliament, we were asked to write a letter to our local MP to organise a meeting to press the importance of the campaign and gain support. Here is the Murray's letter:

Dear Mr Syms,

I am chairperson for the parents group Common Sense, that supports families dealing with children with a visual impairment.

I am also Mum to a 4 ½ year old who is blind, and is beginning to use braille for reading and writing. He will be exclusively a braille user. Getting books that Lucas can read is a real problem for us here at home, and for his Pre-school. Neither pre-school nor the main Poole Library had any Braille books, and it is only after our campaigning in both arenas that any braille books were accessed. A lot of work on Lucas' behalf involves making any curriculum literature suitable for Lucas – that is, it needs brailling, tactile pictures/diagrams where possible, and suitable 'real objects' found to help his level of understanding. This level of input will increase as Lucas gets older, and I am aware that this preparation need will greatly reduce the length of time a qualified teacher for the visually impaired, and a trained learning support assistant will have to help Lucas in an educational setting. This will greatly influence Lucas' educational provision. The government talks about every child mattering, but it doesn't feel like Lucas matters.

Last November, the Rnib published research called “Where's my book?”. Teachers, when asked about solutions, overwhelmingly wanted national coordinated provision of electronic versions of textbooks. These can be used to produce a braille version of the text. At present, Teachers for the Visually Impaired are left scrabbling around to obtain materials in an appropriate format, or to produce them themselves. This would surely not be an acceptable way of producing text books for sighted children, and it shouldn't be for blind children.

I would like to meet with you to tell you more about the problems we face getting books in braille formal, and ask you to help us change the situation. On the afternoon of Wednesday 28^th March children. parents and teachers will be coming to parliament to talk to their MP's. I hope that you are free to meet me, my husband, and our son Lucas during the lobby which is 2-4pm or just before of after that time.

I would be grateful if you could confirm an appointment so that I can make travel plans. If you would like to know any more about the campaign or read “Where's my Book” please visit right.org.uk/right to read.

I will be sending a copy of this letter to Mrs Annette Brooke, because she was our previous MP, and interested in the work of the Rnib and provisions for blind children. I will also be informing the local press that we will be attending this lobby.

Your sincerely,

Sarah Murray

Same book, same time, same price

The facts

• Three million people in the UK with sight problems and dyslexia cannot read standard print.
• A massive 96 percent of books are never made available in large print, audio or braille.
• Every day millions of adults and children are denied vital information for education, work, daily life as well as being denied the joy of reading a world of books.

We believe that

• Everyone, regardless of disability, has the right to read. Being blind, partially sighted, having dyslexia or another print-reading disability should not be a barrier to reading.
• The Government must take responsibility, commit substantial funds and act now to end the book famine faced by three million people in the UK.

We congratulate and thank the publishers, authors and booksellers who have taken the lead in expanding the number of books in large print, audio and braille over the last few years. We ask that others join them so that together we can make the Right to Read a reality.

All we ask is that every one of us should have the Right to Read the same book, at the same time, at the same price.Join us in our campaign to convince the Government that urgent action is needed. If you believe that everyone has the right to read, help us unlock a world of books by adding your name to the declaration. We need your support.

http://www.rnib.org.uk/rtr/signup.php

This is a huge step for us who have kids with a visual impairment, and your support would make a difference!

Lucas, Iain and I will be going to Parliament to support the lobby, and are hoping other members of Common Sense will be able to do the same. I will update this.

Join us in our campaign to convince the Government that urgent action is needed. If you believe that everyone has the right to read, help us unlock a world of books by adding your name to the declaration. We need your support.