A Petersfield man has used pedal power to raise awareness and much-needed funds for an epilepsy charity.

Dan, 39, who lives at Sanctuary Supported Living’s Tilmore Gardens, a residential care home for people with learning disabilities, decided to raise money for the Epilepsy Society by cycling on his exercise bike for at least 10 minutes every day for five days in a row. As well as a learning disability, Dan also has a spinal condition which means that physical exercise like cycling is very difficult for him.

He was inspired to take on the challenge after seeing the impact that epilepsy has on a fellow resident, and because he also has a family member who has epilepsy.

He was supported by his fellow residents and the team at the service, and his family also paid him a surprise visit to help cheer him over the virtual finish line. Thanks to everyone’s support and the generous sponsorship he received, Dan raised an impressive £410 for the Epilepsy Society.

Dan said: “I wanted to do this to raise awareness of epilepsy and to raise money for epilepsy research.”

Michelle Wilson, Local Service Manager at Tilmore Gardens, added: “We are all so proud of Dan, I know how challenging he has found it, but he has done amazingly well in achieving his goal and raising so much money for charity. Having his family surprise him with a visit on the final day was a lovely way to celebrate his success, and I’m sure he’ll be keeping up with his new hobby in the future.”

For more information about Sanctuary Supported Living’s services for people with disabilities, see our latest news or find a service near you.