My son Ryley has bi-lateral optic nerve/renal coloboma (along with a few other visual issues) and is registered as severely visually impaired. Whilst he is an active, confident and happy 10 year old, there are a whole host of activities which he is simply excluded from.

A couple of years ago, we heard about VICTA and gave them a call. VICTA has helped to open up Ryley’s world, arranging all kinds of great days out. Ryley gets the opportunity to meet other children with visual impairments (“…its not just me with ‘dodgy’ eyes”) and gets to try out new skills, and attend fantastic free and subsidised events which sometimes include touch tours and audio commentary. This year alone he has been along to an all-action PGL activity camp, been on a touch tour at Harry Potter World and had a very special treat, by sleeping over at the Natural History Museum – he LOVED it!

Since VICTA is a charity, I thought it would be nice to give something back – so I have teamed up with my partner to raise money to help VICTA to continue to support VI children and their families. Living near a huge park, I like to take the odd walk but thought I’d push myself a little and head off to Spain to walk one of the Camino trails.

So… following the ancient route of the Camino del Salvador, on Sept 30th we will begin a five day trek across the Cordillera Cantábrica in Northern Spain. Travelling from Leon to Oviedo we will be aiming to walk a total distance of 120km. As we will be crossing the mountains, we will be giving up all home comforts and will only be able to take respite in very modest dwellings(!!)

This isn’t just a walk in the park, this will be challenging… so PLEASE, PLEASE donate so we can help VICTA to continue to dream up ways for VI children to get ‘involved in’, so that they can have as much fun and get up to as much mischief as their fully sighted friends and family. ANY and EVERY little helps..!! Even £1 would be great. So PLEASE, PLEASE make sure all our training, aches, pains and blisters are worthwhile!