A guide dog owner from Saundersfoot has won the Lifetime Achievement Award in this year's Specsavers Guide Dog of the Year Awards.

Eva Rich won the award in recognition of her lifelong commitment to helping Guide Dogs.

The annual awards, which are organised by Guide Dogs (http://www.guidedogs.org.uk">www.guidedogs.org.uk) and sponsored by family-run opticians Specsavers, celebrate the success of guide dogs and their owners, and the people who make these amazing partnerships possible.

Eva has worked passionately for many years to promote Guide Dogs, raise vital funds and support visually impaired people in her community. As a guide dog owner of 50 years, and Tenby and Pembrokeshire fundraising group secretary for 35 years, Eva is a wonderful ambassador.

Described as the branch 'lynchpin', Eva is known for the personal support she gives other local volunteers and guide dog owners.

Commenting on her experiences, Eva said: "I'm delighted and honoured to win the Lifetime Achievement Award. Being a volunteer for Guide Dogs is great - you meet so many interesting people and make good friends. The guide dogs I have been partnered with have changed my life, so I think it's important to give something back to Guide Dogs."

The Celebrity at the Award Ceremony in London on July 19, (which Eva did not attend) Adrian Chiles said: "It has been a privilege to be involved in the Specsavers Guide Dog of the Year Awards and I want to congratulate Eva on the first rate work they do to help people living with sight loss."

Richard Leaman, Guide Dogs' chief executive, said: "As well as celebrating the success of our guide dogs and their owners, this year our annual awards recognise all the people who make our life-changing work possible. We don't receive government funding, so we totally rely on our dedicated army of volunteers and fundraisers whose amazing work has been recognised."

Dame Mary Perkins, founder of Specsavers, added: "Specsavers is proud to sponsor the Guide Dog of the Year Awards, as part of our ongoing commitment to the charity. Our stores have pledged £250,000 to fund 25 guide dog puppies. We also hope to highlight the challenges facing many people with sight loss and raise awareness of the vital importance of regular eye examinations.

"I'm pleased to say that with the charity's support our stores have already raised more than £150,000 and we hope to reach our target by the end of the year."