A 78-year-old with an eye disease has taken on the challenge of raising money for the Bury Blind and Partially Sighted Society.
Sid Prichard, who has retinitis pigmentosa, is biking 100 miles with the aim of raising £1,500 for the society which helps those like Sid with rehabilitation and sight loss aids.
Sid began his static bike ride at the Bury Blind Society centre on Tuesday, August 2, tackling 20 miles and finishing with a smile on his face.
After meeting in the Mill Gate Shopping Centre for day two, Sid began his stretches, preparing for his next 30-mile ride and keeping that same smile on his face the whole way through.
He said: “We have raised around £1,300 of our £1,500 target now.
“I have been involved with this society for 54 years now and I have watched it grow and have been there to help.
“I am very fond of the society and that is why I want to help out and get us the funds we need.”
Sid is a member of the society and has Retinitis pigmentosa, a rare eye disease that makes cells in the retina break down slowly over time, causing vision loss.
Whilst there is no cure for eye diseases like Sids, the Bury Blind Society help rehabilitate and offer aids to allow those with sight loss to live independently.
Jill Logan, CEO for Bury Society for Blind and Partially Sighted People, showed an example of one aid which vibrates when water in a cup gets close to the top.
These, amongst other devices, are given out for free by the society so those with sight loss can still live independently and do things like making a cup of tea safely.
She said: “It is great we are called Bury Blind and Partially Sighted Society but it can be off-putting for some people.
“Most people don’t see themselves as blind but as you get older it does get worse and that’s where we can help.”
Jill stood in front of a stall with various ‘simulation specs’ so passers-by can gain some understanding of what sight loss can be like.
She said: “We use this to raise awareness, these are simulation specs so people can try these on and get a feel of the impact sight loss can have.
“One of the interesting things people say when they wear them is ‘oh I can see’ or think it is easy until they try to read or see certain things and quickly change their minds.
“Only four per cent of the population are completely blind, most people can see something like shapes or outlines.
“We are here to support anyone with a non-corrective eye condition and it is not about what you cant do, we are about what we can do."
Sid’s next challenge is another 30 miles at Tesco, Bury, today, Thursday, August 4, and a further 20 miles back at Bury Blind Society on Friday.
The society has raised just over £1,300 of their £1,500 target, anyone looking to donate can follow the link here.
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