A blind veteran from Carlisle who has received 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.

John Hortop, 78, and his wife Tanya, from Carlisle, 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.

A blind veteran from Cumbria who has received vital support from Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, has met The Countess of Wessex, who this year became the charity’s Patron.

Darren Blanks, 30 and from Egremont, met Her Royal Highness at the charity’s show garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The garden, titled ‘It’s all about community’, was one of three show gardens to receive a prestigious gold medal.

A blind veteran from Hampshire who has received vital support from Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, has met The Countess of Wessex, who this year became the charity’s Patron.

Lewis Trinder, 92 and from Aldershot, met Her Royal Highness at the charity’s show garden at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The garden, titled ‘It’s all about community’, was one of three show gardens to receive a prestigious gold medal.