Our Mission

British Blind Sport (BBS) is a charity that works across the UK. BBS works to ensure that people with sight loss have the same opportunities as sighted people to access and enjoy sport and physical activity. This includes everything from taking a fitness class at your local gym to competing in the Paralympic Games.

We are a membership organisation originally founded in November 1975 as BASRAB (British Association of Sports and Recreation Activities of the Blind). Since then, British Blind Sport has helped over 100,000 people with sight loss participate in sport and physical activity. We are also credited with launching the careers of several Paralympic athletes.

There are almost two million people in the UK living with sight loss. This figure includes around 340,000 people registered as blind or partially sighted. This number is set to increase to over 4 million by the end of 2050.

Sports and recreational activities can enhance the lives of people with sight loss through improving physical and mental health and increasing social interaction. However, according to the Sport England Active People (Survey 5), people who are blind or partially sighted have the second-lowest participation rates of all impairments groups.

We are working closely with leisure centres, clubs and National Governing Bodies to increase opportunities for people who are blind or partially sighted through:

• Participation in sports
• Raising awareness of sight loss across the sports sector
• Improving accessibility across sports venues
• Encouraging more people with sight loss to get involved in sport.

Our vision is to empower all people with a visual impairment to get active and enjoy sport, whether it is taking their first steps into physical activity, or helping to secure talent pathways for athletes to reach their full potential.

As the National Disability Sport Organisation representing people with sight loss in sport across the UK, we provide a variety of services. These include:

• Delivering in-person and virtual events to introduce people with sight loss of all ages and abilities to inclusive sports
• Providing a sight classification that allows people who have lost their sight to participate in recreational sports and domestic competitions
• Assisting National Governing Bodies (NGBs), local clubs and sight loss organisations to provide and adapt programmes to be accessible for people with a visual impairment
• Providing training and resources to help clubs and coaches learn more about how to support people who are blind or partially sighted
• Conducting research to understand the needs, barriers, and opportunities of people who are blind or partially sighted in sport

There are plenty of ways that you can support or get involved in our work. For more information, go to the Support section of our website.

To learn more about the services we offer, please visit the Get Active section of our website.