AN ARMY veteran who lost most of his sight six years ago will be “honoured” to be a standard bearer at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the centenary of a charity which helped turn his life around.

Bernard Meehan suffered the devastation of losing most of his sight six years ago after suffering from a stroke. However, after receiving valuable support from the Blind Veterans UK charity, Bernard says his life has been transformed.

And Bernard, from Haresfinch, will have the distinct privilege of being one of three standard bearers at a service to be held on Tuesday, October 6, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the charity.

There are 1,800 veterans, staff and supporters of the organisation expected to attend the event marking the centenary since the organisation began supporting blind and vision-impaired ex-service men and women.

“It is an honour and a privilege to be a standard bearer,” said Bernard, who joined the army in 1968, aged 16.

“I’m happy I am able to give something back for all the support they’ve given me so far.”

Bernard, now 62, served in the Royal Signals where he worked mostly in radio communication and was stationed in the UK, Germany, Belize and Denmark before he left the army in 1992 as a staff sergeant. Afterwards, Bernard was an instructor in the Territorial Army for two years before starting work for the army again, this time as a member of the Non Regular Permanent Staff as a squadron quartermaster sergeant.

Bernard says he began receiving help from Blind Veterans UK in 2010, the year after his stroke, which has provided him with much help in being able to live an independent life.

He has received IT and cooking training at the charity’s centre and received computer software and an audio book player called a Daisy player.

“Losing my sight came as a shock, my entire life changed overnight,” added Bernard, who will attend the ceremony with wife Wendy.

“I started receiving support from Blind Veterans UK and my welfare officer had come by to talk about everything they could do for me. After she left I felt the best I felt since having my stroke.“Because of my memory loss, Blind Veterans UK gave me a special watch that tells me the day, date, time and year, it is an absolute godsend. They also gave me a voice recorder which enables me to take and save messages.

The charity’s support is fantastic. They changed my life after I lost my sight.”