Blind veteran raises cash for charity in ‘Everest’ challenge
A BLIND veteran is to scale the height of Mount Everest on the stairwell of his block of flats to give back to a charity that gave him his independence.
Jamie Cuthbertson, from Bearsden, will complete 526 ascents of his stairs in order to climb the 8849metre height of the tallest mountain in the world, all while coining in cash for Blind Veterans UK.
The 60-year-old said: “Blind Veterans UK have been supporting me since I lost my sight in 1986. I’ve always wanted to do something to give back and lockdown gave me the perfect opportunity.
“After I got out of the hospital following my accident the charity put me through seven months of rehabilitation training at their centre in Brighton.
“They taught me all the things I needed to know in order to be independent. Things like mobility training so I could get around unaided, and IT training so I could type and use a computer. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without them.
“So I’m climbing the height of Everest and raising money for Blind Veterans UK and the Macular Society. So far I’ve raised £1500 towards my £2000 goal. I appreciate any support that anyone can offer to help me hit my target!”
Jamie joined the Royal Engineers in 1982. He was based in Tidworth and served in Belize, Cyprus, Denmark and Germany. It was while preparing for a demolition exercise that 100 detonators went off next to Jamie and caused him to lose his sight.
To support Jamie, visit his fundraising page at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ jamiecuthbertson2