13 Oct 2014

‘Why I posted ad asking people to read for me’

A blind man, who has been inundated with offers on Twitter to read to him, tells Channel 4 News that he misses “the enjoyment of reading”.

Andrew Bailey, 34, of Nunhead, south-east London, asked his carer to put the note in the window of Foyle’s Bookshop in South Bank, London, a few weeks ago.

His request went viral after a stranger spotted the note, photographed it and put it on Twitter.

Speaking to Channel 4 News Mr Bailey said: “I’ve really missed reading … I did get a really great deal from [reading].

“I should have done this many years ago. I just said, why not advertise for someone to come in and give me back the enjoyment I used to get.

So far around 40 people have so far offered to read to Mr Bailey, who has suffers the degenerative, inherited condition Friedreich’s ataxia which left him unable to read 15 years ago.