British Blind Sport

Name

British Blind Sport

Legal name

British Blind Sport

Website

https://britishblindsport.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Sports Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sport Governing Bodies (Paralympic & Sport-Specific) (MPAKAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH), Adaptive & Para-Sport Event Organizers (MPAKADAM), Adaptive & Para-Sport Coaching (HSADAEAM), National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

Keywords

• Disability sports charity
• Visually impaired sport
• Sight classification services
• Adaptive sport programs
• Parasport membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Warwick

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals supporting the organisation's mission to enable blind and partially sighted people to participate in sport. Donation options include one-time gifts and regular giving.
2. Membership Fees: Five membership tiers generating revenue: Active Plus at £20/year includes competitive participation rights. Other tiers are free. Total membership provides sustainable recurring revenue base.
3. Giving Lottery: Weekly lottery programme where tickets cost £1/week. From each ticket, 40p goes to British Blind Sport and 20p to other UK causes. Top prize of £25,000 with 1-in-50 chance of winning.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling clothing, equipment and sight classification certificates. Includes guide running tethers, swimming caps, sports apparel through iPro Sports partnership.
5. Challenge Events: Fundraising events including TCS London Marathon places, overseas challenges, cycling events. Participants fundraise while representing Team BBS, generating both donations and awareness.
6. Corporate Partnerships: Charity of the Year partnerships, corporate donations, sponsorship and payroll giving schemes. Companies engage through volunteering, fundraising, and CSR initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

British Blind Sport is a UK national disability sport charity that enables blind and partially sighted people to participate in sport and physical activity from grassroots to Paralympic level. It delivers this through a multi-tier membership programme (free and paid tiers), a national Activity Finder directory, a sight classification system (BR1-BR5) for fair competition, coaching e-learning, Have a Go Day taster events, Sport Sections (Archery, Tenpin Bowling), workforce development workshops, and a Knowledge Hub of resources.

Product overview

British Blind Sport is a national sports charity operating a platform-based model that connects blind and partially sighted people in the UK with sport and physical activity opportunities. The core offering combines a membership management system (with free and paid tiers), an Activity Finder database of inclusive sports, a Sight Classification System for fair competition, and a Knowledge Hub with e-learning and resources. The portfolio includes BBS Shop for adaptive equipment and clothing, organized Sport Sections for Archery and Tenpin Bowling, Have a Go Days for taster events, the VI Active Together programme, and content initiatives like the Let's Talk VI Sport Podcast and See My Voice. The platform also supports workforce development through workshops and training, serving everyone from grassroots participants to Paralympic athletes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Programme
• Recreational Sight Classification Service
• Coaching E-Learning Courses
• BBS Online Shop
• Have a Go Days
• BBS Sport Sections (Archery and Tenpin Bowling)
• Workforce Development Workshops
• Giving Lottery
• Activity Finder Directory
• VI Active Together Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 people helped to participate in sport since 1975
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026TPT partners with BBS on the Get Set Progress Internship Programme, providing employment support for VI individuals and supporting BBS operations. TPT Hub in London hosts development events for interns. TPT is a key sight loss charity partner.
• Primary ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor of the BBS Archery Outdoor Championship 2026, providing support for competitive archery events for VI athletes.
• HiplokminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Hiplok chose British Blind Sport as their Charity of the Year partner, demonstrating corporate support for VI sport through fundraising and awareness initiatives.
• UK CoachingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to create e-learning course 'Coaching Blind and Partially Sighted People' raising awareness among coaches about barriers VI people face in sport participation.
• iPro SportscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2023iPro Sports is the official supplier of British Blind Sport branded clothing and merchandise. They custom-make all BBS clothing and handle order fulfilment directly with customers.
• GiveShopminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023GiveShop is a fundraising partner enabling supporters to raise free donations through online and in-store shopping. Free to use platform that generates passive income for the charity.
• IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023International governing body for blind sport. BBS sight classifications align with IBSA guidelines and enable athletes to participate in IBSA World Games and Paralympic pathways.
• Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborated with BBS on VI Equestrian Activity Report research project funded by Sport England to identify barriers to horse riding for VI people and understand coaching support needs.
• Archery GBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023National Governing Body for archery. BBS Archery Section works with Archery GB on disability championships and sight classifications suitable for archery competitions.
• National Governing Bodies (NGBs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BBS assists NGBs to provide and adapt programmes to be accessible for people with visual impairment across multiple sports including tennis, swimming, goalball, and football.
• National Disability Sports Organisations (NDSOs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BBS collaborates with other NDSOs on research including 'Active Beyond Education?' study exploring disabled people's sport experiences during education-to-adulthood transition.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cerebral Palsy Sport: Cerebral Palsy Sport is a UK national disability-specific sport charity, structured very similarly to BBS — small staff, charity-funded, delivering sport participation opportunities for people with cerebral palsy. It is a direct impairment-specific NDSO peer for comparison.
• Special Olympics Great Britain: Special Olympics GB is a UK disability sport charity providing year-round training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Comparable to BBS as a multi-sport disability NDSO delivering grassroots-to-competitive pathways with charity funding and Sport England relationships.
• Activity Alliance (formerly English Federation of Disability Sport): Activity Alliance is the English national disability sport organisation, parallel in mission to BBS for the broader disabled population. It is the closest direct UK peer: both serve as NDSOs recognised by Sport England, both deliver inclusive activity programmes and workforce training, and both operate as membership-style charities for disabled people.
• WheelPower (British Wheelchair Sport): WheelPower is the UK national disability sport charity for wheelchair users, providing sport opportunities from beginner to elite (including Paralympic pathway). It is a direct peer for BBS in being an impairment-specific UK sport charity with events, memberships, and Sport England alignment.

Regional players

• Disability Sport Wales: Disability Sport Wales is the national disability sport body for Wales, again structured as an NDSO under Sport Wales. Directly comparable to BBS in role, model, and funder relationship, but operating solely within Wales.
• Scottish Disability Sport: Scottish Disability Sport is the national disability sport body for Scotland, operating as a sibling NDSO to BBS in the UK home nations structure. It delivers the same community-led sport, event, classification, and coaching model but is geographically bounded to Scotland.

Peers

• IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation):

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/britblindsport
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BritishBlindSport
• Facebookfacebook.com/BritishBlindSport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/british-blind-sport/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/britblindsport/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about British Blind Sport