Connor Mcleod, the 2015 Recipient of the "Hands On Award" Visits National Braille Press for a Private Tour
Boston, MA, November 13, 2015 --(PR.com)-- National Braille Press (NBP), a non-profit braille publishing house, welcomed Connor McLeod to its headquarters in Boston for an interactive tour of the facility prior to their annual gala, “A Million Laughs for Literacy.”
Connor McLeod is accepting the “Hands On Award” this year because he led a national effort to change the way Australia’s currency is printed so that the blind and visually impaired are able to identify money more easily. His quest to change Australia’s national currency began when he was 12 years old after receiving money for Christmas and then having to ask his mother how much he had. At that moment, Connor decided it was time for a change. He started a petition and received 57,000 signatures asking the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to make tactile notes available for the blind and visually impaired.
Connor’s campaign resulted in the Royal Bank of Australia agreeing to add a tactile feature to banknotes. He also advocated for the inclusion of text to speech technology on EFTPOS machines in Australia and was successful. This technology will tell low vision and blind users how much money is being removed from their account after making a purchase.
NBP will present him with the award at their annual gala, “A Million Laughs for Literacy” to be held at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston, November 12, 2015. The gala brings together leaders from the community who are committed to NBP’s mission of promoting braille literacy for blind and visually impaired children. This year’s event is co-chaired by Danny Hirce, SVP at State Street Bank Corporation, Tom Crohan, Assistant VP and Counsel at John Hancock and Tom Sullivan, CEO and Founder of Lumber Liquidators.
About National Braille Press
A non-profit braille publisher, National Braille Press promotes literacy for blind children through outreach programs and provides access to information by producing information in braille for blind children and adults. www.nbp.org
Connor McLeod is accepting the “Hands On Award” this year because he led a national effort to change the way Australia’s currency is printed so that the blind and visually impaired are able to identify money more easily. His quest to change Australia’s national currency began when he was 12 years old after receiving money for Christmas and then having to ask his mother how much he had. At that moment, Connor decided it was time for a change. He started a petition and received 57,000 signatures asking the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to make tactile notes available for the blind and visually impaired.
Connor’s campaign resulted in the Royal Bank of Australia agreeing to add a tactile feature to banknotes. He also advocated for the inclusion of text to speech technology on EFTPOS machines in Australia and was successful. This technology will tell low vision and blind users how much money is being removed from their account after making a purchase.
NBP will present him with the award at their annual gala, “A Million Laughs for Literacy” to be held at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston, November 12, 2015. The gala brings together leaders from the community who are committed to NBP’s mission of promoting braille literacy for blind and visually impaired children. This year’s event is co-chaired by Danny Hirce, SVP at State Street Bank Corporation, Tom Crohan, Assistant VP and Counsel at John Hancock and Tom Sullivan, CEO and Founder of Lumber Liquidators.
About National Braille Press
A non-profit braille publisher, National Braille Press promotes literacy for blind children through outreach programs and provides access to information by producing information in braille for blind children and adults. www.nbp.org
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National Braille Press
Jiayi Fang
617-425-2436
nbp.org
Jiayi Fang
617-425-2436
nbp.org
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