Royal National Institute of Blind People: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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[[King Charles III]] is the charity's Patron.<ref name="McCormick">{{Cite news |last=McCormick, Emily |date=29 May 2024 |title=RNIB appoints King Charles as royal patron |url=https://www.aop.org.uk/ot/industry/charity/2024/05/29/rnib-appoints-king-charles-as-royal-patron |access-date=9 July 2024 |work=Optometry Today}}</ref> His mother, [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]], was RNIB's Patron from the start of her reign in 1952<ref name="TheQueen">{{Cite web |title=Charities pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II |url=https://www.cause.org.uk/news/charities-pay-tribute-to-queen-elizabeth-ii |date = 8 September 2022|access-date=26 May 2024 |website=Cause}}</ref> until her death in 2022.<ref> RNIB 2022/23, pp.8–9</ref>

===Charity commission enquiry= into child abuse at RNIB's facilities==▼

==History==▼

RNIB was first established on 16 October 1868 as the British and Foreign Society for Improving the Embossed Literature of the Blind.<ref name="Thomas 13"> Thomas, p.113</ref> The first meeting, which was held at 33 Cambridge Square, [[Hyde Park, London]], involved founder [[Thomas Rhodes Armitage]] (a [[physician]] who was partially sighted) and Daniel Conolly, W W Fenn and Dr James Gale (all three of whom were blind).<ref name="Thomas 13"/>▼

Later, the organisation became the British and Foreign Blind Association for Improving the Embossed Literature of the Blind and Promoting the Employment of the Blind – generally shortened to the British and Foreign Blind Association.<ref name="Thomas 13"/>▼

The organisation was officially renamed the Royal National Institute for the Blind in 1953, having received a [[Royal Charter]] in 1949.<ref>Thomas, pp.142-43.</ref> In 2002, the organisation was renamed the Royal National Institute of the Blind ("of" rather than "for" blind people) when it became a [[membership organisation]].<ref>Bruce, p.229</ref> To coincide with the launch of the UK Vision Strategy in 2008, it was renamed the Royal National Institute of Blind People.<ref name= "Science"/>▼

In October 2008, RNIB and [[Action for Blind People]] agreed in principle to combine some services across England. The new arrangement began in April 2009, resulting in Action for Blind People becoming an associate charity of RNIB.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/Article/857002/RNIB-Action-Blind-People-announce-associate-deal/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930085828/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/Article/857002/RNIB-Action-Blind-People-announce-associate-deal/|url-status=dead|title=RNIB and Action for Blind People announce 'associate' deal|author= Little, Matthew|work= [[Third Sector (magazine)|Third Sector]]|date= 24 October 2009|archive-date=30 September 2011|access-date = 31 August 2024}}</ref> It merged with RNIB in 2017.▼

▲===Charity commission enquiry===

In 2015 the Charity Commission for England and Wales launched an inquiry into the institute following serious allegations of systemic failings within the organisation.<ref name="GuardianInq"/> The inquiry uncovered significant management, oversight, and staffing shortcomings that led to repeated incidents where young people in the charity's care were put at risk or harmed.<ref name="GuardianInq"/><ref name="CCInq"/> Moreover, it revealed that staff and trustees at RNIB had been guilty of misconduct and mismanagement in several of its care facilities over several years, breaching their duty of care to beneficiaries.

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Anna Tylor has been RNIB's Chair since 2020.<ref name="White" /> Matt Stringer was appointed Chief Executive in 2019.<ref name="Weakley2019">{{Cite web |last=Weakley, Kirsty |date=25 April 2019 |title=RNIB appoints Matt Stringer as new chief executive |url=https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/rnib-appoints-matt-stringer-as-new-chief-executive.html |access-date=8 July 2024 |website=Civil Society}}</ref>

▲==History==

▲RNIB was first established on 16 October 1868 as the British and Foreign Society for Improving the Embossed Literature of the Blind.<ref name="Thomas 13"> Thomas, p.113</ref> The first meeting, which was held at 33 Cambridge Square, [[Hyde Park, London]], involved founder [[Thomas Rhodes Armitage]] (a [[physician]] who was partially sighted) and Daniel Conolly, W W Fenn and Dr James Gale (all three of whom were blind).<ref name="Thomas 13"/>

▲Later, the organisation became the British and Foreign Blind Association for Improving the Embossed Literature of the Blind and Promoting the Employment of the Blind – generally shortened to the British and Foreign Blind Association.<ref name="Thomas 13"/>

▲The organisation was officially renamed the Royal National Institute for the Blind in 1953, having received a [[Royal Charter]] in 1949.<ref>Thomas, pp.142-43.</ref> In 2002, the organisation was renamed the Royal National Institute of the Blind ("of" rather than "for" blind people) when it became a [[membership organisation]].<ref>Bruce, p.229</ref> To coincide with the launch of the UK Vision Strategy in 2008, it was renamed the Royal National Institute of Blind People.<ref name= "Science"/>

▲In October 2008, RNIB and [[Action for Blind People]] agreed in principle to combine some services across England. The new arrangement began in April 2009, resulting in Action for Blind People becoming an associate charity of RNIB.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/Article/857002/RNIB-Action-Blind-People-announce-associate-deal/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930085828/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/Article/857002/RNIB-Action-Blind-People-announce-associate-deal/|url-status=dead|title=RNIB and Action for Blind People announce 'associate' deal|author= Little, Matthew|work= [[Third Sector (magazine)|Third Sector]]|date= 24 October 2009|archive-date=30 September 2011|access-date = 31 August 2024}}</ref> It merged with RNIB in 2017.

==Programmes and services==

===Reading services===