Optoversity Challenge raises £7800 for VCHP

Last weekend (Sunday 21 March) 11 universities took part in the inter-university competition, Optoversity Challenge, hosted by Out of the Box Optics.

The competition took place as a virtual event this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, but this did not impact the fundraising efforts.

The event successfully raised £7800, surpassing last year’s total by more than £2000, for the charity Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP). The money raised will go towards helping to run VCHP’s eye care clinics for homeless people.

VCHP’s clinics will reopen as soon as it is safe with personal protective equipment and patient and volunteer protection.

Commenting on the funds raised, general manager for VCHP, David Brown, said: “Mindful of the need to keep everything as clean as we can in the clinics, we are moving to tablets for patient records. It will reduce the paper being passed around and is a far better way for us to work. It is a tremendous boost to our efficiency… thank you Out of The Box Optics.”

The overall winners of Optoversity Challenge 2021 were students at City, University of London. In second place were students from The University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) and in third place students from Aston University.

This year, the AOP sponsored three prizes to reward students who achieved the highest fundraising targets. The winners in this category were Sabaa Azher from Cardiff University, and Saira Saleem and Fatima Mangera, both from City, University of London.

Mohammed Fardin, who came top in the first year category commented: “Optoversity was a dynamic and thrilling event. I’d like to thank everyone who came together to organise it and to Vision Care for Homeless People who provide eyecare to those that need it the most. I never thought I would win the quiz so to see my name rise to the top at the end came as a surprise.”

Pictured is Jenna Martin-Zahid, third year student at City, University of London, who was part of the winning team.