National charity Blind Veterans UK today announced its beneficiary recruitment level has reached a “record high” thanks to a targeted campaign to drive up numbers.
In the 2013-14 financial year, an impressive 708 vision-impaired ex Service men and women became beneficiaries of Blind Veterans UK, a record intake of new beneficiaries in the charity’s 99-year history.
The increase in beneficiary recruitment is due to Blind Veterans UK’s No One Alone campaign.
Launched in October 2012, the campaign is designed to encourage vision-impaired Armed Forces and National Service veterans to register for Blind Veterans UK’s free services and lifelong support by calling freephone 0800 389 7979 or visiting www.noonealone.org.uk
During the 2013-14 financial year, the No One Alone campaign has encompassed an extensive array of integrated PR, marketing and engagement activity.
Campaign highlights have included national bus and billboard advertising; print and online advertising; a comprehensive programme of national and local PR coverage (including TV, print publications and radio); and Blind Veterans UK’s regular participation in sight-loss related national and local events.
The campaign has also seen Blind Veterans UK actively develop its ‘referral’ network of organisations and individuals who refer eligible ex Service personnel to the charity.
During the year, the campaign was further boosted by endorsements from a wealth of high-profile celebrity veterans, including Michael Caine, Michael Parkinson, Bruce Forsyth, Johnny Ball, Brian Blessed, Bill Treacher, Geoffrey Palmer, Martin Bell and Brian Sewell.
Blind Veterans UK launched its ‘No One Alone’ campaign in October 2012 to reach out to ex Service men and women who could be eligible for our support, but are not currently aware of this. Independent research suggests that there are more than 68,000 veterans who could still sign up for Blind Veterans UK’s free services and support.
The No One Alone campaign is aimed not only at the vision-impaired ex Service men and women Blind Veterans UK would like to help but also influential people in their lives: from carers, relatives and friends to healthcare professionals and military contacts.
These are the people who can tell vision-impaired ex Service men and women about the difference Blind Veterans UK can make to a person’s life.
Blind Veterans UK Head of Marketing and Communications, David Bassom, said: “Blind Veterans UK is keen to provide more vision-impaired ex Service men and women with our free services and life-changing support. We also want to raise greater awareness of the fact that Blind Veterans UK’s support extends to all those who served and are blind or vision impaired – regardless of when or where they served and how they lost their sight.”
Founded in 1915 as St Dunstan’s, Blind Veterans UK provides ex Service men and women with the practical support, training and equipment they need to discover life after sight loss.
The charity has three national centres (in Brighton, Llandudno and Sheffield) and a network of qualified Welfare Officers who support veterans to live in their own homes.
If you know someone could might be eligible for our support, or if you’re an ex Service man or woman experiencing sight loss, please call freephone 0800 389 7979 or visit www.noonealone.org.uk today.
