A BRADFORD man with sight loss - who is well on his way to raising £3,000 for charity - is tackling the London Marathon this weekend. 

Maqsood Sheikh, 51, was planning to mark his 50th year by taking part in the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon before it got cancelled.

Undeterred, he will be participating in this year’s event on Sunday to raise money for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Along with his guide runner Donna Siberry, who works at RNIB with Maqsood, the pair have already replicated the success they achieved in last year's virtual event by raising over £2,000.

Maqsood was born with optic atrophy; a condition that affects the optic nerve and can cause blurred vision and impact peripheral vision.

As a teenager, he attended New College Worcester when he was a teenager, and left the school, which offers specialist education for young people with a vision impairment, believing there was no limit to what he could achieve in life.

He now works for RNIB as a Regional Campaigns Officer for the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Maqsood, who has raised £2,857 at time of writing, said: “I wanted to do something different to mark my 50th year and stepping outside my comfort zone to take part in the London Marathon seemed like the perfect fit.

"Despite the initial disappointment when the physical event was cancelled, I absolutely loved participating in the virtual event last year.

"However, I am so excited about October 3 as it will be the first time, I’ll be taking part in a mass event like this.

"It only felt right to raise money for RNIB, a charity that has been there for me since childhood.

“I’m really looking forward to taking part this year and hopefully the weather will be on our side.”

Lizzi Wagner, Senior Challenge Events Manager at RNIB, added: “We’re delighted to have Maqsood and Donna as part of Team RNIB and wish them all the best for race day.

“The money Maqsood raises will help us continue to smash the barriers facing people with sight loss. Please dig deep, support his fundraising efforts and help him reach his target of £3,000!”

To sponsor Maqsood and RNIB, visit: www.justgiving.com/maqsood-sheikh.