A 94-year-old veteran and former teacher from Sherwood, Nottingham, has been honoured with a Blind Veterans UK Founders Award after spending nearly two decades helping primary school children develop a love of reading.
Dennis Green, known affectionately by many pupils as “Mr George”, received the prestigious award during an emotional farewell assembly at Haydn Primary School on what was his final visit as a volunteer reader. More than 300 children gathered in the school’s sports hall to celebrate his remarkable commitment, cheering and singing in recognition of the difference he has made to generations of pupils.
The award was presented by Blind Veterans UK Community Support Worker Johnathan Wright. During the assembly, children also presented Dennis with two specially created books filled with letters, messages and memories as a heartfelt thank you for his years of dedication.
Dennis says: “I was quite staggered by the number of people there. I didn’t expect anything like it and I was very pleased to receive the award. It was fantastic. The children were so well behaved and to receive the medal, certificate and all the lovely letters from them meant a great deal to me.”
Dennis has been volunteering at Haydn Primary School for the past 19 years, listening to children read and sharing stories. A former secondary school teacher himself, he has drawn on decades of classroom experience to help countless young people improve their confidence and literacy skills.
His volunteering continued even after he developed sight loss caused by age-related macular degeneration.
He says:
“When my sight started to fade, reading became very difficult. I used to take a magnifying glass into school to help me read. Sometimes I couldn’t quite make out a word and the children would spell it out for me. In a way it helped them with their spelling as well.”
Dennis’s commitment to education began long before his time at Haydn Primary School. At 18, he joined the Royal Air Force, serving for two years as part of his National Service. Working as a clerk in pay and accounts, he travelled to military camps to ensure servicemen were paid.
After completing his service, Dennis attended teacher training college in Sheffield and went on to enjoy a successful career teaching English and mathematics in secondary schools for 21 years.
Dennis says:
“I always enjoyed working with children. Teaching was a very rewarding profession and volunteering at the primary school after retirement allowed me to continue doing something I loved.”
Dennis started receiving support from Blind Veterans UK in 2017 after his sight loss progressed. The charity has supported him with practical equipment and ongoing assistance to help him maintain his independence.
Among the devices he uses is a reading aid that can scan printed text and read it aloud.
Dennis says:
“Blind Veterans UK provided me with a reader and a magnifier which have made a tremendous difference. I can use it for newspapers, letters and documents. They are such a caring charity and are always there to help me.”
Blind Veterans UK supports thousands of blind veterans, 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/apply
