Blind Swindon veteran joins thousands heading to London for Remembrance Day
Peter Kay took part in the biggest ever British Army exercise since World War II in 1984
It's a proud weekend for millions around the UK - with many travelling this weekend to the capital to pay their respects this Remembrance Day.
That includes one man from Wiltshire, who is set to march at the Cenotaph in London, along with more than 40 other blind veterans - thanks to the support of the charity, Blind Veterans UK.
Peter Kay, from Swindon, will tomorrow be taking part in the march as part of national Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
The 67-year-old served for 18 years in the Territorial Army.
During that time, he worked with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as a workshop manager, and was deployed alongside thousands of other military personal for training exercises Operation Crusader in 1980 and Operation Lionheart in 1984.
Lionheart was the biggest ever British Army exercise and the biggest mobilisation since the Second World War.
He reflected: “The whole situation was unbelievable, even just getting that many people from England to Europe was a huge undertaking, it was a real eye opener as to the scale of the Second World War.”
Just as the country went into lockdown, back in 2020, Peter started to lose his sight.
'Looking through a very thick fog'
He was told by the optician that he had cataracts in his left eye which would need to be operated on but due to the pandemic this would not happen quickly.
Peter said: "Within a week, I’d lost my sight completely and made the decision to go for private treatment which diagnosed optic nerve damage. I was black blind at first with no sight at all but fortunately, with medication, I got a little bit of my sight back.
“If you imagine looking permanently through a very thick fog that is what I see all the time. If I look at the trees on a summer day, I can make out the top of the trees against the skyline but nothing else.
“At first, I was disillusioned and believed that my sight would return when I woke up but the realisation then hit and the bottom dropped out of my world.
“I felt extremely isolated at first as the pandemic prevented me from getting out there and meeting other people in my situation.”
Through his social worker, in 2021, Peter found out about the charity which now helps him, and thousands of other veterans around the country.
That's not lost his love for getting creative, though - which he still does to this day.
He added: “Before I lost my sight, I was really into woodwork and craft. I thought that was out of the window and was close to throwing all my tools away, but Blind Veterans UK has given me the confidence to rediscover my hobby and shown me there are ways to still do things, it may just take more time.
“I gave the woodwork a go and although it was frustrating to begin with, and still can be at times, my wife reminds me that I have all day and to just take my time.”
Peter’s wife has created a Facebook page called ‘The Blind Artisan’ through which Peter is able to sell small woodturned and laser etched items he had created.
Peter donates the profits to Blind Veterans UK.
Peter said: “It’s easy to stay within your four walls, but the charity has given me the confidence to challenge myself again. It’s all been a learning curve, and it’s purely thanks to the help I’ve received that I keep trying.”
'Inspirational'
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Peter's story has been called 'inspirational' by the charity.
Colin Crawley, the Service Development Manager with Blind Veterans UK, said: "The first word that springs to mind is 'inspirational'.
"You speak to Peter, you hear his story, you hear about his sight loss and how he's confronting that head-on. What he's doing now, and how he's inspiring other people is awesome.
"Remembrance Sunday is a hugely significant event for our members, and I think the fact that Peter is going there with other members of Blind Veterans UK gives him the chance to be with peers, to share their experiences, and to show their respect as a group, and I think that opportunity to be a part of something on the day is hugely important.
"There's something about that shared experience which allows them all to support each other."
Remembrance Day
Peter will be marching with fellow blind veterans at the Cenotaph this Remembrance Sunday.
He said: “Last year was my first experience of marching at the Cenotaph, it was extremely moving and I had no idea what to expect beforehand. I was incredibly proud to be alongside my fellow blind veterans.
“This year marks 70 years since the end of the Korean War and will be particularly poignant to me as I’ll be remembering my father who was in the Army and served in that conflict. He was in the Royal Norfolk Regiment for 22 years and was also in the second wave of D-Day.”
Chief Executive of Blind Veterans UK, Adrian Bell, said: “At Remembrance we commemorate the brave sacrifice of all those who lost their lives for their country. We also reflect on the huge challenges faced by veterans living with life-changing injuries from their time in service.
“I’m proud to be marching alongside Peter and our contingent of over 40 blind veterans at the Cenotaph this year, and I know there will be many more attending moving ceremonies in communities up and down the country.
“This year marks important anniversaries for our veterans, not least the 20th anniversary since the invasion of Iraq and 70 years since the end of the Korean War. With these in mind, we will be particularly thinking of all those tragically lost and wounded in these conflicts, and of their families.”
Blind Veterans UK supports thousands of blind veterans like Peter, but knows there are many thousands more who still need its support to rebuild their lives after sight loss.
Peter said: “I would urge anyone who thinks they may be entitled to support from Blind Veterans UK to get in touch with the charity. You will be surprised at how much the charity can support you and it could change your life.”