A veteran from Kingston will spend Christmas with other vision-impaired ex-service men and women at Blind Veterans UK’s Brighton centre for the third time.

Called up in 1944, Bill Hewson, 91, joined the Royal Armoured Corps.

He was stationed at Bovington training camp and progressed to the rank of Corporal by the end of his Service.

Bill said: “I sustained an injury to my hand when I was still in training and so instead of being stationed abroad I was put in charge of running the barracks at Bovington.

“It was hard work but I knew it was important to keep everything running smoothly.”

It was not until years later, when Bill was in his eighties, that he was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration and told that he would become blind.

He had to give up driving, could no longer read and had to adapt to his sight loss alongside looking after Rita.

Bill said: “It can be a bit of a struggle sometimes because my wife’s condition means that she often forgets where things are.

“With me being blind it can be a struggle finding them again.”

In 2013, Bill started to receive support from Blind Veterans UK, a few months after been referred by his optician.

Since then Bill has received equipment like a talking watch and a non-slip dinner mat to help him maintain his independence.

He has also visited the charity’s rehabilitation centre in Brighton for training and respite and “enjoyed the camaraderie of meeting other blind veterans”

Bill said: “I’ll be spending Christmas at the centre with my wife Rita. We’ve been married for 65 years and I love her very much but now that she has dementia I’m both her husband and her carer.

“It can be very tiring and I know that having a week at the Blind Veterans UK centre in Brighton will be a chance for both of us to relax.

“I know that I’ll be well looked after when I’m at the centre for Christmas and the same goes for Rita.

“It’s been so wonderful joining Blind Veterans UK because you’re really treated like family.”

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.