David Mann, who has been blind all his life, will be celebrating his 80th birthday by cycling 80 kilometres in one day, on the back of a tandem, in order to raise funds for two charities close to his heart. With the support of his pilot mark and other friends, he will be riding from Lisburn, County Antrim, to Oxford Island, along the shores of Lough Neagh and back to Lisburn on Saturday, 29th August 2026, raising money for Lisburn Outlook.

Blindness can cut you off in many ways. Lisburn Outlook strives to combat social isolation and promote peer support amongst blind and partially sighted people in and around Lisburn, Co. Antrim, where David has lived for the past 30 years. David, a founder member of Lisburn Outlook, explains: “An essential part of our ethos is that blind and partially sighted people themselves are closely involved in running the organisation. Our activities include not only tandem riding but also less strenuous activities such as theatre visits and trips to places of interest. In the past year we have supported pottery classes and life-saving and defibrillator training for our blind and partially sighted members, as well as a “have a go” water sports afternoon. We subsidise a short holiday each year. We rely entirely on grants and donations, and would greatly appreciate any gift you feel able to make.” Thank you.

David is also fundraising for the Norrie Disease Foundation who are carrying vital research to find a way to save the hearing of children born blind from a very rare genetic condition. If you would like to know more or donate to the Norrie Disease Foundation, please visit David’s other page via this link https://www.justgiving.com/page/david-mann-80?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.