Honours awarded at VAO AGM

Optometrists Mike Offord and Philippa Shaw were both made trustees of Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) at its AGM last week.

The trustee awards, which took place at the Copthorne Hotel Effingham Gatwick in Crawley, recognised outstanding achievement while working with the charity and were presented by VAO chairman, David Scott-Ralphs

Offord has completed thirteen VAO assignments, firstly as a volunteer and as either a deputy or team leader, including working in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Zambia. Scott-Ralphs said he had raised a lot of awareness of the charity by giving talks various groups with great success.

Shaw, a VAO member since 2001, has completed eleven assignments as volunteer, deputy team leader and team leader. She also represented the charity at the Ethiopian Optometric Association Conference where she presented a lecture.