March for Veterans 2019 Event Guide

Blind Veterans UK Centre Saturday 30 March #MarchForVeterans

Registered Charity No. 216227 (England and Wales) and SCO39411 (Scotland) Your welcome pack In your welcome pack you should have received a welcome letter, fundraising guide, sponsorship form and March for Veterans poster. If you didn’t receive your welcome pack, please do let us know and we can arrange for this to be resent.

Download your Download our Download sponsorship form fundraising guide your poster

Further resources available on our Fundraising hub. Welcome to Fundraising ideas March for Veterans 1 Set up a fundraising page We are very excited to welcome you to March for Veterans at Set up your Everyday Hero online giving page now via this link. our Blind Veterans UK on Saturday 30 March. It only takes a minute to do. To ensure you have the most amazing day please do read this event pack. 2 Spread the word By taking part in this 10 mile March for Veterans you are helping Share your fundraising page with friends, family and to support blind veterans across the UK. Thank you so much colleagues and use social media, texts and email to for your support. let everyone you’re doing #MarchForVeterans Our team is always here to help, so if you have any questions for a great cause. please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Take a look at further ideas to Email: [email protected] boost your fundraising here. Telephone: Rachel Chitty on 07595 551389 Getting there Event day schedule Address Greenways, , Brighton BN2 7BS 9.30am Registration opens.

By car There is parking available at our centre. Please use any available 10.00am The hooter sounds and the walk begins! parking space on our grounds but this may become limited. Parking is also free on Greenways which is adjacent to our grounds. From 1pm On your return there will be a #MeetUpBrewUp onwards celebration with plenty of tea and biscuits for Public transport you to enjoy. You’ll also be presented with your You can catch the 27 or 27A bus to Saltdean outside Brighton finisher’s medal. Don’t forget to take a photo train Station. A day ticket costs about £4.00 (but you can include with our selfie frame! this as a cheaper option with the ‘Plus Bus’ on your train ticket) the bus journey takes approximately 20 minutes along the sea front. Blind Veterans UK is set back from the road and will be easy to spot on your left after you pass .

Shout about your event! Share your selfies and photos from March for Veterans 2019. Let us know how you found the walk or how your fundraising is going via the below and we will repost for you!

Facebook – @BlindVeteransUK Twitter – @BlindVeteransUK Instagram – @BlindVeteransUK

Don’t forget to use #MarchForVeterans The impact of your fundraising Eddie’s story demonstrates the life-changing impact our practical and emotional support has on blind veterans.

Eddie served in the Royal Navy in the Second I came away from my first visit to their Last year Eddie was recognised for his World War and landed at Omaha Beach on Brighton centre a new man. outstanding work as an ambassador for D-Day. In 2017 he was awarded the Legion “They have given me a special reader that Blind Veterans UK by being presented d’honneur at a Blind Veterans UK reunion magnifies documents to a huge size. It with a Founder’s Day Award, the charity’s lunch for his part in the liberation of France. has allowed me to still look after my own highest honour. He started receiving support from Blind correspondence and even get back into He was nominated for the award by Lorraine Veterans UK in 2016 after losing his sight building models. I’ve also recently started for his “unlimited enthusiasm and willingness much later in life due to age-related macular learning how to use a tablet computer. I get to help Blind Veterans UK encourage others degeneration. quite emotional remembering the moment to receive support from the charity.” when I was being shown all this marvellous Eddie was told about Blind Veterans UK equipment and then being told that I was We at Blind Veterans UK are specialists in after attending an exhibition at Poole library taking it home with me.” helping our veterans but most importantly, and has since received support, training and we’re also people, like you, who understand equipment to allow him to continue to live Eddie is also supported in his local community and care. We give those who have served as independently as possible. by his Community Support Worker Lorraine our country support that ranges from and the rest of his local team. Lorraine visits rehabilitation and training to practical He says: “I am over the moon that the man Eddie regularly to make sure he has everything advice, and vital emotional support. at the library gave me the card for Blind he needs to continue to live as independently Veterans UK and told me to get in touch. as possible. Together we can help rebuild blind veterans’ lives after sight loss. Away from isolation. Towards a life of fulfilment. “The last time I visited I asked if I could have a Blind Veterans UK flag so I could literally ‘fly the flag’ for the organisation outside my house!”