A Harrogate woman with severe sight loss and her friend are set to walk 100km continuously for almost 40 hours whilst tethered together in aid of Retina UK.

Penny Uglow has been losing her sight since she was 13 and is now left with just a 10 pence piece area of her vision in focus. Her condition is called retinitis pigmentosa which progressively breaks down the cells in the retina.

Her sight loss makes the challenge of 100km continuous walking even harder.

But Penny will have the help of her personal trainer and friend James Winder, a crew manager at Harrogate Fire Station, who has to describe each step to Penny and alert her to any obstacles.

Penny chose to fundraise for Retina UK as the charity is currently funding a research trial into a possible cure for her condition. The treatment is attempting to stop the cells dying to maintain as much sight as possible.

Penny is undergoing tests to be part of the trial and although her sight will never return this treatment may help pause any further degeneration.

The pair are taking on the Yorkshire Ultra Challenge and instead of spreading the distance across two days, they have chosen to push through in one go.

When asked why she wanted to take on such a challenge, Penny said:

“I am very excited but also nervous, I don’t know how it will go until I’m there. Maybe it was a slightly crazy plan but I knew it had to be a huge challenge to get people to donate.

“It’ll be such a big achievement for me and that is what will keep me going, especially through the night.”

The pair will be connected by a 60cm tether rope.

Due to Penny’s sight loss and the need for constant guidance the pair expect to walk at a reduced pace of 3km an hour meaning they are likely to be walking for up to 40 hours.

The route is split into two 25km loops going north and south of Pateley Bridge, the pair will walk each loop twice to reach their total distance.

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James Winder said:

“This is a huge challenge for anyone never mind someone with such reduced sight like Penny. When she first came to me with the idea of a marathon for charity I, of course, said yes and then it just progressed. How could I say no when the charity is working so hard to help people like Penny?”

Penny has set her target at £3,500 and has nearly reached £3,000. To donate and support the pair click here.

This Harrogate district charity has offered support to local people since war times and says it will continue to be there for the next 100 years.

Vision Support Harrogate District (VSHD), a sight loss charity, is celebrating is 100th anniversary this month.

It was set up in 1921 to help soldiers blinded during the First World War. Over the century it says it has diversified to meet peoples needs.

It now has a drop-in centre in Harrogate for regular eye clinics and classes. It also organises satellite meetings in Ripon and Pateley Bridge for those living rurally to still feel supported.

Members of the charity getting involved in a chair caning class.

The charity’s staff and volunteers work with anyone who has recently been diagnosed with an eye condition, is registered as sight impaired or needs help for someone they know who is experiencing sight loss.

During the pandemic, the day centre had to close and instead the team have been ringing members as often as they can and kept them up to date with newsletters.

The charity’s director Tanya Stimpson knows first-hand the impact of sight loss after becoming a member 24 years ago. She said:

“It’s been a difficult year but we’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of local people. We are so grateful to everyone involved in helping our organisation, not just at this challenging time, but over the last 100 years.

From our volunteers and trustees to all the local people and businesses who raise vital funds for us, we couldn’t have reached this amazing milestone without you.”

The charity works with Harrogate District Hospital’s eye clinic and low vision clinic patients through a referral service.

Charity members after their line dancing class – even the guide dog joined in!

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Founded on February 4 1921, a year after Parliament passed The Blind Persons Act, the charity began the Harrogate Blind Association. With Ripon being affiliated in 1922.

Ms Stimpson added:

“In some ways, what visually impaired people need and what we are doing now has not changed much in a century. We understand how frightening and lonely it can be for people experiencing sight loss, and we are here to help, support and advise them and their families as much as we can.”

In the 1930’s the members would sell what they had made in the charity shop.

It changed its name to Vision Support Harrogate District in 2016. It now has regular contact with over 300 visually impaired people, is a point of contact for 400 more and makes around 1,000 outreach visits each year.

Membership and most services are free to join.