A Hove pensioner's battle with sight loss has led her to become the star of a charity calendar.

Jacqueline Goorwitch, 83, from Hove, poses confidently in a picture taken for the new Action for Blind People calendar as one of 27,000 people to have benefited from the charity over the past year.

Sprightly Jacqueline suffers from Glaucoma - a group of eye conditions which cause optic nerve damage and sight loss - and was chosen for calendar after impressing charity bosses.

She said: “The charity asked me how I felt about losing my sight for their Annual Review brochure. I was honest and said I had been through a period of denial and aggression and I was grieving for the loss of it - but I was slowly coming to terms with it and accepting what was happening.“They told me they liked my attitude and said I could help other people my age who were going through the same thing.

“I wondered how on earth I could help people and they said they'd love to come and take some pictures for their calendar and share my story.

“Two young people came to see me and we had pictures taken on Hove seafront in November. They really looked after me and were very charming. I was honoured to be chosen.”

Action for Blind People said it chose Jacqueline because she “stands out as a brilliant example of someone who is always positive, continuing to live life to the full despite being visually impaired”.

Jacqueline added: “I hope my story helps other people. When you're in denial about your sight loss you can become aggressive and self-pitying. It's a shock. “My sight started going when I was about 79, so this acceptance process has taken a few years. But I have wonderful friends who look after me and I hope others take strength from my experience.”

For more information on Action for Blind and to read Jacqueline's story, visit www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/annualreview2013.