The Royal Society for Blind Children is thrilled to announce the success of its fundraising initiative in observance of World Sight Day, which took place on Thursday, October 12th.

This campaign not only raised funds for blind and partially sighted children and their families, but it also underscored the crucial importance of maintaining good eye health at work.

In the United Kingdom alone, 2 million people are living with sight loss, with someone’s world being altered by the revelation of sight loss every six minutes. Furthermore, 37,000 children and their families are living with sight loss in England and Wales. The Royal Society for Blind Children recognises that behind every statistic lies the emotional impact on individuals, families, and communities.

Statistics reveal that one in five individuals will experience significant sight loss during their lifetime, highlighting the importance of proactive eye health care and support. RSBC’s innovative fundraising initiative for World Sight Day took the form of a digital mosaic art piece, comprised of thousands of images of eyes, symbolising the diversity and uniqueness of each person’s vision.

The #loveyoureyes campaign extended its call to action to schools, businesses, communities, and individuals, urging them to prioritize their eye health and to support those living with sight loss.

The charity, which has its headquarters in the Richard Desmond Life Without Limits Centre in London, is delighted to have received support from various corporate partners, including Kroll, Tata Consultancy Services, Team ITG, Macphie, Triodos Bank, AEG, and Gresham House, Intrepid UK amongst others.

The campaign not only encouraged inclusivity and diversity within workplaces but also emphasised the significance of eye health awareness, especially in the context of work. The staggering statistic that “1 million people are living with avoidable sight loss, and eye conditions are costing the UK economy a staggering £25.2 billion a year” serves as a wake-up call for change.

Dame Judi Dench, Jon Culshaw, Doug Allan, Anna Campbell Jones, Chris Brookmyre, Nicola Stephenson, and Chris McCausland were among the notable voices that lent their support to RSBC’s vision. Dame Judi Dench, who has been living with age-related macular degeneration for the past decade, emphasised the importance of investing in eye health, while Chris McCausland, a comedian and TV presenter who is registered blind himself, highlighted the importance of providing support to those receiving a diagnosis of vision impairment.

Participation in the campaign was as simple as donating £5, £10, £20, or an amount of one’s choosing, followed by sharing an image of one’s own eyes with RSBC at [email protected].

Donations are still being accepted via JustGiving, making it easy for organisations and individuals to make a real difference in the lives of blind and partially sighted children.

RSBC invites everyone to embrace their shared responsibility and join in illuminating lives while keeping a vigilant eye on ocular health for today and tomorrow.

RSBC CEO, Julie Davis, commented: “I am thrilled that World Sight Day had such a tremendous impact on raising people’s awareness of good eye-care. With these valuable donations we can continue to illuminate the lives of families who are affected by sight loss. Prevention, where possible, is critical but if not RSBC mobilises to ensure we have a team-around the child and family at the traumatic point of diagnosis. Stay with us to light the way along the journey for the 37,000 children. Thank you for all of your support.”

For more information or to contribute to RSBC’s ongoing efforts, please visit RSBC.org.uk