‘Blindfolded Bimble’ for Armed Forces Month

A blind veteran from the Isle of Wight has organised his second blindfolded fundraising walk to raise money for our charity.

Ian, 45, and from Shanklin, has organised the ‘Ultra Blindfolded Bimble’ on 29 June in response to our Armed Forces Month campaign, which calls on people to organise activities to celebrate and commemorate key dates in the month of June while raising vital funds to support its work.    

Ian enlisted into the Army in 2002, at 22 years old. He served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and carried out tours in Iraq, Kuwait and Northern Ireland.  

The 'Blindfolded Bimble'

For the second year running, Ian is challenging walkers to pair up and take it in turns to walk under blindfold while guided by their partner on the coastal path between Shanklin and Sandown.  
 
Last year, Ian’s ‘Blindfolded Bimble’ saw supporters walking 3km each under blindfold but for 2025 Ian wants to go bigger. He is asking his family and friends to walk a combined distance of 102km, the distance (as the crow flies) from his home in Shanklin to our Rustington Centre in West Sussex and back again. Ian says:

“Last Autumn, I joined a group of blind veterans to take on the South Coast Ultra, we walked a range of distances from 25km to 100km. This has inspired me to go bigger with this year’s bimble. 
 
“My own sight loss has had a huge impact on my life. Everyday activities like taking a walk, preparing a meal and spending time playing with my two daughters became difficult."

Ian continues:

“I think those taking part will be surprised how vulnerable they feel when they put on their blindfolds and start walking. They will have to really trust their partner to warn them of obstacles and changes in gradient and surface type.”

Ian lost his sight suddenly in 2017. He says: 

“My life changed overnight but discovering Blind Veterans UK turned things around. They helped me learn to use a cane so that I could walk safely unaided, provided equipment like a talking microwave to help me prepare food and enabled me to meet and spend time with other blind veterans which helped me to imagine a life for myself beyond sight loss.” 

Support the bimble

Ian is inviting people to join him for the ‘Blindfolded Bimble’ on 29 June or to set up their own ‘Blindfolded Bimble. You can find out more by emailing our Corporate Partnerships team.
 

Ian says:

“The bimble is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the efforts of our Armed Forces and thank them for their sacrifice, and those of their families, as well as raise vital awareness and funds for Blind Veterans UK. 
 
“I want to ensure that other veterans like me can receive life changing support for years to come.” 

You can make a donation to support Ian with his fundraising: