A history of SeeAbility

In the 1700's four philanthropists joined together to found a school for the blind -  the first establishment in the south of England to cater for the training and educational needs of young blind people. In 1911 the school was granted Royal Patronage by King George V in 1911 and became The Royal School for the Blind.

During the early years, the residents were cared for in a very institutional manner, living in  dormitory-style accommodation and forbidden to mix with members of the opposite sex. There was little incentive to learn even basic daily living skills as everything was done for them.

By the 1980's the entire ethos of The Royal School for the Blind had changed.  The dormitories were gradually re-modelled into flats, residents were able to mix with one another, and the charity refocused its energies on enabling people who are blind or partially sighted with additional disabilities to achieve independence according to their individual potential.

Residents become actively involved in making decisions about how to run their home and their lives. They were encouraged to make informed choices, take responsibility for their lives and develop a realistic understanding of the implications of their actions. The aim was to encourage fuller integration into the wider community and the lifestyles associated with it.

In 1992 the charity expanded its services in community based settings helping people in their own homes and by June 1994 The Royal School for the Blind became SeeAbility, reinforcing our message "Seeing Beyond Disability".

Today we offer a wide range of services both in the home and at SeeAbility centres.  In addition, we carry out and publish research, offer comprehensive training for professionals and work with public sector organisations and local communities.