The Partially Sighted Society

What The Partially Sighted Society does

The Partially Sighted Society is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 254052) founded in 1967 and headquartered at 1 Bennetthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Operating with approximately 9 employees, it provides a holistic mix of clinical, educational, and commercial services for people living with partial sight loss — including personalized low-vision assessments via an in-house optometrist (Gary Flack), confidential mental-health and wellbeing support from a dedicated practitioner (Nickie Johnson), adaptive product sales, and bespoke educational printing for students with visual impairments and visual processing disorders. Customers span four stakeholder groups: partially sighted individuals (primary), schoolchildren with visual impairments, family members/caregivers, and education/healthcare professionals seeking CPD-accredited training.

The organization's commercial engine sits on three owned digital properties — the main e-commerce shop (partsight.org.uk/shop), a School Shop (schoolzone.partsight.org.uk), and a professional Learning Zone (learningzone.partsight.org.uk) — supported by a physical Sight Centre in Doncaster and phone/inside sales. The product catalog is organized into five shop categories: Daily Living Items, Stationery, Portable Magnifiers, Telephones, and Symbol Items. Notable proprietary assets include SeeTheTape (a patent-pending visible-edge tape developed with vision scientists and the first product officially endorsed by the Society) and merchandise featuring the Shaded Eye Symbol, which the Society commissioned and which the Northern European Sector of the WHO adopted in 1982 as the International Symbol of Visual Disability. Leadership consists of CEO Anita Plant supported by a Communications Officer (Shaun) and clinical/practitioner staff.

Revenue is generated through four streams: (i) one-time product sales at unit prices ranging from £0.50 to over £370; (ii) recurring donations via GoCardless at £5, £10, or £25 monthly (plus one-off payments); (iii) bespoke educational printing contracts for schools and individuals; and (iv) paid CPD courses on the Learning Zone. Grants and restricted funding come from the European Union, Yorkshire Venture Philanthropy Programme, Community Foundation, Co-op Local Cause (772 supporting members), West Riding Masonic Charities, and the Peoples Postcode Lottery. Recognition includes the Doncaster Business Awards (2016) and Association of Optometrists Awards (2018). Strategic partners include Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the broader set of grant funders.

Name

The Partially Sighted Society

Legal name

The Partially Sighted Society

Website

https://partsight.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Partially Sighted Society is a UK registered charity that provides low-vision assessments, optometry, mental health support, bespoke educational printing, adaptive product sales, and CPD training to individuals with partial sight loss, students with visual impairments, and healthcare and education professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Visual Impairment Support Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (621320), Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Low vision aids
• Visual impairment support
• Sight loss charity
• Assistive technology products
• Accessibility stationery

Headquarters

HQ city

Doncaster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: E-commerce sales of low vision aids, stationery, daily living items, and symbol items through the online shop.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Accepts donations via monthly subscriptions (£5, £10, £25 per month) and one-off payments. Supports enhanced low-vision sight tests, assessments, social groups, mental health support and access to specialist equipment.
3. Educational Printing Services: Bespoke schoolbook printing service providing customised bold-lined exercise books and stationery for schoolchildren with visual impairments, as well as students with visual processing disorders such as dyslexia.
4. Online Learning Zone Courses: Professional CPD content and online courses for visual impairment training, including Low Vision Assessment courses and podcasts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Partially Sighted Society is a UK charity that sells low vision aids, accessibility stationery, daily living items, and symbol-branded merchandise through an e-commerce shop, and delivers optometry and rehabilitation assessments, mental health and wellbeing support, social community groups, and bespoke educational printing services to individuals affected by partial sight loss. The organization also operates the PSS Learning Zone online CPD platform for eye care and education professionals, and distributes audio content via the PSS iTalk podcast and PSS Newsletters.

Product overview

The Partially Sighted Society operates a multi-channel accessibility-focused organization comprising an e-commerce shop selling low vision aids and products, alongside support services. The product portfolio is organized into five main shop categories: Daily Living Items (11 products including tactile markers, talking scales, and visibility aids), Stationery (30+ items featuring large-print rulers, bold pens, talking calculators, and accessible keyboards), Portable Magnifiers (assessed individually), Telephones (advisory service), and Symbol Items (27 products featuring the International Symbol of Visual Disability including badges, vests, lanyards, and awareness apparel). Complementary services include a Printing Service for customized educational materials, a Low Vision Service providing optometry and rehabilitation, Mental Health and Wellbeing Support, an online Learning Zone platform with professional CPD courses and podcasts, and audio newsletter/podcast content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PSS Learning Zone: Online learning platform offering courses for professionals and family members on visual impairment topics including low vision assessments, eye conditions, and guiding techniques.
• PSS iTalk
• PSS Newsletters

Products and services

• Daily Living Items A retail product category of daily living aids for visually impaired individuals, including self-adhesive Bumpons, Talking Kitchen Scale, Sun Visors, Bookaroo Beanbag Reading Rests, Opticoaster tactile coasters, and Sekurakey expanding key holders, available for purchase through the PSS online shop.
• Stationery

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 8 million pages of bold-lined exercise books printed for students with visual impairments
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership for eye health. Mr Dinakaran (ophthalmologist) and Nick Mawer (consultant ophthalmologist) from the NHS trust have appeared on the PSS Podcast to discuss retinal conditions, eye health treatments, and macular conditions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• VICTA: UK charity supporting children and young adults who are blind or partially sighted. Directly overlaps with PSS's schoolchildren and student segments served by the bespoke printing service.
• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): The largest UK charity for blind and partially sighted people, offering similar services including low vision advice, product retail, and community support. Directly comparable mission and beneficiary base, though at materially larger scale.
• Fight for Sight: UK charity funding eye research and raising awareness of sight loss conditions. Comparable beneficiary community and awareness/advocacy function.
• Retina UK: UK charity for people affected by inherited sight loss, funding research and providing support services. Shares PSS's focus on progressive sight loss and beneficiary community.
• Macular Society: UK charity specifically supporting people with macular conditions, a major segment of PSS's partial sight loss beneficiary base. Provides advice, support groups, and research funding.
• Guide Dogs: Major UK charity supporting people with sight loss through mobility services, advice, and community programs. Overlaps with PSS on independence and community support for visually impaired beneficiaries.
• Thomas Pocklington Trust: UK charity focused on enabling independence for people with sight loss, providing housing, employment, and research grants. Comparable mission and partially overlapping services.
• Look UK: UK charity supporting children and young people with vision impairment, including mentoring and advocacy. Overlaps with PSS's inclusive education and family support offerings.
• Vision Aid Overseas: UK charity providing eyecare services in developing countries. Comparable operational model combining optometry services with charitable mission in the sight loss sector.

Broad incumbents

• Humanware: Global commercial provider of assistive technology for the visually impaired, including magnifiers and electronic vision aids. A potential B2B competitor and complementary technology partner given PSS's assessment-led retail model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/partsight
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCH2JY0pDTn8RjhZZSuAjfXw
• Facebookfacebook.com/partsight
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-partially-sighted-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/partiallysightedsociety

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 The Partially Sighted Society