AN exciting year of celebrations marks the specialist college’s 40th anniversary at its campus in Hereford city.

The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) moved to Venns Lane in 1978 from Rowton Castle in Shropshire.

A cultural weekend commences proceedings with a special art exhibition and the college’s first time screening a film for Borderlines.

RNC was established by two pioneering philanthropists, Dr Armitage and Mr Campbell, on 1 March 1872. On this notable weekend, RNC hosts artist Lenny Jordan as he exhibits his paintings for the first time to the public. Held in Gardner Hall, Venns Lane, the Blinding Art exhibition will display largescale pieces by the former adult trainee, all commissioned by thePoint4 as a project that combines Lenny’s love of art with his passion for sport and the human form.

“I have never had work displayed to the public before, so I am looking forward to chatting with people and explaining my own slant on painting with regard to how my vision works,” said Lenny, who has keratoconus, a condition that leaves him with extremely limited sight.

The Blinding Art exhibition is free to attend, although a donation to the College is welcome. It will be open to the public on Saturday, March 3 between 2pm and 5pm and artist Lenny Jordan will be in attendance at Gardner Hall to answer any questions.

“thePoint4 and RNC are excited to showcase the incredible art work produced by Lenny Jordan. As a former student of the college and a qualified personal trainer, Lenny is the perfect fit for us,” explained Sean Davies, Assistant Manager at thePoint4 and RNC staff governor. “His art represents what thePoint4 is all about; the cross over between providing quality fitness services for the local community and giving a platform for visually impaired people to succeed and excel.”

On Monday, March 5, the Chapel Arts team will host a thought-provoking documentary which explores sight loss as its main theme. There will be two showings, one audio-described at 6pm and another at 8pm. RNC students will be in attendance on the night, carrying out front of house duties along with other technical tasks. Tickets are £5 each and can be booked in advance via the Central Box Office on 01432 340 555 or at www.borderlinesfilmfestival.org

Paul Read, Chapel Arts centre manager, said: “We are delighted to be hosting our first Borderlines film screening in our 40th anniversary year. It provides us with a fine opportunity to showcase the skills of our students, as well as providing them with the chance to learn through real-world experiences. This is why we are proud to be a centre of excellence, not only nationally, but also in the county. RNC, including the Chapel, has established itself over the decades as a place that has provided a positive impact on the city.”

For 40 years, RNC has been a prominent feature of the city, most notably because of the hundreds of students who have taken to living and studying in the city. Awareness of the needs of people with visual impairments makes Hereford an ideal place for the College to be.

Emma Gaylard, a current student at RNC, stated: “The people in town in Hereford understand that we have the College here. I am confident enough to ask if there is a certain shop I am trying to find. I know I can put my trust in the people of Hereford because the College has been here for forty years; they see canes nearly every day.”

Further events are planned to celebrate the college’s 40th anniversary in the city. For more information, or to make a donation to support the life-changing work RNC undertakes, please contact the Fundraising team on 01432 376 621 or email fundraising@rnc.ac.uk