On 1st April 2000 Blindcare's nine existing partner charities were delighted to welcome The Royal Blind Pension Society - recently renamed The Royal Blind Society - as the tenth member charity forming our organisation. The Royal Blind Pension Society has existed for nearly 140 years and provides much needed financial help to blind and partially sighted people.
Though the situation for blind people today is improved since Victorian times it is still true that 75% of all visually impaired people of working age are unemployed. Most have to rely on welfare benefits as their main source of income. The annual grants provided by the Society provide a vital boost to a blind person's income..
The Royal Blind Pension Society carries this name since it has enjoyed the patronage of the monarch since 1887. The Society had been founded by Thomas Pocock senior in 1863 and was managed by his descendents until 1989 when another Blindcare partner charity, Action for Blind People became involved with the charity's management. In 1999 the charity became independently managed with its own staff and office space.
On Thursday 25 May 2000 a cheque was presented to Peter Driver, Executive Director of Blindcare from the "Daily Number". The presentation was made at the training centre of Action for Blind People in Preston. Those attending the presentation were able to observe a training course for blind people who were being instructed in visual impairment awareness training methods so that they in turn could act as instructors themselves in the local communities. All attendees were impressed with their visit to the centre and appreciated the opportunity to observe at first hand the valuable work carried out by Blindcare member charities. Blindcare is extremely grateful for the donation from Inter Lotto (UK) Ltd, the promoters of the daily number.
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