A NORTH Berwick man is getting ready to cycle round the UK in a bid to raise funds for audio books for people like him who are blind or partially sighted.

Ken Reid embarks on the first leg of his 750-mile cycle across the country tomorrow (Friday), having already raised £5,380.

The figure is enough for two new audio books to be professionally recorded by sight loss charity RNIB.

His trip by tandem, taking in all four UK capital cities and Dublin, also marks the 30th anniversary of his going blind as a young man.

In 1986, Ken, now 57, was diagnosed with the degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa.

“The condition is untreatable, so the doctors then had little more to say to me than to say I was going blind,” he said.

“The prognosis was correct – I have gone blind.

“The rest of the journey has been a real one of discovery, with many highs and lows along the way.”

Since then, Ken has gone on to be a former chairman of RNIB Scotland and a champion for the needs of blind and partially sighted people.

He will be waved off tomorrow morning from outside the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh by Lord Provost Donald Wilson, and will be accompanied part of the way by Paralympian cyclist Laura Cluxton, who has the same sight loss condition as Ken.

He will cycle to Cairnryan, near Stranraer, then get the ferry to Belfast, from where he will cycle down to Dublin.

From there, he will take another ferry to Holyhead for Cardiff, and on to London, with the trip taking about two weeks in total.

“By making this journey, I want to increase awareness of the journey that more than 100 people across the UK start every day towards sight loss,” he said.

An avid reader himself, without talking books, he says, a whole world of literature would be denied to blind people without the vital service.

“But it costs RNIB £2,500 to produce each talking book,” he added. “If I can raise £10 for each mile of my journey, that’s three new books for adults or children.”

John Lauder, national director of cycling charity Sustrans Scotland, said: “We would like to wish Ken the best of luck on his cycle journey and hope he has a fantastic experience.”

To make a donation, go to www.justgiving.com/Cycle750 or text CCLE75 £5 to phone number 70070.