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When support comes full circle: Graham gives back

Published on 24 Apr 2025

Over the last 18 years, the journey for blind veteran Graham has come full circle, from reluctantly walking through our doors in 2007, to being one of our dedicated volunteers today.

Losing his sight, finding his purpose

Graham's life was turned upside down 18 years ago when he was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a condition that led to his sight loss. When he discovered Blind Veterans UK, he attended an induction at our Rustington centre. The supportive atmosphere gave him a renewed sense of positivity.

"I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I knew I was going to do something."

Graham, blind veteran

Breaking barriers through sports

Graham’s sporting journey began in 2006, after reading about the London Triathlon in our monthly beneficiary magazine. Despite being a novice, he took up the challenge, discovering halfway through his training that he would need to compete in the Olympic-distance event, not a sprint-distance as he initially thought. He wasn't fazed and completed the race - becoming the only vision impaired athlete in the competition.

His passion for sports grew as he joined Project Viper, a team encouraging other vision impaired athletes to participate in triathlons. In 2007, he was invited to represent the GB AWAD (Great Britain Athletes with a Disability) team at the Paralympic Championships in Hamburg, with Blind Veterans UK supporting his training and travel. By 2008, Graham became the Blind World Triathlon Champion after winning gold at the Vancouver Para Championships. That same year, he was named Disabled Sportsperson of the Year at the West Oxfordshire County Awards.

His achievements are especially admirable, given he was balancing training with being a single father of four and managing a craft business that was losing its way under the strain of his sight loss and separation from his wife.

Graham outside, sitting on his bike and showing off his gold medal — Graham won gold at the Vancouver Para Championships

Giving back

Despite the obstacles life has thrown at him - including a career-ending injury and the devastating loss of his son - Graham has found comfort in creativity and giving back.

Encouraged by his children, he resumed his passion for crafting resin butterflies which are sold through an Etsy shop.

Graham holding a resin butterfly over a bucket while pouring blue paint over the top

A vibrant resin butterfly with yellow and black waves of colour in a vase of flowers

A vibrant resin butterfly with yellow, red and blue waves of colour against a white flowerbed

Each butterfly begins as a simple strand of wire, carefully twisted and shaped by hand

"True beauty lies not just in what the eye can perceive, but in the heart and soul poured into creation."

ButterfliesByKiffCo

As well as getting back into his craft, Graham continues to contribute to Blind Veterans UK. For the past two years, he has volunteered weekly, visiting and supporting a fellow blind veteran, helping others find purpose, just as he did years ago.

Graham visits every week, which has brought structure to his week and given him more purpose. They are quite housebound and, although they have support at home from a carer, cleaner, and others, Graham's visits are appreciated. They share many common interests, such as RAF mechanical engineering and motorsport. Graham updates them weekly on Formula 1 news, explains how the races unfolded, and shares his progress with his business.