'Can you read my Christmas card?'

Disability equality company Adept highlights a key communication issue at Christmas

In the coming weeks, thousands of individuals will receive cards they cannot read. Disability equality company Adept today asked people to adopt a more personal approach to Christmas greetings and to ask the simple question 'Can you read my Christmas card?'

There are some two million people with sight impairments in the UK. As well as people registered as blind or partially sighted, this includes large numbers of individuals who are unable to read newspaper print or recognise a friend across the road.

'Christmas is a time to catch up with friends and relatives, to wish them Season's Greetings and perhaps to let them know what you've been up to for the past twelve months' said Eileen Finch of Adept. 'Whilst we may take it for granted, not everyone can read greetings or letters written in biro or light grey printed poems. We all like to read our own post and a greeting isn't really personal if someone has to read it to you.'

The message is simple. Take another look at your Christmas card list. As the years go by, are you sure that everyone you send a card to is able to read it? This year, you could start by asking the obvious question 'Can you read the message on my card? If not, what can I change?'

'If the answer is that they can't read the greeting, then there are a number of things you can do' explained Eileen, 'some of which do not involve any additional cost. For example, rather than writing your message in biro, why not 'write it large' with a black felt tipped pen? Or in the age of the Internet, have you thought of the e-mail alternative to a card? If someone receives an e-mail they can change the font to suit their own needs or use a voice synthesiser if their machine is set up for this.'

In common with other companies working on accessibility issues, Adept can provide further alternatives such as Braille messages and recorded audio messages that can be ordered overnight via the Fastrack delivery service on this website, by clicking here.



Picture shows Eileen Finch receiving Large-Print Christmas Card

December 2005

Click here to go back to The News Page