St Dunstan's
Encyclopedia
St Dunstan's is a large national charity
in the United Kingdom, providing support, rehabilitation and respite care to blind ex-service personnel of the British Armed Forces
.
St Dunstan's is a registered charity
in England and Scotland. It has its head office in London
and centres in Ovingdean
near Brighton
and Sheffield
. A new centre is being opened in Llandudno
, Wales
.
. Because of the increasing numbers of British soldiers returning from the front lines during the First World War suffering from blindness, Pearson established a hostel for these soldiers. His intention was that, with training and assistance, the former soldiers could go on to lead productive lives and would not have to depend on charity. On his death in 1922 the Chairmanship fell to Ian Fraser
, who was blinded in the war, and held the post for 52 years. The most notable recent resident was World War I
veteran Henry Allingham
, born 1896, who was briefly the oldest man in the world until his death in 2009.
During the Second World War, from 1940 to 1946, St Dunstan's was based in the town of Church Stretton
, Shropshire
.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
in the United Kingdom, providing support, rehabilitation and respite care to blind ex-service personnel of the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
.
St Dunstan's is a registered charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
in England and Scotland. It has its head office in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and centres in Ovingdean
Ovingdean
Ovingdean is a small formerly agricultural village which was absorbed into the borough of Brighton, East Sussex, UK, in 1928, and now forms part of the city of Brighton and Hove. It has expanded through the growth of residential streets on its eastern and southern sides, and now has a population of...
near Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. A new centre is being opened in Llandudno
Llandudno
Llandudno is a seaside resort and town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. In the 2001 UK census it had a population of 20,090 including that of Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside, which are within the Llandudno Community...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Description
St Dunstan’s, established in 1915, is the UK's national charity providing lifelong support and rehabilitation to blind ex-Service men and women. Its specialist training and rehabilitation promotes and enables St Dunstaners to regain their independence, meet new challenges and achieve a better quality of life. St Dunstan’s supports anyone who has served in the Forces who has lost their sight due to war, age, accident or illness and the charity’s duty of care extends to all St Dunstaners and their families for life.History
St Dunstan's was founded by Arthur Pearson, who had himself lost his sight due to glaucomaGlaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye...
. Because of the increasing numbers of British soldiers returning from the front lines during the First World War suffering from blindness, Pearson established a hostel for these soldiers. His intention was that, with training and assistance, the former soldiers could go on to lead productive lives and would not have to depend on charity. On his death in 1922 the Chairmanship fell to Ian Fraser
Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale
William Jocelyn Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale CH CBE, , known as Ian Fraser, was a British Conservative Party politician, a Governor of the BBC, a successful businessman and the first person to be awarded a life peerage under the Life Peerages Act 1958.Fraser was blinded in World War I and...
, who was blinded in the war, and held the post for 52 years. The most notable recent resident was World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
veteran Henry Allingham
Henry Allingham
Henry William Allingham was a British supercentenarian, First World War veteran and, for one month, the verified oldest living man in the world...
, born 1896, who was briefly the oldest man in the world until his death in 2009.
During the Second World War, from 1940 to 1946, St Dunstan's was based in the town of Church Stretton
Church Stretton
Church Stretton is a small town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The population of the town was recorded as 2,789 in 2001, whilst the population of the wider parish was recorded as 4,186...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
.
Activities
St Dunstan's provides assistance to both former service personnel and to their families.Further reading
- My Story of St Dunstan's (1961) by Lord Fraser of LonsdaleIan Fraser, Baron Fraser of LonsdaleWilliam Jocelyn Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale CH CBE, , known as Ian Fraser, was a British Conservative Party politician, a Governor of the BBC, a successful businessman and the first person to be awarded a life peerage under the Life Peerages Act 1958.Fraser was blinded in World War I and...