A BLIND veteran from Dorset celebrated Blind Veterans UK’s 100-year anniversary at a special garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Joy Poolman, 95 from Gillingham, visited the palace with her daughter-in-law Annetta and more than 1,000 other veterans helped by Blind Veterans UK on Thursday, June 4.

The visit marked the military charity’s 100 years of service and support to blind and vision-impaired ex-service men and women.

Joy served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) from 1942 until 1946. She was part of the Bomber Command where she worked as an armourer.

During her time in the WAAF, she flew Lancaster Bombers all over Europe. She later left the WAAF as a leading aircraftwoman.

Joy first noticed she was starting to lose her sight in 2005 and was later diagnosed with age related macular degeneration (ARMD).

She started receiving support from Blind Veterans UK last year.

Joy said: “My sight gradually got worse and worse; I can’t read or write because of it.

“Blind Veterans UK is wonderful and I’m really pleased with everything the charity has done for me already.”

Joy has received specialist equipment and training from Blind Veterans UK, which she said has enabled her to keep in touch with her family in the USA.

Blind Veterans UK (formerly St Dunstan’s) was founded in 1915 and the charity’s initial purpose was to help and support soldiers blinded in WWI.

The organisation has gone on to support more than 35,000 blind veterans and their families, spanning WWII to recent conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan.

For 100 years, the charity has been providing vital free training, rehabilitation, equipment and emotional support to blind and vision impaired veterans no matter when they served or how they lost their sight.

Chief executive of Blind Veterans UK, Major General (Rtd) Nick Caplin CB, said: “All of us at Blind Veterans UK feel both honoured and very proud to celebrate our centenary at such a special event.

“This anniversary also provided the opportunity for us to look forward to the challenges that lie ahead for Blind Veterans UK.

“It’s a critical time for our charity as the number of blind veterans we support is increasing. In the past year, more blind veterans have registered for our help than ever before in the charity’s history.”

To find out more about the charity visit blindveterans.org.uk.

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