BAMBI Braille and Moon Book Initiative

BAMBI aims to promote the use of the two tactile reading systems currently in use in the UK. The two systems are Braille and Moon.

Most people have heard of Braille as a system of touch reading formed by dots, but are unaware that over the last twenty years the teaching of this system has been sadly neglected, so much so that there are less than 10,000 readers in the UK.

The other touch reading system, Moon, is little-known. Although now read by only some 600 people in the UK, it is more easily read by people who do not have the sensitivity in their fingers to read Braille.

Until recently the cost of producing Moon was expensive as each letter shape had to be formed individually using a punch and die. However, a new system has been developed using the dots which form Braille to create the shapes used in Moon.

BAMBI aims to encourage the learning and use of both systems by producing Braille and Moon books following the courses available in the UK. It is intended to make these books available free of charge to groups and individuals learning either system.

BAMBI is looking for stories and poems to include in their books. If you would like to allow them to use any of your work they will be only too pleased to receive all that you care to send them. The authors of all stories and poems will, of course, be acknowledged.

Norman Ellis will be pleased to receive your work by email: n.ellis@ntlworld.com

Norman, of Tamworth, is the driving force behind BAMBI, and he has already produced the first book in the series (held by Mike Wilson in the photograph below. Mike's short story "To be a Hero" is the first story in this book).

Financial contributions towards the provision of an electronic wire-binding machine and an Index Braille embosser plus all the consumables are equally welcome.

Can you help with this venture?