Sarah Williams - Founder
Sarah was born with Marfan Syndrome - a connective tissue disorder that affects the eyes, heart and feet, which has rendered her almost blind and makes walking difficult.
Disability has never got in Sarah's way and she set up the charity 'Smiling Eyes International', which has so far raised more than £40,000 for causes at home and abroad.
In February 2011, Sarah had a pioneering eye operation to remove the dislocated lens from her left eye and replace it with an artificial lens in front of the iris and behind the cornea. This operation gave her much improved sight, enabling Ozzie to go into retirement after guiding her for 8 years. Sarah is completely blind in her right eye.
International...
Sarah is a qualified NNEB Nursery Nurse and has worked with homeless children in New York, refugees in Yugoslavia, tsunami victims in Hambantota (Sri Lanka), a children's hospital in Bolivia and an orphanage in Romania. She has also taught braille at The RNIB Sunshine House School in London for 7 years, The North Rocks School for the Blind in Sydney, Australia and The Homai School for the Blind in Auckland, New Zealand.
Sarah worked for the Mercy Ships Charity for 8 months spending 5 months at their international operating centre in Dallas, Texas on a 450 acre ranch running the children's nursery and then 3 months at their land base in Nicaragua working with street children.
She has also worked with street children in Peru, Zambia, Cambodia, The Philippines, South Africa, Kenya and India.
Golf...
Sarah spent 3 years competing in The British Blind Open Golf Championships in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, The British Blind Masters and The Australian Blind Open Championships in Melbourne.
Horse riding...
Sarah rode at 'Riding for the Disabled' for 7 years and competed in the Regional and National Blind Dressage Championships.
Sailing...
Sarah sailed on 'Tenacious', a Tall ship for the disabled, across The Bay of Biscay to the Canary Islands, across The Channel to Cherbourg and around Skye & Mull in Scotland.
Singing...
Sarah has obtained her Grade 8 singing exam and has sung in numerous concerts including at Wembley and The Royal Albert Hall. She is an ambassador for the 'Singing for the Brain' group in Bristol.
Sarah is also an Ambassador for the charity Mission Direct.
Cycling...
Sarah has tandemed coast to coast across Great Britain from Whitehaven to Sunderland, also 60 miles around the Isle of Wight and up Box Hill which was cycled by Bradley Wiggins at the London 2012 Olympics.
Flying...
Sarah has flown an aeroplane, a helicopter, a glider, a Tiger Moth and in a hot air balloon.
Climbing...
Sarah has climbed Ben Nevis, Mount Snowden, Sugar Loaf, Pen y fan, Glastonbury Tor and Crook's Peak.
She has also climbed to the top of Big Ben, Salisbury Cathedral, Exeter Cathedral, Bath Abbey, The Shard building, St Paul's Cathedral and over the top of the O2 Millennium Dome.
Arctic Trek...
Sarah completed an Arctic Trek and gave £1,500 to the Tsunami Widows to buy a Tut Tut at the Smile Lanka Centre in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
She also spent a year working in a school for children with behavioural difficulties in The Cotswolds.
Sarah was school liaison officer for guide dogs for 7 years with her guide dog Ozzie. She took Ozzie into old people's homes, a local hospital and a home for patients with dementia where she played the piano and her accordion.
Sarah was born with Marfan Syndrome - a connective tissue disorder that affects the eyes, heart and feet, which has rendered her almost blind and makes walking difficult.
Disability has never got in Sarah's way and she set up the charity 'Smiling Eyes International', which has so far raised more than £40,000 for causes at home and abroad.
In February 2011, Sarah had a pioneering eye operation to remove the dislocated lens from her left eye and replace it with an artificial lens in front of the iris and behind the cornea. This operation gave her much improved sight, enabling Ozzie to go into retirement after guiding her for 8 years. Sarah is completely blind in her right eye.
International...
Sarah is a qualified NNEB Nursery Nurse and has worked with homeless children in New York, refugees in Yugoslavia, tsunami victims in Hambantota (Sri Lanka), a children's hospital in Bolivia and an orphanage in Romania. She has also taught braille at The RNIB Sunshine House School in London for 7 years, The North Rocks School for the Blind in Sydney, Australia and The Homai School for the Blind in Auckland, New Zealand.
Sarah worked for the Mercy Ships Charity for 8 months spending 5 months at their international operating centre in Dallas, Texas on a 450 acre ranch running the children's nursery and then 3 months at their land base in Nicaragua working with street children.
She has also worked with street children in Peru, Zambia, Cambodia, The Philippines, South Africa, Kenya and India.
Golf...
Sarah spent 3 years competing in The British Blind Open Golf Championships in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, The British Blind Masters and The Australian Blind Open Championships in Melbourne.
Horse riding...
Sarah rode at 'Riding for the Disabled' for 7 years and competed in the Regional and National Blind Dressage Championships.
Sailing...
Sarah sailed on 'Tenacious', a Tall ship for the disabled, across The Bay of Biscay to the Canary Islands, across The Channel to Cherbourg and around Skye & Mull in Scotland.
Singing...
Sarah has obtained her Grade 8 singing exam and has sung in numerous concerts including at Wembley and The Royal Albert Hall. She is an ambassador for the 'Singing for the Brain' group in Bristol.
Sarah is also an Ambassador for the charity Mission Direct.
Cycling...
Sarah has tandemed coast to coast across Great Britain from Whitehaven to Sunderland, also 60 miles around the Isle of Wight and up Box Hill which was cycled by Bradley Wiggins at the London 2012 Olympics.
Flying...
Sarah has flown an aeroplane, a helicopter, a glider, a Tiger Moth and in a hot air balloon.
Climbing...
Sarah has climbed Ben Nevis, Mount Snowden, Sugar Loaf, Pen y fan, Glastonbury Tor and Crook's Peak.
She has also climbed to the top of Big Ben, Salisbury Cathedral, Exeter Cathedral, Bath Abbey, The Shard building, St Paul's Cathedral and over the top of the O2 Millennium Dome.
Arctic Trek...
Sarah completed an Arctic Trek and gave £1,500 to the Tsunami Widows to buy a Tut Tut at the Smile Lanka Centre in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
She also spent a year working in a school for children with behavioural difficulties in The Cotswolds.
Sarah was school liaison officer for guide dogs for 7 years with her guide dog Ozzie. She took Ozzie into old people's homes, a local hospital and a home for patients with dementia where she played the piano and her accordion.
Patron - Nick Park CBE
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Manager - Barry Agar
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Ozzie - the gorgeous retired guide dog!
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