Hairdressers going pier to pier to help the visually impaired

A group of hairdressing pals are planning to keep in trim with a pier to pier walk for charity.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Oct 2016, 11:00 BST
Updated 25th Oct 2016, 17:52 BST
(left to right) Paula Black, Bethany Wilson, Jessica and Marie Rutherford who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.(left to right) Paula Black, Bethany Wilson, Jessica and Marie Rutherford who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
(left to right) Paula Black, Bethany Wilson, Jessica and Marie Rutherford who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

The friends, who work together at Paula Louise Hair Design, in Hedworth, Jarrow, were inspired to raise cash for charity Guide Dogs For The Blind by stylist Marie Rutherford’s daughter Jessica, who is partially sighted.

The mother-daughter-duo will be walking from South Shields to Roker Pier, in Sunderland, on Sunday, October 30, along with Marie’s sister, Paula Black, who owns the salon, staff members Bethany Wilson and Donna Smith, and Marie and Paula’s niece Kendal Reay, 14, who is also registered blind.

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Jessica Rutherford (right) and her mum Marie who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.Jessica Rutherford (right) and her mum Marie who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Jessica Rutherford (right) and her mum Marie who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
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Jessica, 21, was born short-sighted and her vision has deteriorated ever since.

She has a number of conditions that affect her sight, including bilateral uveitis, retinopathy of undetermined cause, left macular scarring, obliteration of the right eye, cataracts and glaucoma.

Marie, 50, said: “She’s an inspiration to partially sighted people really. She deals with everything so brilliantly, has her own little flat, and helps out at Sight Service in South Shields.

“She doesn’t have a guide dog at the minute but that’s not to say that she won’t one day.

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(left to right) Marie Rutherford, Paula Black, Bethany Wilson and Jessica Rutherford who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.(left to right) Marie Rutherford, Paula Black, Bethany Wilson and Jessica Rutherford who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
(left to right) Marie Rutherford, Paula Black, Bethany Wilson and Jessica Rutherford who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

“We’re doing everything the old fashioned way and have collection buckets in the shop, but we’ve raised about £300 so far.”

She added: “We lost my mam June Rutherford to cancer a while back and she was really passionate about the charity because of Jessie.

“One of her last wishes was that the money raised from her funeral in lieu of flowers would go to Guide Dogs For The Blind and we wanted to do something to carry that on.

“We’re all really looking forward to doing the walk together. Because it’s Halloween time we’re going to be dressed up as witches and zombies and that sort of thing so it should be a right laugh.

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Jessica Rutherford (right) and her mum Marie who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.Jessica Rutherford (right) and her mum Marie who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Jessica Rutherford (right) and her mum Marie who are taking part in a charity walk to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

“We’ll be setting off at 10am and carrying collection buckets with us so we hope that anyone who drives by us will give us a little toot to show their support and that people walking around might throw a bit of money in the bucket.”

To sponsor the girls, pop into Paula Louise Hair Design, in Fellgate Avenue, or call 0191 536 3066.