Westgate mother Paula Gunnell went blind for a day last week to raise funds for specialist braille equipment for her young son, Daniel.

Paula slipped on a pair of simulation specs for 12 hours and, with help from her guide Christine Hewitt, first went ten pin bowling at Bugsy’s in Cliftonville, swimming at Hartsdown pool and then travelled to Dartford to visit the museum, enjoy a theatre show and visit a restaurant.

Paula said: “As soon as the specs were on my other senses woke up and immediately all around me became alive with sounds and smells. I have always wondered why Daniel enjoys bowling and now I know. I loved hearing the ball hit the pins at the top of the alley.

“Next was the swim which I’d been dreading. I was expected to be most at home because of my job as a swimming teacher. Swimming blind is much harder than it looks.

“Our last stop was a theatre experience - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - and I found the atmosphere was far more important than I had thought it would be. Being part of the audience and able to join in like everyone else was really significant.

“By the end of the day I was feeling very positive. Daniel’s life is different, but that doesn’t mean that via his other senses it isn’t just as good as anyone else’s life.”

With help from sponsors including the Margate National Schoolware Centre and all the individuals involved Paula hopes to have raised at least £2,000 for the electronic brailler and other equipment for Reculver primary school where Daniel is a pupil.

For full story, see the Thanet Extra, out on Wednesday Nov 19