OGS charity effort gathers momentum

As part of a busy two months for Optometry Giving Sight, £5,250 was raised at a silent auction of an Orbscan donated by Bausch & Lomb at the BCLA exhibition.

The Orbscan will go the highest bidder, Optometry at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Manchester University. Lecturer Dr Clare O’Donnell said that she was delighted to acquire the instrument, that would be used extensively by staff and students.

‘It is especially gratifying to know that the money will be used to help fund eye care in the developing world.’This comes hot on the heels of a major fundraising effort by B&L’s Nick Loan (pictured), also chairman of the marketing and planning committee of OGS, who raised £5,800 for the cause by running the London Marathon.The AOP announced its full support of OGS last month, raising £665 at a raffle at its annual dinner, with prizes by Hoya, Stepper UK, Optometry Today, Topcon and Marchon.

Chief executive Bob Hughes said the new relationship would help members play a part in righting the wrong of people being blind for want of a pair of spectacles.The BCLA was the leaving date of Gemma Ortiz Genovese who has developed and managed OGS in Europe for three years.

Jo Hollingsworth has taken over as UK country manager of OGS, having returned from working as a volunteer optometrist in Belize for an organisation linked to the Vision 2020 programme. ‘I have seen how much benefit there is to sustainable programmes.

To be able to take that message to UK optometrists and help to raise money to provide resources around the world is the most amazing opportunity.’More practitioners are signing up to support OGS and the organiser of Independents Day 2006, Proven Track Record, has added its backing.

Call OGS on: 020 7958 8169.