Hi there folks, and welcome back! This blog will take you on a ride and a half! This blog will focus on speed of sight, a charity that gives blind and partially sighted people the experience to drive a buggy, which is a mini version of a car. The great man that founded this is a man called Mike Newman. Mike had glaucoma as a child, and it got so bad, he had to have his eyes out. He was a manager of a bank for many years, though through his hobby of breaking world speed records and driving with the help of sighted assistance, his love of this sowed the seed of the charity that became speed of sight.
On their website, www.speedofsight.org it states the following on our story. “It all started with one man. One man we like to call "Super Human, Mike Newman" was born completely blind, Mike always had a passion for cars, so much so, it was his life's ambition to become a racing driver.
But, as you can imagine, this ambition came with many challenges. No blind person in history had ever achieved this goal.
However, just because he is disabled, doesn't mean he's UNABLE.
He knows the challenges blind and disabled people face and it is that, coupled with his love and exhilaration for driving, that leads him to believe he can help other disabled people by offering driving experiences to people just like him.
Mike worked tirelessly to live his dream, and through grit and determination to succeed, he worked alongside a local Jaguar dealership, to acquire a racing car that would enable him to do it.
Fast-forward over a decade, and Super Human, Mike Newman is a 9 times World Record Holder and currently the fastest blind man on land and water on the planet.
Activities such as corporate days where staff and/or clients are blindfolded whilst driving are not only fantastic fun, but also increase awareness of difficulties faced by disability, as well as encouraging essential team-building skills, such as trust and communication.
They offer driving experiences to all people with all disabilities. I volunteered for speed before I worked for ERS. I was in charge of the pass a pound packing the packs. Pass the Pound is when we send driving instructors info about the speed of sight charity and if they want to get involved. I also was on the phone asking people about their track days, how they enjoyed it, and how the driving instructors found it.
I have also been in one of the buggies on a track day. Incidentally, each of the Speed of Sight buggies is named after each of Mike Newman's guide dogs, for he has been a long time guide dog owner.I wore a helmet in the buggy, and a microphone and speaker sounded like it was in the helmet.
There was a lovely driving instructor next to me giving me instructions, "Foot off the gas," if I was going too enthusiastically, or, "foot off the pedal, turn right, keep straight." There is something exhilarating about being in an open-topped buggy with the wind in your hair. I felt perfectly safe and at ease, and long may speed of sight continue.
I have been waiting to hear back from Mike and John who is another founder to interview them this week, though we will have to wait a bit longer for the anticipated interview with them.
For now, we hope you've enjoyed this blog, and I'm sure speed of sight will welcome more donations and more track days are happening. For more info, check on the speed's website.
We hope you've enjoyed this blog, we change lives, and feel the vibes! Happy driving if you get the chance to go on a track day with Speed of Sight, when you drive their buggies, your day will be bright!
Lovely, interesting read Sophia