About Us

RNIB Annual review 2007/08: Transforming lives

Summary: Review of our work, achievements and challenges in 2007/08.

• RNIB’s top five achievements of 2007/08
• Introduction – a passion for change
• Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily
• Supporting people to get the education, jobs and income they deserve
• Increase access to TV, culture and information
• Enabling people to get support and become independent
• Strengthening our voice and impact
• Your contribution
• Thank yous
• Summary of RNIB’s financial position
• Looking ahead to 2008/09
• Information about DAISY
• Contact details

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RNIB’s top five achievements of 2007/08

Last year we set the following targets…

1. Support over a quarter of a million people every month.

In fact, over 280,000 people came to RNIB each month for general information on sight loss, to lend their voices to our campaigns and for expert advice, support and everyday products designed for living with sight loss.

2. Achieve more accessible local authority information, greater access to the curriculum for school pupils and increase the number of audio-described television programmes.

Audio description has increased, meaning that more people can experience the fun, information and education of television. This initiative also helps to reduce isolation and improves equality in everyday life. However, blind and partially sighted children and adults are still missing out on vital information which sighted people take for granted. RNIB is continuing to push to put this right.

3. Increase opportunities for blind and partially sighted people to receive and share emotional support.

More people than ever feel that they are not alone now that they telephone RNIB’s award-winning service, Talk and Support. They can also attend short courses, tune into lively debate on RNIB Insight Radio or read the tips and advice in RNIB’s Vision magazine for Members.

4. Ensure that new sight-saving treatments are freely available on the NHS.

Thanks to a campaign spearheaded by RNIB, an amazing 11,000 people voiced their outrage in a petition. It forced NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) to take a U-turn and was a key step on the way towards free access to new treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), potentially saving the sight of up to 19,000 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland every year.

5. Lead the UK Vision Strategy on behalf of Vision 2020 UK.

For the first time in UK history, under RNIB’s leadership the whole sector has signed up to a common agenda to improve the eye health of the nation, prevent sight loss, improve the care of blind and partially sighted people and build a more inclusive society.

Introduction – a passion for change

We are passionate about ensuring no one needlessly loses their sight. We support blind and partially sighted people to remain independent today and are working towards a fairer, more inclusive world tomorrow. This passion, together with the support of partners, donors, volunteers and members, has made 2007 and 2008 an amazing year for RNIB. The results speak for themselves…

• I’m delighted to report that by March 2008 a record ten thousand people had signed up as RNIB Members, building a lively community of blind and partially sighted people who share their experiences, tips, advice, highs and lows.
• We were also very pleased that awareness of audio description, the TV narration for people with sight problems, has leapt to 72 per cent among blind and partially sighted people, thanks to RNIB’s influence and media campaign. The TV industry also met the statutory target of audio-describing 10 per cent of all programmes – a promising start, but still a long way to go.
• Also, thanks to our campaigning work in 2007/08, we are closer to ensuring free access to new treatment for wet AMD.

Fired up

But despite our efforts we still have so much more to do. People are still not receiving the support they need and many others are losing their sight unnecessarily. This is precisely why we are so fired up about leading the UK Vision Strategy on behalf of Vision 2020 UK.

This initiative is an unprecedented and tremendously exciting opportunity to make a difference by working together. The UK Vision Strategy brings together many different bodies, from charities to medical organisations to central government – all focused on a single agenda to prevent sight loss and transform the lives of all Britain’s blind and partially sighted people.

So it is with pride and renewed optimism that we are opening this review of RNIB’s progress in 2007 and 2008 – progress which simply would not have been possible without the generosity of donors, the dedication and determination of supporters and members, and the energy and expertise of volunteers and staff. As we move forward we will continue to need this commitment to prevent blindness, provide the support blind and partially sighted people want and build a more inclusive world for the future.

Momentum is growing to achieve widespread and lasting change for blind and partially sighted people. Change that is nothing short of life-transforming – thank you for wanting to be part of it.

Lesley-Anne Alexander, RNIB Chief Executive and Lord Low of Dalston, CBE, RNIB Chairman.

Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily

Supported by public outrage and awareness we helped to save the sight of thousands last year. We took specific action on wet AMD, glaucoma, diabetes and smoking and sight loss among other initiatives.

Targets

1. Reduce the number of people unnecessarily losing their sight from glaucoma by reaching out to ethnic minority communities and by starting up a UK Glaucoma Alliance.

Passionate about raising awareness and providing first class care, the Alliance was launched in September 2007. Plans are now under way to ensure that high-risk minority ethnic groups are the first to benefit from Glaucoma information and support.

2. Apply political pressure in Scotland and Wales to make universal sight screening for children a reality.

Initiatives in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are helping to end avoidable blindness, although universal sight screening for children is not yet a reality.

3. To support the development of a National Service Framework for eye care in Wales.

RNIB Cymru led the consultation for the UK Vision Strategy within Wales – the first step towards a National Service Framework in Wales.

4. Ensure that people losing their sight unnecessarily from wet AMD becomes a thing of the past by campaigning for sight-saving drugs to be made freely available on the NHS.

In April 2008, NICE issued new draft guidance that, if confirmed later in 2008, will pave the way for free access to the new treatment for wet AMD.

To express it in financial terms, during the year RNIB spent £1,144,000 stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily, of which £1,143,000 was made possible by income from donors.

Making sight loss history

In 2008, we made sight loss history with a turning point in the fight for free access to new sight-saving drugs for wet AMD, bringing hope to the 26,000 people diagnosed with the condition every year. RNIB together with Members, supporters and the Macular Disease Society (MDS) fought a two-year campaign against NICE which had deemed the new treatments too expensive for the NHS.

RNIB and partners succeeded in saving the sight of individuals by overturning case decisions made by local Primary Care Trusts. We also continued to make progress with the Scottish Medicines Consortium meaning that the treatments were freely available throughout Scotland. This success spurred us on even more to end the postcode lottery south of the border.

Despite the pressure of the high profile RNIB-led campaign which was making front page news, the first draft guidelines from NICE only recommended the treatments for just 20 per cent of patients with wet AMD and then only when they had already gone blind in one eye. RNIB responded immediately. Many people provided financial support as well as signing up to the campaign. More than 11,000 people wrote to NICE to voice their dismay – creating the biggest petition in NICE's history and forcing it to act. In April 2008 the decision was overturned. Subsequent appeals have delayed final guidance, but it is hoped that the overall outcome will be that the sight of thousands of people with wet AMD will soon be safe.

We are determined that the appeals do not derail the agreement to treat the majority of people and once confirmed, we will focus on the speedy implementation of the new treatments. This implementation is already taking place in Northern Ireland, thanks to £8 million to pay for treatments, and in Wales where RNIB helped to secure funds to a tune of £5 million for treating all eligible patients.

RNIB Scotland teamed up with Diabetes UK (Scotland) to help make more people aware of the sight loss risks associated with diabetes. As well as a high profile media campaign, hundreds of people visited sight loss and diabetes screening stalls set up in communities throughout Scotland, in shopping centres, bingo halls and health centres.

RNIB Scotland was in the news again for its pioneering work to encourage people to protect their eyesight by giving up smoking. The influential research into the links between smoking and sight loss and the impact of passive smoking and the subsequent campaign earned it the title of “Campaigner of the year” in Scotland’s voluntary sector newspaper “Third Force News” in June 2007.

The launch of the UK Vision Strategy, led by RNIB on behalf of Vision 2020 UK, is a turning point in the history of preventing sight loss and caring for blind and partially sighted people in the UK. (Go to the section “Strengthening our voice and impact” for more details.)

Sight loss services across the UK are improving thanks to reviews and support by RNIB. RNIB Northern Ireland is chairing the review of ophthalmologists and optometrists with a view to introducing universal screening. RNIB Cymru played a vital role in bringing together eye health and social care professionals at the Eye Health Conference aimed at improving eye services in Wales.

In Scotland RNIB fundraising teams helped secure £2.6 million from the Scottish Government to ensure that children and adults with sight loss benefit from the very best seamless care. In addition RNIB Scotland’s review of eye care services, stressed the need to reach black, minority and ethnic groups, who may be more at risk of certain conditions.

Finally, RNIB continued to focus on its core message throughout the year that a sight test is an eye health check up. In Scotland, since the reintroduction of free sight tests, there has been a 64 per cent increase in the number of eye examinations, which has potentially saved the sight of 22,000 people who were referred for special treatment – clear evidence that free eye tests save sight.

RNIB’s three key objectives for 2008/09 for stopping unnecessary sight loss:

1. As part of the Glaucoma Alliance, RNIB will continue to make blindness from ignorance a thing of the past through a pilot scheme which targets family members who are at risk of developing glaucoma.

2. Encourage older people to take up their free eye test and so stop people over 60 risking blindness because of the fear of costly glasses.

3. Ensure that at least 75 per cent of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) offer the new treatments for wet AMD by March 2009 by lobbying NICE to issue and implement final guidance.

Colin’s story

77-year-old Colin from Brighton has wet AMD in his right eye and the untreatable dry AMD in his left eye.

Colin spoke about NICE’s decision to allow access to treatments: “This is great news for thousands of patients like me. It makes me extremely angry to think that people are being penalised because of their postcode. Time is running out to save my sight and I hope the PCT changes its policy before it’s too late.”

Supporting people to get the education, jobs and income they deserve

Fair opportunities for schooling, jobs and money are still not a reality for many blind and partially sighted children and adults. More progress is essential, but there are innovative partnerships in college and at work which are improving life chances.

We set ourselves four targets for 2007/8:

1. To influence the review of the Government’s “Access to Work” scheme to help blind and partially sighted people to keep their jobs and get into work.

The Government has responded to RNIB calls to increase the Access to Work budget. We have also helped to improve the scheme’s flexibility and consistency throughout the country.

2. To support more blind and partially sighted women to retain employment and get into work in Northern Ireland.

The Employability and Skills for Women project has changed the lives of the 68 participants who were registered on the programme, building their confidence, training them in IT and finding work placement opportunities.

3. To establish the community living project at Redhill to improve the quality of life of people with sight problems and learning difficulties.

The new community living project now offers adults with sight problems and other disabilities flexible care as they need it.

4. To continue to raise awareness of the lack of school books and classroom materials available to blind and partially sighted children.

Blind children are still not getting the books they need when they need them. However, RNIB’s work with the publishing industry is raising awareness and pushing for change.

To express the year in financial terms RNIB spent £29,409,000 supporting people into the education, jobs and income they deserve, of which £14,474,000 was made possible by income from donors.

Often we are simply asking for basic rights such as access to school books in braille, large print and audio. Or it could be the right equipment and training to get on at work and the correct entitlement to state benefits. In 2007/08 blind and partially sighted children and adults were supported by RNIB in school, work and financially, but there is still a lot more to do.

Blind and partially sighted children across the UK are still not always getting the schoolbooks they need in a format they can read. More promisingly, the Scottish Government has committed to ensure that all pupils with support needs will receive curriculum materials at the same time as their classmates. From August 2008 a database of accessible curriculum materials will be available to all schools in Scotland.

In England, the Department of Children, Schools and Families has committed funding to a pilot service making schoolbooks accessible to all. RNIB continues to press for speedy change to end inequality in the classroom. For the moment children have to rely on the ingenuity of dedicated classroom assistants and on organisations like RNIB to transcribe individual books.

A groundbreaking book was launched at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August 2007. For the first time a textbook, “ACE Skills and Strategies for Learning”, was published in alternative formats for blind and partially sighted pupils at the same time as the standard print edition. This only happened because Leckie & Leckie, Scotland’s leading educational publisher, and RNIB Scotland combined their resources.

As well as campaigning for change, RNIB provides its own services. Two of our specialist schools are prime examples: RNIB Sunshine House and Rushton School, which will be soon be renamed the Vision School and Children’s Home.

The Vision School and Children’s Home is due to open in 2011. The official groundbreaking ceremony in April 2008 indicated that work was truly underway. The Vision school will provide world-class specialist care to children with extremely complex needs as well as being a role model and training provider for other schools and services.

However, for many blind and partially sighted children and students, inclusion within mainstream education is best. This approach still has its own challenges for students – RNIB’s aim is to provide support when needed. The nine RNIB “college partnerships” do just that. These innovative support arrangements with colleges around the country open up mainstream further education to blind and partially sighted students.

For younger children we have focused on the power of peer support. In the summer of 2007 we ran six vacation schemes in the UK and one special Spanish exchange scheme with ONCE, the leading organisation for blind people in Spain. In total 136 children and young people took part, all eager to make friends, share experiences and become more independent.

Two thirds of adults with sight problems of working age are unemployed. This sobering fact motivates RNIB teams of staff and volunteers across the country to help people make the transition from school to work, find employment and keep hold of their jobs. RNIB Scotland’s influential report, "This IS working", used individual stories to illustrate how barriers to employment were based in prejudice and ignorance, rather than reality.

RNIB College Loughborough enables blind and partially sighted students with additional disabilities to take part in vocational studies and become more independent. In October 2007, all the student leavers met their aims of going on to paid and voluntary work or further study. In addition, the achievements of the college and its students were recognised with an East Midlands Training Award for supporting adults into employment.

Through work placement schemes and one-to-one job search support, RNIB helped blind and partially sighted adults across the UK find jobs. One of these innovative schemes, the Trainee Grade Scheme, offers training, development, paid work experience and job search support. In 2007/08 80 per cent of individuals completing their work experience, went on to find paid employment, with the other 20 per cent taking on voluntary work or further training.

In March 2008, funding from the European Social Fund and the Department of Employment and Learning enabled the start of a three-year project. This will focus on confidence-building, IT training and work placements to help people with sight problems find employment.

RNIB Cymru’s Accessible Technology in Communities project (ATIC) has helped individuals develop job skills as well as reconnecting people with the outside world and increasing independence.

RNIB is passionate about supporting blind and partially sighted people to become independent. Ensuring that individuals receive all the money they are entitled to forms a core part of this work. In 2007/08 people with sight problems were up to £5million better off – thanks to the expertise and tenacity of RNIB staff in identifying benefits which people with sight problems should be claiming.

Sadly, blind people are still missing out on part of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). This is the core government benefit scheme designed to compensate disable people for the extra expenses that their disability might cause. Even though driving is out of the question and public transport remains hard to use, blind people cannot claim the higher rate of the mobility part of the allowance. In 2009 we will be redoubling our efforts to secure individuals the funds they need to pay for additional travel expenses like taxi cabs.

Looking ahead to next year RNIB has three key objectives regarding education, employment and income:

1. To start phase one of the construction of Vision School and Children’s Home in April 2008.

2. To launch “Work Focus” – RNIB’s new employment project to help unemployed blind and partially sighted people find work in London, South Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire.

3. To maintain pressure on the Government so that blind people become eligible to claim the higher rate mobility component of the DLA.

Marjorie’s story

For years Marjorie, from Doncaster, had been missing out on benefits to which she was entitled until she spoke to RNIB: “RNIB Welfare Rights Service carried out a benefit check for me and identified that I was missing out on payments. It’s going to make my life a lot easier now. I even have enough money to pay for a cleaner to help with the housework.”

Nick’s story

Nick is partially sighted and attends mainstream school. His parents say that he had the time of his life on an RNIB Vacation Scheme because it is a time when sight loss never gets in the way of having fun! Nick says: “I love going on the RNIB Vacation Schemes. They have given me confidence by getting me to try new things without forcing me.”

Increase access to TV, culture and information

We live in a world dominated by visual images and the written word, information and experiences that are often denied to blind and partially sighted people. As always, we have a lot more to do, but 2007/08 really stands out as a period of change and progress.

In this area we set ourselves four targets:

1. Work with publishers and authors to increase the number of books published in braille, audio and large print at the same time and same price as standard print.

Last year the first ever novel in the UK went on sale to the general public in audio, braille, large print and standard print simultaneously – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”.

2. Increase the awareness of audio description so that more blind and partially sighted people use it and more media organisations provide it.

More blind and partially sighted people than ever know about audio description. The statutory 10 per cent target for audio described TV programmes has been met, thanks to RNIB’s intensive work with broadcasters and the high profile media campaign.

3. Launch the new and improved RNIB National Library Service.

The service is well and truly launched, now offering more books and more choice to more blind and partially sighted adults and children than ever before.

4. Host an international DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) conference.

The conference in 2008 was a great success, fostering understanding and new partnerships around the globe.

To express the year in financial terms RNIB spent £27,200,000 increasing access to TV, culture and information, of which £19,513,000 was made possible by income from donors.

The box, books and bills

As recently as 2007, few people knew much about audio description (AD). This is the additional TV voice which describes all the visual elements between the dialogue exchanges. By 2008, AD was transforming TV enjoyment or blind and partially sighted adults and children around the country. As one fan describes it: “When you watch a film, you can go to your friends and talk about it as if you’d actually seen it.”

Following RNIB’s extensive behind-the-scenes work with broadcasters and a high profile media campaign on television, Classic FM radio and many magazines, we now have more audio-described programmes than ever and more blind and partially sighted people know and use the service. In fact, Ofcom confirmed in July 2008 that 72 per cent of blind and partially sighted people know about AD, but it is only the start of making things fair. In the words of one blind individual, “AD is not special treatment, it just puts us on an equal level with sighted people”.

In addition a wide range of Sony and Panasonic TVs, two digital set top boxes, all Sky and most Virgin boxes now feature audio description. Almost all major films on DVD include audio description, and thanks to companies like Lovefilm they are much easier to locate.

As the nation turns off its analogue TVs and switches on to digital, RNIB has been pressing to ensure that the needs of blind and partially sighted people are a high priority. RNIB was closely involved in supporting people with sight problems to adjust to the first switch-over in Whitehaven. We met many blind and partially sighted people who found it difficult to navigate and find the programme they wanted – issues which RNIB had already flagged as potential problems.

As well as campaigning for change, RNIB has contributed £1 million to challenge industry to come up with a solution for making digital TV easy to use for people who cannot see the screen.

Audio description also makes a world of difference in cinemas, theatres and live sporting events. For a group of blind and partially sighted children it really did mean entering a different world as they enjoyed the magical experience of an audio-described performance at Christmas 2007 when they had a special tactile stage tour of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”.

In sporting arenas, we built on the success of Soccer Sight, with the launch of a similar offering for cricket fans so that no one needs to miss any of the live action, even if they can no longer see the pitch. A total of 28 venues now have trained commentators and a live audio description service. Soccer Sight also recruited and trained the commentators for blind and partially sighted people at the new National Wembley stadium and for Lord’s cricket ground as part of the “Ball by ball” scheme.

2007/08 was also a significant year for UK book lovers, young and old. It was the first year of the new RNIB National Library Service and a very successful one. More blind and partially sighted people now enjoy a wider selection of titles in formats like braille, audio, large print and electronic media. All 45,000 library users also receive the newly launched Read On magazine packed with book reviews, author profiles and reading news. For the first time the number of children belonging to the library topped 1,000, with our unique collection of giant print books proving particularly popular.

From time to time, individual books capture the nation’s imagination. On 21 July 2007, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” did just that. But the general acclaim from avid readers was not the only reason for its significance. It was also the first ever novel in the UK to go on sale to the general public in audio, braille, large print and standard print simultaneously, meaning that blind and partially sighted children could get to grips with the story at the same time as their sighted peers.

For many partially sighted individuals the size of the print makes the difference between being able to read information independently or it being worthless. Last year, readers of RNIB’s Big Print newspaper benefited from a thorough re-design as well as new Big Print stationery items such as a pocket diary.

Another example is that vital information on medicine leaflets and packages is now available in braille, large print and audio thanks to a ground-breaking new project. The RNIB-led X-PIL initiative means that individuals who can’t read the small print on their patient information leaflet can get the information quickly and easily over the telephone.

Many businesses and organisations turn to RNIB to help them meet all their customer needs. For example, transcription services enable them to write to customers in a format they can read. The demand for this service last year rose by over 10 per cent. And as a result 21,000 times every month someone is now able to read their bank, credit card or phone statement without having to rely on someone else.

It's not just personalised information: RNIB also produce braille and audio material for organisations ranging from Macmillan Cancer Support to Lakeland shopping catalogues. Altogether this means that more information is available than ever before to people with sight problems.

Looking ahead to next year RNIB has three key objectives to increase access to TV, culture and information:

1. To support the design and production of accessible TVs and TV equipment, such as set top boxes, which set the standard for commercial TV producers.

2. To expand the innovative X-PIL project so that more people can access the crucial small print medical information on packaging and leaflets.

3. To upgrade high street library services for blind and partially sighted people by increasing the selection of braille, audio and large print books, and improving customer support.

Santa’s story

In December children across the country wrote to Santa who, with a little help from RNIB, responded personally in braille, large print or audio. One of the children who wrote to thank Santa said, “thank you for your lovely tape, which I keep listening to and the mermaid perfume which I absolutely adore.”

Enabling people to get support and become independent

Sight problems can rob people of their independence. In 2007 and 2008 we helped people losing their sight find their feet again, while also taking small steps to make the London Underground, mobiles and computers easier to use.

RNIB set four targets to enable people get support and become more independent for 2007/08

1. To ensure that more blind and partially sighted people receive the help they need with computers and other everyday equipment at home by expanding our volunteer support programme.

People with sight problems can now receive help in their own homes with anything from computers to washing machines thanks to RNIB volunteers.

2. To allow more people to benefit from one-stop shop eye health, rehabilitation and emotional health services.

Two pilot projects in London and Gateshead are spearheading the development of integrated eye health, rehabilitation and emotional support as well as informing future service delivery.

3. Support more people losing their sight with practical advice and information, peer support and counselling through the “Finding your feet” programme.

We organised four Finding your feet weekend breaks in 2007/08, offering 49 people the information, peer support and confidence needed to come to terms with sight loss.

4. To increase the live audio commentary on sporting events available to blind and partially sighted people.

RNIB schemes helped to bring cricket matches to life up and down the country.

To express the year in financial terms RNIB spent £25,350,000 enabling people to get support and become independent, of which £10,946,000 was made possible by income from donors.

In 2007/08 RNIB increased its network of Eye Clinic Liaison Officers (ECLOs) who offer tailored support to people losing their sight. ECLOs bridge any gaps between eye care and social care services. They provide care and information at the time when people need it most – the critical point of diagnosis. They offer that all important listening ear and put people in touch with the support available.

Following the Delivering the Vision conference in 2007, which was jointly hosted by RNIB and the Department of Health, more support is now available to help primary care trusts launch community based eye care services. Also as a direct result, new pilot projects in London and Gateshead offer a one-stop shop approach to eye health, rehabilitation and emotional support to their local communities.

A large proportion of blind and partially sighted people live alone and some rarely leave their homes because getting out and about can be hard. Whether it is that first call for help when someone has been diagnosed with sight loss, or expert advice on everyday items to make life easier, or simply having someone to talk to, RNIB is here to help.

In 2007/08, over 370,000 telephone calls were greeted with a friendly voice, listening ear and the expertise of RNIB’s helpline, emotional support and customer services team.

RNIB, with funding from the National Lottery, brings friendship and comfort direct to people’s own living rooms over the telephone with a very popular service called RNIB Talk and Support. We now offer three types of telephone group: there’s a social group called RNIB Tele Befriending; a book club; and the Parent Network Group.

In September 2007, Talk and Support was voted the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded Charity or Voluntary project, beating 640 other hopeful entries. Tess Daly, presenting the award, summed up its impact: “RNIB Talk and Support makes a difference to blind and partially sighted people who’ve been suffering in isolation but now have the support and friendship of a group of likeminded and understanding friends.” Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote.

Living in one’s own home is no longer an option for some older blind and partially sighted people. Residents in RNIB’s three residential homes, Tate House, Wavertree House and Kathleen Chambers House, benefit from care tailored to the needs of blind and partially sighted people. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) rated the service in all three homes as either good or excellent.

RNIB’s innovative Finding your Feet weekend breaks help people deal with the practical and emotional impact of sight loss. In 2007/08 this initiative grew from strength to strength as it helped more people come to terms with sight loss and get on with their lives. The support from RNIB does not come to an end after the weekend course, as RNIB’s helpline and customer services team are available year round.

It’s also now easier to tune into RNIB Insight radio, the station dedicated to blind and partially sighted people. This year it was launched on Sky (Channel 188) as well as being available on the web.

The Here to HELP initiative, sponsored by British Gas, also has support for independence at its heart. Here to HELP offers free home insulation, and free products and services for people with sight problems. In 2007, Here to HELP celebrated five years of success, having supported over 3,000 individuals since its launch in 2002. Thanks to Here to HELP and RNIB, needy blind and partially sighted people were given 10,216 free products worth over £120,000, including 1,060 clocks and watches, 760 task lamps and 337 telephones!

We also work with agencies and companies across the UK so that they provide the best services for blind and partially sighted people. For example, RNIB took the first step in making London Underground stations easier to get around for people with sight problems by designing tactile and large print maps as part of a pilot project. The maps went on to become runner up in a national competition, with the prize coming in the form of funding to develop maps for all tube stations.

Low cost computers and simple mobile phones are available from RNIB and high street stores, all designed to be easier to use for people with sight problems. In fact, RNIB now offers over 1,000 specially designed products developed and selected to make life easier and, in 2007 and 2008, increased sales showed that they are proving more popular than ever.

Looking ahead to next year RNIB identified three key objectives to enable people to get support and become independent:

1. To reduce the trauma of losing your sight by providing support at the point of diagnosis through the launch of a radically new pilot advice service.

2. To implement the Eye Care Review in Wales and Scotland and work with civil servants in Northern Ireland to bring about integrated rehabilitation services.

3. To enable more blind and partially sighted people in the UK to call upon RNIB’s technically minded volunteers to help with everyday equipment from washing machines to computers.

Joyce’s story

Joyce, one of the first people to enjoy RNIB Talk and Support, explains: “It’s the camaraderie I really enjoy. We are all in the same position regarding sight loss and it’s good to know that you are not alone.”

Strengthening our voice and impact

Together we can demand that opportunities and support are available to blind and partially sighted people and that no one needlessly loses their sight.

In this area we set ourselves three targets:

1. To grow our membership to between 11,000 and15,000 by March 2008.

RNIB Membership reached 10,000 by March 2008, a little short of the target but a record for the community to date.

2. To continue to eliminate avoidable blindness and improve care for people with sight problems by pushing forward the development of the UK Vision Strategy.

RNIB led the UK Vision Strategy, a Vision 2020 UK initiative, to a very successful launch in April 2008. RNIB spearheaded the consultation which has resulted in this first ever UK-wide strategy on eye health and sight loss.

3. To ensure vital funds are available for services for blind and partially sighted people by increasing fundraised income.

The generosity of supporters plus the time and energy of volunteers and staff made 2007/08 a good year for donations. By exceeding our target we have ensured the future of vital services for children and adults with sight loss.

In financial terms during the year RNIB spent £3,850,000 strengthening our voice and impact, of which £3,055,000 was made possible by income from donors.

In 2007/08, RNIB galvanised individuals, agencies and organisations passionate about ending avoidable sight loss and improving care for blind and partially sighted people as part of the UK Vision Strategy.

From our own research in 2006, we knew that few people are aware of how common sight loss is, what it means to be blind or how RNIB can help. On top of this 700 UK charities, over 300 local authorities, 240 hospital eye clinics, countless opticians and optometry services are all working separately to meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people.

This is why RNIB is so passionate about the UK Vision Strategy which is an opportunity to make a real difference by working together. RNIB leads this project on behalf of Vision 2020 UK. As a result groups and individuals across the UK have worked together for the first time to achieve a common goal and now speak as a unified voice.

This groundbreaking strategy, launched in April 2008 focuses our energies on ending preventable sight loss, improving the eye health of the nation, caring for people with sight problems and creating a more inclusive society. Together we have taken a big step – the challenge is now to turn the thinking into reality.

RNIB Northern Ireland has met the UK Vision Strategy challenge in 2007/08 by delivering on the promises of the merger with the Blind Centre for Northern Ireland the year before. In the first year of the new organisation, more blind and partially sighted people are benefiting from a greater range of services across a wider geographical spread in Northern Ireland.

The merger has resulted in many innovative new services. One example is our work with 250 high street opticians. Now the 2,000 people who learn they are losing their sight each year are referred to RNIB for expert support and advice before they even get to the hospital. The young organisation is already leading a review of eye care services and showing how being united means more strength and influence to improve Northern Ireland for people with sight problems.

In 2007/08 RNIB Scotland’s partnership with Diabetes UK (Scotland) resulted in screening for sight loss and diabetes in shopping centres and bingo halls. Perhaps more significant is the impact of free eye tests, which RNIB Scotland helped to campaign for in 2003. This has resulted in a 64 per cent increase in sight tests in Scotland, with 22,000 people being referred to sight-saving treatments for conditions that might otherwise have remained undetected.

RNIB Cymru is similarly dedicated to eliminating avoidable sight loss and improving care for blind and partially sighted people. RNIB Cymru is a lead partner of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Welsh Eye Care Initiative, which is improving eye health and sight loss care in several ways. It includes free eye health checks to particularly vulnerable groups, an all-Wales Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service, an acute referral scheme for emergency situations and a low vision scheme.

In 2007/08 it is not only the UK Vision Strategy which has benefited from partnership work. People with sight problems have also experienced more seamless support from RNIB working closely with local societies for blind and partially sighted people. As a result more blind and partially sighted people can test out and buy specialist RNIB equipment in their local communities. This means for example that more local societies now distribute products on RNIB’s behalf.

Another example of closer co-operation is an innovative partnership project led by RNIB and involving Staffordshire Blind local society, three PCTs and the Staffordshire Local Optical Committee. As a result people in Staffordshire will soon be able to receive low vision and optometry services at a single location within their community. As well as providing an outstanding service it will be the focus for turning the promise of the UK Vision Strategy into reality across this part of the West Midlands, with local blind and partially sighted people being involved from the start.

Over 10,000 people have chosen to join RNIB as members, creating a bigger, more supportive community with a stronger voice. Over 90 per cent renew their membership every year showing just how valuable getting closer to other blind and partially sighted people and to RNIB has become.

Members continue to shape and influence the future of RNIB, with more member representation on the RNIB Assembly and more power to vote for Trustees. In 2008, we looked to RNIB Members to help develop the future strategy for RNIB, which will begin in 2009.

The influence of members is not confined to RNIB. Over the year members have had their say and made a difference to the UK Vision Strategy, the Independent Living Review for the Office for Disability Issues, the NICE decision for the changes on wet AMD treatment and the voting process in Scotland.

Looking ahead to 2008 and 2009 RNIB’s three key objectives for strengthening our voice and impact are:

1. Grow our community of members by increasing membership to 13,000. We also want to build closer links with and between members through special events across the nation.

2. Support the launch and implementation of the UK Vision Strategy.

3. Further develop RNIB’s emerging strategy in readiness for 2009. We will focus on supporting people to live independently, creating a society that includes people with sight loss and stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily.

Michael’s story

Michael, 71 from Surrey became partially sighted following a stroke in 2003. He explains “I can see out of both eyes, but I can’t see anything to the left of me. It was very traumatic at the start, but as time has gone on I have learnt to live with it.” Shortly after his diagnosis, Michael was put in touch with RNIB and decided to join as a member. He says: “Being a member means if I need something, or I feel I can do something, I have got a ready made source of reference as to where I can go, or who I can talk to.”

Your contribution

You made 2007/08 an exceptional year for RNIB. Your support, influence and generosity meant that together we have taken big steps to improve the nation’s eye health, to grow services for blind and partially sighted people and to make the UK a better place for people with sight loss. The result is momentum for widespread and lasting change. However we still have so much more to do. Now that we have created the momentum we need more support than ever to continue to deliver vital services and to make this widespread and lasting change a reality.

We thank everyone who expressed their outrage at NICE’s original approach to wet AMD treatment. Your support helped to achieve a radical change of policy at NICE, which will save the sight of up to 26,000 people across the UK every year.

Every RNIB Member supporting the cause or sharing their own experience has helped shape the future of RNIB and what we do. We thank everyone who sold raffle tickets, collected spare change in Sooty boxes, ran marathons, climbed mountains or cycled miles, remembered blind and partially sighted people in their will or who simply made a donation. You have helped ensure the future of vital services for adults and children with sight problems.

On 4 June 2007 at St James’s Palace, RNIB supporters joined the Queen and Rod Stewart in celebration of RNIB’s National Library Service and in the course of the evening raised over £1.5million. The Queen met honoured guests who enjoyed Rod Stewart’s performance of his American Song Book classics and signature tunes. Guests included RNIB President The Duke of Westminster, and event sponsors Sir Philip and Lady Green.

One individual donated £150,000 to fund essential new RNIB braille machines so that we will soon be able to produce more braille in less time at a higher quality for blind people.

1,500 people remembered blind and partially sighted people in their will and so helped secure a significant amount of RNIB’s work for years to come. Put simply, a third of our services are reliant on people leaving legacies. To find out how you too can leave the world a better place or for help with writing your Will, see legacies or call 0845 600 0313.

Agencies and organisations also rallied behind RNIB. The Scottish Government funded the review of eye care services with a particular focus on black, minority and ethnic groups more at risk of sight loss.

Further south, the M6 toll road was the unlikely benefactor behind a £150,000 three year project for making transport more accessible to people with sight problems. Part of the income of the toll road will be dedicated to improving public transport for the very people who are unable to benefit from the road.

In 2007 an 2008, RNIB was Coventry Building Society’s first ever “Charity of the Year”. Following a busy year of fundraising, the Society presented a cheque to RNIB in April for a fantastic £100,000. During the year Society staff took part in numerous fundraising activities including parachuting, a dragon boat race and a sponsored “blindfold” walk. Staff also created a sensory garden at RNIB’s Rushton School and Children’s Home and decorated two communal leisure rooms at RNIB College Loughborough.

David Stewart, chief executive at Coventry Building Society said: "This is a fantastic result and the culmination of lots of hard work from staff throughout the Society. It’s great to raise such a huge amount of money, much of which will go to help the development of Rushton School. We wish them well in the future.”

RNIB volunteers also had reason to celebrate last year. At RNIB’s South West transcription centre in Ivybridge in November 2007, 100 volunteers and five members of staff, celebrated twenty years of enabling blind and partially sighted people to read a wide range of materials in formats of their choice. Further north at RNIB’s transcription centre in Tarporley, another 50 volunteers helped to unlock information to hundreds of blind and partially sighted people across the North West.

We also launched a brand new voluntary service aiming to help blind and partially sighted people use everyday items around the home from washing machines to laptop computers. A new network of volunteers is now on call, ready to visit people with sight problems in their own homes taking on anything from wiring a plug to programming an alarm system.

Your support is vital to our work. Why not sign up to our email newsletter, RNIB News, to keep in touch with the latest developments? If you are a UK tax payer please ask about Gift Aid to help your donation go further – for every pound you give, we get an extra 28 pence from the Inland Revenue.

Philip and Neil’s story

Philip is 86 and is partially sighted with glaucoma. He can read some things with a magnifying glass, but finds it easier to use his CCTV. Philip says, “I’m only too glad of any help. I try to do what I used to do, but that’s impossible. The volunteer was marvellous, and I look forward to seeing him”.

Neil is one of the marvellous volunteers behind RNIB’s IT Home Visitor service. He says his favourite part is working with people, “It’s quite fun to talk to people. On a more serious note, it makes you appreciate how difficult it can be to actually deal with these sorts of things if you’re blind or partially sighted.”

Thank yous

Many people helped RNIB to continue its vital work through donations, support and volunteering. If we could we would like to mention everyone by name. Thank you to you all. The following individuals, companies and trusts have contributed significantly over the year:

• Accor Services
• Alcon Laboratories Ltd
• Alpha Business Computers
• The Annandale Charitable Trust
• Arbib Foundation
• Miss Jessie Aspinal
• Awards for All
• Bank of Scotland Corporate
• Barclays
• Baugur Group
• Sir John Beckwith CBE
• Big Lottery Fund
• The Billmeir Charitable Trust
• Blavatnik Family Foundation
• The Bluebell Woods Trust
• Booker Prize Foundation
• Boots Opticians
• Bravissimo
• British Gas
• The David Brooke Charity
• BT Legal and Business Services
• Mrs Margaret Butcher's Charitable Trust
• Carmen Butler-Charteris Charitable Trust
• Centerparcs
• The Margaret Chattell Charitable Trust
• Childwick Trust
• Coventry Building Society
• Mr and Mrs Derek Crowson
• Mr Derek Dawson
• Mr Richard Desmond
• Miss M W Eastwood Trust
• European Social Fund (ESF)
• Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust
• The Barbara and Stanley Fink Foundation
• Football Foundation
• Keith and Michele Freedman
• Tony and Rita Gallagher, Gallagher UK
• The G C Gibson Trust
• B & P Glasser Charitable Trust
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Greater London Fund for the Blind
• Jonathan Green
• Sir Philip and Lady Green
• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
• The Hangent Trust
• John Hargreaves
• Lord and Lady Harris
• Peter Harrison Trust
• HBOS Foundation
• Heritage Lottery Fund
• Johnny Hewett
• Hillgate Travel
• Houghton Dunn Charitable Trust
• Joron Charitable Trust
• John Kirkland
• Mr and Mrs Paul Kemsley
• The Lennox and Wyfold Foundation
• Man Group plc
• Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund
• WT Mattock Charitable Settlement
• John and Marcy McCall MacBain
• Brian Mercer Charitable Trust
• Microsoft Inc
• George A Moore Trust
• Myristica Trust
• Northwood Charitable Trust
• Richard and Lynn Norton
• Novartis
• Orange
• Susanna Peake Charitable Trust
• The Pears Foundation
• The Jack Petchey Foundation
• Pfizer
• Sara and Paul Phillips
• George Piskov
• Charlie Porter
• Mary Potter Convent Hospital Trust
• Qualcomm
• Quartet Community Foundation,
• Express Programme
• Mr and Mrs Nicolae Ratiu
• Redfern Charitable Trust
• Philip and Marjorie Robinson Charitable Trust
• The Gerald Ronson Foundation
• Cecil Rosen Trust
• Edmond J Safra Philanthropic Foundation
• Sandra Charitable Trust
• Ms Lyn Schlesinger
• Scottish Government
• ShareGift
• Smith Charitable Trust
• Kathleen Smith
• Dr Dermot Smurfit
• Standard Life
• Steinberg Family Charitable Trust
• The Tolkien Trust
• The Towry Law Charitable Trust
• Constance Travis Trust
• The UPS Foundation
• The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers
• v the youth volunteering charity
• Walker Trust
• Jean L Ward Trust
• Waynflete Charitable Trust
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• Nigel Wray
• The Elizabeth and Prince Zager Trust.

Thank you also to all the individuals and organisation wishing to remain anonymous.

Summary of RNIB’s financial position

In 2007-2008 RNIB focused expenditure on the following areas of work:

• Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily – £1,144,000
• Supporting people to get the education, jobs and income they deserve – £29,409,000
• Increasing the accessibility of information, books, television and culture – £27,200,000
• Enabling people to get support and become independent – £25,350,000
• Strengthening our voice and impact – £3,850,000
• Costs to generate funds – £11,564,000
• Governance costs – £1,498,000.

This gives a total expenditure of £100,015,000.
There was also an Actuarial gain on Defined benefit pension scheme of £8,290,000.

RNIB resources consisted of the following:

• Endowment funds – £10,202,000
• Restricted funds – £6,721,000
• Service properties and equipment – £50,288,000
• Development funds – £25,332,000
• General reserves – £20,959,000
• Pension Reserves – £17,923,000.

This gives total net assets of £131,425,000.

RNIB’s income of £98,653,000 came from the following sources:

• Donations and legacies – £55,111,000
• Investment income – £2,862,000
• Objective related income – £37,822,000
• Merchandising and sponsorship – £620,000
• Net return on the Defined benefit pension scheme – £2,216,000
• Net gain on disposal of fixed assets – £22,000.

This gave a total income of £98,653,000
and an operating deficit of £1,362,000.
There was also net loss of £2,854,000 on investment assets.

Extracted from the full Trustees’ report and financial statement for the year ended 31 March 2008 as audited by Horwarth Clark Whitehill, which are available from RNIB customer services on 0845 702 3153.

Looking ahead to 2008/09

1. We aim to offer personalised support and advice to 70,000 people losing their sight. At the moment far too many people do not know which way to turn for help at this critical time in their lives.

2. We will make everyday life easier by providing information, specialist products and audio, braille and large print books to blind and partially sighted people and their families.

3. Blind and partially sighted people are still denied opportunities at school and work. We will ensure that children get access to the school curriculum in braille, large print and audio. We will also launch Work Focus, a new initiative to help people into work in London, Sheffield and Aberdeenshire. It is part of RNIB’s drive to support blind and partially sighted adults to find and keep their jobs.

4. In 2008 and 2009 we will continue our campaign to ensure that people losing their sight due to wet AMD receive new sight saving treatments on the NHS. We will also launch a new programme to detect glaucoma before it is too late to treat.

5. We will work with organisations and professionals concerned with sight loss and eye health to deliver the ambitions of the UK Vision Strategy. Our unified and powerful voice will improve the care and inclusion of people with sight loss and prevent avoidable sight loss.

Information about DAISY

RNIB’s annual review 2007/08 has also been produced as a Book for all. This means that along with the clear print review we have included a standard audio recording on a CD and a multimedia CD, with a DAISY audio recording. But what is DAISY and what else is on the multimedia CD?

DAISY

DAISY stands for “Digital Accessible Information SYstem”. DAISY can be played on a stand-alone DAISY player, or by using DAISY software on a PC. DAISY players can also play standard audio CDs. With DAISY it is easy to find chapters, sections, sub-sections or specific pages. Users can also bookmark pages to come back to at a later date. DAISY CDs can store up to 22 hours of audio – so one CD can do a job that previously had to be done by several cassette tapes or standard audio CDs.

Contents of the multimedia CD

• Electronic braille file to produce your own braille print out at home.
• Text files – both html and ascii.
• PDF file, which you can read using screen magnification software.

Contact details

Helpline

For information, support and advice for anyone with a sight problem contact RNIB Helpline on telephone 0845 766 9999 or by email: helpline@rnib.org.uk

RNIB Helpline can:

• provide you with free information and advice including leaflets online or via post
• put you in touch with specialist advice services
• give you details of support groups and services in your area
• offer a listening ear.

Call Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Calls charged at local rates. Mobile rates may vary. All enquiries treated in confidence.

Website

If you want to find out about any of RNIB’s work and how your support benefits people with sight problems, why not join the 150,000 people every month who browse the RNIB website?

Membership

If you want to get more involved, why not become a member of RNIB? Joining RNIB is all about getting closer – to information, to other members, to all the services that RNIB has to offer. See membership or call 0870 787 0077 for information.

Volunteering

To find out about volunteering at RNIB please see volunteering or call the volunteering team on 0845 603 0575.

Fundraising

Your support is vital to our work. Please email us at fundraising@rnib.org.uk, call 0845 345 0054 or see fundraising to find out how you can help us make a difference to the lives of people with sight problems and eliminate avoidable sight loss.

RNIB head offices

RNIB
105 Judd Street
London
WC1H 9NE
Telephone 020 7388 1266
Fax 020 7388 2034

RNIB Cymru
Trident Court
East Moors Road
Cardiff
CF24 5TD
Telephone 029 2045 0440
Fax 029 2044 0550

RNIB Northern Ireland
40 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BA
Telephone 028 9032 9373
Fax 028 9043 9118

RNIB Scotland
Dunedin House
25 Ravelston Terrace
Edinburgh
EH4 3TP
Telephone 0131 311 8500
Fax 0131 311 8529

For copies of this review in various formats, contact RNIB customer services on 0845 702 3153.

Back to annual reviews

Content author: cippub@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/11/2008 11:13