A BLIND war veteran from Wirral is urging Globe readers to take part in a fundraising walk supporting the military charity that turned his life around.

The March for Veterans takes place on Saturday, March 28. Covering a distance of 10-miles, it starts in New Brighton on the Marine promenade at 10.30am.

Proceeds will go to Veterans UK, which has dedicated the month of March to veterans with a series of fundraising challenges including the fully guided ten mile walk.

Blind veteran Don Mulryan is among those appealing for Globe readers to register for the event to help boost funds.

The 86-year-old, from West Kirby, said: "Every step that you, your friends, family or dog take on this walk will be raising vital funds to support blind veterans like myself in Merseyside and beyond.

"I urge you to sign up, have a great day out and support a fantastic cause at the same time.

"You can guarantee that blind veterans like myself in the Wirral and beyond will wholeheartedly appreciate it."

Don was called up for National Service in 1952 and trained with the Green Howards before joining the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

He started to lose his sight a few years after leaving the Army.

He said: "When I was first called up, I was actually quite looking forward to joining the Army.

"It was something a bit different and very exciting for a young man.

"The best part of life in the Army was definitely the camaraderie and the social side.

"We were all there to do a job and you learnt to trust and rely on those you worked with."

He started to lose his sight at the age of 33 due to macular dystrophy and his vision has been in decline ever since.

Recalling the events leading up to it, he said: "I was working in a bank and had been offered a job in Canada.

"I'd accepted, we'd sold the house and the family were getting ready to go when I noticed my vision was misty.

"The next day when I went into work, I realised I couldn't read a telephone directory any more. That’s when I knew that it was serious."

The move was abandoned and Don stayed in his job until his eyesight became too poor to work.

Not wanting to be defeated by his sight loss, Don qualified as a technical officer for the blind and has worked for sight loss charities helping businesses make their facilities accessible to people with visual impairments.

Blind Veterans UK supports more veterans than ever before in the charity’s history, but it knows there are many more who still need its support to rebuild their lives following their sight loss.

In 2013, Don found out about the charity and has been supported by the charity from then on.

Recalling his own experience, Don said the charity "has given me really fantastic training and support to help me deal with my sight loss and keep my independence, which is really important to me.

"I'd never really used many aids or gadgets before, but the charity has given me electronic magnifiers and computer software which reads text aloud so I can use a PC even if I can't see the screen.

"They've even taught me techniques which have meant I can paint, which has become a big hobby of mine and I even exhibited some of my work at an exhibition in 2017."

To sign up for March for Veterans, visit www.blindveterans.org.uk/march/wirral