A DISABILITY campaigner and artist, who featured on TV’s “The Undateables”, has been nominated for a national award.

Ian Treherne, 39, who lives in Rochford, has been short-listed by disability charity, Sense, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the deafblind community.

Ian, who is in the running for ‘Person of the Year’ at the charity’s annual awards ceremony, impressed a panel of judges with his resilience and determination to utilise his personal experience as a way to campaign for the rights of others.

He is an established photographer, who was born partially deaf and with limited vision, due to a condition called Usher Syndrome, which causes progressive eyesight deterioration.

Ian said: “Finding out I’d been nominated at the Sense Awards was fantastic news and I’m really looking forward to the event.

“Working with Sense has certainly helped me through my tough journey and this is just the beginning of a whole new chapter for me.

“Sense have been a big help to me in recent times in terms of support and other aspects too.

“The nomination has been a big confidence boost and I really hope I win the award. I was nominated by Torie Monks who works in events at Sense.

“I found out about the nomination by email and was so shocked as I have never had anything like this before. “I want to spread the word about my condition through the media, fashion and other ways.”

This year, Ian helped to support the charity’s work with the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, using his personal story to raise awareness of the isolation disabled people often face in a series of media interviews, and addressing MPs at a special event at the Houses of Parliament.

Previously he has also appeared on Channel 4 show, ’The Undateables’, where he helped to increase understanding of what it’s like to live with Usher Syndrome.

The annual Sense Awards are a national celebration of the remarkable determination shown by people who are deafblind or have complex communication needs, as well as the dedication of the Sense staff, volunteers, fundraisers, campaigners and partners who support them to live full and active lives.

Following his nomination, Ian will now be invited to attend the Sense Awards ceremony at the charity’s new TouchBase Pears centre in Birmingham this Thursday, where the winners of each category will be revealed on the night.