A blind veteran from the Isle of Wight has organised his second blindfolded fundraising walk to raise money for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, which has turned his life around after sight loss.
Ian Summers, 45, and from Shanklin, has organised the ‘Ultra Blindfolded Bimble’ on 29 June in response to Blind Veterans UK’s Armed Forces Month campaign, which calls on people to organise activities to celebrate and commemorate key dates in the month of June while raising vital funds to support its work.
Ian enlisted into the Army in 2002, at 22 years old. He served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and carried out tours in Iraq, Kuwait and Northern Ireland.
For the second year running, Ian is challenging walkers to pair up and take it in turns to walk under blindfold while guided by their partner on the coastal path between Shanklin and Sandown.
Last year Ian’s ‘Blindfolded Bimble’ saw supporters walking 3km each under blindfold but for 2025 Ian wants to go bigger. He is asking his family and friends to walk a combined distance of 102km, the distance (as the crow flies) from his home in Shanklin to the Blind Veterans UK Rustington Centre in West Sussex and back again.
Ian says:
“Last Autumn, I joined a group of blind veterans to take on the South Coast Ultra, we walked a range of distances from 25km to 100km. This has inspired me to go bigger with this year’s bimble.
“My own sight loss has had a huge impact on my life. Everyday activities like taking a walk, preparing a meal and spending time playing with my two daughters became difficult.
“I want to raise awareness of the personal impact of sight loss and also of Blind Veterans UK as the support I’ve received from the charity since 2018 has turned my life around.
“I think those taking part will be surprised how vulnerable they feel when they put on their blindfolds and start walking. They will have to really trust their partner to warn them of obstacles and changes in gradient and surface type.”
Ian lost his sight suddenly in 2017. He says:
“My life changed overnight but discovering Blind Veterans UK turned things around. They helped me learn to use a cane so that I could walk safely unaided, provided equipment like a talking microwave to help me prepare food and enabled me to meet and spend time with other blind veterans which helped me to imagine a life for myself beyond sight loss.”
Ian is inviting people to join him for the ‘Blindfolded Bimble’ on 29 June or to set up their own ‘Blindfolded Bimble. Please email fundraising@blindveterans.org for more information.
He says:
“The bimble is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the efforts of our Armed Forces and thank them for their sacrifice, and those of their families, as well as raise vital awareness and funds for Blind Veterans UK.
“I want to ensure that other veterans like me can receive life changing support for years to come.”
If you would like to make a donation to support Ian with his fundraising for Blind Veterans UK please visit his Just Giving page: JustGiving.com/page/ultrablindfoldedbimble
If you are inspired by Ian and would like ideas for other activities to celebrate National Armed Forces Day during the month of June while raising vital funds to support blind veterans, visit the charity’s website: blindveterans.org.uk/afm
Blind Veterans UK supports thousands of blind veterans across the country, but knows there are many thousands more who still need its support to rebuild their lives after sight loss.
If you, or someone you know, served in the Armed Forces, including National Service, and are now struggling with sight loss, then please get in touch. Call 0800 389 7979 or visit blindveterans.org.uk/support
