Entries are now being welcomed for the 2018 Optician Awards through www.optician awards.com with new categories, new sponsors and a busy programme planned in the run up to the presentation next April.
Eighteen categories are up for grabs encompassing all areas of practice, the profession and product types. Among the new categories for 2018 are the Leader of the Future award sponsored by Leightons Opticians, the Practice Growth Award, sponsored by A+E+L Markhams and the Children’s Contact Lens Practice of the Year sponsored by Coopervision.
Entries close in mid-January so start thinking now about which awards you would like to enter. Putting forward your entry is free and all of the details can be found on the awards website. Judging is carried out by panels of experts in early February so all entries will be carefully considered and discussed and winners chosen on the merit of the information provided.
All of those shortlisted will be invited to a pre-event drinks reception in London where judges, sponsors and those shortlisted can meet in a relaxed atmosphere before the black tie presentation ceremony in April.
The Leader of the Future award returns to the awards line up courtesy of Leightons which celebrates its 90th anniversary next year. This award is designed to identify the emerging generation of optical leaders who will be running optics in 20 years’ time and beyond. Entries and nominations are welcomed for this award for optical professionals who have been in practice for no more than five years.
Practice growth is uppermost in the minds of all optical businesses and to help reward practices that have excelled in this field A+E+L Markhams is backing this award which will invite practices to share their experience of growing their business.
Children’s contact lens practice is a major area of focus at the moment as emerging techniques for control of myopia gather pace. The starting point for this has to be working with children in contact lens practice and that is why Coopervision has thrown its weight behind the search for practices that are successful in working with the young. This award is about everyday practice so entries are welcomed from all sectors of optical practice.
Alongside our new categories are the perennial favourites such as the hugely popular Independent Practice of the Year category sponsored by Hoya and the Contact Lens Patient Engagement Award, sponsored by Johnson and Johnson and the Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year sponsored by Alcon. A full list of categories can be found here.
Details of the all the categories and how to go about putting your entry together can be found at www.opticianawards.com along with sponsor information, a gallery and everything else you might need to know about the awards process. Initial entries and nominations can be made online along with a entry submission and supporting materials. The website includes details of the presentation evening while tips on how to enter and increase your chances of winning an Optician Award can be found on the Optician website
The Optician Awards presentation ceremony will take place on the evening of Saturday, April 14, in the Hilton Metropole Hotel next to the National Exhibition Centre near Birmingham during the Optrafair weekend.
The black tie event will be hosted by an A-list celebrity and guests will enjoy a drinks reception, a stunning audio-visual show and a three course meal. After the trophies have been awarded there will be dancing, a charity casino and other entertainment for guests along the way. All of the money raised on the night will be donated to Blind Veterans UK.
Along with full coverage of the event in Optician and its website all of the winners will be profiled in magazine in the 12 months following the presentation. Optician will also make extensive use of its social media channels to highlight the winners’ success.
The Optician Awards are the most sought after trophies in optics. Previous winners have said the process of entering the awards is a great way of reviewing your business, valuing staff and raising the profile of the practice. The judging is objective and fair, winners are not chosen by popularity, but through a voting system. Whether your practice is young or old, choose an award that suits your strengths and tell us your story. Good luck.
Optician Award categories
Technology Practice of the Year
The Family Optician of the Year
Children’s Contact Lens Practice of the Year
Sponsored by Coopervision
Multiple Practice of the Year
Independent Practice of the Year
Sponsored by Hoya
Fashion Practice of the Year
Contact Lens Patient Engagement Award
Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care
The Practice Growth Award
Sponsored by A+E+L Markhams
Lens Product of the Year
Frame of the Year
Optical Supplier of the Year
Contact Lens Product of the Year
Enhanced Optical Service Award
Leader of the Future Award
Sponsored by Leightons Opticians
Optical Assistant Team of the Year
Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year
Sponsored by Alcon
Dispensing Optician of the Year
Optometrist of the Year
To enter visit opticiainwards.com