A blind veteran from Dorset has made a special batch of scented candles to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day and is selling them to give back to a military charity that has supported him since he lost his sight.
Tony Haskey, 65-years-old and from Poole, has made five different scents of his ‘After the Darkness’ candles which include Lime, Basil & Mandarin, Rocksalt & Driftwood, and Lemongrass & Ginger. 50% of all profits made from the candles will go to Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-service men and women.
He says:
“Making candles allows me to channel my thoughts and emotions into something beautiful, and I often think of the warmth and light they bring to spaces, much like the support Blind Veterans UK provides to veterans.
“The charity has continued to motivate me to continue my craft after sight loss and to support those who have sacrificed so much.
“I hope that people can burn a candle, think of those who laid down their lives for us, and know that the candle is burning in their memory. It would be a wonderful thing for me and my heart.”
Since he lost his sight Tony has found lots of ways to adapt his candle making process. He says:
“I use talking scales to weigh up the fragrance I’m using and I purchase wax in blocks of certain weights so I can cut them to the right size consistently. I also have my magnifier which helps me read the labels on the fragrance bottles so I know exactly what I’m making.”
Tony first joined up to the Royal Marines at 16-years-old. It was later in his career while serving on an operation overseas when he first felt something was wrong with his vision; he saw a medic who advised that he had an incurable eye condition and was told to return to the UK. He says:
“I was feeling low, I had to return to the UK alone and leave my unit and comrades behind.”
On his return to the UK, Tony was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that worsens over time and can affect vision in a number of ways such as night blindness, trouble adjusting to light changes, difficulty seeing colours, and narrowed peripheral vision.
He says:
“I was 27-years-old at that point and my world fell apart. I was absolutely devastated by the news. I went home from the hospital and started to contemplate what I’d been told. I got depressed and felt that was the end for me. The career I’d set up to do well in had come to an end. I didn’t know what job opportunities were available to me. I was frightened and alone.”
In 1993, Tony discovered Blind Veterans UK and began receiving the charity’s support. He was sent to the charity’s rehabilitation centre to attend a six-week course which included basic housekeeping, cooking and computer literacy skills. He says:
“When I arrived at the centre, I was in a deep void with no self-confidence, no self-worth and no self-belief. I had not imagined I would be made to feel so welcome and I learnt a lot more than I anticipated. Every day of the course was a new beginning. I was away from my family, but I knew that by spending the time on myself, I may be able to find a new career.”
On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Tony says:
“As someone who is still fortunate to be here today, I look back at the legacy that the young men and women left behind and fail to see how anyone couldn’t acknowledge their worth. We have our liberty today because of their sacrifice.”
Tony’s candles can be purchased from seabreezecandles.co.uk. They are also available at the Foundry Arms on Lagland Street in Poole, Custom House on the Quay, Lake Road Social Club, and at Blind Veterans UK’s centre in Rustington.
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
