News

15 August 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Event, fundraising, Sport, Veterans, Welfare

Blind veteran from Lancashire takes on fastest zip line in the world to celebrate his 90th birthday

A blind veteran from Chorley, Lancashire has celebrated his 90th birthday by traveling down Zip World Velocity in Bethesda, North-West Wales, the fastest zip line in the world, and the longest in Europe.

Bob Hill raised money for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for blind and vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, by flying down the world famous wire, on which he clocked 100mph.

Far from planning a quiet and low-key affair, Bob decided to opt for a more unconventional way of celebrating his birthday. It was when a friend suggested this particular activity to Bob that he knew he’d found what he was looking for.

26 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Families, Training, Veterans, Welfare

Blind veteran from Poulton-le-Fylde says IT training from a national sight loss charity has given her a “new lease of life”

A Poulton-le-Fylde blind veteran who has received vital support from Blind Veterans UK can now keep in contact with her relatives abroad thanks to IT training from the charity.

Marjorie Hanson, 94, now regularly Skypes her grandson in America and her nephew in Canada, a skill she developed during a week’s stay at the Blind Veterans UK centre in Brighton. Marjorie first took IT training with the charity last year, and has since benefited from regular IT support, respite stays at the charity’s centres in Llandudno and Brighton, and the companionship of fellow beneficiaries.

18 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Health, Veterans, Welfare

Blind Veterans UK calls on relatives to look out for signs of sight loss in their loved ones this summer

As the summer holidays arrive, a national charity is calling on relatives visiting their loved ones to look out for indications that they may be struggling with sight loss. Blind Veterans UK often sees a spike in applications following holiday periods, which the charity attributes to referrals from relatives who have visited a grandparent or elderly relative and noticed a deterioration in their vision.

Paul Hartley, the Senior ROVI (rehabilitation officer for people with vision impairment) at Blind Veterans UK, said: “Over the summer holidays many people will visit their grandparents or relatives for the first time in a while, and they may notice changes in their loved one’s behaviour.

18 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Rehabilitation, Veterans, Welfare

Service policeman from Liverpool completes 35 mile charity walk in the Falkland Islands

A Service policeman from Liverpool has completed a 35 mile charity walk in the Falkland Islands for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.

Gareth Bloodworth, 31 and from Stoneycroft, arranged the challenge in a bid to tests his organisational capabilities. He explains: “I wanted to test my resourcing and communication skills, and also develop my ability to organise an event involving Service personnel.”

13 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Events, Veterans, Welfare

Blind Veterans UK’s gold medal winning ‘It’s all about community garden’ begins its move to Brighton

Blind Veterans UK has announced that its gold medal winning garden, which featured at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show throughout last week, has begun its relocation to the charity’s training and rehabilitation centre in Brighton.

The garden, which also won the Best Construction Award at the Hampton Court show, has started its move towards the centre in Ovingdean where it will be enjoyed by blind veterans for years to come.

The ‘It’s all about community garden’ was designed by celebrated designers Andrew Fisher Tomlin & Dan Bowyer and was one of the largest and best received show gardens at Hampton Court this year.

13 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Awards, Remembrance, Veterans, Welfare, WW2

Blind veteran from Wrexham receives prestigious medal for helping liberate France from the Nazis

A blind veteran from Wrexham has been formally presented with the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur for his part in the liberation of France.

Eric Andrews, 92, was presented with the prestigious honour in Llandudno, North Wales by French Honorary Consul, Mrs Aude Auclair. The ceremony was arranged and organised by Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for blind and vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, from whom Eric receives support.

13 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Competition, Disability Support, Navy, Royal Navy, Veterans, Welfare

Blind veteran from Hampshire wins prestigious Holman Prize

A blind veteran from Hampshire who was invited to compete in the inaugural Holman Prize has emerged victorious as one of the three winners.

Penny Melville-Brown OBE, from Fareham, was selected as one of the 11 finalists from over 200 original entries. Run by the San Francisco Lighthouse organisation, the three winners will be awarded $25,000 to achieve their ambitions. Penny’s goal is to cook across six continents with her online Baking Project, Baking Blind. The two other winners are Ahmet Ustunel and Ojok Simon from the United States and Uganda respectively. Ustunel is planning on completing a solo kayak from Europe to Asia, while Simon is aiming to build a blind-led social enterprise for beekeepers.

13 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Veteran, Welfare

84 year-old blind veteran attends horse riding week with national charity

An 84 year-old blind veteran from East Sussex has taken part in a horse riding week organised by Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.

Keith Mann, originally from Kent, attended the course school in Wrexham, near the charity’s training and rehabilitation centre in Llandudno, North Wales. He received a Rosette for having attended twice.

He says: “It was actually my second time doing it, my first experience being in early 2016. If anything, this time was better as I was challenged to do a bit more. I was able to try riding different types of horses, different breeds.

13 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Health, Veteran, Veterans, Welfare

Blind veteran gardener from Southampton visits military charity’s Hampton Court show garden

A blind veteran from Southampton who receives vital support from Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, has visited the charity’s gold medal-winning show garden at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

Keith Ott, 90 and from Hedge End, visited the garden as part of a special week of gardening activities for blind veterans with green fingers held at the Blind Veterans UK training and rehabilitation centre in Brighton.

13 July 2017

Blind Veterans UK

Disability Support, Health, Veteran, Veterans, Welfare

Blind veteran gardener from Berkhamsted visits military charity’s Hampton Court show garden

A blind veteran from Berkhamsted who receives vital support from Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, has visited the charity’s gold medal-winning show garden at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this July.

Stanley Grace, 88 and from Northchurch, visited the garden as part of a special week of gardening activities for blind veterans with green fingers held at the Blind Veterans UK training and rehabilitation centre in Brighton.

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