A blind veteran from Somerset is leading a campaign to make ‘Every Penny Count’ to raise money for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, which has been supporting him for ten years.

John Brice, 77, from Weston-Super-Mare, is asking people across the country to save an old plastic milk bottle or cordial bottle and fill it with loose change which can then be donated to the charity. He says:

“Money is tight for so many people right now, so I was wracking my brain to think what could people do to support blind veterans that won’t cost a lot? Everyone has a milk carton, so I thought let’s use it. Some time ago I remember the national news reporting that some were discarding their 1p and 2p coins. Discarding them into our containers is a much better idea!

“I’ll decorate a label to stick on it and when visitors come to my home they will ask “What is that?”, it’ll become a talking point and hopefully they will start to feed it too and maybe even decorate their own milk carton in their home. Every penny counts these days and if we work together those pennies will make pounds.”

John joined the RAF in 1962 at the age of 15 and a half as a boy entrant, serving for over 26 years as a cook and then a catering clerk in the UK, Middle East, Ascension Island and North Africa. John was discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1988.

He lost his sight in 2006 due to age related macular degeneration. He says:

“I can remember the consultant appointment so clearly, she said I’d lose my central vision and all I heard was “You’re going to lose your sight in both of your eyes. I stood outside the hospital stunned and thought to myself, how the devil will I survive this. Sometime later, I started to volunteer for Vision North Somerset. I was based at the hospital chatting to people going to their eye appointments. I spotted a leaflet for Blind Veterans UK and applied.

“The year I began receiving support from the charity was life-changing. I was lacking in confidence; I attended an introduction week at one of their centres and remember thinking that everyone else around me was so happy. With the support and encouragement of staff and my fellow blind veterans, I soon realised I could still do a million and one things I didn’t think were possible.

“The charity provided me with a magnifying mirror which is an absolute godsend, I wouldn’t be able to shave without it. I also have computer software that allows me to zoom in on the text. This allows me to do everything on my computer including online shopping and banking. I hate to be a pain to others so this means I can do things for myself and not starve! I can also use it to plan journeys meaning I can pop off with confidence after doing the preparation.”

John hopes that others will join him in donating their loose change to Blind Veterans UK and decorating their own plastic milk bottles.

He says: “In 1970 I was sent on detachment to Madagascar and one afternoon I was sat on the veranda with a cold drink and I became aware of a grasshopper levitating up the side of one of the 12 foot supporting columns. I thought I was going mad but then I noticed it was being carried by a small army of ants.

“I watched fascinated as the ants worked as a team and, reaching the top, manipulated the grasshopper horizontally through a crack into the nest! I thought to myself, just look what they have achieved by working together. That was 54 years ago and I still remember it clearly. By working together we can make every penny count.”

If you would like to support John’s campaign please visit the charity’s website where you can find out how you can take part.