Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, has been selected as the supported charity by the Armed Forces Cricket Board for their 2024 Inter-Services T20 tournament.
The tournament, which is sponsored by Raytheon UK, selects a military charity to support and for the second year in a row the honour has gone to Blind Veterans UK.
In 2023, the charity received over £16,000 from the tournament which is life-changing for the blind veterans they support.
On Tuesday 16 April, this year’s season was launched with a reception held at the Tower of London.
Blind veteran Simon Brown lost his sight in 2006 when he was shot through the face by a sniper while leading a mission to recover six stranded colleagues in Iraq. Simon spoke at the opening reception, he says:
“It means a lot to be recognised and supported by the military community.
“Sport is so important as the transition from military to civilian life is hard, but sport makes the transition easier. We can join a sports club and become part of our communities.”
Tim Eckersley, Member Engagement and Military Lead for Blind Veterans UK, says:
“On behalf of the charity, I want to say a big thank you to UK Armed Forces Cricket for their ongoing support.
“The amount raised from the event last year was phenomenal and ensures that we can continue to provide life changing rehabilitation, training and support to our blind veterans which help them to regain their independence after sight loss.”
Veterans supported by the charity also have the opportunity to attend the final of the tournament in May for a day of exciting cricket.
The Blind Veterans UK London based community team and volunteers will also be at the final where they will be on hand to speak to those attending about the work of the charity rehabilitating and supporting veterans who have lost their sight.
Captain Paul Hill, Chair of UK Armed Forces Cricket, says:
“Ensuring that an appropriate charity benefits from the cricket festival is an important aspect of the event, sitting alongside the focus we place on developing and showcasing cricket within the Armed Forces. As a hugely important Armed Forces charity, Blind Veterans UK fits the bill perfectly and we are very pleased to be supporting them again this year. Hopefully the cricket festival can again help them in the important work they do making a difference for the veterans they support.”
Chief Executive and Managing Director of Raytheon UK, Jeff Lewis, says:
“At Raytheon UK we are committed to providing lifelong support to those who have served in the armed forces, whether it be through partnerships with veterans’ charities or through our Forward Steps Programme that helps veterans take the next step in their careers.
“Blind Veterans UK provide life-changing services to vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, so we are delighted that we can support their work again this year through our sponsorship of the Armed Forces T20 cricket.”
This year’s final is taking place at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 16 May. To find out more about the event and to buy tickets visit: interservicest20.co.uk
Blind Veterans UK supports thousands of blind veterans across the country, but knows there are many thousands more who still need its support to rebuild their lives after sight loss.
If you, or someone you know, served in the Armed Forces, including National Service, and are now struggling with sight loss, then please get in touch. Call 0800 389 7979 or visit blindveterans.org.uk/gethelp
