​Brighton station team welcome Blind Veterans UK ahead of House of Lords meeting

The team at Brighton station welcomed Ovingdean-based Blind Veterans UK today [Wed 22 May] ahead of the organisation’s meeting at House of Lords. The meeting was to discuss research into traumatic brain injuries in conflict that result in sight loss.

The organisation helps ex-service men and women rebuild their lives after sight loss and has been providing rehabilitation, training, practical advice and emotional support to blind veterans since 1915.

Brighton station manager Daniel Sands and the team met the group on Wednesday morning ahead of their journey. For the second year running, GTR, which runs Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services out of Brighton, has supported the international visit, providing the group with complimentary travel to London.

The group is this week hosting its American counterparts, the Blinded Veterans Association and South African War Blinded Friends, for a week-long visit to their rehabilitation centre in Ovingdean, near Brighton, as part of an annual event called Project Gemini.

Blind Veterans UK and their visitors are heading the House of Lords on Wednesday to talk to members of the Upper Chamber about research into traumatic brain injuries in conflict, which result in sight loss.

The week-long visit is intended to further strengthen the ties the Blinded Veterans UK have with the Blinded Veterans Association and St Dunstan’s South Africa. The visit will provide the opportunity for recently blinded ex-servicemen and women to explore new technology and ideas that could benefit blind and visually impaired ex-servicemen and women. They will also be discussing the various coping strategies that can be used in order to help lead full, active and independent lives.

President of Blind Veterans UK, Colin Williamson, said, “We want to give a huge thank you to GTR for their support of Project Gemini this year.

“Project Gemini is all about ex-service men and women from different countries coming together to share experiences and support each other and GTR are supporting us to bring blind veterans together to enable this to happen and we really appreciate their very generous gesture,” he added.

Katherine Cox, GTR’s CSR Manager, said, “We are very happy to further cement our support to Blind Veterans UK. We wish all of the team the very best for their trip to London.”

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