From fags to fitness

When James O’Driscoll lost his sight at the age of 26, he thought his life was over. But then he fought to become the first blind person to achieve a Level 2 Fitness Instructor Award, and now he says he feels that anything is possible

I was into keeping fit and trying to be healthy even before I lost my sight. I’d go round to friends’ houses and teach them how to keep fit. I had a physically active job tarmacing roads and I went to the gym a lot.

When I lost my sight I lost my job, smoked too much and ate a lot of bad food. I just didn’t care about anything. I was grieving.

Eventually I just said “No” to myself, quit smoking and bought a rowing machine from the money I’d saved on cigarettes. I also went to university to get a dance and drama qualification, and that allowed me to appear in Casualty, the BBC drama, and as an extra in EastEnders.

Acting is fun but fitness is where my passion is and I wanted – and still want – to work in fitness. I started going to the gym again, with my nephew. One day when we were working out together, he said to me: “You’re really good at this; you should train people.”

Eight years earlier I’d attempted to get a training certificate, but the narrow-mindedness of Central YMCA Qualifications (CYQ) staff meant I couldn’t pursue it; they said it wasn’t right for me to do things like check a woman’s posture.

This time I was more determined. I started the course, even though they said I’d never qualify, and could only ever get a record of attendance. After some persuading, they said I could do the theory test but not the practical part, where you had to guide others using weights and machines.

I tried to explain that I had an access worker who’d guide me but they thought that meant the worker would do everything.

I dug my heels in and just kept suggesting ideas. Eventually they agreed to see me try it out and realised that I could do it.

In July this year I gained a Level 2 Fitness Instructor Award. Apparently I’ve set the bar for being the first blind person qualified.

But having achieved the qualification, I need to find people to employ me. And that’s not just going to be hard for me but for everyone with a disability: we’ll all have to work twice as hard, especially in this economic climate, to have a fighting chance at employment.

Until people have seen me work, they’ll always wonder if I can do it. I just hope they give me a chance to show that I can.

JAMES O’DRISCOLL: CAREER PATH

• 1987 – Began working on roads at age of 16, starting off as a teaboy and finishing as floor manager, tarmacing roads in Kingston and London
• 1998 – Lost sight
• 2002 – Started to be more pro-active about working as a blind person
• August 2004 – Attended London Metropolitan University to do a course in dance and drama
• March 2009 – Appeared in an episode of Casualty on the BBC as a blind ex-soldier
• July 2009 – Gained Level 2 Fitness Instructor Award