1913
Newspaper proprietor and founder of the Daily Express Arthur Pearson, who had lost his sight through glaucoma, joins the council of the National Institute for the Blind (now the RNIB). Pearson's experience of being blind has made him determined to change society's attitude to blindness.

 
1914
The Great War starts. War-blinded soldiers return to England from the battle fields of WWI and, seeing this, Pearson plans a rehabilitation and training centre to help these veterans lead more independent, fulfilling lives. American Banker Otto Kahn lends his house and grounds, St Dunstan's Lodge in London's Regent's Park, to use for this centre for the duration of World War I.

1915
We start with two blinded soldiers in a house in Bayswater Hill, London while St Dunstan's Lodge is being modified. After moving there, we become known as St Dunstan's and our members as St Dunstaners. We help members train in massage (physiotherapy), shorthand typing, telephone operating, poultry farming, carpentry, basket and mat making and shoe and boot repairing. Many go on to return to normal life after World War One and make a living with these newly acquired skills.

1918
By the end of the year, we've trained over 600 blind veterans with another 700 in training and 200 still in recovery and rehabilitation. We've set up facilities around the country including in Torquay, Ilkley, Blackheath, Hastings and Brighton. Some are open for just a few years, but our West House centre in Brighton is an important part of the organisation for decades to come.

1921
We move operations from St Dunstan's Lodge to St John's Lodge, also in Regent's Park. Arthur Pearson tragically dies, aged only 55, and Ian Fraser takes over as chairman. As a captain in the King's (Shropshire Light Infantry), Ian Fraser had been blinded by a bullet on the Somme.

1935
With World War II looming, planning starts for a major new centre at Ovingdean, Brighton.

1938
Brighton Ovingdean opens as a convalescent and holiday home, just before the Second World War breaks out.

1939
Work begins to temporarily convert Brighton Ovingdean into a war hospital for serious eye cases.

1940
We extend our admittance criteria to include people blinded while serving in the Auxiliary Services, Women's Services and in munitions factories. Police, firemen and those serving in civil defence also become eligible.
As the war moves across France, we evacuate from Brighton Ovingdean and West House to Church Stretton in Shropshire. 700 blinded service men and women are trained here, many learning new manufacturing skills on lathes and presses so they could work in aircraft factories.

1946
We leave Church Stretton and return to Brighton Ovingdean and West House with 1,673 St Dunstaners from the First World War and 686 from the Second World War.

1948
St Dunstan's headquarters moves to 191 Old Marylebone Road, London.

1967
St Dunstaners are trained in how to use the new long cane.

1984
We move headquarters to our current location in Harcourt Street, London.

1985
We introduce married accommodation at Brighton Ovingdean.

1995
We sell our building in Kemp Town in Brighton and transfer its facilities to the redeveloped Brighton Ovingdean.

2000
We change our constitution to allow veterans to join who have lost their sight since finishing their service. Applications rise substantially.

2004
St Dunstaner Ray Hazan, who was blinded in Northern Ireland, is elected as our president.

2005
We open our Sheffield centre, offering rehabilitation and training in the north.

2007
We buy our Llandudno centre and start work on the facilities so that we can offer rehabilitation and training, holidays and respite care there.

2009
Member Henry Allingham, the world's oldest man, dies peacefully at Ovingdean. The funeral is held with full military honours at St Nicholas Church, Brighton.

2010
We celebrate our 95th anniversary.

2011
Our Llandudno centre opens.

2012
We change our name from St Dunstan's to Blind Veterans UK. We do this to help more people understand who we are and what we do, so we can help blind veterans for another century - especially with the influx of admissions from service men and women blinded in Iraq and Afghanistan.