On Friday, 7th March 2025, HumanWare Europe hosted a visit from Gen Kitchen MP (Wellingborough & Rushden) at our Northamptonshire offices.
The visit was arranged following the publication of a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment (APPG), which recommended reviewing the Equality Act (2010) to support blind and partially sighted people in the modern labour market.
Raising awareness of assistive technology in employment
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) estimates that 11,000 blind and partially sighted people are currently seeking employment in the UK. However, many face barriers such as negative employer attitudes and limited accessibility to work opportunities. The APPG report highlighted the critical role of assistive technology in improving access to work and boosting employee performance for visually impaired individuals. HumanWare showcased its range of innovative technologies during Gen Kitchen’s visit to emphasise the importance of these tools in supporting employment.
Showcasing HumanWare’s innovative technology
During the visit, Alan Davis read a welcome message from Pedro Polson, and shared HumanWare’s long history of innovation in assistive technology. Martin Roberts provided a demonstration of our braille devices and multi-line braille displays, including the Monarch. Gen Kitchen took the opportunity to explore tactile graphics and learn about the positive impact of Braille and assistive technology on employment opportunities for people with visual impairments.
Chris Moreton demonstrated low-vision magnifiers such as the explorē range, Connect 12, and Prodigi for Windows. Gen was particularly interested in how these technologies work with mainstream systems and asked insightful questions about operating systems, software development, and future advancements in AI-driven assistive technology.
A step forward in inclusivity
Before leaving, Gen Kitchen expressed her excitement about HumanWare’s technology and the potential it holds for improving accessibility in the workplace. She shared her intention to inform colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions and the Education Ministry about her visit, helping to raise awareness of the importance of assistive technology in breaking down barriers to employment.
Special thanks were extended to Louise Davies for her support and for acting as the photographer during the visit.
