Maidenhead & Windsor

Maidenhead Royal Borough Mayor Cllr Leo Walters will be leaving his contemporaries in the shade and sporting some eye-catching fashion accessories later this month – all in a good cause!

The Maidenhead Royal Borough’s first citizen will be leading by example when he and his Mayoress wife Margot don their sunglasses to help raise awareness about eye health on national Shades Day, Friday June 29, organised annually by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

The Mayor and Mayoress will be among thousands of people from all over the country who will be putting on sunglasses, sun visors and sunhats to highlight the need to protect their eyes when outside during the day – with particular emphasis on the increased risks of developing cataracts and macular degeneration as a result of over-exposure to the sun’s UV rays.

Cllr Walters said: “Margot and I will certainly be a ‘sight for sore eyes’ on the day – but we are delighted to be able to help make people aware of the importance of protecting their eyes from the sun.

“Shades Day is a great way of both raising money for Guide Dogs and highlighting the importance of wearing sunglasses. I hope that by wearing our sunglasses, Margot and I can encourage local people to follow suit now that summer is here.”

Tom Pey, Guide Dogs Director of Public Policy and Development and guide dog owner, said: “Educating people in how to protect their sight is important, and one simple way to keep eyes healthy is to wear your sunglasses. If you are outside and the light is so bright that you have to squint or turn your head away, then you know you have to put on your shades.

“Sunglasses don’t have to be expensive to be effective. Experts recommend wraparound-style sunglasses marked with Type 2 or 3 and with a CE symbol. To cut out the most damaging blue light, it’s best to choose shades with yellowish or amber lenses.”

Joining the Mayor and Mayoress outside the Maidenhead Town Hall to celebrate Shades Day will be Sunningdale puppy dog walker and cook book author Janie Turner – accompanied by ten-month-old Fred, the guide dog puppy she is currently looking after.

They will be accompanied by another canine, nine-year-old Euston, who had to be medically retired shortly after completing his training as a guide dog – but who has helped Janie train six other guide dog puppies.

Puppywalkers are volunteers who care for guide dog puppies from the age of six weeks for 12 – 14 months, introducing them to the sights, sounds and smells they will encounter when they are guide dogs.

For further information about Shades Day, visit the website www.shadesday.org.uk or phone 0845 600 6787 to receive the Guide Dogs free fundraising and information pack.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead