A 10-year-old Cornish boy has a starring role in a tear-jerking advert for the charity Guide Dogs. 

Ralph Mullineaux plays young Max, navigating early life with sight loss; the character is portrayed by older actors to reflect the different services provided by the charity at different stages in Max’s life.  

Entitled We Find The Way, the advert premiered in the middle of primetime shows at 7.30pm on Saturday, during Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeway on ITV and Crufts on Channel 4.  

The short film tells how Max develops sight loss at a young age, and Guide Dogs is instrumental in enabling him to live a full and happy life as he grows up. 

This includes successfully pulling off mischievous pranks with elder brother Jake, learning how to use a long cane, kitchen and personal care skills, and money management. 

Ralph was born with Glaucoma, a common eye condition in which the optic nerve, connecting the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. 

Guide Dogs has supported Ralph since the age of three and has taught him many different life skills, some of which he is seen mastering in the advert. 

Ralph’s mother, Georgina, 39, a primary school teacher in St Erme, said: “Guide Dogs has done so much for us over the years, and we know they’ll be there to support Ralph in his future too. 

“Ralph has been able to do things I never dreamt he’d be able to as a child with a vision impairment, and taking part in the TV advert has given him a big boost – it was a fantastic thing for him to be a part of.” 

Guide Dogs has been supporting people with sight loss for more than 90 years, with a mission to enable individuals to live actively and independently. 

The charity works with over 1,000 children and young people with a visual impairment, and in January 2023, supported nearly 400 individuals in their personal journeys.