Celebrating 50 Years of Giving The Key To Independence

To date the event has raised £80,000, every penny of which will go toward helping the charity achieve its goals, as the costs of the event were kindly covered by sponsorship including from the Cecil Rosen Foundation.

Guests were welcomed by John Joseph MBE, Jewish Blind & Disabled chairman, who said: “In 1969 the late Cecil Rosen – our founder and from whose foundation so many continue to benefit – together with his right hand man Malcolm Ozin opened the first Jewish Blind & Disabled building of some 20 one bedroom apartments in South London. Never in their wildest dreams would they have thought that 50 years later the charity would have 317 purpose built one and two bedroom apartments across London, Essex and Hertfordshire.”

“Over that time we have helped thousands of people to live independently, transforming not just their lives but those of their families. We are a totally independent charity. Our facilities are and will always continue to be in demand. We have wonderful supporters, passionate volunteers and a dedicated professional team. The future is bright.”

Speaking publicly for the first time in her new role, Lisa Wimborne, Jewish Blind & Disabled’s chief executive, said “As we celebrate our 50th anniversary and recognise our achievements we are all the more committed to our ambitious plans for the future.”

Thanking the charity’s supporters, Lisa added: “The community is our backbone. Without continued support from you – individuals and families across the community – we wouldn’t be here today. Tonight is an opportunity for us to thank you for your ongoing support and to celebrate our joint achievements to date”

Guests were reminded of the importance of their support in a film telling the stories of four of the thousands of inspirational tenants whose lives have been transformed by Jewish Blind & Disabled over the past 50 years.

Kane, a young man in his early thirties and one of the tenants featured in the film, thanked Jewish Blind & Disabled and all their supporters on behalf of himself and his fellow tenants; stating that together they had given him a life “that would otherwise have been impossible”.

In the emotional film, Kane shared how he had once contemplated suicide after a disabling condition forced him into total dependence on his mother and he was told that there was nowhere that could help someone of his age. He then described how his life was transformed after he discovered Jewish Blind & Disabled. He moved into his own state-of-the-art mobility apartment and is now building a positive and meaningful future.

Jewish Blind & Disabled president, Malcolm Ozin MBE, who has been with the charity since its very beginning 50 years ago, closed the evening with an emotional speech thanking everyone for their support saying “with your help we will continue to make Cecil’s dream a reality over the next 50 years and beyond!”

For further information, please email natasha@jbd.org.

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