A detailed timeline of the development of Bartimaeus is provided as follows:
2004
Bartimaeus founded by Mike Hubbard and Thomas in Mike's garage with seven, completely blind or partially sighted, students.
2005 - 2006
In 2005, Bartimaeus was formally registered as a charitable institute.
2007 - 2012
In December 2007 Bartimaeus moved moved to rented premises off Horamavu Main Road. The number of students averages about 12 per year.
2013
Bartimaeus moved into new premises in HRBR Layout, Kalyan Naga. Boys and girls dormitories where rented in separate premises nearby. This was around CMR College (Management course) and Bansawadi Police Station. At Kalyan Nagar, the center had grown to cater for 24 boarders (12 male students, and 12 female) with several additional students as day students.
2014
Founder Mike Hubbard needed to return to the UK to care for his sick wife. Joyce Bosco appointed as CEO of Bartimaeus. One of Bartimaaeus teachers, Shaji, is profiled in a local paper.
Bartimaeus was successfully registered under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act (FCRA) permitted funding to be received from outside India. The registration was valid for 5 years.
A Karnataka State level competition in music was held in the month of April. Four of our students were placed in different competitions.
2015
In 2015, a bequest from the estate of Mrs Hilda Oaks in the UK made it possible for Bartimaeus to purchase their own property on which the center could operate. Fortuitously a school built by the Lovedale Foundation had been recently vacated in Anagalapura and was available for purchase.
Only a few years old, this architecturally designed school was built to an extremely high standard for more than 200 students. These facilities have provided Bartimaeus with sufficient space for their current 30 students, and plenty of room to grow.
Bartimaeus moved into the new building with an opening ceremony in November 2015.
2016
A generous private donation permitted Bartimaeus to get a borewell installed garanteeing water supply for the centre.
2018
29 students were registered during the year out of which 22 completed the course. Three had to discontinue because of ill health and 4 got a job before the completion of the course. Of the 22 who completed, 17 of them have found jobs and five went on to further studies at universities or colleges.
In April there was a day out for the students at Tulip Resort, Bangalore. In August there was an Indepdence Day celebration event at the Centre, and in September there was a teachers day celebration.
2019
A sudden and unexpected fall in donations created serious challenges for the operation of the centre. Thankfully two other Christadelphian charities (WCF and Agape in Action) provided significant funding to make up for the shortfall until regular funding resumed.
2020
Bartimaeus was required to shutdown throughout the covid-19 pandemic dirsupting the education of the students. The teachers kept in touch with them online, revising their portions , spellings and memorising the short cut keys. In October the Centre reopened and three students were able to complete their Graduation by November.
2021
Another batch of students was called, but their education was disrupted by further lockdowns in April & May 2021. Six students graduated by the end of 2021.
