The story of a Barry man with an indomitable spirit

The story of a Barry man with an indomitable spirit

MARCUS STEAD REPORTS

THE LIFE STORY of a popular Barry resident who suffered sudden blindness and went on to become a prolific charity fundraiser is being told by his sister, two months after his death.

John Fairweather, known as Jack, died on 8th September at the age of 88, having lived most of his life in Barry, and after more than 300 people paid tribute to him on Facebook, his sister Betty, 86, wants to share his extraordinary story.

She said: “My brother was a very well-known, larger-than-life character in Barry, Penarth and Cowbridge. People used to see him out and about with his guide dog and would stop for a chat. Jack had an amazing ability to remember people’s voices, so friends and acquaintances he’d met before didn’t need to reintroduce themselves – he knew who they were.

”Born in Montrose, Scotland, Jack’s family moved to St Athan when aged seven when his father was transferred there during the war.

Jack was educated at High Street School, followed by Barry Grammar School, and during the school holidays he worked at British Resin Products Ltd, where he was later taken on permanently as a laboratory worker, and he remained at the site when BP Chemicals took over in 1968.

A lifelong devout Christian, Jack attended Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church in Barry, where he set up a flourishing youth club and organised numerous charity fundraisers.

Sport played a big part in Jack’s life. He played football and cricket to a good standard, and through his church involvement he went on to manage two football teams.

In an era of compulsory National Service, Jack served in the RAF. While waiting to board a plane to South Africa, he was transferred to Aden Colony due to his skills as a junior technician, but when he arrived he discovered the equipment used was completely unknown to him, something he would frequently recall to great amusement.

Jack married Fay in 1957 and they went on to have two sons, Mark and Allan. At the time of his death, Jack had four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Jack’s life changed forever in 1974, when at the age of 42 he went blind overnight due to glaucoma. Betty said: “It was a devastating blow and an enormous shock to him at the time. But he took great strength from his Christian faith and was determined to make the most of life.”

Humour played an important part in helping Jack adjust to blindness. Betty recalls: “At one of his appointments with a consultant, Jack asked, ‘Will I be able to play the piano?’ ‘Yes’ came the reply. Jack then said, ‘Oh good, because I couldn’t play before!”

At his initial diagnosis, Jack still had a small amount of ‘tunnel vision’, but as time progressed he became completely blind.

Unable to return to work, Jack threw himself into charity fundraising, with the help of Fay. He also gave talks to schools and clubs about his experiences.“

My brother was initially reluctant to have a guide dog, but the family talked him into getting one, and he soon began to appreciate the difference they make to the lives of blind people in terms of giving them a much greater level of independence” Betty said.

“Over the years, Jack had three different guide dogs, Ralph, Guy and Dalby, and they became as well-known locally as he was!”

Jack’s biggest charity expedition came in 1991 when he walked 620 miles, beginning in Cowbridge, taking him across the old Severn Bridge, around the coasts of Devon and Cornwall before ending at Poole Speedway Stadium in Dorset, raising more than £10,000 for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

The following year, Jack’s efforts were recognised when he was awarded an MBE, which was presented to him by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Jack’s health started to deteriorate when he fell down a full flight of stairs and broke his back, which saw him spend five weeks in hospital, though he did regain the ability to walk. In later life, Jack was cared for at College Fields Nursing Home.

Betty was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tributes paid following his death: “The number of cards, emails and Facebook messages from people wanting to pay tribute to Jack was extraordinary. Nobody ever said a bad word about him. If he could do a good turn, he would. He was a complete one-off.

“He didn’t let blindness get in the way of living life to the full. People who met Jack never forgot him.”

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