Nominate a Member for a Founder's Award
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Our Founder’s Awards are presented at events throughout the year to Members who have excelled in their endeavours.
These awards serve as a wonderful reminder of the boundless spirit of our remarkable founder, Sir Arthur Pearson. They also give us a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all that's great about our charity.
All those nominated for Founder's Awards are chosen by you. Read on for information about the categories and how to nominate.
Blind veterans Jules and Craig at a previous Founder's Awards ceremony
Award categories
Inspiring Community Award
For a Member who has voluntarily contributed to the local Community Life Beyond Sight Loss Award.
Life Beyond Sight Loss Award
For a Member whose sight loss journey has led them to excel in discovering or re-discovering a skill or activity following sight loss.
Creative Award
Recognition of endeavour in a creative activity such as art, handicrafts, sculpture, writing, photography or music.
Sporting Achievement Award
This award celebrates an exceptional sporting achievement during the award year.
Outstanding Achievement Award
This goes to a blind veteran who has achieved an outstanding level of independence via their participation in an activity. It could go to a new recruit who has demonstrated outstanding achievement within the first 12 months of joining the charity, or it might go to a long-standing beneficiary who has demonstrated outstanding achievement within their long service with the charity.
Camaraderie Award
In recognition of a Member who has enabled, helped or supported another Member on their sight loss journey.
Volunteers Award
Awarded to a Blind Veterans UK volunteer who has gone above and beyond what's expected of them to better to lives of others.
Carers Recognition Award
In acknowledgement of a family member, relative or friend of a Member who has selflessly provided an exceptional level of care to enable a Member to live with dignity.
Ted Higgs Prize
Awarded to a war blinded Member in recognition of lifetime achievement. Member Ted Higgs donated the trophy to Blind Veterans UK in 1944, following his loss of vision during the WWII conflict.
Ted served in the Royal Artillery and the trophy represents his goal to ensure war blinded veterans can prosper when faced with sight impairments.
This award will be given out at one of our Centres of Wellbeing.
How to nominate
If you've been impressed by a fellow Member and would like to give them the recognition you feel they deserve, you've come to right place. Simply complete our quick Founder's Awards nomination form below, telling us why you're nominating them for the category you've chosen.
To have a look at an example, please refer to our guidance.
What happens next?
Local Founder's Award presentations
Recipients of our Founder's Awards are presented with their awards locally throughout the year. They are notified by their community team who proudly present them with their award during a visit or an appropriate local event.
Military Dinner Award presentations
In addition to this, every year our Regional Members Group votes on a small number of 'Highly Commended' award nominees who are deemed to have made an especially significant contribution to the charity.
Those selected will receive an invitation to attend an award presentation at one of our military dinners (most likely the one closest to where they live). They will be notified at least one month in advance of their dinner date and are welcome to bring a guest.
If you'd like your nominee to be in with a chance to receive their award in this way, please submit your nomination form by the closing date of the dinner venue nearest to them. The dates are set out below.
Military Dinners nomination closing dates
| Venue | Date of dinner | Nomination closing date |
| HMS Drake, Plymouth | 26 April 2024 | 10 March 2024 |
| RAF Boulmer, Northumberland | 15 May 2024 | 7 April 2024 |
| HMS Sultan, Gosport | 21 June 2024 | 12 May 2024 |
| RAF Cosford | September 2024 Date tbc. | 21 July 2024 |
| RAF Honington | 11 October 2024 | 1 September 2024 |
| Ted Higgs award: Blind Veterans UK Centre of Wellbeing | Date arranged with award winner. | 1 September 2024 |
- Current: 1. Who would you like to nominate?
- 2. Tell us about yourself
- 3. What would you like to nominate them for?
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