87-year-old visually impaired veteran to march with great-grandson

An 87-year-old former Royal Air Force (RAF) service member, who experienced vision loss a decade ago, is scheduled to march at the Cenotaph this Sunday, accompanied by her teenage great-grandson. Janet Hazlewood, a resident of York, will participate in the Remembrance Sunday commemorations in London, walking alongside 14-year-old cadet Dillon. Mrs. Hazlewood is set to join over 40 other veterans who receive assistance from Blind Veterans UK, which is the national charity dedicated to supporting visually impaired former service members. Mrs. Hazlewood’s service began in 1955 when she enlisted in the Women’s Royal Air Force. For two-and-a-half years, she held the role of a photographer, responsible for capturing images for the identity cards issued to service personnel. Her discharge from service, at the rank of senior aircraftwoman, occurred upon her marriage to her husband, who had served in the RAF for 29 years himself. Mrs. Hazlewood stated: “About eight years ago, my vision had declined to the extent that I decided to stop driving, which is what I miss the most.” She continued: “My mother also had macular degeneration and lost her sight suddenly, so I am very aware of what might happen.” She added: “That’s why I do all I can to maintain my eye health and the small amount of vision I have left.” Mrs. Hazlewood mentioned that Blind Veterans UK had “done so much” to assist her since her vision loss, providing items such as a magnifier for reading letters and talking scales to aid her cooking. She further commented: “I am hugely looking forward to marching alongside my fellow blind veterans this Remembrance.” She noted: “I’m 87 now so I’m not sure how many more times I’ll be able to be there.” She concluded: “I know that the energy from the crowds will give me a massive lift again.” Adrian Bell, the chief executive of Blind Veterans UK, stated that a component of remembrance involves recognizing “the significant challenges faced by veterans living with life-altering injuries from their service”. He remarked: “This year marks important anniversaries for our veterans, not least the 80th anniversaries of key battles that turned the tide of the Second World War and 25 years since Kosovo.” He added: “With these in mind, we will be particularly thinking of all those tragically lost and wounded in these conflicts, and of their families.”