Firms line up to give the gift of sight

Published on Sunday 2 December 2007 01:14

SCOTLAND'S companies are queuing up to give a festive boost to Sightsavers, the charity that aims to save the eyesight of millions of people around the world.

A number of firms have pledged to join Scotland on Sunday's "Bring 50p to Work" day on December 14, including IT and software group Cisco Systems' Scottish arm, headed by Gordon Thomson. Employees will be encouraged to contribute 50p or more to help pay for antibiotic ointment and other services provided by Sightsavers in Tanzania.

Halifax Bank of Scotland has boosted the charity with a donation of 10,000.

Other supporters include Optos, the eyecare equipment maker set up by design engineer Douglas Anderson after his son went blind in one eye when a retinal detachment was detected too late.

RMJM, the architecture firm behind the Falkirk Wheel and the Scottish Parliament, and accountancy firm Ernst & Young have also agreed to join the fund raising effort.

Clydesdale Bank is running a separate staff appeal but has agreed to make a donation to Sightsavers to boost the appeal. Barry Gardner, Clydesdale's head of external affairs, said: "Providing treatment to restore sight and support the irreversibly blind, Sightsavers has helped millions of people across the world. We are proud to support this initiative."

Over the past three years, readers have raised more than 80,000 for Sightsavers for eye-care projects in Pakistan and Sierra Leone.