An Irvine veteran with sight loss proudly represented charity Scottish War Blinded in the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph March Past in London.

Former Gordon Highlanders Infantryman, Peter Ramsay, 50, took part in the emotional event for the very first time.

Peter’s “devastating” diagnosis of eye condition retinitis pigmentosa (RP) led to his medical discharge from service in 1991. The condition means he struggles to see in poor light and his peripheral and central vision are affected.

But since he started attending Scottish War Blinded’s Paisley activity hub, the Hawkhead Centre, Peter says the support he has received has been “life changing”.

And he jumped at the chance to represent the charity on such a poignant occasion, with his mother Jeananne also by his side.

Peter said: “I felt very proud and emotional. Also having my mum with me made it so much more special.

“It was a great honour to be part of the event and I’m so proud to be part of the Scottish War Blinded family. The highlight for me and my mum was definitely the amazing reception we received from serving members and the public. It was quite emotional, to be honest.

“Scottish War Blinded means so much to me. For me, it’s like a family. I want to thank the staff for making this possible. It’s great to be a part of the charity.”

Peter was part of a 20-strong group of Scottish War Blinded veterans from across Scotland who represented the charity at the parade. Several of the group also attend the Hawkhead Centre on a regular basis.

This was the second time Scottish War Blinded has taken part in the March Past, with last year’s centenary of the end of World War One marking their first appearance in the parade.

The charity was founded in 1915 to help veterans blinded during World War One. Today, Scottish War Blinded supports ex-servicemen and women with sight loss across Scotland, including National Service veterans, no matter how and when they lost their sight.

Scottish War Blinded gives free support to former servicemen and women of all ages, no matter if they lost their sight during or after service. Visit www.scottishwarblinded.org or call 0800 035 6409 to refer a veteran to the charity.