Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind
Encyclopedia
The Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind (BRIB) is a registered charity in the United Kingdom
which oversees the work of three distinct charities in the Birmingham
area:
and Queen Alexandra
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
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 the bulk of their support from BRIB.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which oversees the work of three distinct charities in the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
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 CollegeQueen Alexandra CollegeQueen Alexandra College is an independent specialist college of further education based in Harborne, Birmingham for students aged 16 plus with visual impairment and other disabilities. Students can develop their academic, social and independent skills through individualised programmes...
is a college for the blind and visually impaired.
- 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 VIIEdward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
and Queen Alexandra
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
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
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
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 the bulk of their support from BRIB.