Insight with Marilyn Baker

Sundays 4.00pm

Insight aims to reach out to people with sight loss and/or other disabilities and show that they are not alone. Many of the contributors are disabled people speaking from their own life experience. With short interviews, testimonies, lighthearted chit-chat and discussion of more serious issues the programme is about bringing encouragement to those who are disabled and insight into disability to those who are not. It is our prayer that anyone listening to the programme will be touched by the word of God and the love of Jesus Christ.

January 2012

Jan 29: Lisa Kennet

Lisa Kennet is one of a team of four visually impaired people who work on the community radio station in Swindon, putting together a weekly magazine programme called ‘Sideways Look’. Lisa describes how she came to be involved in radio work and how she makes it work in practical terms. She also describes some of her hobbies, including rock climbing and gymnastics, and talks about her faith in God which is vital to her positive outlook on life.

February 2012

Feb 5: Art Magazine

In today’s programme, presented by Shelly Stevenson, we meet an artist with virtually no sight and a sighted rug-maker who wants her art to be touched and enjoyed by people with sight loss. Matthew Rhodes painted a portrait of Gus Poyet, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Manager and a former Chelsea football player. What was remarkable about this was that Matt didn’t learn how to paint until after he lost most of his sight in a car accident. Matt was in the services and came out of Bosnia without a scratch. But then he was in a horrific car accident in Germany. He survived the crash, but with brain damage. At St Dunstan’s, which provides care for blind and partially sighted ex-servicemen and women, Matt started to paint. Shelly talks with Matt about his experiences. Shelly also talks to tactile artist Emily Twomlow who creates amazing carpets that need to be touched to experience their beauty.

Feb 12: Christine Medway

Today we meet Christine Medway. Christine was diagnosed quite young with a common eye condition with a confusing name: retinitis pigmentosa. As Christine says, people with RP often look pretty normal, but often have a very debilitating level of sight loss. Christine has no peripheral vision and uses a white cane. But that hasn’t prevented her from becoming an ordained priest in the Church of England. Torch CEO Gordon Temple talks to her about RP and her personal story.

Feb 19: E-readers

There are so many e-readers out there now, with so many features – but which one is best for those who are partially sighted or blind? Shelly Stevenson talks to technology reporter, Matt Kavanaugh to find out. They discuss the merits and shortcomings of the Kobo Touch, the Kindle Keyboard, the Sony PRS 300 and the Sony T1 readers. There are several cheaper models available than the ones Matt and Shelly talked about, but for Insight they concentrated on models with most accessibility for blind and partially sighted people.

Feb 19: Holiday at Home

Outlook Trust is a Christian organisation which focuses on reaching older people with the Good News about Jesus Christ. One of the initiatives run by Outlook Trust is Holiday at Home. Churches which sign up to this get ideas and support for running a summer programme which brings in elderly and disabled people locally. These are usually people who find it difficult to go on holiday independently. Marilyn talks to Brian Kennard, minister of the Methodist Church in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, to hear about their experience of running Holiday at Home. And she meets 90-year-old Irene Arnold who tells about the difference Holiday at Home has made to her – including a return to church attendance.

About the ministry team

Marilyn Baker, herself blind, is one of Britain’s well-loved Christian singer-songwriters. Her own life experiences involving a close relationship with God fuelled Marilyn's deep desire to help others discover the love that has so changed her life. This led her into Christian Ministry through music and Marilyn Baker Ministries was created. Marilyn sees presenting Insight as another opportunity to help others and spread the message of God’s love.

Insight is produced by the Torch Trust for the Blind, a UK-based mission which enables people with sight loss to discover Christian faith and lead fulfilling Christian lives. Torch promotes Christian fellowship among blind and partially sighted people through local Torch Fellowship Groups and by running holidays and events, and provides Christian literature in formats they can read: audio, braille and giant print. Torch resources include Bibles, daily Bible readings, Christian books and magazines, calendars, and more.

From July 25 2010, a special response line will be available on which to contact Torch about the Insight programme or anything else: 0333 123 1255.

You can also contact us via email: insight@torchtrust.org

www.marilynbakerministries.org