A film by Amy Hill korufilms.co.uk
Film commissioned by The Space
Listen to Sabah, Sandra and Perm's stories.
My name is Sabah. I'm 26 years old. I have a degree in early childhood studies. I am 5'2 in height. I wear a scarf and I'm British Pakistani. I was sighted until I was like 19. You know, I went through my education like all fine, but I got diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa when I was..I had just finished my first year of university. So, it was a massive shock. My vision started to deteriorate in my last year of uni and that's when COVID hit us. I'd had to to bring textbooks home and literally take photos of the page and send it to myself on email, load it up on my laptop, save that image and then zoom in and that's how I got through my assignments in my final year. And I told my friend that just a few days ago and she said, "Well, I couldn't have done it like if I was you in your place." It's like it takes determination, strength, courage to keep going and you have to. I spend a lot of time with family at home to be honest. I've had um the rehab worker come over to my house and she's given me cane training and we've had some lessons, some cooking and baking sessions. Um there's been times where I've baked um brownies and cakes with my younger brother and that's always been very fun. We can still bake and do the normal everyday things cos there's equipment available like talking baking scales and yeah, me and my brother are really close. He means the world to me. Like he's like my best friend in the family and since I've had sight loss like he'll fill out my paperwork or he'll do little things for me. He'll guide me around. He guided me around a lot when we was in Turkey when we went to Saudi Arabia when we been on holidays together. He's 23. like he's always a happy cheery guy. So I have an elder brother as well and he's really nice as well and we still go out have a laugh and a joke or you know we go shopping together. Usually I go to the Bullring & Grand Central which is really busy. So I do take my cane with me sometimes. My brothers would like take in turns to guide me. We just go around all the shops and then they'd show me like place things in my hand or show me the items and like if it's like clothes for example, you know, they'd describe it to me like tell me what colour they are, what it looks like and you know, they'd give me the heads up like say is it if it's nice or not. In the past couple of years as I was growing up, I used to go to the park with my friends and just walk around, do laps around the park, just explore the nature because I was always into nature and despite the sight loss, at least I can still experience it. Can still hear noises, can still hear sounds of the birds, of the trees blowing. I mean, just see the greenery, like take photos and just create memories really. I know it is difficult. It's like a grieving process when you're going through sight loss. Life goes on no matter what happens and you should never give up. Like you just have to keep going and stay strong really.
My name is Sandra Troth. I'm the development worker with Sandwell Visually Impaired, SVI. I am about 5'2. I have blonde hair with uh some pink strands in it. I inhabit an older body, but inside I'm 21 and I'm a white woman. When I'm not at work, I love walking. Obviously I need a sighted guide. I love holidays. Oh gosh, I love Greece. That is the land that I should be living in. I love all the Greek islands and I try to go to a different island every time and as many as I can. I love to be on a beach and uh just enjoying the beach vibes really. And I love the people in Greece cos they're very laidback and friendly. Kind, kind people. Often I go with my partner Martin most times, but I also have a good friend called Sally. So when I go with Sally, we do a lot more island hopping and bit more way out things. I had another adventure with Sally when we were in Thassos because we decided to climb this mountain. It's only a tiny mountain. It wasn't big. We were climbing up this uh mountain. I said to Sally, "Everybody's looking at us because you're dragging a blind woman up a mountain," and she says, "Sandra, they're not looking at you because I'm dragging you up the mountain and you're blind. They're looking at us because we're both doing it in flip-flops.” I have an eye condition called Retinitis pigmentosa. I'd like them to know that you can do anything you want to if you really want to do it, and not to let sight loss stand in your way. You might have to do it differently and you might have to be more imaginative. You know, if you don't want to go in for the crazy island hopping, you can do what we tend to do a little bit more now is posh island hopping, which is a cruise, which people think is really boring, and it is. But for us, it does mean that we we just go to bed at night and end up in a different place the next day, and we just treat it as a a very posh ferry.
Hello, my name is Perm Bachu. I am second generation Asian. I'm a born and bred Brum. I was raised in the Digbeth part of Birmingham and when I got married I moved over to the Black Country. So I'm a daughter of both halves. I am 5'4ish. I have very long red hair to my waist. I have brown eyes and I have very faireish skin as I'm told, but I can't see that anymore. I am a long cane user. All of my canes have got names. My cane is called Jordan the Jabber. And then I've got another cane called Tallulah. Since I've been um visually impaired, I have tirelessly campaigned to advocate for the VI community. Well, I recently went to Denmark cos my mom's side of the family are Scandinavian. So we have second and third generation Danish. I did every kind of different modes of transport there. One thing I noticed when I came to their house was a bike. It was a Triumph, English-built, double exhaust, and it's made in Birmingham. It was glistening in the background and I actually had my picture taken, and my cousin was so happy because nobody paid attention to any of his vehicles or his bike. And on the back of that he's going to get me a leather jacket and he's going to get me an extra helmet and I'm going to go for a spin. The biggest thing I do miss is actually driving. So, that is the one big downside because driving was my thing, and I've been driving for 30 years, and when I had to hang up my keys, it broke my heart because I was one week away from doing my advanced drivers test. But I hopefully want to get onto a bike, uh, have a driving experience, get behind the wheel of a car again, and go full throttle 100 miles an hour if I'm allowed to. But I will do it. I promise you that. I have a condition called Retinal dystrophy, uh, which is genetic. Both my parents are carriers. Whether you're partially sighted or blind, it's beautiful. And it's just a little chink in the armour, but it doesn't make you who you are. It's your vibrant personality that needs to shine out. Don't let anyone or culture stop you from being who you are. Stand tall and proud. I'm trying to set the bar here. Looking at me. If I can do it, you can do it. Have self-belief and faith.
Black Country Women -
A Spatial Sound Journey
Beyond Vision: Black Country Women – A Spatial Sound Journey is an immersive, walking, spatial sound only, experience of Warley Woods. It places you into the body of a visually impaired person, and you will search for a joyful story told by a woman from Sandwell Visually Impaired.
jBeyond Vision flips the question from "how do we help blind people to see" to "how do visually impaired and blind people already experience the world".
The experience takes place in a Meta Quest VR headset, your vision will be restricted and you will be supported by a real-life, sighted guide.
“ it was just a brilliant way to show people how people with a vision impairment experience the world”
Presently 360 sound lets you look around from a fixed spot. Beyond Vision's spatial sound allows you to walk forward, crouch down and stand back up. We invite you to close your eyes to fully experience the work and to discover the difference between hearing Warley Woods and feeling like you are physically there.
“I’ve never experienced spatial audio, sounds coming from different directions. It's very realistic, how it feels when you've got a bee coming up close to you, and the road... I did kind of almost stand there, thinking, is it safe to cross now?”
Beyond Vision is created by Sarah-Ann Cromwell, with founder of Immersion Sound Studio Ltd, audio engineer and registered blind Freya Shaw and built by John Thornewill Red Nought. The experience is made in collaboration with visually impaired women for sighted people. This is a Space Digital First Commission in partnership with Creative Black Country, made possible with funding from Arts Council England.
Beyond Vision: Stereo Audio Preview
Map of Beyond Vision: BCW
The Creative Team
Sarah-Ann Cromwell
Creative Director & Project Lead
Sarah-Ann Cromwell works in spatial audio, immersive experiences and accessibility, creating audio-led environments that improve access for visually impaired users and support mindfulness, learning and inclusive engagement. She was awarded the WMCA Activate Skills Development Grant to undertake studies in audio description and blind gaming, and has studied with the RNIB, Roz Chalmers MBE and Dr Louise Fryer. She has 20 years' experience in creative education (from KS1 to MA lecturer level), and is a project manager, accessibility consultant and volunteer for the user-led charity Sandwell Visually Impaired. She is also an award-winning international operatic comedian.
Freya Shaw
Lead Interactive Designer & Audio Engineer (Immersion Sound)
Freya Shaw is the registered blind founder of Immersion Sound Studio, a company that creates commissioned music and binaural sound design for media such as videogames and exhibitions, while also developing Hodr Engine, a no code spatial audio creation tool backed by Innovate UK and the University of Bristol. Hodr Engine also acts as a screen reader accessible layer for existing software, and is designed for developers of any sight condition or level of technical experience. Freya shares knowledge of accessible game development at events including SpillKonventet and DevCom, proving that you don’t need sight to have vision.
John Thornewill
Technical Lead & Engine Architect (Red Nought)
John Thornewill of Red Nought has created games ranging from Ivor the Engine and The Clangers through to cutting-edge full-motion VR simulator experiences. He developed Red Forge, a game engine that enables visually impaired gamers to play complex games without assistance, and is the creator of Virtual Guide Dogs, a revolutionary system that allows blind and visually impaired people to explore new environments such as campuses, venues and museums at their own pace, without the need for a sighted companion, using a Meta Quest VR headset and controller.
Meet the wonderful women of Sandwell Visually Impaired
Sandra Troth
My name is Sandra Troth I’m the development worker with the Sandwell visually impaired, SVI. I am about 5 foot two. I have blonde hair with some pink strands in it. I inhabit an older body but inside I’m 21 and I’m a white woman.
Sandra is a dedicated advocate for the visually impaired community in the Black Country. She has consulted extensively on accessible heritage, theatre projects, mental health and exercise accessibility for the community. As a strategic local voice, Sandra champions that the lived experience of blind and partially sighted people remains at the heart of both regional policy and the community arts.
Perm Bhachu
Hello, my name is Perm Bhachu. I am second generation Asian. I’m born and bred in Brum and moved to the Black Country when I got married. I am 5 foot four-ish, I have very long red hair to my waist. I have brown eyes and I have medium to lightish skin. I work for a local sight loss charity, helping people with complex needs and vision impairment. In my spare time, I am West midlands lead for Retina UK, I co-facilitate the women’s online group with my colleague and I am a patient volunteer at Aston University.
Perm is a leading disability advocate and media contributor for BBC and ITV News. Her work spans filming for the RNIB’s ‘See the Person’ campaign, to academic research partnerships with Loughborough University, focusing on accessibility and inclusion.
Sabah
My name is Sabah. I’m 26 years old. I have a degree in early childhood studies. I am 5 foot two in height and I wear a scarf and I’m British Pakistani.
Sabah is a Community Contributor, Lived Experience Advocate and an insightful voice in Sandwell’s young Visually Impaired community. She is a lead storyteller in the ‘Unseen Memories’ project funded by Creative Black Country and a featured voice in the podcast ‘Blathering with SVI’ by Black Country Touring. By sharing her stories, Sabah wants to increase public understanding and highlight the vital support networks available to those navigating their sight loss journey.