Nick Thomas-Symonds visited Cwmbran company Pia – a leading independent accessible format provider – to mark World Braille Day.
Celebrated every year on 4th January, World Braille Day is an International Day of Awareness recognising the incredible legacy of braille; the tactile code used by many blind and partially sighted people.
Braille was developed 200 years ago and is the internationally recognised system of raised dots that enables people who are blind and partially sighted to read and write by touch.
Pia were founded in 1985, and grew to develop the braille translation software, Braille Maker which became the leading UK braille translation software and formed the basis of Pia’s role in selling braille software and embossers.
Today they continue to provide a wide range of accessible print services to many large and small organisations, including braille and large print versions of national examinations and tests, ensuring children with sight loss throughout the UK can demonstrate their achievements.
Having been founded as a cooperative in 1985, the company have also recently returned to employee ownership.
During the Torfaen MP’s visit, he saw the processes involved in making the accessible formats, met the Pia team, and discussed their experience in moving back to a cooperative.
Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “It’s been great to mark World Braille Day this year alongside Pia. With around 20,000 people using braille, it remains as important as ever to remove barriers to communication and information for people living with sight loss, as well as enhancing their independence.
I’m incredibly proud we have a business like Pia in Torfaen producing accessible formats for people with sight loss, and I’m delighted to hear have recently returned to a cooperative, which is something this Government is looking to expand.”
Sharon Williams from Pia said: “Returning Pia back to its roots as an employee-owned trust has been a long-term plan to give the team and customers the assurance of succession and continuity. We were delighted with the support offered by Welsh Government and Cwmpas to get us over the line. We love the confidence this gives us that we can continue delivering accessible print for people with print impairment.”
