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.

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.

The picture features five young individuals walking on a textured cobblestone pathway with a brick and stone backdrop. Two of them are positioned on the right, while three occupy the left. On the centre right is a young man using a white cane. He has short brown hair and is dressed in a blue jacket and jeans. He links arms with a curly ginger-haired young woman wearing all denim. On the centre left stands a young woman in a green shirt and jeans holding a football, a young man holding a binder and another young woman wearing a pink shirt. They are all smiling and looking at the young man with the cane as if he had just said a joke, creating a dynamic composition. The lighting is bright, suggesting it's a sunny day, adding a lively atmosphere to the scene.

No categories January 27, 2025

Preparing for uni: student finance and DSA

Mark Wright, RSBC’s Futures Coordinator, talks about how you can make sure your finances are up and running before you head off to university.

A small boy, on the stage of The Snowman, exploring the set. He's standing in front of an over-sized pink dressing table. Next to him is a staff member from the theatre, talking him through the set and props.

No categories January 13, 2025

Our adventure with The Snowman

In December we were invited to audio-described performance of ‘The Snowman’ at the Sadlers Wells, Peacock Theatre, along with a touch tour of the set, props and costumes.

Patrick, a light skinned man white grey/white hair and Julie, a light skinned woman with long brown hair standing and smiling next to each other with a RSBC photo frame around them

No categories January 9, 2025

Here’s to 2025: a year of hope and possibility

As the new year dawns, many of us will find ourselves reflecting on what we’ve accomplished so far, and what the future holds. As RSBC’s CEO, it’s certainly something that I’ve been doing in recent days. As I look ahead to the next 12 months, I feel so much hope for what this tremendous organisation […]

Family holiday activity. Top view of mother's and kid's hands making Christmas tree cookies on wooden table background.

No categories December 10, 2024

How to make Christmas accessible for blind and partially sighted children

There’s no more special time of year for children – whether they’re five or 50! – than Christmas. It’s a time when there’s magic everywhere, and it’s filled with colour and sparkle. But how can you make sure that children with vision impairment (VI) are able to enjoy the fun and laughter that’s part and […]

A group of young people stand in front of a wooden climbing frame.

No categories November 19, 2024

Boys Crew: why International Men’s Day matters

Each November 19th, the UK celebrates International Men’s Day. It’s not just about celebrating the contribution that men and boys make to our society – this special day also focuses on making a positive difference to their well-being and lives, raises awareness the support available to them, and promotes meaningful conversations about men, manhood and […]

No categories November 7, 2024

Narayan’s story

RSBC’s trustees have shared responsibility for governing our charity, and Narayan’s been a trustee since September 2024. We caught up with him to find out why he’d decided to take this step, and just what being a trustee involves.

Callum, a light skinned man with dark hair, wearing a grey long sleeved shirt with black buttons. He is standing behind a podium lecture desk, with a microphone attached to the top of the desk. Callum is standing in front of a white banner with RSBC written in large orange text, and Royal Society for Blind Children written in small text underneath, there is a thin orange line underneath this text. Underneath the orange line Dorton College is written in black medium sized text. In the bottom left hand corner there is a yellow shape similar to two halves of a flower petal.

No categories November 4, 2024

Callum’s Story

Callum’s been a trustee with RSBC since May 2021. He’s also the Chair of Governors of RSBC’s Dorton College, a specialist further education college for vision impaired young people aged 16-25. We spoke to Callum about what’s involved in being a trustee, why he does it, and what to consider if you’re thinking about becoming […]