The Glasgow-born, Yorkshire-based entrepreneur, who lost his sight at the age of 18, runs Traveleyes, a company that takes blind and partially sighted travellers on action-packed holidays around the world.

His pioneering work for the company – and as a motivational speaker – has also brought opportunities in a growing number of TV shows, such as Channel 4’s The Last Leg Down Under and BBC Two’s Beyond Boundaries, as well as documentaries, including BBC One’s River Walks: The Nidd. The latter netted him and producer, Air TV, the Single Documentary award at this year’s RTS Yorkshire Awards.

The focus of his “Travelling blind” session, part of Leeds Trinity University’s Journalism & Media Week, was how his blindness made him more determined to explore the world.

“When I could see, I didn’t see much of the world,” he said.

“If you’re blind, you become more curious. You learn to push yourself and it makes you stronger. Sometimes things seem impossible, but if you just keep going, step by step, you’ll make it. The alternative is sitting in your room, not taking any risks at all.

“If you dare to push your limits, the world becomes bigger.”