Chris Cooper, 43, works as a gardener at Helmsley Walled Garden but lives in York, has recently completed the Coast-to-Coast challenge – which took him from St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay – to raise money for the sight loss charity MySight York.
He became involved with them last year after his retina twice detached – leaving him with a sightless eye, which doctors then removed.
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Through the National Artificial Eye Service, Chris was given a prosthesis and was introduced to a member of the MySight York team in York Hospital, who were able offer him eight weeks of counselling services which helped him adapt to life with sight loss.
Off the back of this, he learnt more about their services and decided to do a fundraising walk to give back to the charity for the help that they’d not only offered him but those in the position.
Chris said: “This would be a cathartic thing for me to do and raise money that would cover at least the cost of my counselling and to help people like my gran, who has macular degeneration.
“I just feel the need to give back to MySight – they didn’t ask me to do it, but the work they to for people is really important and I wanted to give back to them.”
Starting from St Bees on the Cumbrian coast on August 9, the 14-day long walk took Chris across the Pennines to the Yorkshire Coast at Robin Hood’s Bay and was done with minimal training.
While his trip was done solo, he was joined by nine people, and a dog, over the course of the challenge, enjoying some stretches with friends and spending others with family members who were able to keep him motivated.
Ali Fletcher, income generation manager for MySight York, which is based in Walmgate, said: “Chris is a shining example of how someone with sight loss can smash those practical and societal barriers to achieve something incredible!
“His support for MySight York has been heartwarming, empowering, and truly inspiring to staff and members alike. We can’t thank him enough!”
Chris has raised a total of £6154 from 169 donations at the time of writing and is still accepting donations through his JustGiving page.
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