Optician Awards 2019: Winners’ hard work rewarded
Independent English practices staged a comeback at this year’s Optician Awards bash which saw 18 trophies presented at a 1980s themed night in front of more than 500 optical professionals
Author: Optician
Published: 05/04/2019
Practices from the Midlands and the North made their mark this year with the majority of awards going to business across England. This is in stark contrast to recent years which has seen the regions, home nations and multiple practices dominating the winners board.
Six of the individual practice awards went to the midlands with the north of England hot on their heels with four. A full round of the winners can be seen opposite.
In all 18 trophies were presented at a 1980s themed glittering black tie bash in the Hilton Metropole next to the National Exhibition Centre near Birmingham coinciding with the Optrafair weekend.
The evening started with a drinks reception, sponsored by Scope Ophthalmic, before the guests made their way through to the presentation room where they were treated to some electric 1980s graphics. A video sting themed on the 80s hit show Kids From Fame was played to the delight of the audience. This was followed by a welcome from Optician’s editor, Chris Bennett (pictured).
He called on the evening’s theme to highlight the massive technological changes that have taken place since the 1980s and to remind guests what a momentous decade it was for optics. Despite this technology said Bennett the core values remained: ‘Transport yourself back to a 1980s practice and it would be a very familiar place – only with bigger hair and shoulder pads.’
Dinner was then served during which guests took part in a game of Heads or Tails hosted by Vivid Optical managing consultant Danny Alaimo which raised £2,118 for the evening’s chosen charity Blind Veterans UK. The winner prize of a hamper was won by Vanessa Hammond of Parker and Hammond Opticians in Harrow.
Dinner was followed by the awards presentation which has hosted by Pat Sharp from the hit 1980s TV show Fun House. He entertained the audience before moving on to oversee the presentation of the 18 Optician Award trophies.
The Optician Awards winners
After the Awards presentation guests were invited to dance the night away to the specially commissioned 1980s disco or try their hand at a range of 80s video games brought in for the guests to try their hand at.
Optician would like to thank all of the entrants to this year’s awards and offer its commiserations to those who did not make it to the shortlist. Optician would also like to thank its sponsors for their support and enabling the Optician Awards to be such an unmissable event. All of the Award winners will be profiled in Optician over the coming months.
Optician Awards winners and nominees shortlist 2019
Technology Practice of the Year
Winner: Tompkins, Knight and Son Optometrists
Hammond and Dummer Opticians
Parley Optometrists
Radlett Opticians
Specsavers Haverfordwest
The Family Optician of the Year
Winner: Coleman Opticians Hearing and Vision Centre
Cooper & Barr Opticians
Heather Bailey Optometrists
Planit Opticians
Specsavers, Keighley
Valli Opticians
Multiple Practice of the Year
Winner: Specsavers, Bicester
Boots Opticians, New Milton
Specsavers, Chelmsley Wood
Specsavers, Haverfordwest
Specsavers, Sutton-in-Ashfield
Independent Practice of the Year sponsored by Hoya
Winner: Frost Borneo Opticians
Glass & Glass Optometrists
Hammond and Dummer
Opticians
Janjua Vision
Kings Hill Opticians
Lynne Fernandes Optometrists
Mackie Eyecare
Fashion Practice of the Year
Winner: Mincher-Lockett & Co Opticians
Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians
Park Vision
Rachel Murray Eyecare
Spexbox
Contact Lens Practice of the Year Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Visioncare
Winner: Querido & Davidson
Boots Opticians Braehead
Cooper & Barr Opticians
Specsavers, Derby
Specsavers, Keighley
Specsavers, Cannock
The Practice Growth Award, sponsored by A+E+L Markhams
Winner: Hammond and Dummer Opticians
Allegro Optical
Benjamin Opticians
Flint and Partners
Parley Optometrists
Sask Optics
Station Road Opticians
Lens Product of the Year
Winner: Autograph Intelligence, Shamir
UVProtect, Carl Zeiss Vision
Crizal Sapphire UV, Essilor Ultrathin, Waterside Laboratories
Frame of the Year
Winner: Blackcap, Bird Glasses
1305, Cutler and Gross
Topanga, L.A.Eyeworks
Camila, Xavier Garcia model
Elena, Reykjavik Eyes Black Label -
Rapunzel S05, Specsavers
Atum, You Mawo
Contact Lens Product of the Year
Winner: Duette, SynergEyes UK
OptiExpert, CooperVision
Versa One Day Toric, Mark’ennovy Personalized Care
Optical Supplier of the Year
Winner: Optos
24/7 Uptime
Heidelberg Engineering
Mainline Optical Connections
Ocuco
Scope Ophthalmics
Waterside Laboratories
The Low Vision Award
Winner: Stephanie Cairns, Sight Service
Judith Potts, Leicester Royal Infirmary
Mellis Eyecare
The Seeing Beyond the Eyes Team, Visualise Training & Consultancy
Enhanced Optical Service Award
Winner: Rawlings Opticians, Croydon
Boots Opticians, Knightsbridge
Parley Optometrists
Specsavers, Alton
Specsavers, Haverfordwest
Frame Stylist of the Year sponsored by Transitions
Winner: Sarah Neath, Lamertons Opticians
Amiee Wheeler, Eyeworks London
Janan Choudhury, Spectacle Emporium
Rachelle Garcia Russo, Station Road Opticians
Optical Assistant Team of the Year
Winner: Glass & Glass Optometrists
Boots Opticians, St Helens
Bowen Opticians
Clark Family Eyecare
Cooper & Barr Opticians
Specsavers, Bicester
Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year sponsored by Alcon
Winner: Iain Johnson, Maloney Opticians
Christopher Nixon, Christopher Nixon Optometrists
Marc Drake, Osmond Drake Opticians
Dipesh Chhatralia, Parker & Hammond Opticians
Lisa Pipe, Parley Optometrists
Dispensing Optician of the Year, sponsored by ASDA Opticians
Winner: Sheryl Doe, Allegro Optical
John Singh, Leightons Insight
Fraser McLean, Rachel Murray Eyecare
Tanja White, Specsavers, Bicester
Optometrist of the Year sponsored by CooperVision
Winner: Rebecca Rietdyke, Maloney Opticians
Cathy Dallimore, Edmonds & Slatter Opticians
Keyur Patel, K3 Healthcare Catherine McNamara, Liverton Opticians
David Barker, Rawlings Opticians