Imagine living in a country with 70 million people and only one Optometrist. For many in Ethiopia, this is a reality; but D&A The Opticians hopes to help change this by raising the funds needed to develop a new optical workshop at the Menelik II Hospital in Ethiopia and fill a desperate need for eyecare in Addis Ababa.

D&A’s 400 branch network raised £21, 657 during Fundraising Week and this will go towards the overall fundraising target of £50,000 that D&A has pledged to the ‘Look to the Future in Ethiopia’ campaign. With the money, Vision Aid Overseas will develop a new optometry department at the Menelik II Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s main medical centre.

The new workshop will become a centre of excellence for eyecare in Ethiopia that will allow patients to escape a lifetime of disability caused by poor eyesight. Ethiopia has a particularly acute shortage of qualified optical professionals and manufacturing facilities and the ‘Look to the Future in Ethiopia’ campaign will provide services for thousands of patients a year.

D&A branches across the UK took part in Fundraising Week activities and will continue to take donations in branches until March 2009, when the new optometry department and training of additional staff for the Menelik II Hospital is set to open.

Tym Marsh, Director of VAO, was delighted with the fundraising success: “Current facilities at the Menelik II Hospital are extremely run down and poorly equipped with only one optometrist to help those in need of optical advice and treatment. With D&A’s help, VAO will be creating a centre of excellence where patients can be guaranteed a high level of care, with access to eye examinations and a pair of glasses.”

Everyone can make a real difference to this project by joining in the ongoing fundraising in our local D&A branches. For more information on the Look to the Future in Ethiopia project go to www.dandacharity.co.uk

Dollond & Aitchison is pleased to announce that it will be working closely with Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) over the coming months on a new venture. From 1st October, D&A branches across the UK will start fundraising activities aiming to raise £50,000 to improve eyecare in Ethiopia, as well as raising the charity’s profile with consumers and the industry.

The ‘Look to the Future in Ethiopia’ campaign will fill a desperate need for optical care in a country of 70 million people with virtually no optometrists. D&A will work with VAO to develop a new optometry department at the Menelik II Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s main hospital. Current facilities at the Menelik II hospital are extremely run down and poorly equipped with only one optometrist to help those in need of optical advice and treatment.

With D&A’s help, VAO will be creating a centre of excellence where patients can be guaranteed a high level of care with access to eye examinations and a pair of glasses.

During the week of 27th October, D&A will be running a dedicated ‘Look to the Future in Ethiopia’ fundraising week in all 400 branches, involving a number of in-branch competitions and events.

D&A’s Chief Executive, Andy Ferguson, comments: “D&A cares passionately about eye health and puts a lot of effort into fundraising. During the next six months we are raising funds for the Look to the Future in Ethiopia campaign with Vision Aid Overseas, a very worthy cause, and we hope that we can make a difference to the people who need it most.”

Tym Marsh, Director of VAO says: “VAO is determined to expand its work in the developing world and bring the benefits of optometry to many more needy patients. We will be tackling the problem of uncorrected refractive error from all directions, not just by supplying spectacles but by training local health workers, supplying equipment and providing advice and encouragement. This is a big job but with the help of partners like D&A, we will succeed.”

Everyone can make a real difference to this project by joining in the fundraising at our local D&A branches.

To find your local D&A branch call 0800 052 8000

Payroll Giving is a government funded scheme that enables colleagues to make donations to any UK charity straight from their gross salary.

In 2008, D&A were once again awarded a Gold Quality Mark Award, demonstrating that over 10% of all our colleagues choose to use Payroll Giving to give to their favourite charitable causes. The Company match 10% of all donations made, which goes to our chosen charity of the year.

The Gold Quality Mark Award is a fantastic achievement which is testament of our colleagues’ generous support to charities of their choice. The Company truly believes in the importance of the scheme, it forms part of our strategy to be socially responsible.

Richard Rawlinson, Franchisee at Brownhills and VAO Member shares his experiences of the trip to Ethiopia in February 2008;

Dear All,

Well what a day!! We had breakfast at 7am, big buffet of bacon etc for me accompanied by some Ethiopian stew & some very strong Ethiopian coffee!

We were collected by Dr Wondu and taken across town to the Menelik II Hospital (the contrast from the relative luxury of our hotel to everything else surprised me). We met with the hospital director and were then shown the facilities for eye care currently in place.

The Ophthalmology clinic here runs each day and consists of about 150 people waiting to be seen with all manners of visual problems (myself and Philippa Shaw wanted to set up a direct service there and then and clear the queue!!). There is also a children’s ophthalmic clinic which has its own team of consultants.

There is a very old workshop in a separate and unused building, which would be ideal to refit with new equipment and a dispensing area. There would also be huge potential to fit it out as a refraction centre where people could be screened for eye problems and either refracted or referred to ophthalmology. The existing workshop was last in operation six years ago.

We were given a tour of the Hospital facilities and experienced a traditional Ethiopian “Coffee Ceremony” which is performed for visiting guests. (Picture above)

Following our recce, we returned to the Director’s office for further discussions as to what they want, what we could offer and how do we can get it done. The last couple of hours were spent working on an implementation structure and a review of systems needed to get the project off the ground along with some more very strong coffee!

I must admit the project has been daunting but I feel I am perfectly placed and experienced to help make this project a success. It is a learning curve but I am very much enjoying the challenge.

Richard Rawlinson

Day 1 – Arriving in Ethiopia

Dollond & Aitchison are extremely proud and excited to announce plans to finance the Menelik II Hospital Optical Workshop Project in Ethiopia organised by Vision Aid Overseas. The aim of this project is to create a centre of excellence in a country, which currently does not have a single optician trained to UK standards.

D & A - The Opticians aim to build on the existing relationship with VAO and make a real difference to the national community in Addis Ababa by funding a project, which will restore a dilapidated optical workshop at the Hospital and produce a source of low-cost spectacles for needy people in the local town.

On 16^th February 2008 a joint D&A/VAO team flew to Ethiopia to visit the Menelik II Hospital Optical Workshop. The team included Tim Marsh, Director of VAO, Richard Rawlinson, Franchisee at Brownhills Branch & VAO Member, Philippa Shaw, Clinical Development Manager for the South West & VAO Member and Andy Cole, Head of Learning & Development for D&A. The next two days were spent examining and measuring up the building, discussing possibilities and exchanging ideas with the Chief Executive and his colleagues.

Day 1 – Menelik II Hospital

On the morning of 18th February, the team visited the Menelik II Hospital and were introduced to the new Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tezera Kifle Desta. The management were very receptive to the ideas and suggestions which was very encouraging.

“I was so impressed by the dedication, professionalism and sheer resourcefulness of the Hosptial staff - they are working with such scant resources to make a difference to heathcare in the country”, Andy Cole, Head of Learning & Development for D&A.

This worthwhile project will fill a desperate need and we are proud to be involved in helping the local community in Addis Ababa. This help will continue after the workshop has been built as D&A Optometrists will make ‘Direct Service Visits’ to the workshop and really make a difference to the success of the project.

Day 1 – Vision Aid Projects

We have sent many teams of optical professionals to the developing world where they set up clinics, provide eye tests to large numbers of people and then supply patients with spectacles if required. Many patients enter VAO clinics functionally blind, having never had access to an eye examination. They leave with a pair of spectacles and able to see for about the same price of a sandwich at your local cafe.

“Providing Eye care through Vision Aid Overseas is a very rewarding experience, sharing my knowledge and skills has been a life changing experience”  Richard Rawlinson, Franchisee at Brownhills Branch & VAO Member.

Philippa Shaw has been a team leader for many Vision Aid Overseas projects and is therefore able to fully understand the desperate need for a centre of excellence.

“I have been involved with many VAO projects and being able to use my optometry skills to help set up a Centre of Excellence in Menelik is really exciting”, Philippa Shaw, Clinical Development Manager for the South West & VAO Member.

Day 1 – Existing Workshop Facilities – How Can We Make It Better

The team then went on to visit the building situated in a quiet part of the hospital grounds in which the remains of an optical workshop are still to be seen. It was the site of a workshop until about 6 years ago and some of the former machines remain. It has good electricity and water supply and although is a number of years old appears to be in good structural condition. The ceiling does show signs of some water damage and the walls are suffering from lack of regular maintenance. The project will provide a unit to transform the lives of ordinary people in the developing world.

“Sustainable Workshops are the future for providing spectacles in Ethiopia.There are so many people who need our help and by teaching Technicians to produce and dispense spectacles D&A/VAO will be making a huge difference “, Richard Rawlinson, Franchisee at Brownhills Branch & VAO Member.

Day 1 – Making Glasses – What They Currently Have To Work With

The workshop still has stocks of old lenses and frames however these are unsuitable for use and the project aims to supply the Optical Workshop with new stocks. The glasses that you all collect and bring to our branches will be delivered to the Optical Workshop, amended and then dispensed to patients in Ethiopia.

Tym Marsh, Director of VAO says:  “VAO is determined to expand its work in the developing world and bring the benefits of optometry to many more needy patients.  We will be tackling the problem of uncorrected refractive error from all directions, not just by supplying spectacles but by training local health workers, supplying equipment and providing advice and encouragement.  In addition, we will be setting up optical workshops and training local people to use them so that spectacles can be made to prescription.  Once a workshop has been established we will provide ongoing support and assistance.  We will wish to ensure that workshop equipment continues to function, that it receives routine maintenance, that the skills of workshop staff are regularly checked and refreshed, and that stocks of lenses and frames are always to hand.  This is a big job but with the help of partners such as D&A we will succeed.”

“It is amazing to think that you can collect donations from your customers and within months colleagues are fitting a pair of spectacles manufactured in the Menelik Workshop to a Teacher in Ethiopia who can then continue to work” Richard Rawlinson, Franchisee at Brownhills Branch & VAO Member.

Everyone can make a real difference to this project either through donating your old glasses to Vision Aid Overseas or by joining in the fundraising in our local D&A branches. 

End of Day 1 – The Scale of The Problem

At D&A, we pride ourselves on three core values; being Professional, Friendly and Caring. The Optical Workshop project will fill a desperate need and we are proud to be involved in such a worthwhile cause, which will help the local community in Addis Ababa.

“I was priveleged to make this film and more priveleged to watch my professional colleagues make a difference to lives by using skills that are often seen as “just routine” in any High Street Optician in the UK“, Andy Cole, Head of Learning & Development for D&A.

“The potential at Menelik II Hospital to make a significant difference to the people who live in Addis Ababa is an exciting prospect. There is a lot of potential for a very successful workshop “, Richard Rawlinson, Franchisee at Brownhills Branch & VAO Member.