A WORCESTER couple who found love through the national charity Blind Veterans UK are getting set to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.
Walter Exall, an 89-year-old ex-Royal Signalman from Worcester met his wife Helen at a Blind Veterans UK lunch event in 2013, shortly after he started to receive vital sight loss support from the charity.
Diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration 15 years ago, which slowly robbed him of his sight, Walter wanted the chance to meet other veterans in the area.
After sitting next to Helen at the event, the couple kept in touch and visited each other regularly, eventually getting engaged a year later on holiday to the Blind Veterans UK’s centre in Brighton.
Now living in Gloucester, the couple are looking forward to celebrating their first anniversary together in April.
Walter said: “We hit it off and things have just developed from there. We’d gone on holiday to make sure that we really did get on, and when we did, I decided that I would ask her to marry me.
“In front of about 100 people in the lounge, I asked her and she said ‘no’! I waited half an hour and asked her again but she said ‘no’, then I asked again and she said ‘yes’, so it was third time lucky.
“Our wedding was a wonderful day, it was very special and our families got on remarkably well.
“We’re really looking forward to celebrating our first year together as husband and wife, it’ll be a very special time.”
Having been in contact with Blind Veterans UK for many years as her late veteran husband John had also been supported after he lost his sight, Helen continued to receive support from the charity and attend its social events.
She said: “Blind Veterans UK has really changed my life. They helped me so much when I was caring for John, I can’t praise them enough.
“After he died, I was becoming quite lonely, so it’s almost as if Walter came along at just the right time. We hit it off straight away, and we’re still going strong now.”
As well as helping Walter to find love again, Blind Veterans UK has also helped Walter to adjust to life with sight loss.
He said: “I have a lot to thank Blind Veterans UK for. After I lost my first wife in 2013, the charity helped me get my confidence back, and I’ve got a new life altogether now.”
Call Blind Veterans UK on 0800 389 7979 or visit www.noonealone.org.uk for more information.
