CHARITY: How many labradors can you fit in an articulated lorry? Castell Howell finds out for Guide Dogs

A Welsh food company has come up with an ingenious solution to an unlikely logistical puzzle – how to transport 30 life-sized labrador-shaped collecting boxes from near Wigan to South Wales, where Swansea prison inmates were waiting to restore them.

Castell Howell Foods, one of Wales’s largest family-run food wholesalers based in Cross Hands, stepped in after Guide Dogs charity found itself facing a 220-mile transport problem. The charity’s iconic collecting boxes – which help raise vital funds to support people with sight loss – had been awaiting repair at the Guide Dogs centre near Wigan and needed to make their way to HMP Swansea, where a prison workshop had agreed to restore them.

The solution was elegantly simple. One of Castell Howell’s empty lorries was diverted to its satellite depot at St Martin’s near Wrexham, collected the canine cargo, and brought all 30 boxes safely back to the company’s Cross Hands headquarters before onward delivery to Swansea.

Martin Jones, Castell Howell’s Director of Transport Operations, said the company had not hesitated when it heard of the charity’s predicament. “The Guide Dogs charity raises vital funds to support those with sight loss, so when we heard of their predicament we didn’t hesitate to offer a solution,” he said.

He added: “It was a real team effort, with staff at our St Martin’s depot playing a key role in ensuring the safe collection and delivery of the precious cargo to our headquarters in Cross Hands. We’re looking forward to seeing the restored collection boxes and wish the charity continued success with its fundraising.”

Natalie DeMaid, Regional Fundraising Community Manager for Guide Dogs, said the charity was grateful to Castell Howell for finding such a creative solution. “These collecting boxes bring in vital cash to help Guide Dogs provide its life-changing services to people with sight loss,” she said. “They are bright, colourful, and lifelike, and we look forward to placing them in key locations so the community can enjoy them.”

Once at HMP Swansea, the boxes will be washed, filled, repaired and repainted by prisoners to a high standard before being returned to public locations across the region. A prison spokesperson said the project provided meaningful rehabilitation opportunities, allowing prisoners to develop practical skills and build confidence.

“Prisoners gain a strong sense of pride and responsibility by taking part in work that directly benefits the wider community,” the spokesperson said.

The partnership between HMP Swansea and Guide Dogs has seen the prison workshop become a key part of the charity’s restoration operation in South Wales, with inmates learning valuable trade skills while helping to keep the charity’s fundraising infrastructure in working order.

Castell Howell, which is headquartered in Cross Hands and delivers food to pubs, restaurants, schools and hospitals across Wales, has a long track record of supporting community and charitable causes across the region.

The restored boxes will be placed in key public locations once the work at HMP Swansea is complete, where they will once again be collecting donations to fund the charity’s life-changing work with people with sight loss.

Guide Dogs supports people living with sight loss to have the confidence, skills and support they need to live life to the full. Anyone wishing to support the charity can find out more at guidedogs.org.uk.

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LLANELLI: Guide dog Lilly steals the show at Wales’s oldest camera club after model gets stuck in traffic

A guide dog saved the day at Wales’s oldest camera club when the session model got stuck in traffic — stepping in as an impromptu subject and producing results her proud owner described as spectacular.

Llanelli Photographic Society had booked a male chef in a big hat and check trousers for one of their regular studio nights, but when he failed to arrive, member Andrew Windsor had a suggestion: his black labrador guide dog, Lilly.

Andrew, who joined the society in 2022 and is its only member with sight loss, said the stand-in proved an immediate hit with fellow photographers. “The model we had booked was stuck in traffic, so we needed a stand-in. I suggested Lilly, and soon there were five photographers taking shots of her. I was so proud of her and just used a little bit of food to keep her focused,” he said.

The results drew admiration from fellow members, with Lilly’s striking features proving a natural fit in front of the lens.

Andrew first developed a passion for photography at the age of 12, when his grandmother gave him a 35mm pocket camera and instruction manual as a Christmas present. Decades later, despite significant sight loss, he continues to pursue the hobby — aided by modern technology and a perspective that sets his work apart.

Andrew said technology had opened up the hobby in ways that would not have been possible before. “I use Artificial Intelligence on my phone to help me navigate the camera settings. I try to use a tripod where possible to keep the camera steady and a remote shutter release to help me take the photo without shaking the camera,” he said.

That unconventional approach has earned him a reputation for capturing images others might not think to take. Andrew said: “I always get people saying, ‘Wow, I wouldn’t have thought about capturing that at the angle you did.’ Photography connects people and shows us anything is possible.”

The society meets regularly to discuss photography and hold practical sessions. Once a month, members gather for a studio night focused on camera settings and equipment — the kind of session that led to Lilly’s unlikely moment in the spotlight.

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Swansea man helps shape research to prevent sight loss from diabetes

“Nobody should be losing their sight to diabetes if it’s preventable.” That’s the powerful message from a Swansea man living with type 1 diabetes, who is helping shape research that could transform eye care across Wales and beyond.

Paul’s lived experience drives research

Paul Coker, 53, has lived with diabetes since the age of five. Thanks to laser treatment, his vision has been preserved — but he knows many others are not so fortunate.

“It saddens me deeply that there are people out there whose eyesight is at risk because they’re on a waiting list to see a specialist,” he said. “If this study works, more people could get the care they need, when they need it.”

Tackling a growing health challenge

Diabetic retinopathy remains one of the leading causes of sight loss among working‑age adults in the UK. While modern treatments have reduced the risk, delays in accessing care still put thousands at risk.

Until recently, diabetes was the number one cause of sight loss in working‑age people. With cases of diabetes rising, the pressure on NHS eye services is only increasing.

The AVENUE‑PDR study

Paul is now a public involvement member and co‑applicant in the AVENUE‑PDR study, led by Professor Steve Bain, Assistant Medical Director for Research & Development at Swansea Bay University Health Board and Specialty Lead for Diabetes at Health and Care Research Wales.

The study, funded by Health and Care Research Wales, is exploring whether trained eye care practitioners — not just consultants — can safely provide laser treatment for people with diabetes at risk of sight loss.

Professor Bain explained:

“There is a shortage of eye specialist consultants, not only in Wales and the UK, but throughout the world. This, in conjunction with increasing numbers of people living with diabetes, means that many people with sight‑threatening eye conditions cannot access timely laser therapy.”

If successful, the study could relieve bottlenecks in care, reduce waiting times, and prevent avoidable blindness.

A “win‑win‑win” for patients and the NHS

Paul believes the benefits are clear:

• Patients get timely treatment.
• The NHS eases pressure on overstretched services.
• Specialist doctors can focus on the most complex cases.

“I see only potential upsides,” he said. “Nobody should be losing their sight to diabetes if it’s preventable. It’s devastating not just for the individual, but for their families too.”

Looking ahead

Paul will begin a PhD at Swansea University in October, focusing on how the complications of diabetes are communicated in ways that are both empathetic and empowering.

For him, the message is simple: regular eye checks and timely access to treatment save sight.

National Eye Health Week

This story comes as part of National Eye Health Week, which runs from 23–29 September, raising awareness of the importance of eye health and the need for regular sight tests.

#diabetes #diabeticEyeCare #DiabeticRetinopathy #eyeTest #Health #HealthAndCareResearchWales #laserTreatment #Optician #sightLoss #SwanseaBayUniversityHealthBoard #Type1Diabetes #Type2Diabetes

Young people with sight loss gain cooking skills

Cooking lessons are giving young people with sight loss new skills in Southampton. This summer, the participants, supported by Tesco’s The Sun Healthy Eating for All campaign, have been practising cutting, dicing, and preparing various meals. T…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Cooking #AngelaWood #cookinglessons #essentialskills #sightloss #Southampton #Tesco
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2259159/young-people-with-sight-loss-gain-cooking-skills/

Preordered Unseen: How I Lost My Vision But Found My Voice ebook by Molly Burke on Apple Books. It’s published next month.

https://books.apple.com/gb/book/unseen/id6741886838

There is also an audio book narrated by the author. Apple Books link: https://books.apple.com/gb/audiobook/unseen-how-i-lost-my-vision-but-found-my-voice/id1822876209

#Books #MollyBurke #SightLoss #Blind

Molly Burke seems like a good human. And funny.

She’s also been blind since the age of 14.

Here she is doing facial expressions to camera.

YouTube short: https://youtube.com/shorts/HyxqDnHlJyw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyburkeofficial?igsh=Y3JqbW13cDR3aHRj

#SightLoss #Blind