Accessible Fitness

Blog 21 – 2.6 Challenge – 26 blog posts over 26 days…

Before the pandemic it was a known fact that visually impaired people regularly experienced social isolation. Therefore I find it somewhat surprising that it has taken the entire nation to be socially isolated to prompt accessible homebased activities. Perhaps it existed to a degree and it wasn’t well advertised or utilised. I hope post pandemic charities and businesses will continue the online work they have started.

Staying fit and healthy is something that I feel strongly about. I think everyone should have the opportunity to feel the adrenaline rush that exercise gives you. Since the lockdown I have come across two fantastic resources that I encourage visually impaired people to take advantage of.

First is the British Blind Sport stay in work out face book group. To date the group has 360 members. This immediately tells me that not enough people know about the group. It is a place to talk about sport and share experiences. There are also a host of accessible work out videos from boxercise to strength and tone. Currently each Wednesday they do a live work out that people can access via Zoom. Just search British Blind Sport stay in work out on Face Book and you should find the group.

The second resource is the Look UK You Tube channel. Check out their keep fit videos from yoga to circuits. They also have some other interesting content to browse once you have worked up a sweat. If you are keen on poetry then you might want to get involved with their poetry challenge. Exercising the mind is important too.

I am taking part in the 2.6 Challenge to help save our UK charities. If you enjoyed my blog post or are feeling generous please consider donating as little as £1 to support my chosen charities: The Norrie Disease Foundation, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Look UK, RNIB and Girl Guiding UK. You can find my fundraising page by clicking here

Thank you and stay safe x

Do Something Good Today

You may have remembered last year that I raised nearly £200 for Guide Dogs by doing a Blind Drive Challenge. This year I’m doing two fundraising events and I hope you’ll be generous in your donations.

Firstly, I’m doing Race for Life for Cancer research UK. That means I have to run 5km on 12th July at Western Park. I don’t think there are any of us who don’t know someone affected by this life-threatening disease. Personally, my next-door neighbour, auntie and currently my best friend’s boyfriend’s mum is battling the illness. So please dig deep and together we can beat Cancer. You can sponsor me online at: My Race For Life Sponsorship Page

The second event I’m doing is the Adidas Women’s 5km Challenge on September 6th in London’s Hyde Park. I’m raising money for British Blind Sport who you must all realise is a very important charity to me. I feel incredibly passionate about the participation of visually impaired people accessing sport. Without BBS I would have never gotten this far with my athletics, as they introduced me to Sheila Carey who coaches me. I would have never of discovered goalball and had the opportunity to compete in competitions and I would have never had the chance to read their magazine Target that features so many blind and partially sighted people enjoying and accessing sport. Unlike Cancer Research UK BBS is a small charity and is suffering badly since the recession. I’d hate for them to have to fold and as a result hundreds of visually impaired people not having the chance to be apart of sport. I love it and would be lost without it.

British Blind Sport is the charity I would like to raise more money for, but all donations are much appreciated. You can sponsor me and support BBS at: My British Blind Sport Sponsorship Page

I want to raise £50 for Cancer Research UK and £200 for BBS. Since I’m a sprinter attempting to run 5km is a big challenge for me. Oh and since I’m competitive you just know I’m not going to be happy unless I beat my time when I run the second 5km! Seriously, please spare one or both charities if you can a few quid and change lives!

Thanking you in advance!