Businesses sponsor wreaths this Remembrance
This Remembrance we invited local groups, businesses and organisations to sponsor wreaths to be laid by blind veterans at local Remembrance events.
Remembrance is a special time for veterans, their families and those in active service. It’s a time to come together to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Each year we support blind veterans in making the journey to march past the Cenotaph in London, but we also recognise that many veterans choose to mark the important occasion by taking part in events close to home surrounded by loved ones and fellow veterans.
Wreaths are provided to these veterans so they too can play an active part in Remembrance.
Thea Pharmaceuticals, Llandudno funeral directors Tom Owen and Sons, and Anglesey hotel Chateau Rhianfa sponsored seven wreaths which were laid by blind veterans in North Wales, Yorkshire and West Sussex.
Employees from Thea Pharmaceuticals laid additional wreaths around the country on behalf of our charity.
Tom Owen and Sons Funeral Directors
Kelly from Tom Owen and Sons Funeral Directors accompanied blind veteran Billy to lay a wreath that they had sponsored at Llandudno's War Memorial.
She said:
“It was such a fantastic day and one I am so proud and humbled to have been a part of.
“I wanted to do my very best for Billy as I knew how much the occasion meant to him.
“Meeting Billy and the other blind veterans that were there was truly inspirational. I also had the privilege of joining them back at the charity’s Centre of Wellbeing to be given a tour. It was great to see all of the work that the charity does.”
Thea Pharmaceuticals
Stephanie from Thea Pharmaceuticals laid a wreath on behalf of our charity in Newcastle Under Lyme.
She said:
“It was an honour to represent Blind Veterans UK and Thea Pharmaceuticals in laying the wreath. Blind Veterans UK was announced and I took my steps forward through the crowd towards the Cenotaph, carefully laying the wreath and paying my respects dutifully.
“It was wonderful to be part of the service and meant a lot after raising funds for Blind Veterans UK when running the London Marathon this year. It was something I will never forget.”
Blind veteran Jim lays one of the sponsored wreaths
Blind veteran Jim laid a wreath at the Rustington War Memorial in West Sussex that had been funded by the ‘Sponsor a Wreath’ campaign.
He said:
“It’s very important for me to pay my respects as so many people through the ages have lost their lives in a bid to defend our freedom.
“I was incredibly proud to lay a wreath on behalf of my fellow blind veterans and on behalf of the charity who have done so much for me.”
Chateau Rhianfa
99-year-old Second World War veteran Victor visited our Centre of Wellbeing in Llandudno for the first time during for the themed military week. Our blind veterans came together at the end of the week to join the town's Remembrance Parade where Victor laid a wreath, sponsored by Chateau Rhianfa. He said:
“It’s wonderful to come to a place where everyone is so understanding of the needs of those with sight loss. I used to enjoy coach holidays, but in the last few years have begun to find the outings and trips a little daunting. The support you get to enable you to access the activities and excursions is outstanding.
"The highlights from this week for me have been the Military Dinner – where I was asked to sit on the top table – and being given the honour to lay a wreath on behalf of my fellow blind veterans.”
If you would like to be part of our ‘Sponsor a Wreath’ campaign next year and help a blind veteran take part in a local Remembrance event, please visit our Sponsor a Wreath page.
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