A severely paralysed man has continued to defy his disabilities on the latest leg of his cross-country cycle challenge.
Former London advertising executive Max Burt (45) left Kirkcaldy on Monday morning on his 714-mile journey from Aberdeen to London, hoping to change people’s attitudes towards disabled people along the way.
Max was left paralysed on his left side and a permanent wheelchair user after his car collided with a fire engine on the way to an emergency more than 10 years ago.
Despite also being left deaf in one ear and suffering from uncontrollable tremors and severe sight and speech impairments, Max drew up his Everything Is Possible In Life Cycle to show that real obstacles and prejudices for disabled people can be overcome.
Having travelled through Tayside over the weekend, Max left Kirkcaldy’s Dean Park Hotel at 10am on the latest part of his journey and was waved off by friend Sarah Brown, wife of Gordon Brown.
Max said, “My journey, as well as highlighting the positive common experience that disabled people share in overcoming obstacles, will also celebrate the often ingenious abilities that disabled people have, and demonstrate that everything is possible.
“I hope the people of Scotland will come and cheer me on.”
Max travelled to South Queensferry and will continue travelling south throughout the week.
Leaving Kirkcaldy, he said his aim was to have a world where people with disabilities are defined by what they can do, not what they can’t.
Max said, “My ride is an opportunity to change how disabled people are perceived, and to begin to shift the attitudinal obstacles that you find daily.
“Above all, it’s a demonstration of what can be done with some ingenuity, persistence, optimism and a positive approach.”