Dunbeath man living with MS embarks on a charity challenge driving the NC500 in adapted van
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Wheelchair bound 55-year-old Andrew Riley has been living with MS since 2010, a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord.
Beginning on April 1, Mr Riley will take on the famous North Coast 500 route in his wheelchair accessible van for three different charities, Scottish Autism, MS Trust and Equity Charitable Trust.
He hopes to tackle the route in three days, despite the fact he will have to miss his favourite tv shows Pointless and House of Games.
Mr Riley said: "I'm really looking forward to the breath-taking scenery and the people I may meet (although doing it all in three days might limit the opportunity to socialise).
"I'm least looking forward to filming as I go in case I mess up the whole thing and the editing at the end as I find it quite tiring but knowing people will be waiting to see how it went and not wanting to keep them waiting."
He will keep followers up to date with his efforts on a youtube channel, where he has already posted a preview video.
Mr Riley wanted to support each charity for different reasons.
"Living and conquering Multiple Sclerosis for ten years gave me a natural affinity to support the MS Trust. A fine Charity, established in 1993 by fellow MS conqueror, Chris Jones and her good friend, Jill Holt, to provide information, support and hope when the landscape looked bleak. Today, they supply and fund specifically trained MS Nurses. The program is already in full swing throughout the UK.
"Then there’s, Scottish Autism. A superb organisation, they have opened and run the New Struan School, offering tailored education to enable autistic people to lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. They are now the largest provider of autism-specific services in Scotland and a leading authority and advocate for good autism practice. No stranger to autism, with family members diagnosed autistic, I wanted to support the cause, especially given the setbacks all have endured with lockdown and restrictions.
"The last piece in the jigsaw belongs to the Equity Charitable Trust. A charity dedicated to providing grants for training and support for professional performers who want to retrain for a new career, or who face financial difficulties. When I reached out for help, they provided me with an all singing/dancing space-age bed that could sit me up and spit me out whenever he was being a lazy monkey.
"Performers and theatres deliver so much in entertainment and upliftment and the Equity Charitable Trust provides a vital lifeline when difficulties arise. Let us meet the challenge and help sustain all of these causes and show the Charity Vanman that I am not alone in this arduous task."
To support Mr Riley, you can donate to his cause on a Just Giving page.
