College gave wounded ex soldier his confidence back. Now he helps others in the same situation

An ex-soldier, who found his confidence again at Cambridge Regional College after losing his sight serving in the army, is using his skills to support others who go blind.

Billy Baxter lost his motivation after being injured in service in Bosnia and came to CRC to study a Performing Arts Course, to give him the kick he says he needed, to get his life back on track.

Eight years after graduating, the larger than life character is now Vice President of a prestigious armed forces charity, and every week helps people struggling to cope with sight loss, as he once did.

“Losing your sight is scary,” Billy said. “I hoped college would help me get my mojo back. It was the best decision I made.

“I was a blind 45-year-old soldier, in a class full of 16-year old lunatics! They were great and I learnt a lot from them. It was lots of fun but more importantly it taught me to live again.

“On a practical level I had to get the bus into college, find my motivation and get used to civilian life after 21 years.

“Cambridge Regional College gave me the confidence to move on. Tutors gave me back my self-belief. They supported me to become me again

“I now use the experience and knowledge gained at college to help others accept, adjust and achieve in their lives after going blind. I cannot thank CRC enough for what they did for me. It changed my life.”

Billy was at Cambridge Regional College from 2008 to 2011 and went on to study at The Brighton Comedy School.

In 2011 he became the Rehabilitation and Training Liaison Officer at Blind Veterans UK, a charity for people in the Armed Forces who lose their sight.

Shortly after, he earned the accolade of being the UK’s only blind Town Crier, in the Welsh town in which he now lives.

Billy said: “I now give back by changing other people’s lives. I know from personal experience how much that means.”

His motivational work role involves running residential courses  for ex-service men and women who lose their sight. To date he has run 180 courses.

“Every course reduces me to tears,” he said. “I’ve been there so I know how it feels.

“Hearing how people learn to live again and being part of that positive journey through my work at Blind Veterans UK is priceless,” he said.

To find out more about the work of Blind Veterans UK follow the link