Winchester Cathedral has announced the launch of ‘Touch Tours’; an immersive and inclusive experience for blind and visually impaired visitors. These specially designed tours offer a unique opportunity to explore the rich history, architectural wonders, and treasured artefacts of the cathedral through tactile engagement.
Led by trained guides, the ‘Touch Tours’ immerse visitors in the captivating narrative of Winchester Cathedral. Guides share detailed insights into the cathedral’s architecture, its magnificent treasures, and the stories behind them. Participants have the chance to physically connect with the diverse stones that form the cathedral’s majestic structure and explore select artefacts.
The development of ‘Touch Tours’ owes much to Keith Hatter, who played a pivotal role in their creation. Having lost his sight three decades ago, Keith actively contributed to the tour’s design and implementation. He expressed his gratitude, stating, “The Cathedral and its guides have worked very hard, and successfully, to make its atmosphere, artefacts, and history accessible to those with visual impairments, who may visit with confidence that they will have an enriching experience”.
The ‘Touch Tours’ have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from visitors since the first trial tours were conducted in 2022, which led up to the first of a series of public tours starting earlier this year. Since then, five tours have been organised and attended by approximately 15 visually impaired visitors along with their companions.
The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester, expressed her delight at the success of the ‘Touch Tours’ stating, ‘I’m enormously pleased that the cathedral is now able to offer Touch Tours and have seen for myself the difference that this can make to visually-impaired visitors. I’ve seen real delight in the reaction of participants, and this is just what we’d like all our visitors to experience. I’m enormously grateful to David and Paul, and our other volunteers for enabling more people to engage with the heritage of the cathedral because the cathedral is here for everyone.’
Winchester Cathedral offers ‘Touch Tours’ once every six weeks, and bookings can be made online or by contacting the Box Office at 01962 857275. For in-person bookings, the Box Office within the Cathedral operates on weekdays from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Both individual and group bookings are welcome, with a fee of £10.00 per tour, while companions can join free of charge.
To learn more about ‘Touch Tours’ and to make a reservation, please visit: https://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/event/touch-tours-designed-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired/
Images below of a ‘Touch Tour’ – ©WinchesterCathedral
