Town RNIB College is put up for sale by the charity

A COLLEGE for blind and disabled people in Loughborough has been put up for sale.

Students from all over the country attend the college, which has been run by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) since 1989.

But just two months after celebrating its 30-year anniversary, the building in Radmoor Road has been put on the market, along with the schools and care homes owned by the charity, which was founded in 1868.

The RNIB, which is making big changes to the services it provides, has said it hopes to find an alternative organisation to run the college and keep it going as it is, so that there is a smooth transition for the students.

Those attending the college – who are usually funded by their local authority through education or social services budgets - not only gain qualifications but also learn vital life skills that help them live independently.

Students at the college, who are all 16 or over, include people with sight problems, hearing loss, learning difficulties, autism and a range of physical disabilities.

The site includes the Stan Bell Centre, which is a registered care home for people with severe disabilities.

Nick Apetroaie, director of care, education and safeguarding at the RNIB, said: “After careful consideration, RNIB’s board of trustees has decided that we will transfer our regulated older people’s care homes and our schools and college to new specialist providers.

“As part of this decision, we are looking for a suitable new provider for RNIB College Loughborough and the Stan Bell Centre. This hasn’t been an easy decision to make, but we are confident that it’s the right one.

“We believe that we should focus on reaching the greatest number of blind and partially sighted people, so we’ve had to carefully consider the services we offer and make some changes in our organisation.

“We are in the process of finding the best possible provider, one that will continue to run the service to a high standard, offering personalised education, support and care to all students and service users.

“We hope to confirm the new provider in the next couple of months.

“The future success of the college is important to us and we will be working with the new provider to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible for all staff and students.

“In the meantime, we’re committed to delivering our usual high standards of education for all students.”