Last October, Rawlings Opticians raised over ￡750 for Optometry Giving Sight through the World Sight Day Challenge activities of their eight practices. The practices raised the funds through cake sales, prize draws, customer competitions, and collecting donations for repairs.

Last month, managing director Richard Rawling presented the cheque to Nick Rumney, Chair of Optometry Giving Sight's national committee at Rawlings' Caterham branch in Croydon Road.

Richard Rawling said: "Rawlings Opticians support Optometry Giving Sight as they are dedicated to ensuring nobody is unavoidably deprived of sight. The massive difference that that makes to people's lives cannot be underestimated and makes the difference between a life of poverty and one of opportunity. We supported World Sight Day with a range of activities and were overwhelmed by the public's support and belief in the charity."

Optometry Giving Sight provides ongoing funds to projects that are training local eye care professionals and establishing vision centres, so that eye care and low cost glasses are being delivered in communities where these services do not currently exist. In 2012, the charity donated funding to 42 projects in 24 countries, including East Timor, Haiti, and India.

Donna Power, European regional manager of Optometry Giving Sight said: "We are incredibly grateful to all the staff of Rawlings Opticians for making their World Sight Day Challenge such a success. It is group efforts like this that enable us to make a significant contribution towards eliminating avoidable blindness."