VISTA Leicester

"We can trace our roots back to 1858 when The Leicester Association for Promoting the General Welfare of the Blind was founded by Robert Mackley, himself blind, to provide services to blind and partially sighted people. In 1932, King George V commanded that Vista should use the word ‘Royal’ in its title following a visit by the Prince of Wales.

"With the advent of the Welfare State in 1948 the Institution was asked to act as an agent of the Councils of Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland. In 1973 The Institution and the Wycliffe Society for Helping the Blind amalgamated and became The Royal Leicestershire, Rutland and Wycliffe Society for the Blind."

In 1973 Philip Parkinson joined the Society as Deputy General Secretary to John Brown and then succeeded him as General Secretary. In 1976 the New Wycliffe Home, built to replace the Wycliffe Homes on Gedding Road was opened by HRH the Duchess of Kent. In 2001 Gordon Diffey was appointed Chief Executive.

People
Accessed April 2013:

Vista Ambassadors


 * Dowager Duchess of Rutland - President
 * Duke of Rutland - Lifetime Patron
 * Alec Crombie - Honorary Vice President

Vista Trustees
 * Brian Negus - Chairman
 * Andrew Taylor - Hon. Treasurer, Chairman Finance and General Purposes Committee
 * Rose Aitken
 * Roy Hill - Deputy Chairman; Chairman, Operations Committee
 * Anne Parsons
 * Balwant Riyait
 * Gary Love
 * Andy Glanville
 * Keith Smith - Chairman, Forum
 * Urvashi Dattani
 * Patricia Cyhan

Contact
Web: http://www.vistablind.org.uk