A Spitfire fighter aircraft was spotted over Brighton skies as it marked the closure of the Blind Veterans UK base in Brighton yesterday afternoon (Thursday 3 August).
The salute to Blind Veterans UK, formerly St Dunstan’s, in Ovingdean, included the transfer of a time capsule and music to “formally stand down” the site.
But the highlight was the aerial display at 3pm when a Supermarine Spitfire flew overhead as the charity officially moves its wellbeing and rehabilitation centre from Brighton to Rustington – a move announced in 2021.
There were performances from the Brighton Male Voice Choir, the Not Forgotten Association and Ruth Fahie and Big Band.
Blind Veterans UK centre manager Lesley Garven said: “It was a very special day with music being enjoyed and memories being shared.
“And it was fantastic to be joined by many of our blind veterans who have had their lives transformed in this building.
“The highlight for everyone was definitely the Spitfire aerial display.”
Ms Garven added: “The life-changing work we do here will be continued in our new Rustington home and we look forward to becoming a real part of that community and having new people join the team to play a real part supporting blind veterans every day.”
A group of blind veterans also marched a time capsule 22 miles along the coast to the new base in Rustington.
It was originally buried in 2015 to mark 100 years of Blind Veterans UK.
The capsule contains items and documents detailing the history of the organisation, including a talking watch – the first piece of equipment offered to every Blind Veterans UK beneficiary – and a memory stick containing images from the Ovingdean centre’s history.
It is due to be opened in 2115, 100 years after it was originally buried.
Mark Threadgold, 55, from Saltdean, was one of the blind veterans walking the time capsule to Rustington.
He said: “It’s a tradition in the army to march from your old barracks to your new ones so this is a great way to mark the closing of the old centre and the opening of Rustington.
“Blind Veterans UK has been supporting veterans like me for 108 years so it’s even older than the regiment I was in.
“It’s so important to remember the veterans that came before us so I was so proud to be part of the group that’s transporting the time capsule to the new centre.”
Blind Veterans UK has a long history in Sussex. It was founded as St Dunstan’s in 1915 and opened one of its first premises in Kemp Town two years later.
The building in Ovingdean opened in 1938 to provide rehabilitation for blind ex-service personnel.
The charity’s new Rustington centre will open in September, with new jobs being advertised on the charity’s website.
So sad. Why are they leaving and what is it going to be replaced with? It’s a shame they can’t just keep it and broaden the scope to injured veterans.
The James Taylor Group is awaiting a decision on its planning application to convert the premises into 64 homes, with a cinema, gym and swimming pool for residents’ use only.
As someone who worked full time at Blind Veterans from 2016-20, I can confirm that the physical building had become utterly unfit for purpose. The vast majority of the veterans were over 80 with mobility issues and poor health. Lifts were too small, corridors too narrow to guide for wheelchairs and guiding people. It involved having to move people across a large, impractical building – one that was originally for blinded but physically fit younger men returning from war. And with it’s listed building status, there was very little that could be modified to allow for better disabled access. It could have just limped and struggled on as it was already or concede that it was time to move somewhere that better served the veterans needs and capabilities.
Probably gonna be sold to rich investors who will bulldoze it and turn it into a bunch of crap looking over priced apartments while the council looks the other way.
Couldn’t agree more! It is such a shame! My mother was very happy there.
I can’t imagine the Rustington site will be anywhere near as big?
It’s a beautiful building. Would make great investment flats for renting out. Hopefully are cheaper than ones in hove. Prices are crazy. I got two in Worthing instead!
What is going on with this building, very strange indeed?