Sight Support West of England

What Sight Support West of England does

Sight Support West of England is a UK registered charity (no. 1178384) operating as part of a three-charity collaboration with Wiltshire Sight (no. 1119462) and Insight Gloucestershire (no. 1216111) to deliver sight loss services across Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. The organisation supports blind and partially sighted people — including children and families, working-age adults, young adults aged 18-30, parents of visually impaired children, and family carers — through information and advice, social connection (nearly 50 local groups plus virtual hubs), digital skills training, biannual Eye Can exhibitions, rehabilitation referrals, and resource centres in Bristol, Devizes, and Cheltenham where beneficiaries can try optical and electronic aids.

The underlying technology platform combines a website-based Knowledge Hub of practical articles and app guides with a Digital Skills Support Service that trains beneficiaries on consumer-grade accessibility tools: built-in smartphone and tablet features (VoiceOver, TalkBack, magnification, contrast), screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, ZoomText, SuperNova), and AI-powered applications including Microsoft Seeing AI and Google Gemini Live for computer-vision tasks such as reading text, describing scenes, identifying objects, currency recognition, and barcode scanning. Distribution is hybrid: in-person Community Sight Loss Advice Hubs, Zoom/MS Teams virtual hubs, three physical resource centres, three charity shops, and outreach via the NHS Information Bus in Gloucestershire. Referral pathways flow from ophthalmologists, hospitals, local authority rehabilitation teams, social prescribers, and partner sight-loss charities (RNIB, Macular Society, Guide Dogs, Glaucoma UK, Retina UK).

The organisation is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations, challenge fundraising, a weekly charity lottery (50p per £1 played), charity shop sales, legacy giving, corporate sponsors (Humanware, Inspecs, Optelec), and grants from trusts and foundations including National Lottery Reaching Communities, Quartet Foundation, Annett Charitable Trust, Arnold Clark Foundation, Dixie Rose Findley Trust, and St Monica Trust. All services to beneficiaries are free; payments flow only on the fundraising side. The operating model is community-led, with a significant proportion of volunteers drawn from people with lived experience of sight loss, and is governed by a board of trustees with no parent company, PE, or VC ownership.

Name

Sight Support West of England

Legal name

Sight Support West of England

Website

https://sightsupportwest.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sight Support West of England is a UK charity collaboration of three registered charities (Sight Support West of England, Wiltshire Sight, Insight Gloucestershire) providing free information, advice, social groups, digital skills training, and technology support to blind and partially sighted people across the West of England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Sight Loss Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Sight loss support
• Assistive technology training
• Community rehabilitation services
• Digital accessibility services
• Vision impairment charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The charity raises funds from individual donors through one-off and regular donations, challenge events (e.g., marathon running), community group fundraising, and corporate partnerships. Donations are facilitated via CAF Online and Gift Aid.
2. Charity Lottery: A weekly lottery where for every £1 spent, the charity receives 50p. If a player wins the £25,000 jackpot, the charity also receives £2,500. This provides a recurring revenue stream from participants.
3. Trust and Foundation Grants: Funding received from trusts and foundations including National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund, Quartet Foundation, Annett Charitable Trust, Arnold Clark Foundation, Dixie Rose Findley Trust, St Monica Trust, and others. Also includes corporate sponsors Humanware, Inspecs, and Optelec.
4. Charity Shop Revenue: Revenue generated from charity shops operated by the organisation and its partners in Bristol, Thornbury, and Stroud, selling donated goods to raise funds for sight loss services.
5. Legacies and Bequests: The charity encourages supporters to leave a gift in their will, which provides a long-term revenue stream from legacy donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sight Support West of England is a registered charity that delivers free information, advice, and practical support to blind and partially sighted people across the West of England. Services are delivered through Community Sight Loss Advice Hubs, nearly 50 social groups, Virtual Hubs, Resource Centres, and a Digital Skills Support Service covering screen readers, magnification, and AI-powered accessibility apps. The charity also runs biannual Eye Can exhibitions, training courses, an Audio Library, Visible Magazine, and a Knowledge Hub of online resources.

Product overview

Sight Support West of England operates as a collaborative network of three sight loss charities providing a comprehensive suite of services across the West of England. The core offering centres on Information & Advice, Social Connections (with nearly 50 local groups and virtual hubs), and a Digital Skills Support Service for technology training. Key products include Eye Can Exhibitions (biannual technology showcases), the Knowledge Hub (digital resource library), specialist Children and Families and Working Age Adults services, an Audio Library for accessible reading, Visible Magazine and What's On e-Newsletters for communications, and Sight Loss Awareness Training. Educational products include Introduction to Smart Device Accessibility and VoiceOver/TalkBack screen reader courses. The organisation works in partnership with Wiltshire Sight and Insight Gloucestershire, all operating under a shared mission to support blind and partially sighted people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Information and Advice Service
• Social Connections (Community Groups and Virtual Hubs)
• Digital Skills Support Service
• Introduction to Smart Device Accessibility Course
• Introduction to VoiceOver and TalkBack Course
• Eye Can Exhibitions
• Children and Families Service
• Working Age Adults Service
• Supporting Someone with Sight Loss Service
• Resource Centres
• What's On E-Newsletter
• Visible Magazine
• Audio Library
• Knowledge Hub
• Sight Loss Awareness Training
• Rehabilitation Support and Referrals
• Moving Forward Course
• Parents Virtual Hub
• Young Adults Virtual Hub
• Charity Shops

Quantifiable outcome

• Sight loss can be devastating. Not everyone needs help, but many do. With support, people can not just survive but thrive after sight loss.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

AI capability11 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wiltshire SightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWiltshire Sight is a collaborating charity operating in Wiltshire and Swindon, sharing the joint Privacy Policy and co-branded communications with Sight Support West of England and Insight Gloucestershire. Services include advice hubs, social groups, digital skills support, and a charity shop in Devizes. Registered charity no. 1119462.
• Insight GloucestershirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsight Gloucestershire is a collaborating charity operating in Gloucestershire, sharing the joint Privacy Policy and co-branded communications. Services include advice hubs, social groups, digital skills support, a charity shop in Stroud, and community outreach via the NHS Information Bus. Registered charity no. 1216111.
• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRNIB is the UK's largest sight loss charity. Sight Support West of England refers to RNIB resources, shares information about RNIB services including the helpline (0303 123 9999), counselling support groups ('Seeing it Through'), jobseekers online course, online Talk and Support groups, and collaborates on community events such as the NHS Information Bus in Gloucestershire.
• Macular SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMacular Society supports individuals with macular conditions. Sight Support West of England shares information about Macular Society support groups (including local groups in Bristol, Bath, and Thornbury), Virtual Clinics, and condition-specific groups, and includes their helpline (0300 303 0111) in its referral resources.
• Guide DogsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuide Dogs provides support for children with vision impairment including 'My Time to Play' groups (currently in Bath & North East Somerset, with new groups planned in South Gloucestershire and North Somerset). Sight Support also shares Guide Dogs' free online Sighted Guide Training for friends and family of adults with sight loss.
• Glaucoma UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlaucoma UK provides guidance for those affected by glaucoma. Sight Support shares Glaucoma UK information in its Knowledge Hub and refers service users to their helpline (01233 648170) and email support.
• Retina UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetina UK supports people with inherited retinal conditions. Sight Support shares information about Retina UK's Peer Support Groups including Talking Tech and condition-specific sessions, and their Parents and Carers online group, plus the Discover Wellbeing resource.
• Local Authority Rehabilitation TeamscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSight Support West of England's Community Sight Loss Advisors refer clients to local authority rehabilitation teams for skills training in daily living, orientation and mobility, and communication. Rehabilitation Officers work with clients following receipt of a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI).
• HumanwareminorOthersHumanware is listed as a company funder of Sight Support West of England, alongside Inspecs and Optelec, providing financial support for the charity's operations.
• VICTAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVICTA offers free Early Years Sensory Discovery Packs for children aged 0-4 who are vision impaired. Sight Support West of England shares information about these packs as part of its children and families support offering.
• SamaritansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSamaritans (116 123) are referenced as a resource for people experiencing emotional distress related to sight loss, recommended by Sight Support West of England when feelings cause significant distress and GP support is not immediately accessible.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SeeAbility: A UK charity providing specialist support for people with sight loss and other disabilities, including advice, advocacy and resource services. Closely aligned with SSW in serving disabled populations with information, advice and digital inclusion support.
• Retina UK: A UK charity supporting people with inherited retinal conditions through peer support groups, Talking Tech sessions, parents and carers groups and wellbeing resources. SSW shares Retina UK's information in its Knowledge Hub, indicating overlapping mission and beneficiary groups.
• VICTA: A UK charity supporting children and young people (0-25) with vision impairment, providing activities, parent support and Early Years Sensory Discovery Packs. SSW partners with VICTA on children and families offerings, indicating directly comparable mission and beneficiary focus.
• Henshaws: A long-established regional charity supporting blind and partially sighted people across the North West of England through advice, social groups, digital skills training and resource centres. Closely comparable to SSW in mission, service mix, hub-and-spoke delivery model and beneficiary focus.
• Macular Society: A UK charity dedicated to supporting people with macular conditions, offering local support groups, virtual clinics, a helpline and condition-specific information. SSW refers beneficiaries to Macular Society groups in Bristol, Bath and Thornbury, indicating closely overlapping beneficiary populations and service offerings.
• Glaucoma UK: A UK charity providing helpline, peer support and information for people affected by glaucoma. SSW refers beneficiaries to Glaucoma UK's resources via its Knowledge Hub and partnership directory, indicating closely aligned condition-specific support.

Regional players

• Focus Birmingham: A long-standing West Midlands sight loss charity providing advice, social groups, resource centres, equipment and digital skills training. Closely comparable to SSW in service mix and hub-and-spoke delivery, though focused on a different UK region.

Broad incumbents

• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): The UK's largest sight loss charity, providing advice, helpline, counselling, employment support and digital skills guidance nationwide. Sight Support West of England explicitly refers beneficiaries to RNIB services, positioning RNIB as the national incumbent that overlaps with and sits above SSW's regional offerings.
• Guide Dogs: A national charity providing mobility services and support for people with sight loss, including 'My Time to Play' groups for children with vision impairment and sighted guide training. SSW partners with Guide Dogs on family support, indicating overlapping but broader-scope service delivery.

Others

• Humanware: A global manufacturer of assistive technology for blind and low vision users (smart magnifiers, braille devices, GPS). Listed as a corporate funder of SSW and the supplier of much of the equipment SSW showcases in its Eye Can Exhibitions and Resource Centres.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SightSupportWoE
• Facebookfacebook.com/sightsupportwest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visionwofe

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Sight Support West of England