Season’s Greetings from all of us at RSBC and highlights from 2022

February 2022

View of the Atrium inside the Life Without Limits Centre

We moved into the Life Without Limits Centre (LWLC). The Centre, which had been an ambition of the Society for some years, was made possible through the generosity of individuals, including the businessman Richard Desmond, as well as companies and other organisations.

March 2022

Three people recording a podcast in a media room

Children, young people and their families were able to start coming along to the Centre and enjoying all it has to offer such as the wide range of technology and all our musical equipment.

April 2022

A family including 2 young girls seating on a sofa and smiling at camera

We held the first Friends and Family Day at the LWLC on 9th April welcoming many to the Centre for the first time. We were entertained by the talented young people and there were activities for everyone to appeal to everyone.

May 2022

RSBC Major Donors walls which shows the names of the major donors in colourful rounded shapes on a green background.

In May we celebrated the support of our fabulously generous philanthropists. It was an absolute pleasure to show them around the completed Life Without Limits Centre – without them, the LWLC would still be a dream.

June 2022

2 photos of the different designs visible on the walls of the RSBC Life Witout Limits Centre

EPR Architects, who designed the space, showcased the Centre during the London Festival of Architects on 18^th June.

July 2022

A man standing up with a white cane holding a certificate

On 8^th July we celebrated as 5 students graduated from RSBC’s Dorton College.

August 2022

Two young men performing a song, one is singing and one is playing the guitar

Over the school holidays the children and young people took part in our summer programme of activities including a 3-day musical workshop in partnership with Handel & Hendrix and a Website creation workshop over 2 days.

September 2022

A tutor and student sat at a table working on a project.

Dorton College started the new College year with 16 students from 14 local authorities across London and South East.

October 2022

A young man with partial sight, looking closely at a pile of lego. A young lady with a carved pumpkin, sat at the end of of table, with other young people in the background carving pumpkins. A group of young people sat at the front seat of a concert, with young man holding his saxophone. A group of young people in a hall, holding up their certificates and smiling.

The LWLC was transformed for our Autumn Festival on 27th October with autumn leaves adorning our staircase and pumpkin carvings decorating the atrium.

On 29th October we celebrated the great achievements of the young people at our annual AQA Awards event which took place, for the first time, as the LWLC. Our trustee, Callum Russell presented the Pamela Wright Award. We were entertained by some of the recipients of the awards.

December 2022

Two toddlers playing in a sensory ball pit with a slide. Some young people sat at a table making facial scrubs. Two young ladies in a kitchen talking to a young man about what they are learning to bake. A group of young people chatting around a table.

We brought the year to a close with our Winter Festival on Dec 17th. We welcomed families with children of all ages and there were creative and festive activities as well as sensory play making sure the day was memorable for everyone.

We were delighted to host two workshop sessions with renowned poet Dave Steele recently, and they certainly fired up the imaginations of the young people who attended! We’re pleased to be able to showcase the incredible talent that came out of the workshops in the beautiful poems written by those attending below.

Two women sitting at a computer in an office, one is helping the other with work. There is a man sitting at his computer to their right.

No categories March 10, 2025

RSBC’s 5 key reforms to support young people into work

The government has just announced plans for a major shakeup of the welfare system, with £6bn of proposed cuts. Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are a lifeline for many people in our community. We understand the system needs reform, and that tough times can call for tough measures. But cutting back on PIP without making it […]

A member of Dorton College's team with three students. Two are standing to the team members left and one is on the right. They are all linking arms with big smiles on their faces. They are standing in front of the RSBC Dorton College sign, which also has purple bunting and a sign that says: Careers Day above the bunting.

No categories March 7, 2025

Dorton College careers day: giving our students the confidence to shine

Too often, young people living with a vision impairment aren’t given the career opportunities they deserve. That’s why RSBC’s Dorton College hosted a careers day recently, inviting external speakers to inspire our students and help provide them with the tools they need to enter the world of work.

A photograph of the Royal Society for Blind Children Dorton College sign. The sign is on a wall to the right of where the camera is pointing. The camera is pointing down the Dorton College hallway.

No categories March 5, 2025

Gary O’Donoghue’s win at the RTS Television Journalism Awards

Each year, the Royal Television Society hosts the Television Journalism Awards, celebrating the most prestigious change-makers in the British journalism space.

A photograph of Dave The Blind Poet. He is standing in a field wearing a black coat, burgundy roll-neck top and a grey hat. The top of his cane is in view on his left. His head is faced slightly to the left and tilting upwards.

No categories March 4, 2025

Young people unlock their imagination at The Blind Poet’s workshops

Dave Steele, popularly known as The Blind Poet, is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning poet, author, speaker and singer – and an advocate for people with vision impairment.

Members of the Youth Forum group and VI mentors in line against a wall. They are all smiling an posing for the camera creating a warm, friendly and dynamic atmosphere.

No categories March 3, 2025

Helping young people be heard: RSBC’s Youth Voice Strategy Day

Recently, RSBC’s Youth Forum, Young Ambassadors and members of the RSBC team came together for a Youth Voice Strategy Day at our Life Without Limits Centre in London. The mission was simple: young people were tasked with coming up with their own objectives and create a roadmap for the future, which would help RSBC identify […]

Three young people sitting in an Camden Roundhouse podcast studio facing the camera. There are microphone stands on the table in front of them and two are wearing headphones, one is holding a pair of headphones.

No categories February 19, 2025

The Roundhouse becomes London’s first venue to use Navilens – with RSBC’s support

Iconic music and performing arts venue, the Roundhouse in Camden, has provided creative space that empowers people and communities since the 1960s. Its team is focused on unleashing the creative potential of young people and artists, giving them the opportunity to experiment, develop their skills, and be part of unforgettable moments with a lasting impact.

A photo of a young women, Joné sitting at a table wearing black glasses smiling at the camera. She is leaning her head on left fist. She has light brown hair and is wearing a black sleeveless high neck top.

No categories February 14, 2025

A volunteer’s journey: Meet Joné

Joné has been volunteering with RSBC since August 2024. We spoke to her about why she wanted to become a volunteer and what her experience has been like so far.

A young boy with short ginger hair and red glasses expresses joy as he holds a tall glass of chocolate milkshake with whipped cream and a cookie. To the right, a woman with long, curly brown hair and a black and grey striped sweater smiles back at him while holding a yellow cocktail in a stemmed glass. The table is set with silver utensils and a marble surface, and there are decorative plants in the background, contributing to a warm and inviting café atmosphere.

No categories January 30, 2025

George and Nicola’s story

George is an energetic and confident eight-year-old boy who lives in a bustling household with his mum, Nicola, his dad, and his baby brother Ted. It’s a home that’s filled with love and resilience as the family faces the challenges and celebrates the triumphs that vision impairment brings.