A CARMARTHENSHIRE woman will leap from a plane this Saturday (July 1) to raise money for Guide Dogs Cymru.

Alison Jenkins, a Supply Chain Administrator at Cambrian Pet Foods in Llangadog, was inspired to sign up for the Swansea skydive by her mother Louise, who is registered blind and gets around with the help of guide dog Trinity.

The pair recently attended a prestigious awards ceremony in London, where Louise, from Henllan, was voted the UK’s Inspirational Guide Dog Owner of the Year by viewers of ITV’s This Morning.

Alison, aged 27, said: “I’ve seen how much a guide dog can change a person’s life.

“When Mum lost her eyesight suddenly, it affected the whole family. I was only 14 at the time and my sister, Michelle, was 16. We learnt to adapt and had to grow up quickly.

“Dad worked full time, so Mum used to drive us everywhere - horse riding, after school clubs and more. All of a sudden she couldn’t do that and it made her feel guilty.

“We felt like we would rather stay at home and look after mum than go out with friends. She became isolated and had pretty much given up on life until she got her first guide dog, Opal.

“Suddenly she was a different woman, and wanted to get out into the world. The bond was incredible, and she didn’t feel alone any more. In fact, I was trying to keep up with her!”

Trinity is Louise’s third guide dog. Alison said: “Each dog costs £55,000 from birth to retirement, and the charity relies on donations from the public to provide this life-changing service. You can't put a price on happiness and independence.

“Seeing how Mum can do things has made me realise that I if she can, I can. She’s done so much for me and I cannot thank her enough.”

You can sponsor Alison’s skydive at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alijenk14