British man becomes the first blind person there to receive fitness instructor award

From Bromley News in the UK:

A Bromley man is the first blind person in the UK to achieve a level two fitness instructor award.

James O’Driscoll (pictured), 36, from Larkfield Close, Bromley, gained his Level two Fitness Instructor award whilst being a trainee on the London Sports Forum for Disabled People’s coach-ability programme.

The programme is funded by the London Development Agency 2012 opportunity fund, and is a coach training programme and employment project with the aim of increasing the number of disabled people employed as sports coaches by 2012.

Shaun Powell, coach-ability project manager said: “We are delighted by James’ personal achievement and the long term outcome to ensure blind trainees can become fitness instructors.

“We will embed this good practise model to ensure disabled people have the same coaching opportunities in all sports as non-disabled people.”