Strategic Planning and Financial Management

Sight Life (formerly Cardiff Institute for the Blind) supports people who are blind or partially sighted in south Wales. The charity’s aims are to ensure that people with sight loss can take part in all aspects of society, including work and leisure.

The charity provides statutory services to people with sight loss on behalf of local councils in Cardiff and Swansea and In cooperation with the NHS, we provide a support service (ECLO: Eye Clinic Liaison Officer) for patients newly diagnosed with sight loss in University Hospital of Wales (UHW “The Heath”) in Cardiff.

Sight Life changed its name from Cardiff Institute for the Blind in 2019 to reflect the fact that we work beyond Cardiff, including Swansea and RCT (Rhondda Cynon Taf). The name change also recognises the fact that we support people with any degree of sight loss, not only those who are blind.

Sight Life has an annual income in the region of £440,000 from statutory contracts, grants, trusts, The National Lottery, donations and legacies.

The issue

In April 2022 Sight Life completed a planned demerger from the RNIB having been part of its group since 2009. The separation allows and facilitates each charities’ ability to focus on its core strengths. For Sight Life this meant providing practical help across south Wales to anyone with limited sight.

Sight Life’s aim is to ensure that people with sight loss can do the things (shop, travel, work, access leisure activities) that most people with ordinary vision take for granted. Post the demerger both charities are still working in partnership to help people with sight loss, while at the same time exploring new opportunities.

The demerger required Sight Life to adopt and implement its own full range of back office and policy systems as it returned to independent charity status.

Having secured funding from the Phase 3of the Welsh Government / WCVA’s Third Sector Resilience Fund to develop its fundraising potential, Sight Life was introduced to the Cranfield Trust as part of the programme of support presented by the WCVA.

How we helped

Cranfield Trust undertook a detailed assessment of Sight Life’s needs and requirements and quickly placed a highly skilled and experienced volunteer With Sight Life to help develop its strategy and implement its financial management systems.

Richard Harvey, Chief Executive Officer OF Sight Life noted: “We are extremely grateful to the WCVA for their support via the Third Sector Resilience Fund and the introduction to Cranfield Trust.

Sight Life has had an extremely positive engagement with Cranfield Trust. Our relationship manager from the Trust took the time to understand our needs and secured an appropriately skilled volunteer to assist with the implementation of our financial monitoring systems and continues to be diligent in monitoring our programme and satisfaction with developments.”

The outcome and impact

Richard Harvey, Chief Executive Officer of Sight Life said “Our appointed volunteer has been invaluable in assisting our finance staff with getting to grips with new systems and his knowledge and experience has enabled Sight Life to quickly adapt to new and better processes.

“We wish to thank Jayne Kendall from the Cranfield Trust for her support and our volunteer, Stuart, for sharing his invaluable knowledge and experience with us. I highly recommend the Trust and would encourage those in needed of support or assistance to engage with the Trust.”