‘Blindfolded Bimble’ is huge success

Blind veteran Ian from the Isle of Wight led a group of 30 walkers for his 'Ultra Blindfolded Bimble' raising money and awareness for our charity.

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

For the second year running, Ian challenged walkers to pair up and walk under blindfold while guided by their partner on the coastal path between Shanklin and Sandown.  He was joined by 30 walkers, six of whom were under blindfold for the duration of the challenge. 

Ian and those under blindfold successfully racked up a combined 100km. When added to the walking distance of the rest of the group they far exceeded their 102km challenge (the distance as the crow flies from Ian’s home in Shanklin to our Rustington Centre in West Sussex and back again.)

Ian led his first ‘Blindfolded Bimble’ last year and was inspired to go bigger after he joined a group of blind veterans to take on the South Coast Ultra last autumn during which they walked a range of distances from 25km to 100km. He says:

 “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."

The walk took place on a very warm day and the promenade was exceptionally busy; Ian described the support the group received along the way as amazing. He says:

“I was out in front walking with my white cane and leading the bimble. When we finished, I asked those who took part blindfolded how they found it and the overwhelming response was ‘horrible’. They fed back that it was particularly scary when we came to walking along the road and I told them I hate that too. It was definitely eye-opening for them.” 

Ian served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and carried out tours in Iraq, Kuwait and Northern Ireland.   

He 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."

Ian wants to ensure that other veterans like him can receive life changing support for years to come and that is why he wants his 'Blindfolded Bimble' to become an annual event.

There is still time to support Ian with his fundraising: