About Us – Charitable Support
As a local and truly independent optical and audiology service provider, Rawlings Opticians & Hearing Care are proud to have supported local, national, and international charities. In 2023 we donated and raised money for See Ability, Vision Care for Homeless People, Aid for Ukraine, Cancer Research UK, CHECT, and Blue Apple Theatre. We also worked with several optical partners to deliver glasses for children in Guatemala. You can read more about these charities below.
We continue to collect glasses for Vision Aid Overseas in all our branches, so please bring in your unwanted old spectacles when you next visit us.In the past, we have supported Vision Aid Overseas, CHECT (Childhood Eye Cancer Trust) World Sight Day, Optometry Giving Sight, Gift of Sight (based in Southampton) in our Hampshire branches and Moorfields Eye Charity for our Surrey branches.
Southampton Sight
Our Chandlers Ford branch held a 40 year celebratory event on Tuesday 10th September. They raised funds for Southampton Sight, a local charity dedicated to supporting people living with sight loss. Whether it comes in the form of information and advice about equipment or visual aids, arranging for a volunteer to visit a blind or partially sighted person at home, or offering emotional reassurance, Southampton Sight always aims to provide help and support in a warm, friendly and understanding way.
Chandlers Ford branch manager Inna Rapatskaya, who volunteers for the charity, says “I am delighted to be able to support this charity at our 40th anniversary event. Southampton Sight’s motto is “Sight loss is not life loss” and by promoting independence, life skills and social inclusion for the people we help can really change their lives for the better. I would like to thank all the local businesses who have donated prizes for our raffle for this important cause.”
The sum of £750 was donated to Southampton Sight, and a happy Inna was delighted to hand over the cheque. If you would like to know more about this charity or to make a donation, visit their website at southamptonsight.org.uk
CHECT, the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust
Richard Rawling, our Managing Director, was brave enough (or mad enough!) to do a fundraising skydive to raise money for CHECT, the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust. This charity is close to our hearts at Rawlings, as 4 year old Laurence, the nephew of one of our optometrists at Winchester branch, was found to have a tumour in his eye at a routine eye test. Successful treatment at a specialist cancer treatment over an 18 month period saved his eye and his life.
After a false start where the weather was too foggy to proceed, the rescheduled day of the jump turned out to be a beautiful day with clear blue skies. The photographs were amazing, but we aren’t too sure whether Richard is smiling or screaming in this one!
The fantastic amount of £2933.76 was raised, and Richard presented a cheque to Priyanka Kotecha who is the Fundraising Manager of The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust.
In the UK there is a 99% survival rate for retinoblastoma, the most common eye cancer affecting babies, toddler and young children, but often the eye has to be removed to save the child’s life, with a prosthetic eye or sometimes both eyes meaning the family need a lifetime of ongoing support. However in parts of the world with less access to medical care less than 60% of children survive.
Congratulations to Richard for completing the jump, and to CHECT for the fantastic work they do. If you would like to know more about this charity, or to make a donation, visit CHECT.org.uk.
Blue Apple
Founded in 2005 by Jane and Tommy Jessop and based in Winchester, Blue Apple is an inspirational and ambitious theatrical company that supports learning disabled performers to develop and present high quality productions to the widest possible audiences – performing and touring theatre, dance and film within a variety of large- and small-scale venues around Hampshire and the southern regions, as well as nationally and internationally. https://blueappletheatre.com
See Ability
See Ability specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities or autism, who may also have sight loss. Through their support, people live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible, whether that's forming more friendships and relationships, enjoying new experiences and activities, or finding employment. https://www.seeability.org/about-us
Guatemala Glasses for Kids 2023
The London Squint Clinic organised a trip to the School of Hope run by the charity Education For The Children Foundation to carry out eye tests and provide glasses for 102 children in need. Rawlings, Eyespace and Hoya provided 204 pairs of glasses so that each child was able to have 2 pairs.
Vision Care for Homeless People
Vision Care for Homeless People is a charity set-up to provide eyecare services to homeless and other vulnerable people in an accessible and friendly environment in which they feel safe, welcome, and comfortable. Many homeless and vulnerable people are not in receipt of financial benefits, so are not eligible for an NHS eye examination and voucher towards their spectacles. The charity provides a fully comprehensive high-quality service totally free of charge even to most homeless people who do not receive benefits. They aim to preserve, protect, and promote the ocular health of homeless and vulnerable people in the UK who are unwilling or unable to access mainstream services available through the NHS.
Walking With The Wounded
Rawlings are pleased to have donated to Walking With the Wounded. At the end of 2021 a team from Rawlings attended the Optix conference in Cardiff, a national optometric conference. One of the speakers was Duncan Slater, a wounded veteran who became the first ever double amputee to race to the South Pole as part of Walking With The Wounded's expedition team in 2013. Since then he has also become the first double amputee to compete in the world's toughest marathon Marathon Des Sables in 2017. Duncan has raised invaluable support and funds for the charity.
Established in 2010, ‘WWTW’ is a leading military charity which recognises that those who served, deserve. Whether mentally wounded, socially wounded or physically wounded, they deserve the care, support and means they and their families need to function in society, serving in the communities in which they live, WTWW help with employment, mental health, care coordination and volunteering which saves jobs, homes, relationships and lives for the veterans who are struggling since leaving the military. They have innovative partnerships with the NHS, supporting mental health teams across the UK and have created “Project Nova” with the RFEA to intercept veterans in police custody to reduce reoffending. This and their other volunteering initiatives such as OP REGEN are delivering significant, positive, social impacts across the UK. Click here to learn more about WTWW.
Moorfields Eye Charity
Moorfields Eye Charity is the main fundraising and grant-making charity for Moorfields Eye Hospital and its academic partner the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Together, they treat around 750,000 patients a year and produce more research than any other eye hospital in the world.
They provide targeted funds, above and beyond the responsibility of the NHS, that allows Moorfields and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology to:
- research cures and find more effective treatments for blinding diseases
- invest in state-of-the-art equipment
- educate and train the researchers and clinicians of tomorrow
- provide the best possible care for patients, often in new and innovative ways
As one of the leading charities for research into eye health, supporting the pioneering work of Moorfields Eye Hospital and its partner, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Moorfield Eye Charity are working towards finding new treatments for eye diseases that currently have no cures, improving current therapies for treatable eye diseases, and finding more effective ways to identify and diagnose eye diseases to avoid preventable sight loss. There are ambitious plans to create a cutting edge integrated treatment, research and education centre in the Kings Cross area, opening in 2026.
78% of people say sight is the sense they fear losing the most. With an aging population, by 2050 four million people in the UK will be living with sight loss. Eye diseases are one of the biggest causes of sight loss and many can be prevented with early detection and treatment. Over the last year, Moorfields Eye Charity supported breakthroughs across a wide range of conditions. The charity is also funding Artificial Intelligence projects which could have far-reaching impact in the future.
Gift of Sight
Professor Andrew Lotery was appointed to the University of Southampton in 2002 and set up Gift of Sight to help support his vision science research. Starting his team in the Faculty of Medicine with a laboratory technician and two PhD students the group now has five principal investigators (senior scientists) with research projects being undertaken across all specialities and studying diseases which affect every age and level of society from babies to the very elderly.
Clinicians, clinical scientists and basic scientists work together to evaluate conditions found in patients who attend clinics held in Southampton Eye Unit and hospitals throughout the Wessex Deanery region. This helps inform the choice of conditions to investigate in a ‘bench to bedside’ manner.
Working closely with colleagues in other Faculties of the University of Southampton, including bioinformatics, human genetics and optoelectronics to name a few, their expertise helps to develop new and exciting ways of diagnosing and understanding disease with the potential to develop new ways to treat patients. Scientists are also involved with support groups, acting as ambassadors to some as well as speaking at events. This can help people who have a specific disease to understand more about their condition and also gives them a chance to talk directly with someone who may be able to give comfort with news of potential breakthroughs in research.
Papers relating to studies are published and can be viewed through links to PI’s University staff pages through the Gift of Sight website www.giftofsight.org.uk/about-us “All our research has the overarching aim of improving the lives of people affected by eye disorders”
Other Charitable Support:
CHECT
The Children’s Eye Cancer Trust remains a charity close to Rawlings with Rachael Smith continuing to volunteer for their Professional Focus Group. This charity raises awareness of retinoblastoma and supports those with the disease and their families. The work of the professional focus group has led to the inclusion of signs and symptoms being included in the ‘red book’ healthcare record given to every newborn, the publication of an Optical Assistants Protocol for Suspected Childhood Eye Cancer and many articles in journals and magazines and on social media to raise awareness. https://Chect.org.ukWarren Clark Golfing Dreams
Rawlings are proud to have supported local EDGA golfer Warren Clark. Warren visited the Chandlers Ford practice and experienced our eye exam with OCT scan and spoke to us about his work and ambitions. Warren Clark Golfing Dreams is a not-for-profit community group set up to deliver S.N.A.G Golf (Starting New at Golf), Tri-golf and Street golf to disabled, and disadvantaged, individuals and groups for free. We were delighted to supply Warren with a pair of Maui Jim “Big Wave” sunglasses in December 2019, ideal for highlighting contours while on the course while also providing maximum protection for your eyes. Take a look at Warrens website and see for yourself the great work he is doing. https://www.warrenclarkgolfingdreams.org/Opensight
Opensight are a Hampshire charity supporting those with sight loss. They offer an independent living service and help people to claim benefits, a family support service, and an equipment service among many other valuable community services such as social groups. Their website can be viewed at opensight.org and we are helping them reach their target for their petition for every child to have an eye examination before they start school. You can sign the petition here: https://www.opensight.org.uk/sign-the-petitionKhmer Sight Foundation
Rawlings allow a member of staff a week’s leave each year to use for charitable services. In November 2018 our Optometrist Kate Malam travelled to Phnom Penh in Cambodia to do voluntary work for The Khmer Sight Foundation. You can read her blog all about her trip here.Vision Aid Overseas
Rawlings is a long-standing supporter of Vision Aid Overseas, a charity dedicated to helping people in the developing world whose lives are blighted by poor eyesight and a lack of eye care services. Our support for Vision Aid Overseas goes beyond just fundraising, with our optometrist Helen Short visiting Sierra Leone for her fifth VAO assignment.
How you can help
You can help underprivileged people in Africa enjoy the same access to eye care that we take for granted by collecting and bringing in your old spectacles to your nearest Rawlings practice. These are recycled by VAO to extract any material that can be sold to raise funds. In 2013 £25K was raised from the extracted gold alone, so please don’t just throw you old spectacles in the bin.
Vision Care for Homeless People
In 2017, Rawlings raised funds for the UK charity Vision Care for Homeless People. www.visioncarecharity.org It is a charity set up to provide eye care services to homeless and other vulnerable people in an accessible and friendly environment in which they feel safe, welcome, and comfortable. Vision Care for Homeless People run clinic s in London, including for Crisis at Christmas, Birmingham, Brighton, Manchester, Exeter and Leeds, which are staffed by volunteer Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians.
Other good causes which we are proud to support are:
Croydon Vision who support those in the local area with sight loss. We raised £400 for Croydon Vision in our Croydon practice’s centenary year and continue to support through our staff volunteering at their drop-in centre. http://www.croydon vision.org.uk
In the community we are also proud to support various events, such as local music festivals, sponsoring local schools rugby teams and student trips to help build schools overseas.
We provide our staff with Dementia awareness training, and our Winchester practice was a finalist in the Dementia Friendly Winchester Business of the Year Award in Winchester Business Excellence Awards 2016.