| Logo Alt: | Sense logo including the word Sense the two hands connecting icon |
| Trading Name: | Sense |
| Former Name: | The National Deafblind and Rubella Association |
| Industry: | Non-profit |
| Hq Location: | 101 Pentonville Road, N1 9LG |
| Hq Location City: | London, UK |
| Key People: | Richard Kramer (chief executive) |
| Revenue: | GBP £69.87million (2020) |
| Num Employees: | 2,446 |
| Website: | https://www.sense.org.uk/ |
| Footnotes: | Sense annual report and accounts: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/289868/accounts-and-annual-returns |
Sense is a charitable organization based in the United Kingdom.[1] The charity exists to support people who are deafblind or who have a hearing or vision impairment and another disability[2] and campaigns for the rights of disabled people in the UK.[3] It operates in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.[4]
The charity's full name is Sense, The National Deafblind and Rubella Association but its operating name is Sense. It was previously called The National Deafblind and Rubella Association.[5]
The charity offers a range of services for disabled people including residential services, advice and information and arts and sports activities.[4] It also offers education services to young people with complex learning disabilities.[6] It also provides a residential holiday scheme for disabled children.[7] Sense also supports people in the UK affected by Usher syndrome.[8]
Sense also campaigns for the rights of disabled people to take part in life.[9]
This activity included a 2016 campaign that highlighted that many disabled children were excluded from playgrounds and other children's play activities.[10] This included an inquiry into children's play activities in the UK and a report called The Case for Play.[11]
In 2020, the charity ran an educational campaign called Sense Sign School to increase understanding of British Sign Language (BSL).[12] This campaign promoted free online lessons in BSL taught by a teenager living with CHARGE syndrome.[13]
In 2021, Sense campaigned to highlight the exclusion and social isolation of disabled people during the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] The charity was also involved in highlighting the abuse of a woman and her deafblind sister for removing a face mask.[15] Sense also published a report about exclusion and social isolation among disabled people that highlighted the barriers faced by disabled people in everyday life.[3]
Sense is a charitable company registered with the Charity Commission.[5] It is also regulated by the Care Quality Commission,[16] Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education)[17] and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW[18]).
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal is the patron of Sense.[19] [20] In December 2020, Princess Anne was thanked for her work by a disabled teenager supported by Sense.[21]
Sense is notable for holding the world's largest tactile signing lesson. This took place in London on 2 October 2018 and involved 390 participants.[22]