History of Gwent Association for the Blind
The origins of GAB
The original work of GAB was started by three ladies who were associated with the Dock Street Baptist Chapel, Newport in 1865 and was called Newport Blind Aid Society. At that time there were some ninety blind people in Newport, many of whom lived in dire poverty and several were to be found in the Workhouse, which is now St Woolos Hospital.
The Society made rapid progress and soon they became established at 167 Chepstow Road. Classes were held in teaching Braille reading and writing as well as basket and mat making. It was also a centre where Braille books could be borrowed and where articles made by the blind could be purchased and orders for them placed.
1901 saw the opening of the Blind Home at Brook House, Llandevaud. The object of the home was to have a place where instruction in Braille reading and writing together with basket and mat making could be given to adult blind people. It also served as a Holiday Home as far as funds would permit. The Llandevaud Blind Home continued its useful work until the First World War when it was forced to close in 1918 due to rising costs.
However, due to the work of some dedicated workers, the organisation was preserved in some form and in 1929 a Blind Institute was opened in Chepstow Road. The photo at the top of this page shows Chepstow Road, Newport in the 1900s. (Photo is courtesy of Phil Evans at http://www.oldphotos.com ).
A workshop for the blind was opened in Chepstow Road, Eveswell in 1936 where brooms, trays, baskets and mats were made for sale. At this time Newport and Monmouthshire Blind Society ceased to exist and the new body became know as the Association for the Blind and eventually Gwent Association for the Blind.
The Workshop was successful in providing for visually impaired people for many years but by the 1980s, it ceased to be viable and the land was sold to the local authority for a Primary School to be built. The Eveswell Primary School was opened in 1989.
The investment of the proceeds of the land sale have since then helped to source many of the services the Association offers to the visually impaired throughout Gwent. With funds obtained from the Bradbury Foundation it enabled the Gwent Association for the Blind to renovate two derelict cottages, converted into beautiful purpose built premises which are now called Bradbury House in Pontypool. We moved to Bradbury House in October, 2005.