A sales director from Frome rode 100 miles from London to Surrey in an impressive five-and-three-quarter hours on Sunday 2nd August for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Greg Bird beat his target of completing the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 in six hours, and has raised more than £1,100 for the charity so far.
He said, “I had a fantastic day, and the empty roads and keen cyclists meant I kept up a good pace throughout the ride. My best memory is arriving back in Greater London, knowing I was still riding well with less than 20 miles to go. Sprinting up the Mall wasn’t bad either.”
Greg chose to fundraise for Blind Veterans UK because his father-in-law receives support from the charity. Gerald Wheeler, 76, served in the Somerset Light Infantry and lost his sight due to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). He did National Service in the UK between 1957 and 1959, leaving as a Lance Corporal.
Greg said, “I’ve known him for 30 years and seen him suffer from a degenerative eye condition. Blind Veterans UK have helped him stay in his home and live an independent life.”
Blind Veterans UK have assisted Gerald with equipment, such as a Milestone to help him record messages, play talking books and music. The charity also gave him Dolphin Guide to read emails, simple computer software for blind and partially-sighted people who are new to computing.
Prudential Ride London took place on 2nd August with more than 25,000 riders travelling from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the Mall in central London, via Leith and Box Hills in Surrey.
Greg added, “Completing the Prudential RideLondon–Surrey 100 for Blind Veterans UK has increased my enthusiasm for the sport of cycling and convinced me that 100 miles is perfectly achievable with the right preparation.”
You can still sponsor Greg raising money for Blind Veterans UK, visit: www.justgiving.com/gregbird
To find out more or express an interest in riding for Blind Veterans UK in 2016, visit: www.blindveterans.org.uk/ridelondon
