Twelve-year-old girl from Grimsby walking 122 miles for Guide Dogs charity
Aniyah aims to raise awareness and celebrate the confidence her buddy dog Spirit has given her
A 12-year-old girl from Grimsby is walking 122 miles to raise money for Guide Dogs, the organisation that supported her after she lost her sight.
Aniyah, who has been supported by her buddy dog Spirit, says the walk is a way to celebrate the confidence she has gained.
She admits she used to struggle with leaving the house, even during daylight hours, but is challenging herself to cover the distance between her home and the Guide Dogs centre in Atherton, Greater Manchester, where she first met Spirit.
“I wanted to raise more awareness for Guide Dogs and for people like me,” Aniyah said. “When it’s dark, I can’t see… but Guide Dogs can give you more confidence to do things.”
Aniyah’s mum, Lea, explained the difference Spirit has made in her day-to-day life:
“She wouldn’t even leave the house in the daylight before a lot of the time, let alone in the dark,” Lea said. “It’s one heck of a challenge for her, but she’s doing it, and she’s doing really well.”
Aniyah has walked nearly halfway of her intended route, with about 51 miles completed so far.
Lea adds that Aniyah uses a body light to help guide her on darker paths, while Spirit has a light-up collar to provide further assistance.
“She stands between myself and Spirit so she knows that she’s not going to miss the path or anything like that,” Lea said. “Spirit gives her that confidence massively. You wouldn’t believe how much a dog could help somebody.”
Aniyah’s walk aims to raise awareness for both the Guide Dogs charity and the challenges of being sight-impaired.