To raise money for a charity that helped him fulfil a lifelong dream of driving a real car, 29 year old Drew Hanslow, who has albinism and nystagmus which impairs his vision, has pledged to walk five million steps in 2025.

After attending a driving day in 2015, organised by Speed Of Sight, a charity that hosts driving events for children and adults with disabilities, Drew has enjoyed now driving experiences with the charity 11 times. Drew has also become a regular volunteer and recently became one of the charity’s ambassadors due to the various fundraising activities he’s undertaken over the last four years.

Kidderminster-based Drew began his latest challenge on Wed 1 January and has already reached the 300,000 step mark, with his aim to complete the five million steps before 31st December 2025. This challenge is particularly difficult for Drew, who has albinism and nystagmus, which causes poor vision and a sensitivity to light, meaning walking outside can be uncomfortable.

Drew has a fundraising target of £5,000 to help Speed Of Sight continue to help others achieve their dream of driving a car, just like they did for Drew. People can donate here. 

Speed Of Sight is run by blind race car driver and multiple World Record holder Mike Newman and his co-founder John Galloway. Interested participants can have any disability, as the team is trained to help everyone in and out of the cars, which are specially designed and built - four racing cars and three all-terrain buggies - to allow people of all ages with disabilities to enjoy the excitement and thrill of driving. 

The vehicles, named after Mike’s guide dogs, are specially designed with dual controls and twin steering wheels and the buggies are equipped with hand controls. 

Drew said: “I’m really excited to take on this challenge and hopefully raise lots of money for Speed Of Sight. It’s an unexplainable feeling to be able to drive a real car on your own, something that I never thought would have been possible and I know that Mike overcame the same challenge himself and so is now determined that others get the same experience as him.

“This challenge of walking five million steps will be a difficult one to achieve because of my disabilities, but I have such a massive support system through Speed Of Sight, it’s a family there and they just want to help people. So that’s what I’m thinking of when I don’t feel like doing the challenge, I think of all the friends I’ve made and the difference they’ve all made to my life, and the difference they make to so many people’s lives.

“This charity has changed my life, and taught me that with determination anyone can achieve anything. Another reason I started this challenge is to hopefully inspire others with a disability that they too can achieve, push past their disability, defy what people say they can't do, and still succeed, because that's what Speed Of Sight has taught me.

“I’m documenting the journey with daily videos, updating people who want to know about my progress, aspects I’m struggling with and the different places I’m going, I wanted to be as transparent with this challenge as possible and doing a daily video is another way to keep myself motivated and accountable for my step count.”

Speed Of Sight’s CEO, Mike Newman, commented: “It’s an incredibly difficult thing to accept when you have a disability, that something as simple as driving is not possible for you. Driving is such a normal thing for many and it generates a sense of freedom, but when you have a disability that prevents that, it limits you. It’s for people like Drew that we started Speed Of Sight, because I understand what they feel when they get into one of our cars and race around a track, it’s exhilarating.

“We really admire Drew for all that he has achieved and we’re very humbled that he’s become part of our Speed Of Sight family, he’s a fantastic person who doesn’t let his disability hold him back. He’s why we do these track days, and why we continue to do them.”

Speed Of Sight runs events which empower disabled people of all ages. These events, held nationwide, allow a disabled child or adult a chance to forget, if only for a little while, that they have a disability.

To find more information on Speed Of Sight and the locations of the driving days for 2025, click here.