Optical Express team raises more than £1200 to give the gift of sight

Optical Express’ Nottingham staff have raised over £1200 for Sightsavers after taking part in a charity campaign that included wading through waist-high mud during a grueling 10km obstacle race.

Employees at the Lister Gate clinic got their fundraising drive underway with a St George’s Day bake sale and also dressed up as children’s characters, before embarking on the Wolf Run race. The event hosted 5000 runners at the Stanford Hall stately home in Leicestershire.

The team of 11 had been coordinating regular training outings in the lead up to the big race, but even the most prepared found the course draining. They found that teamwork was the key to success as the group had to navigate their way across lakes and through waist-high mud pits.

The Nottingham clinic’s achievement is the latest in a longstanding campaign by the multiple to raise funds for Sightsavers.

The money raised by the Nottingham team will be used to treat people who are blind, or going blind from conditions such as cataracts. A cataract operation for an adult in a developing country costs on average £30, meaning the £1281 raised by Optical Express could help fund over 40 operations for visually impaired people.

Practice manager and team leader, Patrick Laidlaw, said: “It was a great event and although the team had lots of fun participating, it is important to recognise that we raised money for a fantastic cause. Some of the team are already eyeing up entries for next year.”

Optical Express chief executive, David Moulsdale, said: “I am proud of the great response by our staff and the funds they’ve raised for Sightsavers. The money will pay for dozens of people in some of the world’s poorest countries to receive vital cataract surgery that could quite literally change their lives.”

Sightsavers chief executive, Caroline Harper, who was appointed a CBE in the New Year Honours, said: “The majority of the 20 million people blind from cataracts are living in the poorest parts of the world where accessing the needed surgery is not simple.  Perhaps they can’t afford it, can’t get to a health centre or a hospital, or don’t know their condition is treatable. For £30 we are able to make a person suffering from cataracts see again.”

She added: “We’d like to say a big thank you to Optical Express’ Nottingham team for their fantastic donation. As a direct result of their fundraising campaign, people who had lost their sight will now be able to see their families, find work and enjoy a vastly improved lifestyle.”

Optical Express is also inviting more donations to Sightsavers on its campaign website.