I cannot imagine the fear of of living in a world of darkness. What keeps those who are blind going from day to day? Perhaps the hope of a miracle cure, like the one mentioned in the news today which describes how an implant placed at the back of the eye has restored the sight again for those who had lost it. One man saw his girlfriend’s smile for the first time, while another was able to read his own name. It is thought that a sub-retinal implant could revolutionise the treatment of blindness in the same way as cochlear implants have transformed the life of the deaf. Let’s hope that this can happen, and that vision can be restored for those without sight.

I’m particularly keen to mention this story because not only is it so uplifting – and thank heavens for these brilliant scientists and highly skilled technicians who can devise such cures – but because this week I had a phone call from Camread, a charity which provides a valuable reading, visiting and recording service for the blind and visually impaired in Cambridgeshire, and would like to include some of my blog posts.

Did I mind? I felt so honoured and humbled, and I am extremely delighted at the thought that what I write here might give some pleasure to others. They are particularly keen to include my local posts, starting with one about a tour of Chesterton with Cambridge’s popular historian and best known road sweeper Allan Brigham.

One day, I hope that these miracle implants will work for the blind in Cambridgeshire, and those who hear stories from my blog will one day be able to read it for themselves.