Please note that as of October 2020, we now operate as Sight Scotland. Our former name, Royal Blind will appear in content, such as reports, produced before that date.

Scotland's visual impairment charity is looking for new ways to generate sustainable income.

Royal Blind has brought on business-minded Andrew Stephenson to investigate new enterprise opportunities for the visual impairment charity. 

Andrew, who hails from “sunny North Berwick”, started in the newly created “Enterprise Manager” role at Royal Blind in mid-January.

Royal Blind is Scotland’s largest visual impairment organization and provides care, education and employment for people with visual impairments.

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Andrew will explore opportunities for Royal Blind to generate new income, so the charity can support more people with a visual impairment in Scotland.

“We have a wealth of highly-experienced staff members at Royal Blind, plus a desire to help more blind and partially sighted people,” he said.

“My job, as enterprise manager, is to explore opportunities for Royal Blind to generate sustainable income. 

“That could be a new product we sell, a new service we offer, equipment or facilities we rent out when we’re not using them, or a partnership with another organisation.”

Andrew said profits from any new “social enterprise” would be reinvested into Royal Blind, supporting its social mission.

“Our social mission is supporting people with visual impairments across Scotland – so, if we’re making and selling products, any profits we generate goes straight back to supporting the work Royal Blind does.”

The concept of social enterprise and charitable trading was not new to Royal Blind, Andrew said.

“Since 1891, Royal Blind has operated the Scottish Braille Press: a leading UK transcription service and provider of accessible media for professional clients.

“The Scottish Braille Press is proud to employ people with disabilities and people with a visual impairment.  The Scottish Braille Press then reinvests its profits back into Royal Blind, enabling the organisation to help more blind and partially sighted people.”

Andrew will also be investigating new services for people who are blind and partially sighted.

“The needs, wants and ambitions of people with a visual impairment are at the heart of what we do.

“Consulting with people who are blind or partially sighted about what they want and need from services is key,” Andrew said.

For more information, contact Robert Steven, PR + Comms, Royal Blind on 07728 699 080 or robert.steven@royalblindorg.org