Wear dots, raise lots

This October the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is calling on people across the UK to host fundraising activities to support its work.

The ‘Wear dots…raise lots’ initiative, which runs throughout October, raises funds that are used specifically to help provide practical and emotional support to people affected by sight loss.

Launched in 2015, the national sight loss charity now runs the initiative annually. RNIB product development manager, Becca McRow, told OT: “2016 sees the second year of RNIB’s flagship fundraising campaign, Wear dots...raise lots. We’re looking forward to building on last year’s successes, and raising vital funds to help RNIB continue to provide practical and emotional support to people affected by sight loss here in the UK.

Encouraging practitioners to get involved in the initiaitve, Ms McRow added: “We’d love to see opticians nationwide getting involved – whether that’s hosting a dotty cake sale in aid of RNIB, encouraging staff to come to work wearing dots, or making a donation for every repair undertaken during the month of October.

“It’s a fun and easy way to support RNIB and raise awareness of eye health issues within your customer base.”

Last year the campaign was supported by actress Barbara Windsor, who has y undergone a cataract operation. At the time she said: “I know only too well how worrying it is to think you might not see your loved ones again after needing a cataract operation myself.

“Thankfully, the operation was a success, but it made me think about how my life would change if I couldn’t read my lines or see the reaction on other actors’ faces when I’m on set.”

The charity highlighted that almost two million people in the UK live with little or no sight at all.

Practices that want to get involved can download a free fundraising pack from the RNIB website.