Fleet Control Manager tackles the London Marathon in aid of blindness prevention charity Orbis
On the 27th April, 36-year-old Chris Derry from Birmingham, will lace up his running shoes for a charity close to his heart: Orbis, who are preventing avoidable blindness worldwide. Chris, a Fleet Control Manager for a West Midlands based train company, will tackle his third London Marathon and fifteenth overall marathon to raise funds for the charity, who operate the world’s only Flying Eye Hospital.
Chris hopes to raise £2500 for Orbis through social media, a charity night and online raffle.
Orbis transforms lives through the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. For 1.1 billion people blindness or poor vision is a daily struggle - often because they simply don’t have access to the care they need. A colossal 90% of cases are avoidable and found in low- and middle-income countries. Working across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, through their unique Flying Eye Hospital, long term programmes, and dedicated training for local eye teams, Orbis doesn’t just restore sight - they give people back their independence, their educations and their livelihoods.
Chris says: “Running for Orbis means I am taking part in a meaningful effort to support the fight against avoidable blindness worldwide. My love of running allows me to be able to contribute to such a wonderful charity and hopefully make a difference.”
Fiona Lyons, Senior Fundraising Officer at Orbis, says: “We are so grateful to supporters like Chris who are committed to helping us tackle avoidable blindness by taking on challenge events like the London Marathon – which is no small feat! The funds generated through our marathon runners hard work will help to provide much needed eye care in the countries where we work, leading to a brighter future full of possibilities.”
Chris aims to complete the marathon in an impressive three hours and twenty minutes, training five times a week, and his top tip is to get enough rest between runs.
To help Chris to smash his fundraising target and help restore sight to even more people, please visit: 2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/chris-derry