Our history

  • 1985 - Sense Scotland formalised as a charity; appoints first staff member, Gillian Morbey.
  • 1986 - First office and charity shop open in Glasgow.
  • 1987 - First group of disabled people move into Overbridge service in Glasgow, the first service for deafblind adults in Scotland; first family advisor appointed
  • 1989 - Children in Need award Sense Scotland £300,000 for new Family Resource Centre.
  • 1991 - Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal opens Family Resource Centre.
  • 1992 - First Helen Keller art award held.
  • 1993 - First respite services offered to children at the Glasgow Family Centre.
  • 1994 - Day services for adults opens in Durham Street, Glasgow.
  • 1995 - Community houses open in Coatbridge, Fife and Glasgow; Chief Executive, Gillian Morbey, awarded OBE.
  • 1997 - Dundee, community housing and supported living services open.
  • 1998 - Supported living services in Ayrshire and Fife open. Dundee advisory office opens. Arts development services introduced.
  • 1999 - Sense Scotland artists exhibit in Glasgow and Portugal. Day services for adults begin in Dundee.
  • 2000 - First supported living services in Aberdeen and Fife. New respite service for Dundee.
  • 2001 - Supported living services start in Highland.
  • 2002 - Parent Enabler Project and the Out and About services introduced to support children and families in the Greater Glasgow area. Deafblind Studies diploma course introduced.
  • 2003 - New supported living services in Angus, Ayshire, Glasgow, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen. Healthy Living for Deafblind people project starts.
  • 2004 - Sense Scotland purchase Glasgow building to develop a resource base for disabled people and their families. Expression Unlimited, international theatre project, produces performance by deafblind people in Scotland .
  • 2005 - New respite services open in Dundee and South Lanarkshire.
  • 2006 - Children in Need donate over £310,000 to the new head office/family resource, now called TouchBase. Overall funding for project exceeds £1m.
  • 2007 - Service development in Highland to support people moving from a long-stay hospital to live independently.
  • 2008 - HRH The Princess Royal officially opens TouchBase.
  • 2009 - Our Arts team curate Leaving New Craigs exhibition, exploring social histories of people leaving one of the last long stay hospitals in Scotland.
  • 2010 - Joyce Wilson takes over CEO position as Gillian Morbey starts new role as CEO of Sense. Purpose built supported living service for 12 people opens in Glasgow. New respite service for children opens in Argyll and Bute. First Staff Awards event, run by our Training and Learning Centre, held at TouchBase.
  • 2011 - Andy Kerr takes over from Joyce Wilson as the new Chief Executive Officer for Sense Scotland.