Ray Hazan OBE

Raymond Hazan OBE

Raymond was totally blinded, lost his right hand and suffered severe hearing loss in an IRA parcel bomb explosion in 1973. He was on his second tour of duty with the Army inNorthern Irelandat the time. He has been helped by Blind Veterans UK ever since. Ray has been our President since October 2004.

After a period of training at Blind Veterans UK (formerly St Dunstan's) Ray spent two years at the International School of Interpreting in Mons, Belgium.  He was the subject of a BBC TV documentary in 1974, which followed his physical and emotional rehabilitation. 

He joined the Blind Veterans UK staff in 1977.  He spent many years in Public Relations, then moved to Welfare. He retired in February 2011 as Members Services Manager and Editor of our monthly in-house journal, the Review magazine.

He was elected as a member of our Council in October 1998, and President in October 2004. He retains both these positions.  He is also Vice-President of the International Congress of War Blind Organisations having also served terms with them as President, and a Freeman of the City of London.

Ray was born in Cheshire in 1945.  He was educated at Charterhouse and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.  Commissioned into the Royal Anglian Regiment in 1965, he saw service in the UK, Cyprus, Libya, Malaya, Kenya, and Gibraltar.

He was awarded an OBE in the New Year's Honours list in 2012 for his services to Blind Veterans UK and the blind community.

Ray is a licensed radio amateur and his interests over the years have included rambling, skiing, and computing.  He is also a member of a local Rotary Club.