Blind veteran Simon is the new Mayor of Morley

Simon, 45 and from Morley, was sworn in as the town’s new Mayor earlier this month.

Simon says: "It was a very proud moment for me and my family being sworn in and as well as thanking my family I wanted to take the opportunity to thank Blind Veterans UK and Leeds Rhinos Foundation for all they’ve done to help me get here."

As well as becoming Mayor, Simon has also been recently elected as the new Leeds City Councillor for Morley North representing the Morley Borough Independents.

Simon joined the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 1997. During his career, he worked as a mechanic servicing and maintaining armed vehicles, serving in Germany, Kosovo, Poland, Canada and Iraq.

He lost his sight in 2006, while serving as a corporal. He led a successful mission to rescue six stranded colleagues in Iraq when he was shot in the face by a sniper, the bullet entered his left cheek and exited the other side.

Simon awoke 17 days later in a Birmingham hospital. He had lost all sight in his left eye and had to undergo several intensive operations to reconstruct his face. He was left with around 20 per cent vision in his right eye. Fortunately, he found out about Blind Veterans UK and started receiving our support in 2007.

He says: “When I found out that I’d lost my sight, my world fell apart. I’d lost my career; I’d lost my job and I’d lost my future. Blind Veterans UK gave me the training and support to move forward with my life.

“In my early days with the charity the education and peer support were invaluable. They built up my confidence and gave me support with the pragmatic things I needed moving forwards. I learned how to use email again, I learned how to cook meals by myself, things most people take for granted.”

Simon now works part time for our charity supporting us reach out to help more blind veterans. He has also gone on to have a hugely successful career playing and now coaching Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL) with Leeds Rhinos. He says: “I’m really proud of where we’ve managed to take PDRL and, although my playing days are behind me, I find coaching, particularly with kids, some of the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.”