Beacon Centre celebrates 150 Years of supporting people with sight loss
It was a day to celebrate the work of a charity which has helped people suffering from sight loss to be able to live and thrive.
The Beacon Centre for the Blind, has been celebrating 150 years of dedicated support to visually impaired people.
To honour the landmark occasion, the charity hosted a special afternoon celebration on Tuesday for its volunteers and staff, thanking them for their unwavering dedication.
Held at the charity’s Sedgley base, the event brought together the team for an afternoon of quizzes, games and conversation, finishing with a cake to commemorate the charity’s rich history and its vision for the future.
Beacon’s Chief Executive Lisa Cowley said: “Reaching our 150th anniversary is a testament to the dedication of everyone who has been part of our journey.
"Our volunteers and staff make a real difference to the lives of people with sight loss every day, and this celebration was just a small way to express our gratitude.
“Of course, our beneficiaries are at the heart of everything we do as they’ve helped shape Beacon into the charity it is today. We are enjoying celebrating this milestone with them, too.
“As we look to the future, we remain committed to ensuring no one faces sight loss alone.”
Beacon is one of the region’s oldest charities, supporting people living with sight loss in innovative ways since 1875.
It opened one of the first charity shops in the UK in 1899 in Wolverhampton.
From teaching braille in the 1800s, to helping people get the most from assistive technology today, Beacon continues to expand and evolve to meet the changing needs of its community, from practical support and accessible activities to emotional wellbeing and advocacy.
The charity has been marking its 150th anniversary throughout 2025 through fundraising events such as its annual Colour Run, a new strategy for the years ahead and there is much more planned including celebrations with its beneficiaries later in the year as well as its Beacon of Light Ball, which will take place at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton on September 19 and for which tickets are now available.
