A blind veteran and his son are joining forces to take on a 57km walk this September to support Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Steve Williams, 61, and his son Ben Williams, will be taking on the South Coast Ultra on 6 September alongside ten other blind veterans, staff from Blind Veterans UK and two colleagues of Ben’s from Evolve Commercial.
The group of blind veterans will be challenging themselves to walk a range of distances from 25km to 100km. Together they will set off from Eastbourne with those taking on the furthest distance arriving in Arundel after around 24 hours.
Together, they aim to raise awareness of the support offered by Blind Veterans UK – in particular the impact of experiences like the rehabilitation weeks.
Steve who lives in Norwich enlisted into the Army at 20-years-old and served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. During Steve’s service he was stationed in Berlin when the Berlin Wall came down on 9 November 1989.
Over the last five years, Steve’s eyesight has deteriorated due to diabetic retinopathy. He was registered sight impaired in 2023.
He says:
“I now have no sight or light perception at all in my right eye and my left eye is very blurred. I knew my sight loss was coming but the moment I was no longer able to drive and my independence was taken away, I felt very alone.
“Driving was a huge part of my life, I had a motorbike and we owned a campervan which we took our holidays in, that whole part of my life disappeared.”
Steve searched the internet for available help and support and came across Blind Veterans UK.
He says:
“I got in touch with the charity and within two weeks they had me on an induction course. When I arrived for the course, I’d lost my confidence but during the course I felt able to open up as I was surrounded by people who understood me, people who had a shared military background and were living with sight loss. I left that induction course as a completely different person.
“The charity has helped me with access to a walking machine that I use every day to help get myself fit which is now proving very useful in preparing for my upcoming challenge.
“I am looking forward to taking on this challenge alongside my fellow blind veterans as it will be like being back in a squad and to be able to do it with my son as my guide means so much to me.”
Steve’s son Ben, who lives in Cumbria, will be guiding him during the walk. He says:
“Blind Veterans UK has really helped my dad during his sight loss journey and given him a lot of confidence.
“They do the same for so many other blind veterans and as a family we want to do something to give back and raise awareness of their work.
“My company were also keen to get onboard and support the charity and two of my colleagues will be walking with us.
“Blind Veterans UK are going to provide us with simulation glasses which when worn will allow us to experience what it is like for dad.”
Ben works for Evolve Commercial, a specialist provider of digital and technology focused commercial and procurement services to the secure and government sectors including the Ministry of Defence.
Rob Fisher, Company Director, from Evolve Commercial says:
“We are absolutely thrilled to support Blind Veterans UK. The work of the charity resonates deeply with Evolve Commercial, not only because we are proud to have serving reservists and veterans within our own company, but also due to the personal connection of Ben’s father who is part of the Blind Veterans UK family.”
Evolve Commercial are a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. The scheme encourages businesses to mitigate disadvantages that may be faced by the Armed Forces community or to support the community by employing former members of the Armed Forces.
Alan Riordan, Company Director, from Evolve Commercial says:
“As a company, we are committed to supporting charities that enrich the lives of those who have served our nation. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good walk along our beautiful coastlines for such a profoundly worthy cause. We’re looking forward to seeing our team come together and make a real difference for these inspiring veterans.”
Steve and the team from Evolve Commercial are hoping to raise £5,000 for Blind Veterans UK which is the equivalent of ten blind veterans and their guides taking part in the South Coast Ultra. If you would like to make a donation to support them with their fundraising please visit their Just Giving page: JustGiving.com/page/blind-veterans-scu-evolve-2025
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/gethelp
