A man from Tyne and Wear is taking part in the Great North Run to raise money for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Ryan Moorhead, who is 25 and from Jarrow, is training for the half marathon which takes place on 10 September.
Ryan has been inspired to fundraise for Blind Veterans UK by his mum Alison who has worked with the charity for the past four years. Ryan wanted to get involved and make a difference in his own way.
Last year Ryan raised £710 for Blind Veterans UK by taking part in the Great North Run and hopes to raise even more this year.
He said:
“Knowing the work that’s done and how the money is spent to help blind veterans discover a life after sight loss spurs me on to do the best that I can.
“I worked in the same role as my mum for a short time after finishing university and therefore have my own understanding of the challenges that blind veterans face in their day to day lives.
“I’ll visit my mum on Mother’s Day to let her know how grateful I am for what she has done for me over the years. By raising money for Blind Veterans UK, I hope that I’m letting the veterans know how grateful we are to them for their service and sacrifice.”
Ryan’s mum, Alison, works in the community as a personal assistant supporting a visually impaired member of staff from Blind Veterans UK. She provides administrative support to one of the charity’s Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVI) and drives her to appointments at the homes of blind veterans.
Alison says:
“I really enjoy my role and have learnt a great deal about visual impairment. I love attending home visits where assessments are carried out and support is put in place to help blind veterans maintain, or increase, their independence. It’s very humbling to see how much the support means to the blind veterans.
“I am so proud of Ryan for the fundraising he has been doing to support our veterans. I know he wants to beat his time from last year’s Great North Run so I’ll be there on the day to cheer him on and will be joining him at our Saturday morning park runs to help him get there. Go Ryan!”
If you would like to support Ryan in reaching his £350 target for Blind Veterans UK, please visit his fundraising page: greatnorthrun2023.enthuse.com/pf/ryan-moorhead
If you are inspired by Ryan and would like to take on a challenge for Blind Veterans UK visit the charity’s website: blindveterans.org.uk/fundraise
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/support
