A Swansea family have reached the summit of Pen y Fan to raise money for Guide Dogs, the latest in a growing list of challenges they have taken on for the charity.
Catrin Pugh, who has sight loss, climbed the 886-metre peak on Sunday with her children Madi, Millie and Noa, seven members of the extended family, and two dogs: Beti the labradoodle and Jac, a Yorkshire terrier cross Bichon Frise.
“Other walkers saw we were wearing Guide Dogs tops and were asking us how they could donate,” said Catrin, who is hoping to be matched with a guide dog.
Catrin has lived with the eye condition retinitis pigmentosa for many years, and was more recently diagnosed with Usher syndrome, which is also associated with hearing loss.
“I’ve had to learn to do things differently,” she said. “I had great support from Guide Dogs to regain my mobility and independence, and I want to give something back.”
‘Not a dry eye in the house’: the chapel coffee morning that banked £3,425
The fundraising began with Catrin’s mother-in-law, Christine Pugh, after she attended a talk by local puppy raisers Dave Davies and Linda Colwill, who brought along retired guide dog mum Pebble. “There was not a dry eye in the house,” Christine said. “We were totally on board.”
“I’m a social butterfly and tapped up everyone in my various groups to come to a coffee morning in Penuel Chapel. It was so busy that you couldn’t park in Loughor Road, and we banked £3,425 from the event. A visiting minister put a cheque for £250 through my door, and people were putting notes into collecting bowls on the table.”
The event meant going public with something the family had trodden carefully around. “Before that, Catrin’s sight loss had been a taboo subject for me, and I did not want to raise the topic unless Catrin was ready to speak about it,” Christine said. “I knew the coffee morning would make the condition public, but Catrin and my son Hywel, her husband, totally embraced the idea.”
Catrin’s life had changed completely 18 months earlier, when her diagnosis prompted early retirement from her job as a teacher in charge of behaviour and wellbeing. “I was totally not accepting what was happening,” she said. “I went through stages of grief at my sight loss, but all this has had me engaging and being honest with other people.”
‘She changed everything’: ready for a guide dog
Things turned when Catrin was put in touch with Guide Dogs vision rehabilitation specialist Clara Markwick. “She was incredible, building my confidence and getting me out and about and independent, giving me ways of coping,” Catrin said. “She explained that although I was using a long cane, it was the wrong type for me. She changed everything, and now I feel I’m ready for a guide dog.”
“Learning to do things again was exhausting. I was getting anxious at work, but I’ve been through the grieving process now and I feel I’m getting back to being myself. I’m looking forward to getting back on a horse and going to the gym, finding time for me again.”
The family now plan to keep fundraising until they can name a guide dog puppy. Nine-year-old Noa aims to cycle 100 miles in August, having already run the Gorseinon 2k, family and friends have walked from Swansea Marina to Langland Bay, and Catrin is looking forward to using her new talking scales for a bake sale.
Donations to the family’s fundraising can be made through their JustGiving page.
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