Tony's candles raise funds at Remembrance

Blind veteran Tony made and sold special Remembrance candles to give back to our charity during the Remembrance period. By selling 50 candles both online and at a local business in Poole, he was able to raise a fantastic £250.

Tony made a special version of his Rock Salt & Driftwood candle which included a space on the label to write the name of the person being remembered. Each candle came with a complimentary wax poppy and Tony donated us 50% of the profits us to thank us for the support we have given him.

He says: “Making candles helps me focus my thoughts and emotions into something beautiful, and I often think about the warmth and light they bring, just like the support Blind Veterans UK offers to veterans."

Since he lost his sight Tony has found lots of ways to adapt his candle making process. He says: “I use talking scales to measure the fragrance I’m using, and I buy wax in blocks of set weights so I can cut them to size consistently. I also use my magnifier to read the labels on the fragrance bottles so I know exactly what I’m working with."

Tony first joined up to the Royal Marines at 16-years-old. It was later in his career while serving on an operation overseas when he first felt something was wrong with his vision; he saw a medic who advised that he had an incurable eye condition and was told to return to the UK. He says: “I was feeling very low. I had to come back to the UK on my own and leave my comrades behind.”

On his return to the UK, Tony was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that worsens over time and can affect vision in a number of ways such as night blindness, trouble adjusting to light changes, difficulty seeing colours, and narrowed peripheral vision.

He says: “I was 27 at the time and my world just collapsed. I was devastated. I went home from the hospital and tried to take in what I’d been told. I got depressed and felt like that was the end for me. The career I’d worked hard for was suddenly gone. I didn’t know what jobs I could do. I felt scared and alone.”

In 1993, Tony discovered our charity and began receiving support. He came to our rehabilitation centre to attend a six-week course which included basic housekeeping, cooking and computer literacy skills.

He says: “When I arrived at the centre, I had no confidence, no sense of worth and no belief in myself. I didn’t expect to feel so welcomed, and I ended up learning more than I thought I would. Every day of the course felt like a fresh start. I missed my family, but I knew that by investing that time in myself, I might be able to find a new path.”