A MONMOUTH man who lost his sight and hearing five years ago is raising awareness of a local support group and national deaf-blind charity.

Bert Goodwin, 83, a former visual signalman in the Navy and publican at the Queen’s Head, believes his condition was caused by looking into the sun and at flashing lights, when he was in the Navy during the Second World War, but there is no proven link.

The great-grandfather-of-five from Wyesham, has some hearing, using hearing aids, but has learned to touch-type and uses talking computer software and has learned the deaf-blind manual alphabet with wife Sheila, with the help of an outreach worker, should he lose the rest of his hearing.

Mr Goodwin is a member of a council-led advisory group and voluntarily runs Monmouth Vision Impaired Club at the Bridges Community Centre, where members share information and can get help.

“As a club we try to help people living in the Monmouth area with visual problems as much as we can by putting them in touch with a doctor, dentist or local authority,” he said.

“We provide a welcoming atmosphere and somewhere for people to interact socially and go for a pub lunch once a month,” he said.

Mr Goodwin is supported by Sense Cymru, which supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind.

The charity is marking the tenth anniversary of the ‘Deafblind Guidance in Wales’, which ensures those diagnosed with deafblindness can access to social care from councils and are assessed For details about the club contact Sight Support on 01495 763650, and for more on Sense, visit sense.org.uk