 |
We’re planning several heritage events in 2022 with the support of the Heritage Lottery, and thanks to National Lottery players to raise awareness of our work with blind and partially sighted people in Sheffield for over 160 years.
Our 160th Anniversary was in 2020, however, we had to postpone or cancel our plans because of the pandemic, but finally managed to celebrate our anniversary dinner at Weston Park Museum last September (a year late). Our choice of venue interestingly took us back to our roots, as our founder Eliza Harrison used to live in Weston House, a private house that stood where the museum is today, in the grounds that are now the park. Eliza founded the Blind Institution with a small committee in 1860 and this was the real foundation of the organisation from which SRSB has grown. |
Since those early years there have been many interesting points in our history and different sites around the city as our charity continued to grow and adapt. There have been many stories from our clients and changes in society, eye health, treatments, education, employment and assistive equipment and technology. Our long and interesting story, intertwined with the history of Sheffield and its communities will be told through a series of exhibitions, presentations, events, publications, a video and some oral histories. These will be available for the public to interact with at a range of different venues around the city, such as libraries, centres, the theatre, the Winter Gardens and at SRSB’s Mappin Street Centre. We’ve also been working with Sheffield Council Parks & Countryside on an exciting new sensory garden development at Graves Park as a lasting recognition to our charity.
We want to share our stories with the community that has supported their work over 160 years, and are also interested to hear if anyone can add to the stories too. So, if you have a connection or story to pass on and want to get involved, or you would like to find out about visiting the heritage awareness events, please contact SRSB on marketing@srsb.org.uk or call 0114 272 2757.