All aboard as Tony and guide dog Gaynor are set for Land's End to John O'Groats trek
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Tony Burton hopes everything will run like clockwork as he gets ready to give the nation's bus and rail timetables their ultimate workout.
Accompanied with his trusty guide dog Gaynor, Tony will be aiming to get from Land's End to John O'Groats within 27 hours.
To do this, Tony will be doing this by public transport and will be hoping no tractors will delay the two buses he'll be taking and that there will also be no leaves on the line to halt any one of the trio of trains he'll be travelling on.
Tony, who is from Somerset, is registered as blind and has Gaynor by his side to help him get from A to B. To deliver awareness of the good work done by guide dogs such as his own, he is hoping to raise £750 for the Guide Dogs charity.
He will set out tomorrow (Thursday, June 20) by taking the bus from Land's End to Penzance at 1pm. From there, Tony will board a train to London Paddington.
Followinga taxi ride to London Euston, both he and Gaynor will catch the overnight Caledonian Sleeper train to Inverness where he will connect with the service to Thurso. Once in Caithness, he'll take the bus to John O'Groats where he hopes to arrive at 4pm on Friday, June 21.
Tony said: "I am undertaking the trip to show what my guide dog Gaynor can do for me. I have been a guide dog owner for just over two and a half years. Since my significant sight loss caused by my optical nerves failing some years ago having Gaynor around has given me a new lease of life.
"She gives me the confidence to travel further afield on my own. I don’t feel like I’m tied down or limited to where I can go because I’ve got her by my side.
"A main reason I want to do this trip with just me and her is to show to people what I can achieve.
"Travelling on buses and especially trains can be hazardous but with Gaynor’s assistance, I’m able to travel.
She really is a marvel and I would never want to be without her.
"Although I do book assistance for train travel her work in this area is invaluable to me. Gaynor means everything to me, not only does she help me but she is best and closest friend and always looks out for me.
"She brightens up each and every day just by being there and she brightens up the lives of lots of other people that we meet out and about. She really is a marvel and I would never want to be without her.
"I want to raise money for Guide Dogs as it’s my little way of putting something back into what has given me so much. I am a volunteer fundraiser working with my local fundraising group and I am also a registered guide dog speaker. All of these roles give me such joy about telling others about guide dogs and how wonderful they all are."
To make a donation, visit Tony's fundraising page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tony-burton4
The Guide Dogs charity provides life-changing services for the independence of people living with sight loss and their friends and family. Guide Dogs are working towards a future where every person with sight loss has the confidence and support to live their lives to the full. For more information visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk
