After (foolishly) signing up to run the Hackney Half Marathon on the 19^th of May, I have decided to use the opportunity to fundraise for Blind Veterans UK.

This is a charity close to my heart, as they looked after my Grandpa, David Cockayne, in the later years of his life.

Serving in the RAF when he was a young man, Grandpa suddenly
lost his sight to Sorsby’s fundus dystrophy - a rare, hereditary condition
which is similar to macular degeneration – around the age of 40. Not one to let a small matter such as losing his central vision stop him, he took regular trips abroad which were often spent doing activities like parasailing; and even completed a degree in photography at the age of 70.

But as he got older, his health began to worsen, and it was then that Blind Veterans UK really stepped in to help.  

The charity, formerly known as St Dunstan’s, was founded in
1915 to help ex-Service men and women of every generation rebuild their lives after sight loss. Though my Grandpa lost his sight to an unpreventable condition in his 40s, Blind Veterans UK also helps younger people, many of whom lost their vision due to accidents in the line of duty. They provide rehabilitation, training, practical advice and emotional support to tens of thousands of blind veterans. 

Grandpa was invited by the charity to events with other
former members of the Armed Forces, where they had the chance to swap stories of their time serving their country. He regularly holidayed at the charity’s centres in Llandudno and Brighton, and was eventually lucky enough to land a permanent place at the Brighton facility, where he moved to spend the rest of his days.

Not only were the staff there on hand to help with medical
problems and doctors’ visits, but the centre also provides supervised
activities for the residents, such as swimming, bowling and archery. When he became reliant on a wheelchair, the centre arranged regular trips into Brighton for Grandpa, where – accompanied by a carer – he loved to sit by the marina and watch the world go by.

Grandpa passed away in March 2017, but Blind Veterans UK provided
him with a quality of life that I will always be grateful for.

After reading my Grandpa’s story, I would appreciate any
donation, no matter how small, to reach my fundraising goal before running the Half in just over two months. Training is proving to be a labour of love (or, more accurately, hate), but I’m determined to get there in memory of my Grandpa.  

Thanks so much for reading,

Sophie x

You can find stories of other people the charity has helped here: https://www.blindveterans.org.uk/how-we-can-help/veterans-weve-helped/

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.