Sight Life Visually Impaired Photographers
Sight Life photography group, composed of blind and partially sighted individuals, has developed into a vibrant and creative community over the years. The members of this group have not only found a powerful means of self-expression through photography but have also produced works of exceptional quality that have been displayed at various exhibitions across Cardiff.
Project Overview
The World Health Organisation notes that the incidence of sight loss will double by 2050. It’s a sad fact the people with sight loss are more than twice as likely to have experienced difficulties with unhappiness or depression than the UK average, and compared to a UK average of 58%, 35% of people with sight loss had good life satisfaction and confidence. Formerly known as Cardiff Institute for the Blind, Sight Life is one of Wales’ oldest charities.
Sight Life provides the essential help, advice and support for anyone with sight loss in South Wales, with a particular focus on Cardiff, Swansea and Rhondda Cynon Taf. We have a base in the centre of Cardiff in our Activity and Resource Centre. Our work is also carried out via home visits, groups in the community and through 1:1 sessions.
Over the next year we will work with 4000 visually impaired members across the region to help them engage with and take part in society. We make a clear impact. In one of our recent surveys 90% of members told us that they felt less isolated and lonely, 80%felt more independent and 74% were more active and healthier as a result of our work.
Our team of 14 experienced and skilled staff empower people with sight loss to live the lives they want to and help beneficiaries to access the digital realm and make daily activities and tasks easier with advice and assessments.
We have a range of activities and groups for people to participate in, access the arts, take part in sport and visit new places. Our work is designed to support blind and partially sighted people at all stages of their sight loss journey and for a duration appropriate to their needs, this could be indefinitely.
Help us Celebrate
In celebrating Sight Life's(Cardiff Institute for the Blind) 160th year in 2025, the amazing visually impaired photography group will be exhibiting at the Pierhead Futures Gallery(Senedd) which will be their largest exhibition to date. The funding will go towards a display of the History of Sight Life (Cardiff Institute of the Blind) and to showcase their outstanding photography.
Why are we fundraising
To present Sight Life and the Photography group at the Exhibition, we need some professional display stands and help with marketing to encourage more visually impaired to join the Photography Group. We haven’t had any previous funding for the Photography group, they have used their own resources to keep the Photography group going. But, in order to put on a larger exhibit, they would need a better presentation of their work.
Check out the live projects we're supporting
Derbyshire Children's Seaside Holiday Home
Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre offers free seaside holidays in Skegness for children in Derbyshire who are experiencing poverty, trauma, or difficult circumstances. For more than 135 years, we have provided safe and enjoyable experiences that foster confidence, friendships, and hope giving children a chance to escape their daily pressures and create lasting memories.
Martin House Childens Hospice
Martin House Children’s Hospice provides free, specialist palliative care to babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions across North, West and East Yorkshire. For almost 40 years, it has supported families through symptom management, respite breaks, emergency and end-of-life care, emotional support and bereavement services. In 2024–25, Martin House supported more than 550 children and young people.
