Golf club captain raises £12,000 for charity

THE men’s captain at Badgemore Park Golf Club has raised more than £12,000 for a charity that funds research into a rare genetic disease.

Melvyn Keen chose to support Cure Usher UK during his time in the role and presented a cheque to Charlotte Dingley, 36.

Her two sons, Xander, six, and Arthur, four, both have Usher Syndrome, which affects hearing and vision.

Mr Keen, who lives in Sonning Common, chose the charity because he is friends with Ms Dingley’s parents, who also live in the village. He said: “It’s one of those things that very few people know about and I’m told that it’s often quite difficult to get diagnosed because it’s not common.

“When the children are born deaf people just think they’re deaf and it’s not until late that they start to show other symptoms.”

Mr Keen said that the money was raised across several golf events held last year, including a 72-hole challenge in a day, as well as auctions and raffles.

Ms Dingley, who grew up in Henley and is now a teacher in Didcot, said that it was a “shock” to see the amount of money that was raised. She also read out a letter written by her eldest son in which he expressed his gratitude for the support.

Ms Dingley said: “Usher Syndrome is a rare disease. The smaller and rarer they are, the less funded they get. It’s a battle for anyone doing research into whatever it is to get your funding to try and keep whatever it is you’re doing.

“We’re beginning to head in the right direction where, incrementally, tiny bits more of awareness is getting out there and people are beginning to know more about the disease.”