Visibility

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Our History

Beginnings

In 1859 when the Visibility’s story begins, the majority of blind people in Scotland were to be found among the poorest in the land. No special treatment was offered and no extra help of any sort was considered.   When Visibility was formed there were many social evils, aggravated by the Industrial Revolution and it was against this background of wide social distress that a group of 34 gentlemen felt compelled to do something to ease the plight of these deprived sightless people.

On 27 June 1859 they formed themselves into a charity known as "The Society for Promoting Reading Among the Blind". These pioneers, came from various walks of life and were able to bring wide experience from within the church, medicine, business and other positions of trust. In 1861 the title was changed to "The Glasgow Mission to the Blind".

At the second General Meeting in March 1862, Visibility 's aims and rules were firmly established, and in 1870 we became known as "The Glasgow Mission to the Outdoor Blind", which set it apart from any other organisations which cared for the blind in residential institutions and sheltered workshops. A further change of name in 1883 indicated just how quickly the parameters of the charity had been extended to include a wider area of Scotland . Then it became known as "The Mission to the Outdoor Blind for Glasgow and West of Scotland".

One of the first tasks was to campaign unceasingly to gain statutory recognition of the needs of the blind. This involved giving evidence at Royal Commissions, lobbying in the House and using every available means to rouse public support.

The first sixty years of the Mission 's history was a saga of long years of hard work and struggle to improve the lot of the blind, but when the Blind ( Scotland ) Act of 1920 took its place on the Statute Book, this heralded the real beginning of state intervention.

The responsibility for the well-being  of the blind now rested with the local authorities, but, the Mission acted as agent and continued to be responsible for much blind welfare. Since then, successive governments have passed into law measures which have improved the lot of the blind, and acknowledged more and more the state's responsibility for the care of these people.

info@visibility.org.uk.