HMS Sultan: Brilliant sports day organised for blind veterans at Gosport summer camp - pictures

Hoopla, basketball, deck hockey and shuttle runs were just some of the challenges undertaken by the group of seventeen veterans at the Gosport site. They were aided by human ‘dogs”, a group of volunteers from the military base and the retired service community.

Carol Davies, who served in the Women’s Royal Army Corp Royal Signals, travelled all the way from Skegness in Lincolnshire to participate in the camp. She is registered blind but has partial sight – being the carer for her husband who is blind. This is the first time she has attended the camp week after being part of the Blind Veterans UK (BVUK) charity for 15 years. “I’m really enjoying it,” she added. “At home I have a blind husband, I’m his carer. I have some sight and it’s nice to come here and do something different. Everyone is just wonderful; it’s great fun and the banter feels like old times.”

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BVUK organises the week to encourage blind and partially people to remain independent. Charity CEO Adrian Bell said: “A huge thank you to HMS Sultan for supporting BVUK and to CPO Lorry Osman without whom this wouldn’t happen. The difference this makes to our members in terms of comradeship, opportunities and fun really can boost confidence and self-reliance, equally it offers much needed respite to hard working carers.”

The veterans gathered in the Royal Navy Air and Marine engineering training base. Visitors also got to enjoy sailing, archery, indoor climbing, cray golf, and horse riding. Historically supported by the Fleet Air Arm Field Gun Crew, the Blind Veterans UK Summer camp has been successfully hosted by HMS Sultan since 1996 following the closure of HMS Daedalus. Many of those Field Gunners who were associated with supporting the event prior to the move are still involved to this day.

The base’s Commanding Officer, Captain Mark Hamilton, said: “I am delighted to welcome our Blind Veteran campers and their supporters into HMS Sultan. The event provides an action-packed week for all of those involved and I look forward to spending time with them here during their visit. Blind Veterans UK is a fantastic charity; I am hugely proud of our long-standing relationship.”