The true impact of sight-loss charity

Sight Scotland veteran worker walking in the outdoors with visually impaired girl

Losing your sight at any age can be a very traumatising experience – and it can have an impact on your family and loved ones too. However, there is one charity that is helping make loss of vision much easier to handle… here we find out more from those who know.

For decades, Sight Scotland Veterans – which changed its name from the Scottish War Blinded in 2020 – has been helping those who have served in the Armed Forces or have completed National Service.

Below we discover the different causes of visual impairment and the true impact this charity is having on the people it helps, as well as those who work there.

The veterans

Janice Mitchell

a photo of Janice at Sight Scotland Veterans, a sight-loss charity, doing a shooting activity — Janice Mitchell has enjoyed a number of activities at Sight Scotland Veterans’ Centre

Retired nurse Janice Mitchell woke up one morning unable to see. Her sight loss was later confirmed as glaucoma. Fortunately, as Janice served in the Royal Navy for three years, she was able to gain help from Sight Scotland Veterans.

Janice, 67, from Edinburgh said: “I was told Sight Scotland Veterans ‘will take care of you’ so I called them and an angel from Sight Scotland Veterans swept in on a Tuesday, and for the first time in months, I felt that I had a safety net.

Sight Scotland Veterans saved my life. After I lost my sight, I went through a personal crisis and they were there for me. And they have been with me on my whole journey after the first year.

“They have been fantastic. They also came out to the house to see if it needed adapted.

“I now go to Sight Scotland Veterans’ Linburn Centre every Tuesday where I have done archery, laser shooting and bowling. I am also making a picture frame in the arts and crafts room.

“What I love about the centre is that I can sit in company where there is no pressure of judgement. We are all sight impaired and we all have a military background, so naturally there is all the inter-service banter!”

David Martin

Former Black Watch soldier, David Martin, lost sight in one eye following a horrific car crash. He wondered if sight loss in one eye was a disability and if he would qualify for help from Sight Scotland Veterans. Fortunately, he did and in the last few years, the charity has made a huge impact on David’s new life (and others) and he is a familiar face every week at Sight Scotland Veterans’ Hawkhead Centre in Paisley.

David, 39, from Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, said: “I had to learn how to engage in conversations again, and learn life skills like paying bills. It was a long process.

“I used to only say one-word answers to people if they asked me a question, but now I have found my voice again. I am so happy to be alive, that my heart is beating and I am engaging in activities again.

I now see my brain injury as a kind of blessing as I am now engaging in activities and meeting so many different people that I would not have ever thought about pre-brain injury.”

The veteran’s wife

Brenda Jennings

People often ask can stroke cause sight loss and for Stephen Jennings it did. He suffered a massive stroke in his front room in 2020. Fortunately, wife-of-23-years Brenda was there for him – and during his recovery so was sight-loss charity, Sight Scotland Veterans.

Former Territorial Army soldier Stephen, 61, remembers nothing about his 2020 seizure – or being in intensive care – but Brenda, 73, will never forget it. Since that day, the Edinburgh couple’s life as they knew it changed.

Brenda said: “We had a visit from Kate from Sight Scotland Veterans. She gave Stephen a wee white cane to use, and now she is training him to use a long cane. This allows him to go out for walks again.

“Sight Scotland Veterans also gave us a one-cup kettle for the kitchen, which is one of the best things for Stephen. He can make everyone a cup of tea now.

Every Friday, Stephen goes to Sight Scotland Veterans’ Linburn Centre. When I first heard about this, I felt I was free. I hadn’t been out for over two years – so now I go for lunch with my sister on Fridays. I couldn’t do that before as I had to be there for Stephen.

“The support we have received for Sight Scotland Veterans has been fantastic.”

The rehab officer

Katrina Campbell

As a rehabilitation officer, Katrina Campbell works with veterans who have lost their sight to regain their quality of life.

Katrina attends the Sight Scotland Veterans centre and goes on home visits helping people with visual impairments with a whole range of practical and emotional support.

She said: “Sight loss can happen to any of us – and it can happen overnight. One in 12 of us will become sight impaired by the time we are 60.

I love my job, it’s absolutely fabulous, and every day is different.

“I visit people in their home and conduct an assessment, to identify what they are struggling with and how they can take control of their lives again. Our aim is to help them to get their independence back.

“To see people who became trapped in their home and get their life back and take control of the situation is the best part of my job.

“When we do our assessments, people realise they are not alone, and we will be with them through the journey. And those who have lost their sight soon discover, there is very little they can’t do that they used to be able to do, apart from driving. It’s all about finding a different way of doing things.”

Sight Scotland Veterans was initially established to help those who lost their sight in the First World War, but today helps anyone who has served in the Armed Forces.

The charity – which used to be known as Scottish War Blinded – has provided practical and emotional support to servicemen and women who have not only lost their sight, but have visual impairment.