A 99-YEAR-OLD blind veteran has completed a 100-lap walking challenge to raise money for charity.

Nancy Bowstead, who lives in Brighton, completed the sponsored walk around the centre's garden in two hours on Wednesday and has raised more than £300 so far for Blind Veterans UK.

She will turn 100 in September and said she was inspired by Sir Captain Tom Moore’s fundraising last year. She said: “He was a great inspiration and I hope that I can raise as much money as he did.”

Chief executive of Blind Veterans UK Major General Nick Caplin commended her efforts but was not surprised: He said: “Nancy has an indomitable spirit and is always looking for ways to help others.”

The Argus: Nancy turns 100 in September and wanted to celebrate by giving back to Blind Veterans UK

Nancy joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1941 and was commissioned as an officer in 1943, stationed on a gun site in Swansea for the rest of the war before being discharged in 1948.

She lost her sight due to glaucoma and found support from Blind Veterans UK in 2011 where she met her partner Peter and the two had a love blessing at the charity’s chapel in 2019. Peter died during lockdown last year.

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Nancy used to knit balaclavas and mittens for the soldiers as a child, and she also did a similar walking challenge for her 90th birthday raising £3,000: “I’ve always wanted to give something back.”

There is still time to support Nancy in her walking challenge. Visit her fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nancybowstead?newPage=True