A Sandhurst blind veteran has signed up to take part in a ten-mile sponsored walk in Great Windsor Park in March, all in aid of national military charity Blind Veterans UK…
Steve Hipkin, 66, is inviting local people to join him on the walking challenge in order to raise vital funds and awareness of the work the charity carries out in Berkshire.
Starting at the Savill Building at 10:00 am on Saturday 14 March walkers will follow a route through the beautiful Windsor Great Park returning to the Savill Building where participants will receive their medals and have the chance to enjoy a celebratory ‘Brew Up’ cuppa.
Steve served in the RAF from 1970 to 1977 and first found help from the charity eighteen months ago after his eyesight suddenly deteriorated leaving him with only a small amount of peripheral vision. He says: “I’d had macular degeneration for 15 years and I was fine, I was working and then one day I woke up and I’d had a massive bleed overnight in my right eye. I was basically completely blind.
“When I lost my sight it was a big shock, I was in a really dark place. Blind Veterans UK has dragged me out of that. I joined the charity and attended the induction week at their centre. From then on I picked up, because they gave me something to look forward to. We go out for coffee mornings, lunches, and I recently attended the Remembrance commemorations at the Cenotaph.”
Steve will be taking part in March for Veterans, Windsor, with his family and hopes that members of the local community will sign up and show their support of the charity and other local blind veterans.
Registration is now open for the event online. For those wishing to support the charity but not able to undertake the challenge, volunteers are also hosting a ‘Brew Up’ at the Savill Building for from 12:30 to 3:00 pm.
The ‘Brew Up’ is perfect for people wishing to help the charity welcome back the walkers with a hot drink and biscuits before medals are presented to those who have completed the challenge. This walk and ‘Brew Up’ are both part of Blind Veterans UK’s March Is For Veterans which allows people to support the charity in various ways throughout the month of March. You can find out more here.
- Registration: £15/£12 (child)
- Earlybird offer until 31 January: £12.00/£7
- Group Discount (Group of ten): £100
- Sponsorship target £75
