Sight Scotland
 Royal Blind School, Edinburgh, Craigmillar Park campus | |
| Formation | 1793 |
|---|---|
| Founders |
|
| Location | |
Formerly called | Royal Blind, Edinburgh Asylum for the Relief of the Indigent and Industrious Blind |
Sight Scotland (formerly known as Royal Blind) is a Scottish Charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland founded in 1793.[1] The charity provides care, education and employment for people of all ages who are blind or partially sighted.[2] Sight Scotland provides the following services: Royal Blind School, Forward Vision, Scottish Braille Press and Kidscene. Sight Scotland’s sister charity is Sight Scotland Veterans.
History
[edit]In 1793, Dr. David Johnston (Minister of North Leith), Dr. Thomas Blacklock, and Mr. David Miller founded Sight Scotland. Both Blacklock and Miller were blind. The organisation was founded under the name Edinburgh Asylum for the Relief of the Indigent and Industrious Blind and later was known as Royal Blind.[3][4][5][6]
Organisation
[edit]Sight Scotland is a national charity providing services to people from across Scotland and the rest of the UK. The charity’s headquarters are in Edinburgh, Scotland. Current services are provided in and around Edinburgh and Paisley.[7]
Governance
[edit]Management of the charity is the responsibility of the Board of Directors, made up of representatives of public bodies and elected nominees.[8]
The Royal Blind School
[edit]The Royal Blind School (founded in 1793) is a specialist day and boarding school located in Edinburgh, Scotland. The school caters for pupils aged 3 to 19 who are blind or partially sighted. It has facilities for boys and girls of nursery, primary and secondary age. Students attending the school come primarily from Scotland, but also from other parts of the United Kingdom.[9][10]
Famous alumni from the school include Libby Clegg, London 2012 Paralympic silver medalist, who is a brand ambassador for Sight Scotland.[11][12]
Forward Vision
[edit]Forward Vision is a service for young adults aged 18–25 with visual impairment and disability based in Morningside, Edinburgh.[13][14]
Care for older people
[edit]Braeside House is a purpose-built residential care home for older people who are registered blind or partially sighted. It was opened in 1999 and is located in Liberton, Edinburgh. It closed in 2021.
The success of Braeside, led to Sight Scotland opening a second care home, Jenny's Well in Paisley. This home was opened in 2017 with the aim to provide the West of Scotland with a care home specifically catering for the visually impaired. It closed in 2021. [14][15][16]
Kidscene
[edit]Kidscene is an after school and holiday care facility based in the Sight Scotland School in Morningside, Edinburgh. Kidscene is for children with all abilities, using a reverse integration model to provide care for children with and without disabilities.[17][18]
Scottish Braille Press
[edit]Founded in 1891, Scottish Braille Press produces alternative information formats for visually impaired people large print, Braille, and audio.[19] It is also the host of National Braille Week.[5]
Sight Scotland's sister charity, Sight Scotland Veterans
[edit]Sight Scotland Veterans supports former members of the armed forces who have a visual impairment. Any partially sighted person who has served in the armed forces is eligible for membership. This free service provides two key services to its members: The day centres of Linburn in Wilkieston and Hawkhead in Paisley and an Outreach Service covering Scotland.[20][21]
References
[edit]- ^ "Find Out How We Provide Help For Blind People". Royal Blind. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Royal Blind, Edinburgh | Carers - Visual Impairments Charities | Charity Directory". Charity Choice. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Support For Blind and Visually Impaired People". Royal Blind. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Jobs at Royal Blind Society | Royal Blind Society Jobs". CharityJob. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Royal Blind School opens its doors for National Braille Week". The Edinburgh Reporter. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Our new names". Sight Scotland. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Royal Blind School to cash in on Edinburgh icon". The Scotsman. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Royal Blind Governance". Royalblind.org. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "The Royal Blind School For Visually Impaired and Blind Children". Royalblind.org. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Royal Blind School". SCIS. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Paralympic Athlete Libby Clegg to Take on Ambassador Role for Charity Royal Blind". Reuters. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Paralympian Libby Clegg takes on ambassador role for Royal Blind". Enable Magazine. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Forward Vision Adult Care Home For Blind and Visually Impaired People". Royalblind.org. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Royal Blind | Support". Patient.co.uk. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Braeside House Care Home For Blind". Royal Blind. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Braeside House care home, 81 Liberton Brae, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh EH16 6LE". Carehome.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Kidscene After School Care and Holiday Club". Royalblind.org. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Kidscene in Morningside, Edinburgh". Netmums. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Scottish Braille Press - The UK Braille Printers". Royal Blind. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Scottish War Blinded - Supporting Visually Impaired Ex-Service People". Royalblind.org. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Scottish War Blinded | Support". Patient.co.uk. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2013.