Warwick fundraiser reaches 20k target with weeks to spare

And the great news is that with Debbie’s last event on September 14, still to take place, she’s already raised more than £26,000 for the charity Fight for Sight.

The 49-year-old, who lives in Woodloes Park and works for Warwick contract cleaning firm Hy-Kleen, has lived with Usher Syndrome since she was a teenager.

The condition first manifested itself when she began to lose her hearing, closely followed by deteriorating eyesight. Her younger brother Adrian, followed the same distressing pattern.

But neither have allowed the rare genetic disorder to stop them from working.

Nor in Debbie’s case publicly announcing her personal fundraising drive last year.

She said: “Both Adrian (pictured in the inset on the right) and I have tunnel vision which, without a cure, will never improve. But I am able to work in administration with an enhanced computer screen and Adrian, who lives in Suffolk, can actually manage his job as a graphic designer.

“In the past I’ve organised smaller fundraising events but this past 12 months, as chairwoman of the Warwickshire Fight for Sight committee, I really wanted to go for it so I set my own ambitious target.

“As it turned out our 20th golf day at Stoneleigh Deer Park in July was truly amazing - we raised £18,000 on that one event!

“More than 27 teams entered, including one with ex-snooker player and sports commentator Willie Thorne, who fans of Strictly Come Dancing will remember in the fifth series with professional partner Erin Boag.

“We had donations of some great prizes and members of my family and friends were all so generous.”

Every day 100 people in the UK lose their vision due to a variety of conditions. The Fight for Signt charity has been sponsoring world-class research for the past two decades.

Another high note of the golf day for Debbie was that her own team, which included Nicky Woodhouse, Tina Coppin and Ronnie Nollett, were the first ever ladies to lift the Fight for Sight Golf Cup at the end of the tournament.

“That was the icing on the cake for me,” said Debbie, whose main sponsors include Specsavers and WPH Charitable Trust. Car dealers Guy Salmon also offered a Jaguar for a hole-in-one challenge.

Since then Leamington Rotary have donated £2,250.

The final event is strictly on two wheels with paracyclist Damien Vereker heading a challenge on September 14. Email [email protected]