Bethan’s 1,500km ride for military veterans
A horse owner is taking on a charity ride through Mid Wales next month to raise money for causes close to her heart.
Bethan Matthews, 24, will be getting in the saddle on her horse Charm for the 1,500km trek around the border of in aid of Blind Veterans UK and Communities for Horses.
Having spent months carefully planning her route and testing the fitness of both herself and her animals she will set of Port Talbot this Saturday and the journey will take her through various towns and villages including Kington, Presteigne, Knighton, Montgomery, Welshpool, Llangollen, Chirk and Overton.
“My horse, Charm, is home bred," said Bethan. "I have owned her for five years. We have a very good bond and I have complete trust in her.
“Charm is one of the youngest horses I have; however she is not scared by anything. I have known her from the minute she came into this world and have been the one to help shape her behaviour as she has grown up into the fantastic, loyal, trustworthy, genuine horse she is today.”
Travelling anti-clockwise she hopes to reach the Blind Veterans UK centre, in Llandudno, on June 11.
“My grandad, now 94 years old, suffers from glaucoma. He is completely blind in one eye and only has a very small amount of vision in his other. Blind Veterans UK has helped him live independently in his home by providing him with aids to make home life without sight easier,” said Bethan, explaining why she has chosen the charity as one of her beneficiaries.
“Understandably, my grandad has reached the stage in his life where he can feel uncomfortable visiting new or busy places due to his loss of sight and limited mobility.
Amazing
"But, amazingly, Blind Veterans UK provides him with the confidence to visit these places, including travelling abroad, re-tracing his steps with fellow blind veterans in Normandy. My grandad regularly visits the Llandudno centre and participates in a range of activities that have only been made possible by the charity.”
“My grandad is my hero. He joined the army in 1939 when he was 14 years old and continued serving until he retired at 50. He has so many amazing stories to tell about his life in the army,” she added. “Although that alone makes him a hero, he is my hero for being the most gentle, generous, loving grandfather, father and great-grandfather he can be, but also the strongest and toughest man I know.”
Bethan will be travelling around 20km to 65km a day through a variety of terrains. For the busier roads, she will have a support vehicle to ensure she and Charm are kept safe at all times. The support vehicle will also be on hand to provide water and food at various points.
Well-wishers are welcome to show their support along the route which will end at Briton Ferry near Neath on June 29. Follow her progress via Facebook @WelshBorderRide and donations should be made via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/welshborder.
