Mrs Williams, Teacher of Activities for Daily Living at NCW, recently took part in a BBC Radio 4 In Touch feature exploring a new personal shopping service designed for customers who are blind or vision impaired.
Mrs Williams, along with her husband, visited the John Lewis flagship store on Oxford Street, where the service is currently being trialled. During the experience, they received one-to-one support from trained staff, with detailed verbal descriptions of clothing, assistance navigating the store, and support when exploring larger purchases—including looking at a new television—helping to create a more accessible and informative shopping experience.
The visit was featured on a recent episode of In Touch, presented by NCW former student Peter White. You can listen to the full segment here:
Listen to the BBC Radio 4 In Touch episode
John Lewis has developed the service to better support blind or vision impaired customers, offering personalised assistance and a more inclusive approach to in-store shopping. Trials like this are helping to explore how major retailers can adapt their environments to meet a wider range of needs.
Experiences such as this highlight both the progress being made in accessible retail and the importance of continuing to remove barriers to independence. With growing interest in the service, there is increasing discussion around whether similar support could be rolled out more widely across other stores in the future.
At NCW, where students are supported to develop confidence and independence for life beyond education, it is encouraging to see national retailers taking steps towards more inclusive practices—something that can make a meaningful difference in everyday life.
