Veteran organises exhibition after losing her sight

A veteran who said her "world fell apart" when she suddenly lost most of her sight at work has put together an art exhibition to raise money.

Jennie Fuller from Daventry, Northamptonshire, lost her eyesight while serving in the Women's Royal Army Corps.

"When I was first told of my diagnosis, I was devastated [and] extremely worried," she said. "My world fell apart. I feared I would lose my job and my home."

Ms Fuller received support from Blind Veterans UK in 2018, and money raised from the exhibition will be given to the charity.

The exhibition will take place on 4 and 5 May at Dodford Village Hall.

Ms Fuller, who also served as a police officer in Northampton, now works for Blind Veterans UK.

"Meeting a fellow blind veteran at the Blind Veterans UK Centre of Wellbeing in Llandudno inspired me to challenge myself and get on with life," she said.

"That peer support was worth its weight in gold.

"I learnt that just because I'd lost some of my sight, it didn't mean life was over. I just had to accept it and adjust, which was a journey in itself."

The exhibition has been put together by local artists.

Ms Fuller said she tried to push herself to continue with things she was passionate about, including painting, cake decorating, drawing and cooking.

"I have no usable sight in one eye, seeing only grey, and limited sight in the other, and therefore have no perspective, so art is challenging," she said.

"However, I become totally immersed in what I'm doing when I paint.

"I make the most of what I can do, and I'm open to trying new things. I wake each morning, and as long as I can see the sun, I feel very lucky and very grateful."

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