Blind TV star Amar Latif has described his joy at becoming the new president of walking charity the Ramblers. The campaigner, who was the first blind contestant to compete on Celebrity Masterchef lost his vision as a teenager.
Amar 48, has an incurable eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa which meant he had 95 percent sight loss by the age of 18.
But he was determined not to let it hold him back and in 2004 he founded Traveleyes, a travel agency specialising in tours for blind and partially-sighted travellers.
The keen walker said: “Being appointed president of the Ramblers is a huge honour.
“I’ve been passionate about walking all my life and if I can enjoy the benefits of a walk, then so can other people.
“The Ramblers’ mission to ensure equal access to nature for all is so important for the health and well-being of people across Great Britain.
“I want to help inspire people, irrespective of their background or ability, to embrace the endless natural beauty of our country.”
Amar first found fame in 2005, starring on the BBC Two documentary Beyond Boundaries as one of a group of disabled travellers trekking 220 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast of Nicaragua.
From 2017 to 2018, he co-presented the Channel 4 show How to Get Fit Fast with Anna Richardson and in 2019 he and Sara Pascoe featured in the BBC Two documentary Travelling Blind.
He succeeds writer and DJ Stuart Maconie, who was president for six years, and who will now take up the vice president role.
Ross Maloney, CEO of the Ramblers, said: “Amar will be a fantastic president as he inspires so many to push their limits. We want everyone to be able to enjoy walking in our green spaces.”
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