Digital & Technology Award 2026

Berkshire Vision

For people who are blind or visually impaired, digital technology can be life-changing, enabling greater independence and confidence. In 2021, we redeveloped our Equipment Service in response to growing demand and the rapid evolution of assistive technology, ensuring people could access the latest tools and knowledge. Since then, our Technology and Equipment Service has become one of the charity’s most valued and popular services.

Many people with sight loss face barriers to digital inclusion. Devices can feel intimidating, accessibility features may be difficult to navigate, and a lack of confidence or support can prevent engagement with technology. Without digital skills, people risk becoming isolated and unable to access services, information and opportunities that are now largely online.

To address this challenge, Berkshire Vision delivers regular Tech Hubs across Berkshire, supported by dedicated volunteer Tech Buddies. These welcoming sessions provide safe spaces where people can explore technology at their own pace. Participants learn to use screen readers, magnification tools, voice assistants and speech-to-text technology; discover apps and devices that support independent living; troubleshoot technology issues; and gain confidence using smartphones, tablets and computers. Volunteer Tech Buddies also provide one-to-one home visits, helping people set up and use devices.

MyVision Oxfordshire

Visually impaired people are twice as likely to experience digital exclusion as sighted people. Digital exclusion means that visually impaired people may struggle to carry out day-to-day tasks independently, which can severely impact their confidence and wellbeing.

It does not have to be this way. MyVision Oxfordshire’s Get Connected Project tackles digital exclusion for visually impaired people in Oxfordshire, providing bespoke technology training so they can improve their confidence, live more independently, and stay connected with others.

First, our Get Connected workshops introduce clients to the benefits of technology. We then offer bespoke 1-to-1 training, helping individuals achieve personal goals, e.g. sending WhatsApp messages, or reading documents. For ongoing 1-to-1 support, we match clients with trained Tech Buddy volunteers.

The project is delivered by our Technology and Equipment Officers, whose own experience of sight loss helps them understand the barriers clients face.

When asked, 92% of beneficiaries said they felt more confident getting online, and 84% felt more connected with other people.

“My confidence was rock bottom. What MyVision has taught me has given me a new lease on life. I can use my iPad to read, and it has been a godsend”

Seescape

Technology has the power to transform lives, but only when people can access it, understand it and feel confident using it.

Seescape’s Accessible Technology Service helps visually impaired people across Fife overcome the practical barriers that sight loss can create. Through personalised assessments, one-to-one training and ongoing support, we enable people to use everything from smartphones and electronic magnifiers to AI-powered reading and navigation tools.

What makes our approach unique is the combination of specialist expertise and lived experience. Our Accessible Technology team includes professionals with visual impairments who understand first-hand the challenges clients face and can demonstrate the life-changing possibilities technology creates.

In 2025 alone we secured over £29,000 of funding for specialist equipment that many clients could not otherwise afford.

For people like Katie, technology has restored independence, privacy and confidence. After losing the ability to read her own correspondence, an AI-powered reading device enabled her to once again access personal letters and important information independently.

Our service demonstrates that technology is not simply about devices. It is about dignity, choice, connection and the freedom to live independently.

By voting for Seescape, you are recognising an innovative, practical and replicable approach that is changing lives every day.

Vision Norfolk 

We are incredibly proud of our Digital Inclusion Project, and especially our dedicated Digital Technology Volunteers, who have devoted many hours to supporting our vision impaired clients. They have generously given their time to attend weekly drop-in sessions and offer one-to-one appointments for clients who benefit from a quieter, more personalised environment.

Our volunteers have played a vital role in shaping the project, sharing valuable feedback on what has worked well and suggesting improvements that have helped us enhance the service we provide.

Having such a diverse team of volunteers, made up of both vision impaired and sighted individuals, has enabled us to deliver a truly inclusive and tailored service. They have developed into a strong, supportive team, and our newly created Tech Volunteers WhatsApp group has become a valuable space for sharing knowledge and supporting one another whenever challenging technical issues arise. Their willingness to collaborate and help each other reflects the spirit of the project and has strengthened the support we are able to offer our clients.

Winning this award would be a fitting way to thank our incredible team of volunteers for their dedication and the invaluable contribution they have made to the success of our project.