A fundraiser from Bath who lost his sight as a teenager has now collected £100,000 after completing a 1,000-mile cycle ride from Land's End to John O'Groats
Chris Mairs, 55, from Twerton, took the back seat of a tandem for the ten-day journey, with his personal trainer Guy Simpson, 45, acting as his eyes from the front seat.
Together they have raised £100,000 for Fight for Sight, a charity that helps people who have lost their vision through a variety of diseases.
In recognition of his efforts, Mr Mairs has been appointed as a patron of the charity, and will use his experiences to help others.
He said: "The ride went well and we completed it to schedule. It is a huge privilege to become a patron.
"I feel very strongly that more funding should be invested into vital eye research, and the crucial work carried out by Fight for Sight in this area has the potential to change the lives of millions.
"I am proud to be part of such a fantastic organisation."
Mr Mairs lost his sight at the age of 18 as the result of a rare degenerative eye condition.
Since then the technologist has been determined to raise money for Fight for Sight, with the bike ride his most challenging event yet.
All the money he raised will help support a Fight for Sight scholarship for a UK researcher to work with an international expert on gene therapy for eye disease at the University of Florida.
Fight for Sight chief executive Michele Acton said: "Not only does Chris have first-hand experience of the devastating impact eye conditions can have, he has also gone to extraordinary lengths to raise much-needed funds which will allow us to continue our research into sight loss and eye disease.
"By working together more closely we hope to do even more to help make sight loss a thing of the past."
For more information on Fight for Sight visit www. fightforsight.org.uk.
