VE Day 80 - After the Darkness
Eighty years after the dark days of war ended, our veterans are still battling darkness.
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They fought for us then. Now we must fight for them.
Neena and Ken won their freedom 80 years ago, only to lose it again to sight loss. Today, their independence, privacy and dignity depend on the specialist equipment and training they've received from our rehabilitation officers.
With your help, we will support them and the thousands of younger blind veterans, like Steve, who you can read about below, who are following in their footsteps. For as long as they need us, we must be there for them.
To commemorate VE Day 80, Neena and Ken have shared their memories of 8 May 1945. Read on to learn what it meant to them and how you bring the light back into the lives of all our blind veterans, young and old.
Neena served with the Parachute Regiment.
VE Day meant the end of her exciting new life.
The freedom and independence she enjoyed as a young woman was taken away from her when "normal life" resumed after VE Day. It was terrible for Neena, 100, to lose them all over again when her sight failed.
Her Community Support Worker collects her and takes her to every social gathering in her local area. Loneliness and isolation are real threats to blind veterans like Neena, so this is vital to her.
"After the war, everything altered so much. The women didn't want to go back and not have the money coming in that they’d earned."
Blind veteran
After VE Day, Ken continued to serve.
Royal Navy veteran Ken's ship took freed prisoners of war home.
He was horrified by their weakened state, encouraging them to lie on the deck to get used to open spaces again.
It's important for Ken, 98, to feel free today. Sight loss often makes blind veterans feel dependent on others - even to make a simple cup of tea.
A liquid level indicator enables a blind veteran to make a hot drink safely and independently.
Sight loss robs our younger veterans of their freedom too.
Steve was inspired by Second World War veterans to join the Parachute Regiment.
When Steve was shot during he Falklands War, his life fell apart. He lost his sight, his job and his independence. Through the charity he met veterans like Neena and Ken, who were embracing the assistive equipment. They inspired him again - this time to try it, too.
He learned to use a cane; being able to leave his house safely gave him his freedom back. Today, voice-activated smart devices help him live the life he wants to live.
Bring the light back into their lives.
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, please support our blind veterans.
Young and old, all blind ex-Service men and women deserve the support and equipment to stay independent and be able to live safely.
Read more!
VE Day 80: After the Darkness
Read and listen to our Second World War veterans share their remarkable stories of VE Day.
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