Blind man to complete the national three peaks challenge in three days to raise money for Berkshire Vision, Guide Dogs for the Blind and MyVision Oxfordshire

A severely visually impaired 30-year-old man from Newbury is attempting to complete the national three peaks challenge over three days this week.

Devanté Claridge is setting off today (Thursday) to climb three of the UK’s tallest mountains— Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales — and raise funds and awareness for three organisations that have supported him throughout his sight loss journey.

Mr Claridge was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when he was eight years old. It is a rare eye disease that makes cells in the retina break down slowly over time, causing vision loss.

Mr Claridge said: “The best sight I’ve got is where I am to five metres, then after that it’s just wilderness.

“I think there’s a one-in-a-million chance of getting [retinitis pigmentosa]. I don’t know whether to say I’m lucky or unlucky.”

His challenge begins today, and he is joined by 11 others who will help guide him up and down the three mountains that have a combined ascent of 3,064 metres.

“It’s a new experience,” he said. “It’s for a great cause so I’m looking forward to that side of it but I just hope I can make it up three mountains. As long as I don’t faint or fall off the edge then I’ll be alright.

“I’m trying to prove that you don’t have to be a superstar to do all these crazy challenges that you see on television.

“When you see them on the telly, it’s usually a Navy Seal person who is now an amputee. They have had that sort of training before, whereas I’m just your average Joe.”

Mr Claridge is fundraising for Berkshire Vision, Guide Dogs for the Blind and MyVision Oxfordshire, an organisation he works for as a community engagement officer.

He said: “Berkshire Vision helped me with my acceptance of sight loss, with being able to get involved in activities with other visually impaired people, and Guide Dogs [for the Blind] has helped me to gain my independence.”

To donate to the fundraiser, visit http://rb.gy/cyt19

When he was younger, Mr Claridge struggled to accept his condition, and when he was at school he tried to cover up just how severe his sight loss was.

He said: “When you’re at school you don’t want to be treated differently and you don’t want to be different. So I tried to be the class clown.

“I was deflecting from the sight loss. I would make myself be silly to look like I wasn’t actually struggling.

“If I walked into something I’d then make a really funny noise so people thought I was joking, when secretly I was deflecting.”

He is hoping that by completing this daunting challenge, he can inspire other visually impaired people to become more confident in themselves.

“I’m trying to do stuff like this to raise awareness,” he said. “If I can help one person then that’s my mission complete.”

He has done a lot of training with the rest of the team in preparation for the expedition, including treks up and down Beacon Hill and walks in the Brecon Beacons.

Mr Claridge said: “We found that people are always concerned about what’s on the floor, but nine times out of ten it’s what is above with overhanging branches or I get stuck in a bush.

“You’ve got to have eyes all over the place when I’m walking.”

His aunt Joanna Plank is part of the team and she will be one of the people guiding Mr Claridge throughout the three peaks challenge.

She said: “Devanté was a very closed book. He wouldn’t tell people that he couldn’t see. He wouldn’t tell his friends at school so nobody ever knew that he had such poor vision.

“There are lots of children or adults out there who are too scared to talk about their conditions and he was one of them.

“It’s amazing what he does now and he has pulled himself together and said ‘no, my life isn’t over and I can do all of this to help other people’.”