Coffee, Chat, and Navigation at London Blackfriars

Tuesday 6 October 10:30am - 3:30pm
London Blackfriars Station, North Entrance, Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4DY

London Sight Loss Councils and GTR invite blind and partially sighted people to join us for a Coffee, Chat, and Navigation event at London Blackfriars Station.

This is a fantastic opportunity to meet other blind and partially sighted people, learn about accessibility improvements at your local station and help shape future developments.

During the event, you’ll have the opportunity to explore a station guide developed by Sight Loss Councils. You can also take part in a guided station walk and share your experiences of travelling by rail.

Your feedback will help us understand what works well and identify any barriers. It will also help ensure the voices of blind and partially sighted passengers continue to influence accessibility improvements.

During the event

During the event, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Meet the project team: Chat with representatives from Sight Loss Councils and GTR and learn more about the work being carried out at the station.
  • Explore accessibility resources: Discover the station audio guide, onboard train guides, and the Aira app – all designed to support confident and independent rail travel.
  • Take part in a guided station walk: Explore key areas of the station and experience parts of the station guide in action.
  • Share your feedback: Tell us what works well and what could be improved to help make rail travel more accessible for blind and partially sighted passengers.
  • Connect with others: Enjoy refreshments and meet other blind and partially sighted people from your local community.

 

Book your place for London Blackfriars event

  • Date: Tuesday, 6 October 2026
  • Location: London Blackfriars Station, North Entrance, Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4DY
  • Meeting point: Platform One Gate line (North Side/St Paul’s)
  • Booking closes: 5pm, Friday, 2 October

You can attend either of the following sessions:

  • Morning session: 10:30am – 12:30pm
    (Arrive from 10:15am)
  • Afternoon session: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
    (Arrive from 1:15pm)

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please book an additional place for any guide or companion you bring with you.

Book London Blackfriars morning session

Book London Blackfriars afternoon session

For any queries, please email info@sightlosscouncils.org.uk

Before you attend

To help inform your feedback, please take a few minutes to listen to or read the station guide before attending the event.

London Blackfriars audio guide

Why attend?

Haren, a member of South West London Sight Loss Council, said:

Headshot of London SLC member, Haren Thillainathan. He standing outside under a tree in the sunshine. He is wearing a red and navy t-shirt.“These Coffee, Chat, and Navigation events are informative and a great opportunity to share your experiences of train travel directly with GTR staff. You can also learn tips and practical information that may help make future rail journeys easier and more accessible.”

Jordan, a South East London Sight Loss Council member, added:

Headshot of Jordan, South East London SLC member. Jordan has short dark hair and is standing against a grey background, smiling at the camera.“Events like this are very important as they give blind and partially sighted passengers a great opportunity to speak directly to the accessibility teams that can make independent travel possible for more and more disabled train travellers.”

Liam O’Carroll, Interim Engagement Manager for London SLCs, said:

Black and white headshot of Liam O'Carroll. His head is turned slightly to the side and he is smiling.“At London Sight Loss Councils’ we are keen to see railway stations become easier for blind and partially sighted people to use and that is why we produced the audio guide to Blackfriars Station.

“At this event, people will get to try out the guide and, through their feedback, help us shape its future development so that we have a tool which will enable more confident use of railway stations. We are delighted that GTR has given us the opportunity to take this project further.”

 

About Sight Loss Councils

Sight Loss Councils are led by blind and partially sighted members. Together, they tackle local issues and work with businesses and service providers to improve the accessibility of their services.

Photography and video

During registration, you will be asked whether you are happy to be included in photographs, videos or other images taken at the event. These will be used for promotional purposes, raising the profile of our work and for sharing information and good practice. Please note, if you do not wish to be included, you may still feature in the background.

Join our mailing list

When you register, we will ask whether you would like to join our mailing list.

By consenting to receive our emails you agree to your data being retained and used to send you information of interest to you. We will not sell or rent your information to third parties. We may share your information with third parties such as MailChimp or SurveyMonkey in order to send you communications or to canvass your opinion. You can opt out of these communications at any time by emailing info@sightlosscouncils.org.uk

 

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