Skip to content

Rebuild Appeal

Will you help to rebuild the future of Blind Veterans UK?

One-off donation
Choose an amount to donate:

Donate now
Monthly donation
Choose an amount to donate:

Donate now
A group of blind veterans smiling for a photograph outside the new Rustington Centre of Wellbeing after their visit

Will you help us rebuild our new centre?

We are moving to a new centre of wellbeing and we need your help to make it a safe, accessible space for blind veterans.

We are relocating from our iconic Centre of Wellbeing in Brighton after more than 80 years as it is no longer fit for purpose. We have found a new building in Rustington, Sussex, which will better serve blind veterans for many years to come. It has great potential, but it needs costly renovations to make it fully accessible for vision-impaired veterans. 

Our centres are a vital lifeline for many of our veterans, whether they go for rehabilitation, training, respite care or a well-needed holiday. 

By helping to rebuild our new centre, you’re helping to rebuild blind veterans' lives. 

Donate now

Go behind the scenes

Get a first look at our new building in Rustington as veterans visit the site. 

Some of our blind veterans are helping to design our new centre of wellbeing to make sure that it fully caters to their needs. Watch the video to see their reaction on their first visit. 

Our beneficiaries visiting our new wellbeing centre in Rustington before the building is refurbished
Beneficiaries visit our new Centre of Wellbeing in Rustington before the building is refurbished
Princess Marina House, with a beautiful garden at the entrance featuring greenery and orange flowers
Our new Centre of Wellbeing in Rustington, Sussex
An aerial view of our new wellbeing centre in Rustington, Sussex
An aerial view of our new centre in Rustington, Sussex

Our new centre in Rustington will eventually be a haven for our veterans, but it does need a lot of work. You can see how things are right now in the video and photos above. 

Anything you can give towards our Rebuild Appeal could go towards making our Rustington building a safe space for vulnerable vision-impaired veterans. 

For the latest news on our move to Rustington, click the link below. 

Find out more

Here’s how our centres help blind veterans - meet Noeline

When Army veteran Noeline lost her sight, she also lost the ability to carry out even the most basic tasks. 

Noeline says: "Blindness took away my independence." But a visit to one of our centres of wellbeing changed everything. Our staff showed Noeline how to use a specially adapted device, so she can keep in touch with loved ones. 

She learnt how to cook again with the help of talking gadgets, and we showed her how to walk with a white cane so she is now able to get out and about on her own again. 

A photo of blind veteran Noeline using an adapted keyboard
Blind veteran Noeline using a computer with an adapted keyboard
"Blindness took away my independence. Darkness came in like a flood."
Noeline
Blind veteran

Meet Graham

Sight loss can be extremely isolating and, after Graham's wife died, he became terribly lonely. 

A former South Wales Borderer in the Army, Graham was persuaded to visit one of our Centres of Wellbeing by his daughter. He says his visit was the day his "new life" began.

Graham met fellow blind veterans who he had an instant connection with. Visiting our centre is now the only way that Graham can go on holiday as it's the only place he feels safe enough to enjoy himself.

We need your help to rebuild our new centre so that isolated veterans like Graham can get the break they deserve. 

A photo of Graham, left, with fellow blind veteran Dean
Graham, left, with best friend and fellow blind veteran Dean
“If I hadn’t heard of Blind Veterans UK, I’d be sitting here twiddling my thumbs. It’s been everything to me. It’s a new life.”
Graham
Blind veterans

Donate now

We need your help to turn our new wellbeing centre into a safe, accessible place for our vision-impaired veterans. Your donations can help veterans to get the rehabilitation, training and respite that they so desperately need. 

More ways to support our work