A Dumfries grandfather has braved the wind and rain to “tackle Everest” in a bid to raise awareness about people living with sight & hearing impairments across the region.
Colin Lind walked the equivalent of Mount Everest – 5.5 miles – on Wednesday, 2nd September in support of local charity, Visibility Scotland.
The 65 year-old, who has been battling macular degeneration for more than two decades, explained: “I’ve been practising for a while to build up my fitness and work out a course.
I’ll do four laps of Georgetown and the surrounding area to have walked 29,029 ft – or the same as Mount Everest.
“Since Lockdown, things have been extremely difficult for people with sight and hearing impairments. Coping with social distancing measures when out and about can be daunting when you can’t see how close-by others are, or hear people walking up from behind, for example. I’ve had a number of cyclists almost bump into me.” The challenge took Colin just over two hours, and he described the challenge as an “attempt to repay all the efforts that Visibility Scotland has made over the years.”
The Queen of the South fan recalled his diagnosis in 1999: “When you’re first diagnosed, you’re not thinking straight. Most people probably don’t know where their macula is, let alone how it can impact on your daily life. I remember the first tell-tale sign that something was wrong was looking at the clock and not being able to make out the time. It was so distorted.
“Initially I didn’t think there were any organisations that could help down in Dumfries & Galloway, then I found out about Visibility Scotland. I received such great advice and assistance, I felt it was only right and proper that I give something back.” Colin’s previous fundraising initiatives have raised around £1,500 and included quizzes, a charity sale in his garden and a Walk, Talk and Tea event that attracted more than 20 participants.
Lindsay McDowall, head of service at Visibility Scotland, said: “Colin has been an absolute superstar for us. He has given up a lot of his time to help us deliver talks and training. To go out of his way to raise funds, we really appreciate his efforts.” To support Colin’s efforts, visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ColinLind
One partner. No competitors. Supporting local stories across the region.
