Charity marks 30th anniversary with gala dinner

Over 100 guests celebrated the 30^th anniversary of Vision Aid Overseas (VAO), a charity which helps provide access to eye care for people living in developing countries around the world.

Established by a group of opticians which included founding chair Brian Ellis, the dinner was hosted in Coventry, where the charity hosted its first AGM on 12 October 1985.

The evening was sponsored by Specsavers and attended by co-founder of the multiple, Dame Mary Perkins, who is an honorary vice president of VAO.

Over the last three decades VAO has seen a significant growth. Beginning with a small group of volunteer practitioners who subsequently established VAO, the charity helps over one million people in 26 countries gain access to life changing eye care through the provision of sight tests and training eye care workers. It has also established Vision Centres and programmes throughout the developing world.