Touching the World
A Blind Woman, Two Wheels, 25,000 Miles

Cathy Birchall has been blind since she was in her mid 20s. Following the death of her husband of 19 years and finding herself blind and alone she put herself through college and became a Further Education Lecturer. Within this role she met Bernard Smith, and then took a year off from her job with Action for Blind People to go on this journey. Bernard, a motorcyclist for over 30 years, and a former teacher then working for the RNIB, had an ambition to circle the world. On their return from their trip Cathy went through treatment for cancer from which she is recovering. Bernard is now retired, but does a little consultancy.