Bristol father Huw Grove is taking up the challenge of a lifetime to help a Highbridge-based childrens charity.
On October 15th Huw is trekking off along Peru’s Inca Trail to the long-hidden ancient city of Machu Picchu, to raise money for the National Blind Children’s Society which has its head office in Market Street, Highbridge.
Huw, pictured, lives in Stoke Gifford, Bristol, with his wife Jackie and their two children. His seven-year-old son, Harrison, is registered blind with congenital nystagmus.
Huw said: “Harrison copes extremely well – many people would not even recognise that he has a visual impairment, let alone to the extent that he is registered blind. There are many like Harrison who have needs which go unrecognised by the general public, but that doesn’t make their need any less significant.”
“That is what made us choose NBCS, which offers a wide range of support to children and young people whose needs are often overlooked and who strive to live a normal life.”
“Harrison is an achieving student, and is very capable, but does so in a mainstream school only through the use of visually enhancing technology and support. Supporting NBCS is one way we can ensure that other children realise their potential to the extent we feel Harrison is able to realise his.”
Together with his wife, Huw runs the Learning Grove, a leadership and management training company which has supported charities since they set it up in 1995.
The whole family has been helping Huw with his fitness training for the trek and he is aiming to raise at least £8,000 for NBCS.
NBCS Chief Executive Carolyn Fullard said: ‘We are hugely grateful to Huw and his family and wish him the best of luck on his exciting challenge. With the help of supporters like him we have already changed the lives of more than 5,000 families of children and young people with visual impairment, but there is so much more we could do if we had the funds. There are at least an estimated 24,000 such children in the UK who need our help.”
