Focus Birmingham

Focus Birmingham Focus Birmingham is one of the key providers of specialist support, care, advice and guidance to those with visual impairment and other complex disabilities.

Care Support and Services
We currently offer a range of services and resources that are designed to support independence and facilitate people with visual impairments and other disabilities to lead fulfilling lives. Our care and support services cover 3 main areas:
• Community Services
• Day and Residential Services
• Low Vision Services

Our Values
Our values provide the basis of the work we do w

ith visually impaired and disabled people. They also underpin the way we operate, driving behaviour and influencing decision making processes.
• Dedicated
Truly committed to making positive differences to the lives of those we help.
• Empowering
Providing inclusive, enjoyable and fulfilling experiences for all involved.
• Flexible
Open to new ideas and ways of doing things
• Professional
Maximising our impact through well organised operation and effectively delivered activity. For more information please see our website

For people living with sight loss, our social groups are a great chance to get out, meet people and enjoy a bit of compa...
04/09/2026

For people living with sight loss, our social groups are a great chance to get out, meet people and enjoy a bit of company during the week.

This winter, you can find a Focus social group in:

Harborne
Sutton
Longbridge
Newtown
Garretts Green

Each one has its own character, but you can always expect a warm welcome, a cuppa and plenty of conversation! ☕

If you’d like to join a group or find out which one is closest to you, ask a member of staff next time you’re at Focus or call Hayley Phillips on 0121 393 4849.

Image description: Three people sit together chatting around a coffee table with mugs at a social group. Walking aids are visible behind them. Text reads “Social Hubs”, with the Focus Birmingham logo in the bottom right.

There’s more than one way to support Focus: some people donate, some volunteer, and some play the Three Local Charities ...
03/09/2026

There’s more than one way to support Focus: some people donate, some volunteer, and some play the Three Local Charities Lottery. 👇

We asked Lorraine, the TLC Lottery Manager, to sum up what it’s all about.

For £1 a week, you’re supporting Focus Birmingham and two other local charities, while giving yourself the chance of receiving a little something back too.

As Lorraine puts it, TLC isn’t about chasing a life-changing jackpot. It’s about supporting charities you care about, with the added excitement that a winning cheque might just land on your doorstep.

So, if you’re looking for another way to support us, the TLC Lottery could be for you.

Click the link to find out more: https://tlclottery.co.uk/impact

Image description: A person holds an open TLC leaflet and uses a handheld magnifier to read the text. The magnifier enlarges part of a message about how every £1 helps fund specialist care.

Celebrate Disability Pride with us this September at Picnic & Parade in the Park!We want to fill Queen’s Park with colou...
02/09/2026

Celebrate Disability Pride with us this September at Picnic & Parade in the Park!

We want to fill Queen’s Park with colour and personality as people cheer their way through our Disability Pride parade. Think colourful clothing, fancy dress, flags and banners - and decorated wheelchairs, mobility scooters and other mobility equipment. The more colourful, the better. 🌈

It’s a joint event from Focus Birmingham, Cerebral Palsy Midlands and Queen Alexandra College (QAC) Official Site, bringing people together to celebrate disabled people, inclusion and our wider Birmingham community.

Alongside the parade, bring a picnic and enjoy live entertainment, community stalls, local organisations and plenty of opportunities to meet new people.

Saturday 19 September
11am - 4pm
Queen’s Park, Harborne

Parade entry is £5 and includes a commemorative tote bag filled with goodies and offers from local businesses.

One carer can attend free with each registered participant.

You don’t have to join the parade either - everyone is welcome to come along, enjoy the day and cheer from the sidelines.

Find out more and book your parade place through the link below:

https://www.focusbirmingham.org.uk/Event/picnic-parade-in-the-park

Image description: A colourful poster showing a sunny blue sky over green parkland, with a picnic basket, picnic food and outdoor games. At the bottom, four illustrated people move through the park together, including one person using a wheelchair. The logos of Queen Alexandra Charity Birmingham, Focus Birmingham and Cerebral Palsy Midlands appear along the bottom.

31/08/2026

How accessible is this post without sight?

If you do not normally use a screen reader, switch it on and see if this post still makes sense when heard rather than seen. 👇

On an iPhone:

Go to Settings. Accessibility. VoiceOver, then switch VoiceOver on.

On a Samsung phone:

Go to Settings. Accessibility. TalkBack, then switch TalkBack on.

Now come back to this post and see whether you can:

1) Fnd the image
2) Understand its image description
3) Follow the caption
4) Tell what each button or control will do

Please give it a try and notice what feels clear, confusing or more difficult than you expected - then let us know what you found.

When you have finished, ask Siri or Google Assistant to turn the screen reader off. 💡

Video description: A short demonstration on an Apple Mac showing how to find VoiceOver through the Accessibility settings and switch it on.

There’s a real sporting buzz in Birmingham this week - and we’ve got plenty of our own at Focus too.It’s Sports Week in ...
29/08/2026

There’s a real sporting buzz in Birmingham this week - and we’ve got plenty of our own at Focus too.

It’s Sports Week in our Complex Needs Day Service, so there’s been a packed programme of accessible activities giving everyone the opportunity to join in, cheer each other on and, most importantly, enjoy themselves.

The timing feels pretty perfect too, with Birmingham welcoming the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games this week.

We love seeing people with disabilities getting their moment to compete and be celebrated – whether that’s on a national stage or here in Harborne.

Our Sports Week looks a little different for everyone taking part. It’s not about being the fastest or winning the most medals. It’s about having a go and being part of it.

And judging by these photos, we’ve had a few sporting stars on our hands this week. 🎯

A big well done to everyone taking part at Focus - and to all the athletes competing in the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games too!



Image description: Four photos from Sports Week at Focus Birmingham. People take part in accessible games including hook-a-duck, a giant KerPlunk-style game and darts, with support from Focus staff.

Did you see Rob on BBC Midlands Today recently? He shared what it's like when a car blocks the pavement for people livin...
26/08/2026

Did you see Rob on BBC Midlands Today recently? He shared what it's like when a car blocks the pavement for people living with sight loss or disabilities.

For Rob, and many of the people we support, a car parked on the pavement is not just an inconvenience, is it? We know it can make what should be a familiar journey dangerous and force someone into the road.

Thank you, Rob, for shining a light on it.

A month later, we want to hear from you. Have you noticed any difference in pavement parking where you live?

You can read the BBC article featuring Rob here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2k4qpd5xno

Image description: A man wearing a navy polo shirt, cap and dark glasses stands holding a white cane on a residential pavement. Behind him, a white car is parked across the pavement.

21/08/2026

One question from our Wellbeing Day stayed with us:

“What is one thing you wish more people understood about sight loss?”

Here is what people told us. 👇

In order of appearance, speakers are from Focus Birmingham, Birmingham Mind, Birmingham Talking Newspapers and NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme.

Video description: Representatives from different organisations speak to camera in a brightly lit event space, with exhibitor stands and banners behind them. They share one thing they wish more people understood about sight loss.

19/08/2026

Being a driver at Focus is about more than getting people from A to B.

You’ll help people travel safely and comfortably to our Day Service, taking the time to communicate clearly and make sure nobody feels rushed.

The role offers 20 flexible hours across a Monday-to-Friday rota. Perfect for someone looking for meaningful part-time work or recently retired.

Interested? Apply here:

https://www.focusbirmingham.org.uk/jobs

If it's not for you, please share it with someone who could be a great fit. 🙌

Video description: Bob, a driver at Focus Birmingham, sits in the back of one of the charity’s minibuses and talks about why his role is so important.

18/08/2026

If you hear Miley Cyrus, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran belting around Focus, it can mean only one thing…

Sing Signing! 🎶

It is a firm favourite in our day service, bringing people together to enjoy the music, learn Makaton signs and join in in their own way.

Behind the fun, those signs can also help people express how they feel, what they need or something they want others to know.

Plenty of fun - and plenty worth singing about!

Video description: A short, silent clip shows two people sitting together during a Sing Signing session at Focus Birmingham. Smiling and facing the camera, they move their hands and arms as they use Makaton signs, occasionally turning towards one another.

Address

48-62 Woodville Road
Birmingham
B179AT

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

Website

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