IMPACT REPORT 2013-14

MAKING A DIFFERENCE INDEPENDENCE IS THE BIGGEST THING STEP-BY-STEP About Blind Veterans UK

Welcome to Blind Veterans UK

At Blind Veterans UK, we believe that Sir Arthur thought more should be no one who has served our country done to support those who had should battle blindness alone. devoted their lives to their country. Founded in 1915 and previously known On 29 January 1915, a pioneering as St Dunstan’s, we provide practical charity was established that cared for and emotional support for thousands returning Service men with severe sight of ex-Service men and women. We help loss, helping them go on to lead self- them recover their independence and sufficient lives. discover a life beyond sight loss. As we enter our hundredth year, we’re We believe every vision impaired proud to be continuing Sir Arthur’s veteran should have the support work. Over the years, we’ve provided they need, regardless of when they vital support for thousands of ex- served or how they lost their sight Service personnel from WWI, WWII - and that’s what we’re working to and later conflicts, as well as National achieve. Our innovative training and Service veterans, whether they lost rehabilitation centres in Brighton, their sight in Service or later in life. Sheffield and Llandudno, North Wales Today, we’re helping over 3,900 and community projects teach blind blind veterans discover a life beyond veterans vital skills - skills that help sight loss. them lead full and independent lives. The support we offer is We reached out to 708 more veterans free, tailored, and for life. this year - the most ever. In the year ahead, we want to help even more. Our founder, Sir Arthur Pearson, was moved to set up the charity during the First World War, as blinded and wounded soldiers WE HELP started coming home from the front. Having lost his own sight 3,900 through glaucoma, he was shocked BLIND VETERANS by society’s attitude to blindness, and the lack of prospects for vision impaired veterans at that time.

1 About Blind Veterans UK

BOB IDENTIFIED NAZI WAR CRIMINALS BLIND VETERANS UK IDENTIFIED THE SUPPORT BOB NEEDED

“When they told me they’d teach me to touch-type, I thought, I’ll never learn at my age! But I was wrong. They taught me on a special computer, and while I was on the course, my son turned my spare room into an office. Blind Veterans UK set up a computer in there for me, and now I can sit and type away.”

National Service veteran John Bull served in the UK and Egypt during the 1950s. “One of the best things about Blind Veterans UK is being able to meet people who’ve been through the same things you have. There’s a great What our veterans say camaraderie amongst us. I’ve met a lot about Blind Veterans UK of wonderful people at the centre in Brighton - my wife and I look forward 100-year-old blind veteran Bob Early, to every visit.” who served in WWII in the Royal Artillery, was sent to occupied Brenda Bryon served in Auxiliary Germany with the task of identifying Territorial Service during the Second Nazi war criminals. Later in life he World War. Now, she’s a passionate lost his sight through age-related weaver, and teaches the hobby to macular degeneration. other blind veterans. “When I was diagnosed, the doctors “The staff have been wonderful. told me that there was nothing they They’ve shown me how much I can could do to improve my sight. I was do for myself, and for others. I’d urge writing my second book at the time, anyone who’s been in the Forces and and I was determined not to let it stop suffers from sight loss to get in touch. me. Fortunately, Blind Veterans UK You’re not alone, and reaching out to were there to help. Blind Veterans UK can make a huge difference to your life.” 2 Foreword from the Chief Executive

Welcome to Blind Veterans UK’s first Impact Report. This report shows the difference we’ve made to more than 5,500 ex-Service men and women including their families in 2013-14. Through our three national centres, which provide rehabilitation, care and training services, and a network of welfare officers across the UK, we’re giving more and more veterans the support they need to discover life “I feel immensely privileged to have after sight loss. been appointed Blind Veterans UK’s You’ll hear from several of these Chief Executive at this critical point in veterans - and their families - in the charity’s history” this report. Their inspiring stories demonstrate just how vital our work is. We’ve also launched a new community outreach project that will make our The numbers tell the same story. services more accessible to veterans in In 2013-14, we’ve reached more their own communities. These projects veterans than ever before. Our efforts will enable us to reach new areas, and to raise greater awareness of our make an even bigger difference to services and support via the No One veterans’ lives. Alone campaign resulted in 708 blind veterans signing up for support. That’s This is an enormously exciting time the highest annual number of new for Blind Veterans UK and our sense beneficiaries in our 99-year history. of excitement will only grow as we enter our centenary year in 2015. I feel This growth would not have been immensely privileged to have been possible without a massive, focused appointed as Blind Veterans UK’s Chief fundraising effort. In 2013-14, we Executive at this critical point in the raised £20 million in voluntary income, charity’s history, and I’m very much making 2013-14 our most successful looking forward to building on the work fundraising year yet. We’re incredibly of my predecessor, Robert Leader, as grateful to our supporters and donors we celebrate 100 years of service - and for their generosity, which has enabled begin our second century of life- us to support more veterans than transforming work. ever before, and to develop plans for the future. Other highlights of the past year have included the start of a major Major General (Rtd) Nick Caplin CB refurbishment of our Brighton Centre, Chief Executive part-funded by a £1 million donation from the Armed Forces Covenant LIBOR Fund. 3 Introduction from a blind veteran

COLIN CAN NEVER REGAIN

If it hadn’t been for Blind Veterans HIS SIGHT UK, my life, and the lives of my family, would have been totally BUT HE’S RECOVERED different. It’s as simple as that. Their SOMETHING PRECIOUS: help has allowed me to regain my independence. Thanks to the training HIS INDEPENDENCE and guidance I’ve received, I have the confidence to face the everyday challenges of being visually impaired. Losing your sight doesn’t just affect you. Like me, my family have to deal with my blindness on a daily basis. So it’s liberating to know that, should anything happen to me, Blind Veterans UK will still be there to support them. I consider myself to be extremely lucky. I now know that, whatever difficulties I face as a blind person, I don’t face them alone. There are more than 68,000 other veterans in my position who have not yet sought the help they deserve. I’m delighted that Blind Veterans UK are working to ensure more people benefit from the help and support I treasure so much. Please, tell everyone you know about Blind Veterans UK and its amazing work. Help the charity change the lives of more people like me. Sight loss doesn’t just affect the individual; its repercussions are felt throughout the Colin Williamson, entire family. Served in the Royal Artillery

4 Our key achievements

Veterans trained: 847 Grants given: £1.17m Confidence gained: immeasurable

In 2013-14, we’ve: • helped more ex-Service men and women than ever before. We’re now working with over 3,900 veterans - 708 more than last year. 3,900 • completed a total of 6,035 assessments, mostly in veterans own homes. Not everyone we support can make it to our centres. By assessing veterans needs where they live, we can ensure as many veterans as possible get the care they deserve. 6,035 • trained 847 veterans to learn more skills. Our veterans accessed our centres for a wide variety of training, from mobility to IT, helping them to have as fulfilling a life as possible. 847 • provided residential respite care and nursing care to hundreds of vision impaired veterans through our national centres. In Brighton, we provided 285 weeks of residential respite care and 104 weeks of nursing care; in Llandudno, the figures were 358 weeks and 68 weeks. This ensures we continue to provide the right levels of support to meet veterans’ needs. 104 • been on 448 home visits providing training and rehabilitation. By helping veterans gain new skills at home, we can give them the support they need while growing their independence. 448 • purchased seven properties for blind veterans and their families who desperately needed our help, giving them the opportunity to continue independent lives in their communities. 7 • gone the extra mile! In 2013-14, our team drove a total of 654,424 miles, transporting 39,617 passengers to and from our centres, bringing them directly to the help and support that they needed. 39,617 5 Our key achievements

Also in 2013-14: As well as practical and emotional support, we’ve provided 4,293 grants to 1,541 beneficiaries this year - an incredible £1.17 million of life-transforming assistance. And we’ve been working hard to ensure we can offer even more support in the future. We’ve: 4,293 • recruited 34,188 new supporters, and increased our national awareness to 18%. This is great news as the more people who know about Blind Veterans UK, the more we can work together to raise more money, and ensure the people who need us can find us. 34,188 • raised £20 million in voluntary income, which will allow us to fund more tailored support for our veterans including training £20 and respite care. MILLION

Even with our transport services, we know not every veteran who needs us can get to our centres. In 2013-14, we initiated a year-long pilot outreach project in the South West. This will be followed by a similar pilot in the North East. These projects will help us understand what support will benefit veterans with sight loss in these areas most, and help us make a bigger difference in the future. 2013/14 Out of every £1.00 spent at Blind Veterans UK, 18.8p goes towards raising voluntary income. 18.8p This money allows us to support even more veterans with sight loss, now and in the future. £1 Overall we spent 3% more in 2013-14 than in 2012-13, reflecting the fact that we’re working with more veterans than ever before. The amount we spent on fundraising dropped by 3%. 3%

6 Our key achievements

Striving for continued excellent services and support

Expenditure £’000

Providing care centre services £11,694 40%

Providing welfare services 12% £3,397

Supporting independent living 16% £4,492

Providing housing 8.4% £2,436

Reaching more veterans 2% £648

Fundraising & marketing costs 18% £5,165

Managing our investments 3% £963

Running our charity 0.6% £164

Total expenditure £28,959

Income £’000

Voluntary income £20,081 7 5%

Investment income 14% £3,778

Social investment income 0.3% £70

Housing provision 4% £1,010

Care centre fees 6.1% £1,666

Sales & Other income 0.6% £148

Total income £26,753

7 Our key achievements

AT 23, HER WORLD WAS TAKEN AWAY BLIND VETERANS UK HELPED HER GET IT BACK

Kelly Since 2005, Blind Veterans UK Kelly Hart served in the Adjutant has provided Kelly with free and General’s Corp between 1998- comprehensive support, including IT 2005, before being diagnosed with training, and helped her get back to antiphospholipid syndrome. Aged college and retrain for her next career. just 23, she suffered a stroke after Despite her sight loss, Kelly’s the condition caused a blood clot in determination has seen her take on her brain. a number of sporty challenges. She’s “I remember waking up in the hospital run the Brighton Marathon, and the and my doctor telling me I’d had a Plymouth and Saltash Half Marathons. stroke. My first reaction was, ‘No, And she’s taken part in Blind Veterans you’ve got it wrong. Strokes don’t UK’s flagship fundraising event, the happen to people my age.’ 100k walk. “Looking at me, you’d have no idea With the help of Blind Veterans UK, there was anything wrong, but I have Kelly now lives independently, and to be very careful about what I do. I continues to push herself - both on and have absolutely no peripheral vision off the sports field. because of my illness. Not that I’m You can help us reach more people going to let that stop me!” like Kelly. Support our No One Alone campaign at www.noonealone.org.uk

8 9 How we make a difference

Highest quality Every year we reach out to more blind st 1 care for the fifth and vision impaired ex-Service men year running. and women. Supporting over Our No One Alone team works closely 30 lunch and with NHS Eye Services (including 30 social clubs Eye Clinic Liaison Officers), local across the UK. authorities and blind societies and clubs throughout the UK. We also Providing work closely with the staff at the training like Royal Centre for Defence Medicine IT and life at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in skills, learning Birmingham, and the Defence Medical techniques with Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court. kitchen gadgets We help them support injured Service in order to cook personnel and their families - even in independently. cases where the veteran is not eligible for our support.

10 YOU DON’T GO INTO BATTLE ALONE SO WHY SHOULD YOU BATTLE BLINDNESS ALONE?

Our care facilities have achieved More extreme options include skiing, ‘excellent’ reports, for the fifth year rock climbing, mountain trekking, running in Brighton from the Care white water rafting, and even speeding Quality Commission and for the along the longest zip wire in the second year running in Llandudno northern hemisphere. There are more from the Care and Social Services sedate options, too, like walking, Inspectorate Wales photography and gardening, and Our new residential care unit themed weeks encourage everyone to This year, we secured a £1 million try something new. LIBOR Fund Award, which was used We support social events that help to refurbish the residential care unit combat the isolation that many at our Brighton centre. Already, the blind veterans feel, and put them in improved facilities are making a huge touch with others who’ve had similar difference to the lives of residents at experiences. We now have in excess of the centre. 30 lunch and social clubs across the IT training UK. These include a nationwide group We continue to provide top level IT - the GOAL (Get Out and Live) group - training and support, both at our for over 60s. Thanks to these events, centres in Sheffield, Brighton and we’ve seen a surge in volunteering, Llandudno and in veterans’ own allowing us to provide even more homes. This helps veterans work, enjoy support for our veterans. hobbies, and stay connected with their families, friends and the wider world. Our instructors help veterans of all ages and abilities get to grips with the first steps. Training can involve anything from touch-typing to computer basics and helps veterans become confident computer users. Recreational activities We offer a growing range of sports and recreational activities at our centres, to help our veterans keep fit and meet new people. 11 How we make a difference

SO TRUSTING HIS KEN TRUSTED ADVICE CAME EASY BILLY WITH Ken and Billy Ken Facal and Billy Drinkwater were serving in Helmand Province, HIS LIFE Afghanistan, when an IED explosion robbed them both of their sight. It was the middle of the night, and they were out on patrol. Ken remembers a massive explosion that threw him 10 metres through the air. “It was like being punched in the stomach,” recalls Ken. “I screamed. I was losing so much blood.” They were both flown back to the UK for surgery. A month later, a Blind Veterans UK team member visited them in hospital. The support they’ve received has been both practical - like a talking watch, and touch-typing lessons - and emotional. Ken says both are important. “They’ve shown me how to get back my independence, to be able to go out without always having to rely on someone else.” Billy agrees. “When I was discharged I went straight to the Blind Veterans UK centre in Brighton. It was so good to meet other blind veterans who were getting on and doing things with their lives. “The staff are amazing. They keep finding ways to help me be independent, and live a fuller life. They’re like a family.” Thanks to our No One Alone campaign, we’re helping more and more ex- Service men and women like Ken and Billy. Go to www.noonealone.org.uk to find out more. 12 James, Patrick, Jessica and Victoria Family turns a corner As well as veterans, we support their families and carers. Peter, a vision because of Blind Veterans UK impaired veteran, has four children: Blind Veterans UK were able to help James, Patrick, Jessica and Victoria. the family in other ways too. Education He suffers from optic atrophy and grants helped pay for school trips, Horner’s syndrome, and started uniforms and books, and a welfare receiving support from Blind Veterans grant bought furniture for when they UK in 2007. moved house. At home, before we got in touch with Do you know someone who may be Peter, things had been tough. Jessica eligible for our support? Find out recalls: “It was a miserable household. how you can help them at Dad just faded into the background, he www.noonealone.org.uk. was so depressed. It was difficult. For five years he just sat in a chair.” One day, a welfare officer from Blind Veterans UK came to see Peter. They talked about the services the charity could provide. Peter applied for support. Three months later, he found himself on a coach to one of Blind Veterans UK’s centres, deeply apprehensive. A week later, a very different, positive Peter came home - and family life was transformed. Peter regained his independence, and so did the rest of the family. Whereas before Peter felt isolated, now he has new skills, and enjoys his old pastimes again. He uses a PC, reads the paper, and watches TV with his family.

13 How you can help

Support on all fronts

Your donations, fundraising, and loss. You can get involved in all sorts of volunteering have made a huge ways across the UK, whether you’d like difference in 2013-14. You’ve helped to work as part of our admin team or us to provide life-long care and visit veterans in their own homes. transformational support to ex-Service To find out more about the importance men and women with severe sight loss. of volunteering, and find out how Thank you - we couldn’t do any of this you can get involved, visit www. without you. blindveterans.org.uk/volunteer Please keep supporting us in 2015. Donate Here’s how you can help: Next year you can continue to make a Spread the word massive difference, and help us reach Last year, you helped Blind Veterans more blind veterans than ever before. UK find and support 708 more We’re committed to providing lifelong vision impaired ex-Service men and practical and emotional support to women. But we know there are more the people who need us, with your than 68,000 veterans out there who support, we can. are currently eligible for free and comprehensive support. If you can, £4 could buy a liquid level please help us find them. indicator, so our veterans can make By joining our community online, a cup of tea without help. sharing our stories with followers, could buy a talking watch, so family and friends, and highlighting the £10 our veterans can once again tell the help we provide, you can help reach time, despite their loss of sight. far more veterans in need of support. Follow us on Twitter (@BlindVeterans) £100 could help fund a mobile or find us on Facebook for the latest phone specifically designed for news and updates. vision impaired people. Fundraise could buy a portable video From skydives to bake sales, every £300 magnifier to help our veterans when single fundraising activity helps us they’re out and about. continue our work. Take part in our activities and events, create your own, £650 could buy a SuperNova or show your support by sponsoring Access Suite - a computer screen others. You can make a big difference reader offering magnification, to the lives of blind veterans, visit speech and Braille support, giving www.blindveterans.org.uk/how-you- veterans the freedom to use a can-help to see what’s happening computer in the way that suits near you. them best. Volunteer for us £1,500 could buy a scanner Our wonderful volunteers help us which scans and stores any provide tailored support to vision document - like bills or articles - and impaired ex-Service men and women, reads them back to our veterans. helping them discover life beyond sight 14 Our amazing supporters

Supporter Thea Davies On 26 May 2012, Thea Davies’ life changed forever when her partner, Captain Stephen Healey of the 1st Battalion, was killed in action. He was 29 years old. Killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand, Captain Healey was the 415th UK Service-man to lose his life in Afghanistan. To mark his passing and commemorate his life, Thea decided to run 415 miles in support of Blind Veterans UK. Photography TVConwy Thea has gone from strength to Supporter and blind veteran strength. Since her amazing run that Alan Saunders raised vital funds for Blind Veterans Inspirational Alan Saunders, one of our UK, she’s taken on tougher and more blind veterans, took on the Big Zipper daring challenges including arduous at Zip World Velocity in North Wales: a Iron Man challenges in New Zealand mile-long, 500ft high wire that hurtled and the UK. him along at 100mph. This was for his 92nd birthday, by the way. He was Last year, Thea was nominated for doing it to raise money for the charity Fundraiser of the Year in the JustGiving and say thank you for the support he Awards. And rightly so: she’s an received and continues to receive. inspirational figure and a valued supporter of our charity. We’re Alan is one of the few remaining very proud. survivors of the 1942 Dieppe Raid, a daring assault on a vital German- You can read more about Thea’s held port in Normandy. Though the 415-mile journey at Allies failed to take Dieppe, it’s still www.blindveterans.org.uk remembered as one of the most ambitious military operations of WWII. Alan now suffers from age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts, which have slowly resulted in him being registered blind. Since 2010, Blind Veterans UK has provided him with free and comprehensive support, so he can live independently despite his sight loss.

15 Thank you’s

A special thanks to…

Blind Veterans UK wishes to Blind Veterans UK would also like acknowledge the kind and generous to thank the following businesses support of the following Trusts and and corporate partners for their Foundations. invaluable support and generosity.

The Adint Charitable Trust AgustaWestland Aldershot Church of England Services Trust The Bearded Colonel Armed Forces Covenant Fund Jupiter Asset Management The Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation The Monarch Foundation The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust Specsavers Donald Forrester Trust BAE The Excel Fund Hillier’s Nurseries The Freemasons’ Grand Charity Merkland Tank The Gosling Foundation Limited The Newman’s Own Foundation Lady Eileen Joseph Foundation Santander Foundation UK MK Community Foundation The Red Arrows Trust Rose Flatau Charitable Trust Saint Bartholomew Lodge Number 5269 Seafarers UK The Vandervell Foundation The Zochonis Charitable Trust Albert Hunt Trust The A&L Sussman Charitable Trust The Band Trust The Chalk Cliff Trust Coutts Charitable Trust The Excalibur Unit The Foresters Charity Stewards UK Trust Garfield Weston Foundation Lloyds Patriotic Fund Nelson of the Nile Lodge R H Scholes Charitable Trust Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund The Sandra Charitable Trust Thomas Sivewright Catto Charitable Settlement The Wolfson Foundation

16 The Future

Progress and transformation Help Blind Veterans UK celebrate its centenary year 2015 is a very special year for us, marking 100 years since Sir Arthur Pearson started the charity that became Blind Veterans UK. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the courageous, committed veterans we support. Throughout the year, we’ll be organising events across the country for all ages, and encouraging even more people to get involved in our work. You can keep up to date with what’s happening on our website, or by following us on Twitter (@BlindVeterans) or on Facebook. www.blindveterans.org.uk

‘Life Skills for Independent Living’ No One Alone – a campaign we’ll – a cutting-edge new programme continue to grow and development Our No One Alone campaign continues In 2014 Blind Veterans UK was to reach out to more and more veterans awarded a generous £1.25 million from who are eligible for support, but don’t the Armed Forces Covenant (LIBOR) yet know we can help them. Right now, Fund. This will go towards funding the we are supporting more than 3,900 development of a new £1.65 million veterans, but over the next year - our accommodation, rehabilitation and hundredth year - we aim to reach training unit at our Llandudno centre at least 850 more ex-Service men in North Wales. and women. The new unit will let us offer ex- www.noonealone.org.uk Service men and women, especially those who are homeless or at risk of As we progress into becoming homeless, stays of up to six our centenary year months. This will help them access we aim to reach out our ‘Life Skills for Independent Living’ to over 850 more programme, providing them with ex-Service men training to manage independent lives and women. despite sight loss.

17 Committed. Courageous. Collaborative. Resourceful. We are Blind Veterans UK.

www.blindveterans.org.uk Blind Veterans UK, 12-14 Harcourt Street, London W1H 4HD Tel: 020 7723 5021 Email: [email protected] Registered Charity No 216227 (England and Wales) and SCO39411 (Scotland) © Blind Veterans UK 2014