As we look ahead to Vis-Ability 2026 next month, I’m incredibly proud of how far this event has come in such a short space of time.
What began 3 years ago as an ambition to create a meaningful platform for conversation, collaboration and action around accessibility and sight loss has grown into what is now the first conference of its kind, bringing together leaders from business, politics, academia and the blind and vision impaired community to shape a more inclusive future.
Vis-Ability was founded on a simple belief: that accessibility and inclusion should not sit on the sidelines of innovation, employment or public life. It should be central to it.
As we often say, ‘true inclusion happens when accessibility is designed in from the beginning, not added as an afterthought’.
Our hope is that this conference continues to drive practical change, challenge assumptions and create opportunities for greater inclusion across society.
True inclusion happens when accessibility is designed in from the beginning, not added as an afterthought.
We want Vis-Ability to inspire organisations to think differently, act boldly and recognise the enormous talent, insight and contribution of blind and vision impaired people.
This year, we are also proud to introduce a stronger health focus to the conference. Too often, conversations around sight loss, accessibility and inclusion are separated from wider discussions about healthcare, wellbeing and innovation in medical research. We believe these conversations belong together. By bringing health into the heart of Vis-Ability 2026, we hope to encourage greater collaboration between healthcare leaders, researchers, employers and the vision impaired community, helping to drive earlier intervention, better support and more equitable access to services and innovation.
We are delighted to have HSBC this year as our headline sponsor, alongside the involvement of Be My Eyes and Roche*, organisations that share our commitment to innovation and accessibility.
We are also honoured to welcome our speakers Richard Osman, author and television presenter and The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, together with a range of influential voices from business, academia and politics. Most importantly, Vis-Ability will continue to centre the experiences, expertise and ambitions of blind and vision impaired people themselves.
This event is about more than discussion. It is about building momentum, creating partnerships and ensuring accessibility is recognised not as a niche issue, but as a driver of better outcomes for everyone.
We are excited for what lies ahead and look forward to welcoming everyone to Vis-Ability 2026.
*Roche Products Limited has provided financial support for this conference but has had no input into any arrangements or content, other than the panel session ‘From Sight to Insight: Innovating Eye Health for Everyone’ which is organised by Roche and Fight for Sight.
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