In May 2026, Mark Long will attempt the legendary SAS “Fan Dance” route on Pen y Fan to raise £102,000 - the cost of funding a guide dog for its entire lifetime.

This challenge isn’t just about reaching the summit.

It’s about funding a guide dog called Penny, whose future partnership will give someone with sight loss independence, confidence and freedom.

MARK'S STORY

Mark has spent most of his life living with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition that causes progressive vision loss.

Now registered blind, Mark has had to renegotiate his world.

- He’s lost the ability to drive.

- Everyday navigation has changed.

- Life requires constant adaptation.

But instead of stepping back, Mark has chosen to step forward.

In May 2026, he will take on one of the UK’s toughest mountain challenges - the SAS Fan Dance route on Pen y Fan.

The goal is simple:

Raise £102,000 to fund a guide dog for its entire working life.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Guide dogs transform lives.

They provide independence, confidence and freedom to people living with sight loss.

But training and supporting a guide dog through its full working life costs around £102,000, funded almost entirely through donations.

Through "Pounds for Penny", Mark hopes to raise enough to fund a new guide dog and follow its journey from puppy training through to becoming someone’s life-changing partner.

MEET PENNY

The guide dog funded through this campaign will be called Penny.

Penny’s journey will begin as a puppy in training and eventually lead to being paired with someone whose life will be transformed through partnership and independence.

Every donation helps make that journey possible.

THE CHALLENGE

To raise the funds, Mark will take on the Fan Dance route on Pen y Fan — the brutal mountain challenge used during UK Special Forces selection.

It’s a test of endurance, resilience and determination.

And it’s a powerful symbol of the journey Mark has already taken in adapting to life with sight loss.

THE MISSION

Through Pounds for Penny we aim to:

• Raise £102,000 to fund a guide dog

• Increase awareness of visual impairment and hidden disabilities

• Inspire others to challenge themselves for causes that change lives

You can support Pounds for Penny by:

• Donating to help fund Penny

• Sharing this page with others

• Following the journey as Mark trains and prepares for the challenge

Every pound raised brings us closer to funding a life-changing guide dog.