'Don't screw up your eyes' is message of safety campaign

Protective sports eyewear and eye protection for those doing DIY will be the focus for a new promotional campaign to be launched later this year.

'Don't screw up your eyes' will be the safety message to the public from the Guide Dogs for the Blind initiative.

Eye protection will be a key focus for Guide Dogs this year as it marks its 75th anniversary and 'Don't screw up your eyes' will encourage practitioners to promote to their patients the benefits of protective eyewear and goggles when taking part in sports and DIY activities.

The charity is also again running its Shades Day campaign in June this year. Launched in 2001, the campaign encourages participants to wear sunglasses for the day and donate a minimum of 1 for Guide Dogs.

'The campaign incorporates a lot of educational material and already, around 2,000 schools have signed up for Shades Day in June,' said Guide Dogs' media and special projects manager Tanvir Bush.

Last week, former home secretary David Blunkett and television's Vets in Practice vet Trude Mostue joined over 200 guide dog owners with their guide dogs to celebrate the charity's 75th anniversary at the Museum in the Docklands, London.

Blunkett, who was accompanied by his guide dog Sadie at the event on January 26, unveiled an interactive exhibition set up at the event called Moving Forward Together. The exhibition is due to tour museums and shopping centres in the UK, to explain the charity's work over the past 75 years.