A BLIND veteran from Alton has been skiing in Canazei, Italy, with other vision-impaired Armed Forces veterans thanks to national military charity Blind Veterans UK.

Davie Edgar, 49, learned to ski for the first time with the support of Blind Veterans UK. He went skiing in the Dolomites mountains range with 24 other vision-impaired skiers as part of the charity’s 41st annual ski trip.

He said: “It was my first time skiing since becoming blind and the sensation of speed and adrenaline was amazing. It feels like you are going so much faster than you actually are. Skiing was something I thought I’d never be able to do again, so there are no words to describe how incredible it was.”

Davie joined the Army in 1986 and served as a sniper in the Coldstream Guards before being discharged as a Guardsman in 1987. During his time in the regiment, he was deployed to Northern Ireland, and frequently took part in intense military exercises.

The Alton man continued: “I loved my time in the Army and the camaraderie I found there. That is something I really missed, but I found it again with Blind Veterans UK.”

In 1989, Davie was called by the Army for a sniper’s updating course but suffered a head injury which led to his sight loss. During a training exercise Davie fell and hit the back of his head so severely that fluid built up inside his brain, damaging his optic nerve.

He recalled: “After the accident I completely lost my sight, but gradually the vision in my right eye came back. Sadly the doctors told me it would eventually go again.

“As they warned, 18 months ago I had three successive strokes due to my head injury and the second one knocked out the sight in my right eye. I became totally blind and completely lost the plot. I actually ended up in a psychiatric hospital for a while because I couldn’t handle it.”

Last year, Davie started to receive support from Blind Veterans UK after being referred by social services. Since then he has been given equipment and IT and independent life skills training to help him maintain his independence. He has also enjoyed the camaraderie of meeting other blind veterans.

He said: “I’ve been given so much by the charity, including a talking computer, but the best thing has been learning to cook again. Blind Veterans UK gave me adapted cooking equipment and training in the kitchen so that I can cook safely. I always loved to be in the kitchen before my sight loss, and now I have the confidence to make meals again.”

Last year, Davie also attended Blind Veterans UK adventure week, where he tried extreme sports like climbing, paddle-boarding, buggy driving, tandem cycling and rafting. Being with other veterans and gaining confidence and new skills encouraged him to attend the ski trip.

He is upbeat about the experience.

“It’s good to spend time with other veterans who have gone through the same thing as me. It gives me the strength and inspiration to keep active and independent. The ski trip was just like being back in the Army and I’ve already put my name down for next year,” he said.

Blind Veterans UK is the national charity for blind and vision-impaired ex-service men and women, providing vital practical and emotional support to help veterans discover life beyond sight loss.

The charity is reaching out to the estimated 1,500 vision-impaired ex-service men and women in Hampshire battling severe sight loss who could be eligible for support but don’t currently realise it. Most of these veterans completed their service many years ago, and have since lost their sight due to conditions such as macular degeneration or glaucoma.

If you, or someone you know, served in the Armed Forces or did National Service and is now battling severe sight loss, find out how Blind Veterans UK could help by calling 0800 389 7979 or visiting blindveterans.org.uk.