The Hargreaves Foundation supports the Royal Society for Blind Children

The Trustees of the Hargreaves Foundation are pleased to announce funding has been awarded to the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC), a London-based charity that helps blind and partially sighted young people and their families across England and Wales to develop skills and confidence to live their lives without limits.

The funding will support RSBC’s ‘Live Life Go Further’, a unique programme for eight- to 25-year-olds with sight loss to improve their independence, and physical and mental health. The programme tackles inequalitiesby providing a wide range of exercise and sporting opportunities. It addressesthe impact of sight loss on children’s emotional wellbeing and independence through workshops that build confidence, help manage stress, and provide essential independent living skills, such as cooking, cleaning and applying for a job. Group activities, including arts and crafts sessions, drama and social gatherings, help participants battle feelings of isolation. They also receive regular one-to-one sessions with a support worker to identify personal goals and ambitions and ensure they access relevant activities. Personal plans are reviewed every six months, with progress monitored for up to two years after completion of the programme to ensure a lasting impact.

In 2021, 350 people participated in Live Life Go Further sessions and rated them 8.9/10 for creativity, 8.2/10 for health and wellbeing, and 9.1/10 for social skills.