Warwickshire Association for the Blind
Encyclopedia
Warwickshire Association for the Blind (WAB) is a registered charity providing rehabilitation services for children and adults with sight impairments
to support them to live independent lives. Services are provided by WAB's rehabilitation team based in their offices at Warwick
. Founded in 1911, the charity celebrated its centenary year in 2011.
people in Warwickshire in order to promote their welfare. Indeed, one of its first tasks was to undertake a survey to determine how many blind people lived in the county, and a limited response from parish clergy indicated a number of 250. The inaugural meeting of WAB was chaired by Lord Algernon Percy
, the High Sheriff of Warwickshire
, and a former Conservative
MP
, who spoke of the difficulties blind people experienced when finding employment, while other members expressed a need for greater support to equal that which was taking place in other parts of the country.
In 1925 the charity formed a partnership with Warwickshire County Council which saw the appointment of the first home teacher to visit and provide education to blind children throughout the county. With the introduction of the 1944 Disabled Persons Employment Act, WAB began encouraging able bodied blind people to register for employment, and by 1945 the charity was operating centres around the county, which at the time included Leamington, Shirley
, Sutton Coldfield
and Tamworth
. The organisation bought Huntley Lodge in Leamington Spa in 1950, turning it into a home for twenty two elderly blind people. The Lodge was run by Warwickshire County Council until 1980 when it was sold and the proceeds of the sale donated to WAB.
A 1991 report by the Royal National Institute for the Blind indicated a far greater number of visually impaired people than previously thought, and in response to this WAB developed a new strategy to cover the increased number of people it would need to provide services for. It also formalised its partnership with Warwickshire Social Services, and the task of registering blind and partially sighted people was delegated to WAB.
WAB underwent an extensive restructuring programme in 2004 as a result of changes in financial regulations, and in 2008 became a limited company. As of 2011 Warwickshire Association for the Blind has over 4,000 people on its database, 2,800 of whom are registered as having some form of visual disability. The organisation celebrated its centenary year in 2011 with a re-enactment of its first meeting at Leamington Town Hall. There was also an art exhibition at Leamington Art Gallery.
where patients, staff and members of the public can get advice about eyesight conditions.
There are several free local talking newspapers
available to visually impaired people in the Warwickshire area. These provide local news taken from sources such as newspapers and magazines. In addition, Warwickshire Association for the Blind produces a magazine for its members covering WAB-related issues, and other topics of interest. WAB Mag is produced three times a year, and is available in large print, braille and audio format.
in Coventry
the charity operates a lending service providing toys and games for visually impaired children.
, WAB provide both formal training and informal talks to organisations and community groups in order to educate people about visual impairment, and to dispel some of the myths surrounding sight loss.
broadcaster Peter White
who was presented with the award in 2002.
Visual impairment
Visual impairment is vision loss to such a degree as to qualify as an additional support need through a significant limitation of visual capability resulting from either disease, trauma, or congenital or degenerative conditions that cannot be corrected by conventional means, such as refractive...
to support them to live independent lives. Services are provided by WAB's rehabilitation team based in their offices at Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
. Founded in 1911, the charity celebrated its centenary year in 2011.
History
Warwickshire Association for the Blind was formed in 1911 with the twin objectives of working towards the prevention of blindness and to find blindBlindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
people in Warwickshire in order to promote their welfare. Indeed, one of its first tasks was to undertake a survey to determine how many blind people lived in the county, and a limited response from parish clergy indicated a number of 250. The inaugural meeting of WAB was chaired by Lord Algernon Percy
Lord Algernon Percy
Lord Algernon Malcolm Arthur Percy was a British career soldier and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1882 to 1887....
, the High Sheriff of Warwickshire
High Sheriff of Warwickshire
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
, and a former Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, who spoke of the difficulties blind people experienced when finding employment, while other members expressed a need for greater support to equal that which was taking place in other parts of the country.
In 1925 the charity formed a partnership with Warwickshire County Council which saw the appointment of the first home teacher to visit and provide education to blind children throughout the county. With the introduction of the 1944 Disabled Persons Employment Act, WAB began encouraging able bodied blind people to register for employment, and by 1945 the charity was operating centres around the county, which at the time included Leamington, Shirley
Shirley, West Midlands
Shirley is a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the county of West Midlands, England. It is a residential and shopping neighbourhood, and a suburb of Solihull.-History:...
, Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
and Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. The organisation bought Huntley Lodge in Leamington Spa in 1950, turning it into a home for twenty two elderly blind people. The Lodge was run by Warwickshire County Council until 1980 when it was sold and the proceeds of the sale donated to WAB.
A 1991 report by the Royal National Institute for the Blind indicated a far greater number of visually impaired people than previously thought, and in response to this WAB developed a new strategy to cover the increased number of people it would need to provide services for. It also formalised its partnership with Warwickshire Social Services, and the task of registering blind and partially sighted people was delegated to WAB.
WAB underwent an extensive restructuring programme in 2004 as a result of changes in financial regulations, and in 2008 became a limited company. As of 2011 Warwickshire Association for the Blind has over 4,000 people on its database, 2,800 of whom are registered as having some form of visual disability. The organisation celebrated its centenary year in 2011 with a re-enactment of its first meeting at Leamington Town Hall. There was also an art exhibition at Leamington Art Gallery.
Help and advice
WAB operates a general helpline for members and their carers and families, which offers help and support regarding sight related issues. This includes information on the services that it provides, as well as referrals to other voluntary or statutory organisations if more specific help is required. There is also a Vision Support Desk at Warwick HospitalWarwick Hospital
Warwick Hospital is situated on Lakin Road in the northwest of Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It has 350 beds and provides inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic services...
where patients, staff and members of the public can get advice about eyesight conditions.
Clubs and drop-in centres
WAB runs several clubs for its members throughout Warwickshire. Meeting on a regular basis (generally bi-monthly) they provide a programme of entertainment and outings. The charity has also worked to establish a number of community-based drop-in centres to make their facilities and services more accessible to the general public. Here people can seek advice on anything from services provided by WAB to groups in their area to specialist equipment for visually impaired people.Reader Visitor Service
WAB provides a reader visitor service of volunteers who will call on visually impaired members to help them with reading related tasks. This may be anything from reading newspapers, books or magazines, to helping them with their correspondence.Rehabilitation and Registration
Warwickshire Association for the Blind has a team of rehabilitation officers to help people with sight loss adjust to the challenges presented by limited vision. Generally a team member will visit an individual on a one to one basis, either at home or at another designated place, and assess their day-to-day living skills. This can include aspects such as a person's mobility skills, how they cope with day-to-day tasks such as cooking, whether their level of sight causes difficulties with reading, writing or telephone use, and if any low-vision aids are needed. The individual then undergoes a training programme to help them improve their independence skills. Rehabilitation officers also help to determine the level of a person's vision, and whether they should be registered as blind or partially sighted, as well as looking at any possible benefit entitlements. The Rehabilitation Service is provided by WAB under contract from Warwickshire County Council, Adult Health & Community Services (formerly Social Services).Talking books and newspapers
The De Montfort Talking Book Service is an independent body which provides books in cassette form for blind and partially sighted people in Warwickshire. Since April 2010 the service has been staffed by volunteers, but was previously a service operated by WAB in conjunction with Warwickshire County Council, known as Warwickshire Talking Book Service. Books are provided free of charge to members.There are several free local talking newspapers
Talking Newspaper Association of the United Kingdom
National Talking Newspapers & Magazines, or NTN&M, is a charitable organization based out of Heathfield East Sussex in the United Kingdom. They were previously known as Talking Newspaper Association of the United Kingdom or TNAUK...
available to visually impaired people in the Warwickshire area. These provide local news taken from sources such as newspapers and magazines. In addition, Warwickshire Association for the Blind produces a magazine for its members covering WAB-related issues, and other topics of interest. WAB Mag is produced three times a year, and is available in large print, braille and audio format.
Toy library
IN association with Exhall Grange SchoolExhall Grange School
Exhall Grange School and Science College is a community special school located in Ash Green just outside Coventry in Warwickshire, England. The school caters for pupils ranging in age from two to 19 years, and who have a range of disabilities and learning difficulties, including physical...
in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
the charity operates a lending service providing toys and games for visually impaired children.
Visual Impairment Awareness
To help companies and organisations comply with the Disability Discrimination ActDisability Discrimination Act 1995
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which has now been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010 , except in Northern Ireland where the Act still applies...
, WAB provide both formal training and informal talks to organisations and community groups in order to educate people about visual impairment, and to dispel some of the myths surrounding sight loss.
Funding
Although it has received funding from Local Authorities, WAB depends upon donations from public, business and foundation sources to fund its work. As much as a third of its income is received from these voluntary sources.Awards
Each year Warwickshire Association for the Blind presents awards to individuals and organisations it believes have made a significant contribution to promoting a greater understanding of visual impairment. These include the George Marshall Trophy, awarded to an organisation or individual that has made a considerable contribution to the lives of visually impaired people, and the Viv Bradford Rose Bowl, awarded to an individual who has demonstrated endeavour and achievement to overcome the barriers of visual disability. Recipients of the Viv Bradford trophy include the BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
broadcaster Peter White
Peter White (broadcaster)
Peter White MBE is a British broadcast journalist and DJ.-Career:Blind since birth , he attended New College Worcester, which was then known as the Worcester College for the Blind...
who was presented with the award in 2002.