With a history of helping blind and visually impaired people in Ipswich for nearly 150 years, the Ipswich Blind Society is one of the oldest Societies in the town, and I am proud to be their Patron.” David Sheepshanks.

The Ipswich Blind Society (IBS) is the oldest of three voluntary organisations set up in Suffolk to provide services for the blind and visually impaired.  The Mission Statement of the Ipswich Blind Society is simple: To help the blind and visually impaired people of Ipswich live full, independent and active lives.  The principle objectives of the Society are:

• To give practical support and advice to visually impaired people and their families on social, health, financial, domestic and personal matters. This is done face-to-face at the Ipswich Blind Society Office and Resource Centre at 19 Tower Street, through our Telephone Befriending Service, and through our Community Workers visiting people in their homes.
• To demonstrate and sell aids for the visually impaired to enable them to lead independent lives in their own homes. To arrange a major exhibition once a year where suppliers of aids display their wares for the visually impaired community in Ipswich.
• To facilitate visually impaired people meeting together for social, educational, self-help and other purposes men's clubs, outings and holidays.
• To refer visually impaired people to other appropriate sources of help.
• To work with the local authority and other voluntary and statutory bodies to enhance services to the visually impaired community.

The Society supports all blind and visually impaired people of all ages in the Borough of Ipswich and those in the surrounding areas who choose to make use of these services.

The Ipswich Blind Society has historically operated as a not-for-profit exempt charity, registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1893 on the 30 March 1950 under registration number 13826 R. Suffolk. However the Society has recently begun the process of conversion to a Registered Charity, and on 13 January 2011 registered under the Companies Act 2006 as a Company Limited by Guarantee, company number 7491559.