Lesley is a visually impaired Veteran (VIV) who was given the amazing opportunity a few years ago to attend a charity run ski trip in Italy. She was given a personal guide (me), who taught her to ski, guide her round the mountain and was able to spend time with other VIVs. Unfortunately the funding for this trip has now been cut and we need to raise the money ourselves. Lesley has already contributed towards the trip however the cost of a guide who volunteer their spare time is approx £1000 for flights and accommodation etc. We are taking part in 100 squats per day throughout December to try and raise money and get Lesley and her guide to Italy. This trip is so so important to our Veterans and we really want to keep this trip alive. Please donate anything you can.

Lesley's story:

My name is Lesley Hall and I am an army veteran. I joined the Women’s Royal Army Corps at the age of 19 where I was attached to the Royal Corps of Transport. When I left the military, I trained to become a fitness instructor covering personal training for the next 20 years and facilitated classes such as aerobics, pilates and circuit training. I suddenly lost my sight 5 years ago and was subsequently registered as severely sighted. I spent the following year grieving my sight loss and had to learn new ways of doing the simplest of daily tasks. Fortunately, I received a lot of support from my employer and am able to continue my current job of 15 years, albeit with a huge amount of adaptive equipment. My family and friends regularly tell me I am strong and resilient but they will never be able to understand my daily challenges and how the simplest of tasks now take longer and require a great deal of patience. I have had to give up my driving licence which allowed me to drive an HGV, car and motorcycle yet I still try to stay as independent as possible. Sometimes though I have to admit defeat and ask for help. Navigating around my local area with my long cane and bus pass has now become a normal way of life, but to venture outside this safe zone is a daunting and challenging experience.

My first trip with the charity was in January 2022 and I was given Sam as my guide. She totally understood sight loss and guided me with such professionalism I felt completely safe in her hands. I had never been skiing before but by the end of the week I was proficient enough to go from the top to the bottom of the ski slope. Sam knew when I had grasped each lesson she taught, and throughout the week pushed me outside of my comfort zone because she knew what I was capable of. While skiing, all members wear a distinctive ski jacket that shows we are visually impaired. It was often a topic of conversation with other skiers who found it intriguing that our amazing guides give up their valuable time to support us. This trip gave me the space and encouragement to learn a new skill, have fun and meet new people with various sight conditions. I felt comfortable, understood and never judged by anyone as we are all going through the same thing.

Since the age of 16 I have ridden a motorcycle, including riding around the Isle of Mann. This freedom is now, due to my sight loss, a distant memory. This ski trip made me feel alive again and is the next best thing to giving me that same feeling of freedom and independence. For my second time on the trip, I am hoping to further progress my skiing skills by navigating onto bigger slopes. I am looking forward to revisiting friendships made on the last trip and also meeting new members where we can support each other and learn how to adapt and overcome challenges together.