Anne Cooke
Annie's Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 2014 page
Fundraising for Blind Veterans UK
Story
As you may know I took up cycling about 4 years ago and have participated in several different events. Last year I rode in the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 and at the end of the 100 miles vowed that I would never cycle that distance again . . . well with a little encouragement I am back doing it again.
For 2014 I didn't want to ride just for me, I wanted to support a charity that I felt had some connection to myself and my extended family. As some of you will know, Steve's father (Graham) suffers from macular degeneration, which in his case means that he does not have central vision, and has only limited peripheral vision. Being able to participate in day-to-day activities which we take for granted was something that he thought would be a thing of the past until he learnt about Blind Veterans UK. Steve's father completed his National Service and although he did not go on to a military career, the charity's work is all encompassing supporting those with any length of military service.
Since being involved with Blind Veterans UK Graham has participated in numerous activities including cooking classes, wood turning, an activity he had given up before spending time in the charity's machine shop learning safety procedures making it possible once again to spend time in his own workshop. He also spent a week at HMS Sultan summer camp taking part in activities which included ten pin bowling, canoeing, steering a high speed inshore lifeboat - don't worry he was assisted!, basketball and archery. OK, perhaps not all of these are everyday skills but what fun! This splendid organisation has been helping blind and partially sighted ex-service personnel for many years to regain their confidence and achieve independent living, their assistance is immediate, relevant and continuing and Graham like many others is proud and grateful to be a member of Blind Veterans UK.
So now a chance to give back, please sponsor me, not for me but for those veterans facing the often terrifying experience of going blind, whether in conflict or through illness, accident or old age.