Suffolk Sight formed as an Incorporated Charitable Organisation in 2020 as an amalgamation of East Suffolk Association for the Blind (ESAB) and West Suffolk Sight (formerly known as West Suffolk Voluntary Association for the Blind or WSVAB).

Historically there had also been an Ipswich-based organisation, the Ipswich Blind Society, and this was taken over by ESAB in 2019.

All three of these organisations were set up in the first half of the 20th century and offered primarily financial support to people with sight loss.

With the founding of the NHS in the 1950s a subtle shift occurred and the sight support charities looked at other ways to help their members, offering employment and social events in addition to financial gifts and equipment.

While we recognise that some of our members still need additional financial support and offer help with benefit or grant applications, our aim is to encourage and enable people to live as independently as possible through training and life-long support.