Three British optometrists will be entertaining guests at the annual BCLA's gala dinner on June 2 by performing in their band the Lost Faculties.
Band members professors Lyndon Jones, John Flanagan and Natalie Hutchings all completed their PhDs at Aston University and are based at the School of Optometry at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
The band initially started as a challenge from students at the Canadian university for the professors to partake in their annual skit night. Little did they know that a surprising number of faculty and staff members were talented musicians and stage performers and after a few rehearsals the Lost Faculties were born.
They performed their first gig in January 2001 and now regularly play at charity and optometry events and have raised an impressive $50,000 (£25k) over the past five years. BCLA sponsors including Alcon, Bausch & Lomb, CIBA Vision, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and the BCLA itself are backing the eight-member band with Jones and Hutchings on vocals and Flanagan on bass.
Jones said: 'The BCLA is now recognised as being the premiere contact lens conference in the world and the gala dinner is attended by over 100 people. It's going to be great fun to give some lectures in the day and then have the opportunity to entertain people using a different medium at night.'