THREE visually impaired ex-Servicemen have completed a 327 mile trek to launch a £12 million centre for the blind in Llandudno.
Billy Black, Charlie Eastwood and Chris Lee, who are all beneficiaries of St Dunstan’s charity, made the epic journey from Brighton to the new rehabilitation and training centre in the former medical centre building in Craig Y Don, to hand over a symbolic key to centre manager Mark Lovatt.
Billy said: “ I came up with the idea for the Centre 2 Centre March because I wanted to give something back to St Dunstan’s for all the support it has given me over the years. St Dunstan’s Sheffield and Brighton Centres have helped all three of us and we wanted to celebrate the opening of the Llandudno Centre, so Charlie and Chris were more than willing to join me on the March.”
Construction started on the Llandudno centre in May 2010, and now includes 40 en-suite bedrooms with a mixture of residential and nursing beds plus a variety of residential lounges, a fully equipped gym, two training kitchens featuring all the latest helpful gadgets, a sports/activities hall, IT training rooms, and an arts and craft workshop.
Mr Lovatt said: “It is with great pleasure that I accept the ‘key’ from Billy, Charlie and Chris. My staff and I are delighted to finally be able to throw open the doors to this magnificent facility and start providing first class help and support for blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women.”
The Centre will serve the whole of the UK, but especially blind and visually impaired veterans across Wales and North West England.