Cycling blind for a good cause

01 December 2003

Blind UNSW law student Darren Fittler is cycling from Brisbane to Sydney to raise funds for Blind Citizens Australia (BCA).

Darren left Brisbane on Saturday (29 November) with 11 other riders in the inaugural East Coast Cycle Challenge. He will make the 1000km journey on a tandem bicycle with good friend Ben McEvoy, hoping to arrive at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 9 December.

The cyclists will stop at towns along the coast to raise awareness of BCA's work, and promote health and exercise in a fun and accessible way for all people including those with a disability.

"We are hoping to raise $100,000 from the event," says Darren. "The money will be used by BCA to develop programs for young blind people."

Darren has just finished his law degree at UNSW and will now go on to complete College of Law. Before studying law he completed a Bachelor of Social Work at the University.

Darren is chairperson of the World Blind Union Asia Pacific Youth Committee, which is a committed to providing young people who are blind with opportunities to move into leadership positions.

"We want to promote a positive image of people with disability in the community, in particular people who are blind or have a vision impairment," says Darren.