A group of Cubs from Shropshire held a sleepover and donated the £100 raised to Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Blind veteran Clive Jones, who is supported by the charity, was invited to the weekly meeting of the 2nd Market Drayton Cub Scouts on 16 October, by their Akela, Amanda Jenner. The cubs were learning about different disabilities to earn their Disability Awareness badge.
Clive, a former Soldier who was blinded 22 years ago while serving, spoke to the young people about blindness and how, with equipment and technology, a person with sight loss can live independently from day to day.
Clive says:
“I spoke to the Cubs about the wonderful help and support that I receive from Blind Veterans UK and showed them many pieces of equipment I’ve been supplied with by the charity which enable me, and many like me, to live independently.
“The Cubs tried on simulation spectacles; these glasses demonstrate what people would see if they had a range of eye conditions leading to sight loss, and had a go at using a long cane. I explained to the group the importance of tactile paving for those with sight loss. You may have noticed different pavement surfaces as you approach a pedestrian crossing but never considered why they are there.”
Clive demonstrated a range of equipment that supports those with sight loss to regain their independence such as talking weighing scales for the kitchen, liquid level indicators to make hot drinks safely, talking clocks and magnifiers to enlarge text.
Having recently won a silver medal in archery for Great Britain at the IBSA World Blind Games, Clive spoke to the Cubs about his love for the sport and gave a demonstration of how a blind person can shoot a bow and arrow safely. The Cubs enjoyed looking at Clive’s medal and other medals that he brought along.
The following evening Clive was presented with a donation of £100 by Cub leader, Dan Domagalski.
Clive said:
“A huge thank you to everyone at the 2nd Market Drayton Scout group for their kindness and generosity and specifically to the cubs for their eagerness in understanding the difficulty people face who live with a disability.”
If you are part of a group or organisation that would like to find out more about the work of Blind Veterans UK contact our Community Partnerships Team fundraising@blindveterans.org.uk
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
