An intrepid traveller is not allowing her blindness to hold her back on a race across Devon to raise funds for a sight charity.

Beatrix, 49, of Tavistock, who has been blind for the past six years, will be taking on a race organised by and in aid of Devon In Sight.

The challenge will see Beatrix and her team take on a challenge to travel as many miles as possible in one day in Devon without using a car.

The challenge on Saturday, July 18 will start and finish in Exeter

The former farming and equine businesswoman is joining her sighted husband Jahred and their third teammate Amber Pike.

They are calling on friends, family, colleagues and others to sponsor their team Sightseers to say thank you for the support Beatrix and Jahred have received from Devon In Sight.

Beatrix said: “I’m calling out to all friends, family and colleagues near and far to help support us in this amazing challenge for a wonderful cause. Our team, Sightseers, will be battling it out to ‘Race Across Devon’, inspired by the BBC’s Race Across the World hit show, against nine teams using various modes of transport and putting our brains to work planning the best routes whilst completing different challenges on the way.

“Maybe lots of people think they could do it easily, but how about doing the same with the equivalent of a blindfold on?

“Although I am blind, I can only sense changes in light, I’m determined to demonstrate that adventure is something we can all enjoy irrespective of any health conditions, accident or injury we might experience.

“The challenge is to cover as many miles by public and other forms of transport as we can in a day, without using a car. I’m very competitive and I’ll be doing my best to win.”

Devon in Sight has been supporting those with a visual impairment in Devon for over 100 years and is currently developing new services to meet the changing needs of a growing number of people who urgently need support. There are over 50,000 people living with a life changing visual impairment in Devon alone, and that is forecast to rise to over 60,000 in the next five to ten years.

Beatrix said: “They need our help, Please can people donate what they can.”

She added: “This isn’t just a race; it’s a movement to shatter stereotypes. Today, an estimated 51,000 people in Devon are living with sight loss. Behind that number are real people navigating sudden changes to their independence, mobility, and confidence.

“We are racing to prove that sight loss should never be a barrier to pursuing ambitious goals, embracing adventure, or achieving personal aspirations. Sight loss should never mean losing your independence, confidence, or connection to the world.”

Sighted participants will periodically wear special glasses to simulate sight loss conditions along the route.

Beatrix, a mother of two, does not let her blindness stop her taking part in new activities: “I went through a grieving process after becoming blind, but I’m now on my way to being more active and to socialise. I’m learning braille and getting a guide dog and using a stick. The aim is to start work again.”

Beatrix’s ‘sight seers’ team JustGiving fundraising page can be accessed at this link: https://tinyurl.com/ys8ddtf6