Blindness no barrier to drawing for veteran Tring artist

Fred Jefferies, 87, had to retire from his job as a freelance artist in 2001 when he was told he was losing his sight.

After that devastating blow he received support from Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-service men and women, to get back into drawing.

Fred, who was called up for National Service in 1947, has now published his second cartoon book ‘Love is Small Talk’.

After leaving the Services he worked as an artist for 50 years until in 2001, he was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Fred says: “I was referred to the hospital where I was told I was going blind. I was devastated and felt like crying, it was horrible.”

Fred and his wife Nora attended an introduction week at Blind Veterans UK to learn how to live independently with sight loss.

> ‘Love is Small Talk’ by Fred Jefferies is available at bookguild.co.uk

Visit blindveterans.org.uk/support to learn more about the charity.