A Bristol woman is running the London Marathon on 27 April to raise money for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision impaired ex-Service men and women.
Ettie Eyre, 38 and from Eastville, decided to run the London Marathon to mark the 100th birthday of her grandma who served in the Second World War.
Ettie says:
“Grandma joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service when she left school and was posted to Italy during the Second World War serving in Naples as part of the Army Broadcasting Service.
“She learned Morse Code and sent messages to the UK which were then decoded at Bletchley Park.
“Grandma turned 100 last year and the momentous milestone felt like the right time to give something back to the charity which has been there for her since she lost her sight.”
Blind Veterans UK has supported Ettie’s grandma since she was diagnosed with age related macular degeneration.
“Grandma has a support worker who visits her and sees what equipment they can provide to help her such as an audio book player, a kettle which measures out the correct amount of water for a cup of tea and a special device which magnifies documents and allows granda to read them.
“The charity also organises events grandma can attend like lunches with other blind veterans in her local area and someone is always available on the phone if she needs anything. I hope my fundraising allows more veterans like my grandma receive the charity’s life changing support.”
The London Marathon will be Ettie’s first ever long-distance run. She says:
“I’ve always wanted to do a marathon, I’m super active and enjoy lots of sports but I’m not a long-distance runner so this is going to be a challenge for me.
“The London Marathon is one of the biggest charitable events in the country and I really like the inclusivity of it. I also used to live on the route so am looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere of the day from a runner’s perspective.
“I really wanted to do something special for Grandma and this seems like the right thing to do.”
Ettie is hoping to raise £2,000 for Blind Veterans UK. If you would like to help Ettie reach her target, please visit her fundraising page: 2025tcsLondonMarathon.enthuse.com/pf/henrietta-eyre
If you are inspired by Ettie and would like to sign up for the 2026 London Marathon for Blind Veterans UK, visit the charity’s website: blindveterans.org.uk/londonmarathon
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
