About
Seeing’s History
Seeing was founded in 2005 by a small group of fundraising volunteers who previously supported a national charity for the visually impaired who closed their South-West England skills and rehabilitation centre.
These dedicated volunteers knew how much this closure would affect the local visually impaired community, particularly as this was an era when computers were becoming increasingly popular both in the workplace and at home.
Seeing was able to locate a community centre in Teignmouth, South Devon who also recognised this need to support the blind and partially sighted local community, so we joined forces and set up a training centre, engaging some skilled tutors from the closed centre, to deliver keyboard skills training and providing loan home computers for the local newly sight loss people in the immediate and surrounding areas. Our marvellous fundraising volunteers were able to continue to arrange all sorts of events to enable us to fund this, raising £12,000 in our first full year.
The training of the visually impaired community over the following years grew to a second community centre located in Torquay and then developed further to home-based training with Seeing provided specialist software adaptive computer equipment for those with mobility and/or travelling restrictions.
With the development of miniature technology around 2013, the emphasis on this also being available for the visually impaired community was growing, and therefore Seeing, with the introduction of speech input and output on iPhones and iPads, was able to meet this requirement and equipment familiarisation and training is now offered at a centre located in Paignton.
How we can help
There is a vast range of specialist help together with adaptive personal equipment and technology available for the blind and partially sighted and we are able to either access this for you on a loan basis, until the item is of no further use, or alternatively arrange for you to meet with a specialist who will advise you/us of the most appropriate item of equipment or service to meet your needs.
Typically, this can be talking or audible home equipment such as talking microwave oven, audible washing machine, talking worktop induction hob, reading machines, CCTV magnifier/reader, desktop and laptop computers with adaptive software, iPhones* and iPads** with additional visual impairment apps, voice recognition equipment Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Google Assistant.
We have also helped with minor home alterations to accommodate a person’s sight loss, funded personal counselling sessions and arranged with local independent optician to make specialist children’s and teenage eye-ware for sports use.
Services and personal equipment can be provided following a successful grant application to us. Contact info@seeingcharity.org.uk for further information.
We are also able to “signpost” you to other organisations and charities for help and assistance that we are unable to provide directly.
* iPhones and iPads are provided without Sim cards or mobile telephony/data contracts. Wi-Fi enabled iPads require a connection to a broadband connection. These services are not funded by Seeing.
** Voice recognition equipment requires a broadband connection. This service is not funded by Seeing.
How We Can Help You
Assistive PC Technology
Braille Keyboard / Reader
iPhone and iPad
Children's Specialist Eyeware
Talking Kitchen Items
Registered Charity no: 1120650
A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (05442164)
01626 777943
5 Paradise Road, Teignmouth, Devon, TQ14 8NR
Free Charity and Community Websites by Falcon Digital
We want to thank Falcon Digital for our lovely new website. Falcon Digital offer charity and community interest groups free website design and consultancy to improve awareness and involvement. If you would like to know more and apply to the scheme follow the link below.
