Latest news with #SightScotlandVeterans
Daily Record
18 hours ago
- General
- Daily Record
Scots soldier who lost eye during training opens up on 'daunting' experience
Steven Williams, 42, from Edinburgh, was forced to leave the Army in 2011 after a sharp tree branch snapped back into his face during field training in Nairobi. A Scots soldier who lost an eye during a patrol in Kenya is hoping to inspire others by taking on a gruelling series of Kiltwalks. Steven Williams is raising awareness for veterans with sight loss after he was discharged from the army in 2011 after a branch snapped back in his face in Nairobi. At first, he shrugged it off as there was 'blood". However, by the morning, he was blind in one eye. After flying home to Edinburgh, he underwent 12 operations before doctors gave him the heartbreaking choice - undergo further treatment or remove his eye. He made the difficult decision to have the operation in May of 2011 and was soon informed he was 'no longer fit to serve', reports Edinburgh Live. Steven admits he soon felt he had lost 'his job and purpose, and felt completely lost.' He sought help from Sight Scotland Veterans, which he hailed as 'invaluable'. Now, he's taking part in four Kilt Walks this year in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee alongside his partner. They're looking to highlight the work of Sight Scotland Veterans. Recalling his time in the army, Steven said: 'I served ten years in the Army, starting with the Royal Scots. I did a couple of tours in Iraq and each one was completely different. "The first was intense combat, modern day warfare. The second was more about training the Iraqi Army to be self-sufficient and allow the British Armed Forces to leave. There were some hairy moments along the way, we got blown up by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the back of a FV510 Warrior, an armoured vehicle, during one patrol down 'Route Irish' which is a 7.5mile stretch from the Green Zone to Baghdad's International Airport. "The FV510 Warrior was immobilised when an IED detonated at the front, striking the engine, if it hadn't, I wouldn't be here to tell the story. Our training automatically kicked in and we secured the site but thankfully there was no secondary fire." Steven heard that The Black Watch were seeking a 30-man platoon from Scottish regiments for an upcoming deployment in Afghanistan. Admitting that he was 'naively feeling invincible', he volunteered. Part of the training was in Kenya. He recalled: "After four weeks in the field near Nairobi, a branch snapped back during a patrol and struck me in the eye. There was no blood, and you couldn't really stop, so I kept going, but by morning I couldn't see. "I was CASEVAC (casualty evacuated) from the field and taken to hospital in Nairobi where they removed part of the thorn. I flew back with a field doctor having drops put in my eye every fifteen minutes during a ten-hour flight. 'Back in the UK, and I remember being in Heathrow and I was still wearing my dusty and dirty camouflage clothing, and the field doctor went into one of those fancy designer shops and bought some 'civvy' clothes. I went to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London to stabilise my eye and I was transferred to Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre for a week before returning to my unit in Edinburgh. I still had the eye, but I had no central vision." Doctors 'didn't know what to do' following dozens of treatments, and after two years of being unable to serve, Steven felt he was ready to leave the army. Although admits it was 'daunting'. He continued: "Things got extremely hard. I started to feel sorry for myself and I didn't know what to do. I essentially lost my eye, my job, my purpose, and I felt completely lost. "It was around this time I started to get help from Sight Scotland Veterans and my independent living worker in Midlothian was amazing. She supported not just me, but also my partner and our children. That meant the world, because when a veteran loses their sight, the whole family is affected. Until I had my eye removed, people didn't even understand that I was injured. It was invisible, and that made it even harder to deal with. "I was fitted with a prosthetic eye, but it was so uncomfortable, and I was told I would need yet another operation on my eye lids and I couldn't face it. So, I spoke with my family, and we all agreed that if I was OK with how I looked (without the prosthetic eye), I didn't need it." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Steven is not legally classified as sight-impaired, but says his sight loss affects him every day. He struggles walking downstairs, judging distances or noticing things from the side. He's also 'constantly worries' about bumping into things. Steven says he's spent ten years 'pretending he doesn't have sight loss'. He added: "Over time, I've tried to be a bit kinder to myself. The support I received from Sight Scotland Veterans was invaluable. "They encouraged me to get involved with the community again. I started by volunteering to coach my son's football team. That led me to the Lothian Veterans Centre where, after seven months of volunteering, I was offered a part-time job as an employability officer. "Eventually, I became the operations Manager for four years. It was a rewarding but demanding role, often supporting people in crisis such as facing job loss, homelessness, or struggling with their mental or physical health. "I was regularly contacted out of hours, even on Christmas Day, and often neglected my own wellbeing. All this time I wasn't dealing with my own sight loss, and my mental health began to suffer. Throughout this time Sight Scotland Veterans remained a constant support." Steven realised he 'needed a break', and began exploring mindfulness and yoga. He found a role with Sight Scotland Veterans, and began helping veterans rebuild their lives after the pandemic. Since then, he's started a new role as an independent living worker. He added: "I thoroughly enjoy helping veterans live as independently as possible and reconnect with their communities. "I know first-hand how vital this support is, especially for those experiencing sight loss for the first time or facing significant changes."
Edinburgh Live
a day ago
- General
- Edinburgh Live
Injured Edinburgh soldier on 'daunting' moment doctors 'didn't know what to do'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh soldier who lost his eye during a patrol in Kenya is determined to inspire others. Steven Williams, 42, was discharged from the army in 2011 after a branch snapped back in his face in Nairobi. He kept going as there was 'no blood', but couldn't see by morning. After returning to his unit in Edinburgh, he went through twelve operations - before doctors gave him the option of further treatments or removing his eye. He made the difficult decision to have the operation in May of 2011, and was told he was 'no longer fit to serve'. Steven admits feeling he had lost 'his job and purpose, and felt completely lost'. He started getting help from Sight Scotland Veterans, which he hailed as 'invaluable'. Now, he's taking on four Kilt Walks this year in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee. Along with his partner, he's looking to highlight the work of Sight Scotland Veterans. Recalling his time in the army, Steven said: "'I served ten years in the Army, starting with the Royal Scots. I did a couple of tours in Iraq and each one was completely different. "The first was intense combat, modern day warfare. The second was more about training the Iraqi Army to be self-sufficient and allow the British Armed Forces to leave. There were some hairy moments along the way, we got blown up by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the back of a FV510 Warrior, an armoured vehicle, during one patrol down 'Route Irish' which is a 7.5mile stretch from the Green Zone to Bagdad's Internation Airport. "The FV510 Warrior was immobilised when an IED detonated at the front, striking the engine, if it hadn't, I wouldn't be here to tell the story. Our training automatically kicked in and we secured the site but thankfully there was no secondary fire." Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Steven heard that The Black Watch were seeking a 30-man platoon from Scottish regiments for an upcoming deployment in Afghanistan. Admitting that he was 'naively feeling invincible', he volunteered. Part of the training was in Kenya. He recalled: "After four weeks in the field near Nairobi, a branch snapped back during a patrol and struck me in the eye. There was no blood, and you couldn't really stop, so I kept going, but by morning I couldn't see. "I was CASEVAC (casualty evacuated) from the field and taken to hospital in Nairobi where they removed part of the thorn. I flew back with a field doctor having drops put in my eye every fifteen minutes during a ten-hour flight. 'Back in the UK, and I remember being in Heathrow and I was still wearing my dusty and dirty camouflage clothing, and the field doctor went into one of those fancy designer shops and bought some 'civvy' clothes. I went to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London to stabilise my eye and I was transferred to Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre for a week before returning to my unit in Edinburgh. I still had the eye, but I had no central vision." Doctors 'didn't know what to do' after a dozen treatments, and after two years of being unable to serve, Steven felt he was ready to leave the army. He admits it was 'daunting'. (Image: Sight Scotland Veterans) He continued: "Things got extremely hard. I started to feel sorry for myself and I didn't know what to do. I essentially lost my eye, my job, my purpose, and I felt completely lost. "It was around this time I started to get help from Sight Scotland Veterans and my independent living worker in Midlothian was amazing. She supported not just me, but also my partner and our children. That meant the world, because when a veteran loses their sight, the whole family is affected. Until I had my eye removed, people didn't even understand that I was injured. It was invisible, and that made it even harder to deal with. "I was fitted with a prosthetic eye, but it was so uncomfortable, and I was told I would need yet another operation on my eye lids and I couldn't face it. So, I spoke with my family, and we all agreed that if I was OK with how I looked (without the prosthetic eye), I didn't need it." While Steven isn't legally classified as sight-impaired, he says his sight loss affects him every single day. He finds it hard to walk downstairs, judge distances, or notice things from the side. He's also 'constantly worries' about bumping into things. Steven says he's spent ten years 'pretending he doesn't have sight loss'. He added: "Over time, I've tried to be a bit kinder to myself. The support I received from Sight Scotland Veterans was invaluable. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. "They encouraged me to get involved with the community again. I started by volunteering to coach my son's football team. That led me to the Lothian Veterans Centre where, after seven months of volunteering, I was offered a part-time job as an employability officer. "Eventually, I became the operations Manager for four years. It was a rewarding but demanding role, often supporting people in crisis such as facing job loss, homelessness, or struggling with their mental or physical health. "I was regularly contacted out of hours, even on Christmas Day, and often neglected my own wellbeing. All this time I wasn't dealing with my own sight loss, and my mental health began to suffer. Throughout this time Sight Scotland Veterans remained a constant support." Steven realised he 'needed a break', and began exploring mindfulness and yoga. He found a role with Sight Scotland Veterans, and began helping veterans rebuild their lives after the pandemic. Since then, he's started a new role as an independent living worker. He added: "I thoroughly enjoy helping veterans live as independently as possible and reconnect with their communities. "I know first-hand how vital this support is, especially for those experiencing sight loss for the first time or facing significant changes."
Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Call for disabled veterans facing eviction to be offered ‘a home for a home'
The Conservative leader on West Lothian Council has called for disabled veterans facing eviction to be offered a home for a home. Linburn estate at Wilkieston has been home to tenants of Sight Scotland Veterans – formerly Scottish War Blinded – for decades. The decision to sell off large parts of the estate for housing development affects a total of 13 residential properties on the site, including seven veterans with vision impairment and six private tenants. Conservative group leader and ex-RAF serviceman Councillor Damian Doran-Timson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service said he understood the financial problems the charity faced but was 'dismayed' at the sell-off plans and called on it to reconsider. 'I met with Sight Scotland last week and listened to their views and whilst I believe they do need to look at revenue and income, I request they look at any other options they may have. 'As part of the sale to a developer, I ask the charity to include the clause that like for like houses are built for those that currently live at Linburn and the developer/housing association manage the properties that the current residents are in.' The charity has told residents to find new homes within a year as it revealed plans to sell the land for development. It comes after Sight Scotland Veterans faced losses of more than £18m over the last four years. The charity stressed it was working with residents, and no one was facing immediate eviction. Veterans said they fear spending the rest of their lives on the housing waiting list which already has around 11,000 names. West Lothian Council confirmed that no plans for development had been lodged. The news earlier this week prompted the Leader of the Council Lawrence Fitzpatrick to write to the Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, asking him to 'intervene immediately and help these veterans'. Councillor Doran-Timson also called on Sight Scotland help the Military Museum of Scotland, located on the estate, to relocate if it has to. He added: 'As I have been for a number of years, I am still pressing the council to also identify land in West Lothian that can host the Military Museum.' Founder and curator of the museum, Ian Inglis, told the LDRS that the letter from Sight Scotland had been ' a bit of a shock' but was not unexpected. And he vowed: 'Military Museum Scotland will not close and we will continue our work with veterans.' He said: 'There is no guarantee that housing will be built there, however it has been on the council's Local Development Plan for over 10 years. 'All I have been told is that we have about a year to leave as the land is being sold to help fund Sight Scotland. 'If we were to move out in a year, I think we would have to close the museum now and start packing. That is out of the question as we have bookings right up to the end of the year, and I will not disappoint anyone by cancelling their booking.' Mr Inglis added: 'We have needed a much larger premises for years, we have been looking, but now the pressure is on. There is a place out there with our name on it, we just have to find it. We will be officially launching our campaign next week to try and find somewhere and to raise funds to help with a move. 'Sight Scotland veterans have to do what they have to do to survive as they do great work helping and supporting veterans, as we do. 'It's just a shame that they feel the need to evict veterans from their homes and to evict another Veterans Charity to do that.' Craig Spalding, Sight Scotland Veterans Chief Executive, said: 'Selling the land will secure the financial future of the charity. However, it will mean that the existing housing on the site will need to be demolished. 'We recognise that we have a duty of care to the existing tenants and are committed to finding each tenant alternative living arrangements that are as good as, if not better than, their current accommodation. 'The proceeds from this sale will enable us to continue providing life-changing support at our Linburn Centre, as well as preserving and strengthening the essential services we provide across the country.' Mr Spalding added: 'We recognise that this decision will unfortunately impact current estate tenants, including veterans with vision impairment, and have extended the notice period to a full year. We wish to make it clear that no one faces immediate eviction. 'The charity is committed to working closely with each tenant to help them find suitable alternative accommodation and minimise disruption by offering personalised support through our Financial Well-being service. We informed the tenants of our long-term intentions at this stage; in order to start a conversation with each tenant to understand their specific needs so we can support them effectively.' Councillor Fitzpatrick told the LDRS: 'This must be a very worrying time for the veterans and their families, and it is very upsetting to hear that they are being faced with such an uncertain future at Linburn, along with the museum and veterans centre who do a wonderful job. 'I have written to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Ministry of Defence to ask them to intervene immediately and help these veterans. It cannot be left that veterans – who have proudly served their country – are left facing eviction from a community that they belong to.' A council spokesperson told the LDRS: 'The council has not received a planning application or granted consent for the redevelopment of the veteran's village at Wilkieston. However, we are preparing a new Local Development Plan. 'Through the 'call for ideas' part of this process we have been made aware by Sight Scotland that they wish to dispose of this site for market and affordable homes. 'We are currently reviewing all proposals submitted to the 'call for ideas' to see if they are suitable for development. A proposed plan will be published in due course.' By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Gregor Poynton MP condemns plan to evict disabled veterans from Linburn estate
Gregor Poynton, Labour MP for Livingston, has condemned as 'completely unacceptable' a decision by Sight Scotland Veterans to evict disabled veterans and other vulnerable residents from the charity's Linburn Estate in West Lothian. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The charity has informed 27 residents that they must vacate their homes within a year as it prepares to sell the land to developers in a bid to stem financial losses. Many residents, including seven visually impaired veterans, believed they had homes for life on the estate. Following a visit to Linburn on 6 June, Mr Poynton said: 'These are some of our most vulnerable citizens, disabled veterans who have served our country, and others with significant support needs. The idea that they could be left homeless because of a charity's financial difficulties is completely unacceptable.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Poynton has written to the Scottish Government's Veterans Minister, urging intervention to protect residents and secure the estate's future. He is also seeking urgent talks with Sight Scotland Veterans to explore alternatives to eviction. Gregor Poynton MP with the Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP on a visit to the Linburn Estate. 'Many residents thought they had permanent homes, and now they face being forced out within a year into a housing market already under severe pressure,' Mr Poynton said. 'With more than 10,000 people on West Lothian's housing waiting list, including over 1,200 homeless cases, where exactly are these vulnerable residents supposed to go?' Mr Poynton has backed West Lothian Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick's call for the plans to be abandoned and has written to all affected residents to reassure them of his continued support. 'I will not stop fighting for these residents,' Mr Poynton added. 'No one should face eviction from what they believed was their permanent home, especially not those who have served our country.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sight Scotland Veterans, formerly known as Scottish War Blinded, said the decision followed losses of more than £18 million over four years, with the Linburn Estate alone accounting for almost £1 million of that. The charity's reserves have declined from £61.8 million in 2020 to £46.5 million this year. Mr Poynton said: 'The charity's financial difficulties must not be allowed to create a housing crisis for disabled veterans and other vulnerable residents. I am calling for urgent Scottish Government and charitable sector action to find a solution that protects these homes.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Disabled veterans face eviction over charity cash troubles
An estate for disabled veterans is facing demolition after its charity landlord revealed plans to sell the land to estate in West Lothian has been home to tenants of Sight Scotland Veterans – formerly Scottish War Blinded – for the charity has now told residents to find new homes within a year – with 27 of them facing life on the housing comes after Sight Scotland Veterans faced losses of more than £18m over the last four years. The charity said it was working with residents and no one was facing immediate eviction. 'Every man for themselves' Linburn Park sits on the former Linburn estate, which also houses a military museum, a veterans centre and a community contains 23 homes – 10 of which have lain empty in recent decision affects a total of 13 residential properties on the site, including seven veteran tenants with vision impairment and six private also impacts three non-housing tenants - a military museum, a farmer and a garden Mackie, 71, has lived on the estate since 2015. He is partially sighted and has mobility showed BBC Scotland News a map of the proposed development site in said: "This lot is all going to go and when it does, it's because they're selling the land to a developer."We've heard 40 houses are going up, 50 houses, 400…"I asked at a meeting if [the charity] is going to give us help to find new houses. They said, 'Oh aye, we'll give you a letter that says you're out in 84 days.' That's it."He added: "It's every man for themselves. We'll have to go on the housing waiting list."There are currently 10,820 on West Lothian's list, including 1,260 live homelessness cases. Like the other residents, Mr Mackie was first made aware of the plans in a meeting on 3 June at the village community then received a letter from Sight Scotland read: "Unfortunately, it is no longer financially viable for our charity to run the estate as it is. Many of the houses are vacant, some are in disrepair and the estate is costing us more than we are earning from it."The central part of the Linburn Estate – excluding the Centre and Centenary Hall – was approved as a potential housing development site by West Lothian Council a number of years ago."Given our current financial situation, we now intend to sell the surrounding land to a housing developer and inform the council of our intentions as part of the Local Development Plan."The letter added that no deal had yet been made with a residents got in touch with Your Voice, Your BBC News. Two doors down from Mr Mackie, veteran Craig Kirkland has lived in Linburn Park with his wife Caroline for 18 53-year-old is a former infantryman with King's Own Scottish Borderers who is blind in one eye and suffers from post-traumatic stress moving there, he was the estate's groundsman and owns a parcel of land nearby and raises Kirklands said they believe homes in the estate have been left empty on continued: "It means we will need to find somewhere else. We have 12 months' notice, give or take a few months' leeway."They said if we had a private let, they'd help with the deposit. How can I go into a private let?"The couple sold their Lanarkshire home in the 2000s and signed a tenancy agreement with the believed they would stay in the community for the rest of their 52, added: "At my age, I'm not going to have a mortgage. We'd sold our house to be here."The tension here has been very harsh in the last few weeks." 'We will be homeless' Not all of the tenants are veterans. The housing was opened to private tenants due to a lack of demand from veterans with sight Fisher, 39, has cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and hearing was offered a tenancy at Linburn Park 15 years ago. His parents Kim and Paul Forbes sold their own home and moved to the area to be Keith's full-time Forbes said: "We came out here thinking it was for a lifetime, and this house would be Keith's forever."We thought we were going to here for the rest of our days. This news is devastating for all of us."She continued: "To get the three of us in a home together would be rather difficult."Keith would go into supported accommodation, which would mean he would leave the family home, and we would apply to get accommodation for over-65s."Other than that, there is no way we can go to anybody else. We will be homeless, which is very sad." Local MSP Angela Constance – who is also the Scottish government's justice secretary – met with residents to hear their concerns last told the BBC that she contacted Sight Scotland Veterans who "outlined at the top level the financial issues that they are wrestling with"."It is my job to represent my constituents and the veterans that are residents here in Linburn," she said."It has been deeply distressing. They have felt as if the rug has been pulled from under their feet."Constance said the site's history dated back to the end of the First World War. She added: "When people came to live in this community, they were told they had a house for life. That has been taken away from them."Sight Scotland Veterans – named Scottish War Blinded until 2017 – has the same board as sister charity Sight Scotland, previously known as Royal 1946, Royal Blind paid £14,000 for the estate. It was transferred to Sight Scotland Veterans eight years the decades, Linburn estate developed into a campus offering workshops, tuition and therapy for blind veterans. It also provided in recent years, both charities have faced financial strain – with the veterans' charity posting budget shortfalls between £4m and £6m each year since 2021. 'Veterans are living longer' Chief executive Craig Spalding said the number of supported veterans had increased from 1,500 to 5,500 in recent said: "Veterans are living longer, which is of course welcome, but it has resulted in more age-related sight loss and a greater need for support."Mr Spalding said income was limited and depended largely on fundraising and investment added that between 2020/21 and 2024/25 it supported services from its reserves, which have been reduced from £61.8m to £ Spalding added: "Running the Linburn Estate alone has generated a loss of almost £1m over this period."To secure our services beyond 2031, we now need to generate additional income through the sale of land, investment in income-generating assets, and increased fundraising efforts."Mr Spalding told the BBC the charity was working closely with each said: "We wish to make it clear that no one faces immediate eviction."We have started open and transparent discussions to outline our intention to sell the land for development. "Our priority is to engage constructively with all those affected and to work together to find solutions that are fair, respectful, and take everyone's circumstances into account."A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: "The council has not received a planning application or granted consent for the redevelopment of the veteran's village at Wilkieston."However, we are preparing a new Local Development Plan for West Lothian."Through the 'call for ideas' part of this process we have been made aware by Sight Scotland that they wish to dispose of this site for market and affordable homes."The spokesperson added the local authority was reviewing all of the proposals and would publish a proposed plan "in due course".
