Gift of Sight is appealing to all its friends and supporters to vote online to help them receive a £25,000 Community Award from the Freemasons.
As part of Freemasonry’s 300th anniversary celebrations, the Masonic Charitable Foundation is distributing £3 million to 300 charities across the country and the University of Southampton, Gift of Sight Appeal is one of those selected.
Each of the nominated charities will receive a grant but the public vote will determine how much they receive, ranging from £4000 to £25,000.
Children’s eye problems come in many forms. They range from disorders affecting the growth of the eye as a whole, through specific retinal diseases to complex neurological eye movement problems. Children’s sight develops over the first few years of life so early diagnosis and treatment is vital to achieve the best outcome.
The project put forward for voting in the Freemasons Community Award is to continue funding for vision research to help babies and young children achieve the best possible treatment for their condition. This will ensure that they are able to read and see as clearly as possible. Gift of Sight funds have previously purchased imaging equipment and an eye tracker, which is used to study eye movements in children. This has led to Southampton Eye Unit being designated as one of three eye movement clinics in the UK. The unit are always in need of further equipment so that scientists can carry on with their important studies.
Those who would like to vote can visit the MCF website, select the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Province page and vote for Gift of Sight. The voting period is now open until Monday 31 July.