The Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind (BRIB) is a
registered charity in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
which oversees the work of three distinct charities in the
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
area:
*
Focus Birmingham provides day-to-day services to the visually impaired and their carers, including telephone help lines, rehabilitation services, social services, etc.
*
Queen Alexandra College is a specialist, independent residential
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...
for young people with disabilities; specialists in visual impairment and autism.
* New Outlook Housing provide accommodation facilities to the blind and visually impaired.
History
In 1846, founders Elizabeth Bache Harrold and Mary Badger rented a small home and opened it as a school for the blind, beginning with just six students. Over the years, the organization grew in size and success, placing blind graduates in various positions which had previously been closed to the blind. In 1848, the little school was officially named the "Birmingham Institution for the Blind". In 1909,
King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
and
Queen Alexandra
Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 t ...
visited the institution, and conferred their royal patronage. At this time, the institution became formally known as "The Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind".
In 1985, the Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind was incorporated under the laws of
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
and assumed all financial and operational activities of the previously unincorporated charity.
In 1997, the operations of the Queen Alexandra College and Birmingham Focus on Blindness (later Focus Birmingham) were launched as independent charitable companies that still receive support from BRIB.
[
]
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birmingham Royal Institution For The Blind
Charities for disabled people based in the United Kingdom
Charities based in Birmingham, West Midlands