MEMBERS of a charity for vision-impaired veterans of the armed forces were welcomed to a reception in the Mayor’s Parlour.
Mayor Tom Mahoney, himself a veteran, welcomed Rugby members of the Blind Veterans UK charity to the Town Hall during Armed Forces Week.
Coun Mahoney, who served in the Queen’s Own Hussars cavalry regiment, has made ‘service’ the theme of his Mayoral year and said he was delighted to meet members of the charity.
He said: “I have chosen to support the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) during my Mayoral year as, having served in the armed forces, I appreciate only too well the vital support charities such as SSAFA and Blind Veterans UK offer our ex-servicemen and servicewomen.
“It was a pleasure to welcome members of the charity to the parlour and find out more about their work.”
Jennie Hammond, community team leader at Blind Veterans UK, said: “We’re delighted that Coun Mahoney has chosen ‘service’ as the theme for his year in office and that, as an ex-serviceman, he has shown such a keen interest in veterans’ issues.
“Our blind veterans were delighted to meet with him to discuss the support on offer to vision-impaired ex-service men and women in the local community and we look forward to working closely together in the future.”
Blind Veterans UK was founded in 1915 and was originally known as the Blinded Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Care Committee. It became St Dunstan’s in 1923 before changing its name to Blind Veterans UK six years ago.
The charity, which also supports individuals who carried out National Service, helps members lead independent lives, from offering training and recreation opportunities to providing long-term nursing, residential and respite care.
Visit www.blindveterans.org.uk for more information.
