ENQUIRIES AND CORRESPONDENCE EMAIL: friends2eyeunit@gmail.com Our Facebook Page: f
Please visit our video animations page which contains a number of short patient information films relating to many eye conditions and their treatment by clicking here (opens in a new window).
Watch an example video animation about cataracts by clicking here
Watch an example video animation about cataracts by clicking here
Ground floor entrance to Acute Referral Clinic and main Eye Clinics
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The Sight Loss Adviser's desk in the main Eye Outpatients Department
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First floor corridor and entrance to Eye Wards, Day Case Unit, operating theatres and administrative offices
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Next Friends AGM - Thursday 12th July 2018.
(Please note change of date previously given from 5th to 12th July 2018).
A short video (with sound) explaining the laser and digital photographic equipment recently purchased for The Eye Unit by The Friends:-
Major appeal launched September 2017 to raise £30,000 to purchase an urgently needed replacement laser for the Bournemouth Eye Unit
The Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit have launched an ambitious project to raise £30,000 to fully fund the purchase of a new combined YAG and SLT laser machine to replace the current ageing machines.
This laser offers a dual treatment facility combining the YAG Laser for capsulotomy and iridotomy procedures, and Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) as a gentle, simple and safe, yet highly effective option to reduce the intra-ocular pressure in glaucoma patients by stimulating the body’s natural regeneration mechanisms.
The unique features of this laser significantly enhance the overall costs of ownership and reduces service requirements.
Any donations will be most gratefully received and can be made by the following methods :-
Please click on our Friends Donation Page if you would like to contribute.
Please click on our Friends Donation Page if you would like to contribute.
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Amount raised updated 22nd February 2018. (=41% of target). |
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April 2018 "Spot the number" Fundraising event towards the Laser Appeal :-
Square 25 was pre-selected by a member of the public. We were delighted to send a cheque for £50 to the person who paid £2.00 for this square.
Many thanks to all who took part in this fund raising game.
SEEING AI - An App by Microsoft Corporation which is only available on the App Store for iOS devices.
Seeing AI is a free app that narrates the world around you, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to describe nearby people, text and objects. The app has a number of features, including speaking text as soon as it appears in front of the camera, providing audio guidance to capture a printed page and reading handwritten text. The app is an ongoing research project and as the research progresses, more channels may be added.
Coming Soon:
Relaunch of the Eye Unit's Glaucoma Support Group.
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Promotional Table, November 2017.
Our promotional Stall in the Hospital Atrium was held in early November. We raised £180.00 from Raffle sales and a Tombola. We were ably assisted by both Committee and non – Committee members - thank you all for this invaluable help. Apart from fund raising it does enable us to meet and talk to a variety of Hospital “people”, both patients and staff and thus help raise the “Friends”profile. |
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Membership - Thank you to all who paid their subscriptions at The AGM and especially to all of you who have paid outstanding subscriptions. Please keep your membership up to date. If you have not paid for 2017/18 yet you can leave it in our post box in Outpatients. Do ask us for a Gift Aid form if you would like to effectively increase your subscription by 25% at no cost to yourself or you can download the Gift Aid Declaration pdf file here. Click here for Membership page for more details on how you can make payments.
FRIENDS AGM 2017
Our 25th. Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday July 13th. 2017 in the Education Centre at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. We were joined by over 60 “Friends”, members and guests including Abigail Daughters, The Director of Operations for Specialities, representing the Trust Board.
The Speaker this year was Head Orthoptist Julie Cartledge, who gave an illustrated and interesting talk on “Orthoptics through the ages, including driving and vision”.
Once again the Catering Department provided us with a delicious buffet, which was enjoyed by all.
Our “25th. Anniversary” silver themed raffle was won by one of our new Life Members.
Thank you all for your continued support, we hope to see you at next year’s meeting on Thursday 12th July 2018. (Please note change of date previously given from 5th to 12th July 2018).
Members and generous donors -
You can increase the value of your gift or membership subscription at no cost to yourself if you are a UK Taxpayer. HMRC will add 25p for each £1 of your gift or membership.
We can make your gift S. T. R. E. T. C. H further and work harder.
We can make your gift S. T. R. E. T. C. H further and work harder.
Please contact us for full details at: friends2eyeunit@gmail.com
You can download the Gift Aid Declaration pdf file here.
You can download the Gift Aid Declaration pdf file here.
We welcome you to the Friends of The Bournemouth Eye Unit
We hope that you will enjoy our new web site and that it will introduce you to the support The Friends give to patients and staff from resources to research.
Membership of the Friends is open to all patients and their families, carer givers, staff and their families and supporters of the Eye Unit at The Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The AGM marks the start of the Friends' year and takes place early in the summer of each year.
Why not contact us by email: friends2eyeunit@gmail.com and we will send you a membership application form. A lifetime subscription is £25.00 or, if you prefer, an annual payment of just £3.00 per annum includes all newsletters and a light buffet and guest speaker presentation at our summer AGM.
Click here for more details on becoming a member of The Friends.
We hope that you will enjoy our new web site and that it will introduce you to the support The Friends give to patients and staff from resources to research.
Membership of the Friends is open to all patients and their families, carer givers, staff and their families and supporters of the Eye Unit at The Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The AGM marks the start of the Friends' year and takes place early in the summer of each year.
Why not contact us by email: friends2eyeunit@gmail.com and we will send you a membership application form. A lifetime subscription is £25.00 or, if you prefer, an annual payment of just £3.00 per annum includes all newsletters and a light buffet and guest speaker presentation at our summer AGM.
Click here for more details on becoming a member of The Friends.
Why support the Friends?
Your support will contribute greatly to the work of the Friends in their fundraising, publicity and planning. Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit enjoy supporting one another by sharing social events, exchanging information and learning about the valuable work of the Eye Unit.
Where and when do we meet?
The Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit meet once a year at their Annual General Meeting. This is held in the Education Suite at Bournemouth Hospital. A light supper and animated conversation are enjoyed during the early part of the evening. The formal business meeting reports on the work of the Committee throughout the year, detailing resources and research projects supported by fund raising activities. The evening continues with an entertaining, enthralling and educational presentation by Guest Speakers who introduce us to their link with those with sight difficulties.
Who represents the Friends?
The Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit are led by their President Mr David Etchells FRCS FRCOphth (recently retired Bournemouth Consultant Ophthalmologist) and represented by a Committee of twelve.
Your support will contribute greatly to the work of the Friends in their fundraising, publicity and planning. Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit enjoy supporting one another by sharing social events, exchanging information and learning about the valuable work of the Eye Unit.
Where and when do we meet?
The Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit meet once a year at their Annual General Meeting. This is held in the Education Suite at Bournemouth Hospital. A light supper and animated conversation are enjoyed during the early part of the evening. The formal business meeting reports on the work of the Committee throughout the year, detailing resources and research projects supported by fund raising activities. The evening continues with an entertaining, enthralling and educational presentation by Guest Speakers who introduce us to their link with those with sight difficulties.
Who represents the Friends?
The Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit are led by their President Mr David Etchells FRCS FRCOphth (recently retired Bournemouth Consultant Ophthalmologist) and represented by a Committee of twelve.
Artwork, Visual Field machine and Eye Day Surgery Unit - all funded by The Friends
Click on photos to enlarge:-
Click on photos to enlarge:-
Newsletter
The Friends publish a newsletter three times a year, keeping members up to date with the latest developments. It is sent to all members by post, or electronically. Read it on line with a screen reader or request a Braille copy. We will be delighted to help you access our latest news.
Members, do you know that you can read our Newsletter on line? We print each issue using a large font which you could adjust to suit just you on any device.
Please send a message to: friends2eyeunit@gmail.com and we will add your name to our growing list of e-readers. You would be helping The Friends of The Eye Unit by reducing our postage costs.
The Friends publish a newsletter three times a year, keeping members up to date with the latest developments. It is sent to all members by post, or electronically. Read it on line with a screen reader or request a Braille copy. We will be delighted to help you access our latest news.
Members, do you know that you can read our Newsletter on line? We print each issue using a large font which you could adjust to suit just you on any device.
Please send a message to: friends2eyeunit@gmail.com and we will add your name to our growing list of e-readers. You would be helping The Friends of The Eye Unit by reducing our postage costs.
Wendy Wade - Sight Loss Adviser
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I would like to introduce myself to you as the new Sight Loss Adviser in the eye unit at the Royal Bournemouth & Christchurch Hospital. You may have already seen me in the outpatient’s eye clinic, chatting with patients and their families. My role is to help promote the local and national services and charities that are available to VIP’s (Visually Impaired People), so that people do not feel isolated, alone or not knowing how, where and who can support them. Becoming a VIP can be life changing, but there are many opportunities and support that can help make the journey easier, fulfilling as well as maintaining as much independence as possible.
I was registered as partially sighted thirteen years ago with Stargardts disease, a genetic form of macular dystrophy which causes loss of central vision. Prior to starting work at the eye unit I worked for Action for Blind People, part of the RNIB, as a support administrator. This role, along with my personal experiences, and now working for Dorset Blind Association, has provided me with a wide range of skills, information and knowledge that I am finding very useful in my current role. |
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I wish to thank The Friends of the Bournemouth Eye Unit for their continued support and, along with Dorset Blind Association, for funding this important role.
You can find me in the eye clinic on the following days and times:
Monday 9 am – 4.30 pm
Tuesday 9 am – 4.30 pm
Wednesday 9 am – 4.30 pm
Thursday 9 am – 1.00 pm
Friday 9 am – 4.30 pm
I can be contacted on my work mobile 07936 045511 or email me at: wendy.wade@rnib.org.uk
Please come along and say hello whenever you are in the eye department, and if you have any questions or require any information, please do not hesitate to ask.
Monday 9 am – 4.30 pm
Tuesday 9 am – 4.30 pm
Wednesday 9 am – 4.30 pm
Thursday 9 am – 1.00 pm
Friday 9 am – 4.30 pm
I can be contacted on my work mobile 07936 045511 or email me at: wendy.wade@rnib.org.uk
Please come along and say hello whenever you are in the eye department, and if you have any questions or require any information, please do not hesitate to ask.
How we have spent some of our funds:
We have been delighted to receive a number of legacies which have made a significant difference to the support we can give to the Eye Unit. These substantial donations have enabled enhanced cataract and other state of the art equipment to be purchased.
£60,000 has recently been spent on five pieces of medical equipment to enhance the work of the Eye Unit:
A 3D stereo camera, a super-quad laser treatment contact lens, two exophthalmometers and a contribution to a camera for use in fluorescein angiograms.
A 3D stereo camera, a super-quad laser treatment contact lens, two exophthalmometers and a contribution to a camera for use in fluorescein angiograms.
Staff of the Acute Referral unit with their new 'slit lamp' donated by The Friends of the Eye Unit:
£10,700 has also been spent on four pieces of medical equipment to enhance the work of the Eye Unit : an indirect ophthalmoscope, a Keratotomy set, eye care Pro-tonometer (to measure eye pressures) and medicine cabinets.
Pirates Patch: Calling all Pirates! 20p from you and me.
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This year The Friends of The Eye Unit are saving 20p coins in Smarties tubes. Each filled tube, which would contain £12 in coins, will help us buy equipment for the Eye Unit. Would you like to join our campaign and fill an empty Smarties tube this summer with donations from your family and friends?
Put your name on a label on the tube and pop it into The Friends post box in Outpatients next time you visit The Eye Unit.
There will be a PRIZE for the Pirate who collects the most !
Happy holidays to all The Pirates. Have fun in the sun.
Pirates
Children who attend The Eye Unit at Bournemouth Hospital are invited to join the “Pirates”, a Junior section of The Friends of The Eye Unit. This group was set up for patients under sixteen years of age and also welcomes their siblings. They all receive a welcome pack of hat and scarf and badge and a birthday card each year. Many of you will have children or grandchildren; why not enrol them in The Pirates’ Group? Membership is a one-off fee of just £1.00. Application forms are at the Reception Desk in Outpatients, we will be delighted to enrol new members into the Pirates’ Group.
Children who attend The Eye Unit at Bournemouth Hospital are invited to join the “Pirates”, a Junior section of The Friends of The Eye Unit. This group was set up for patients under sixteen years of age and also welcomes their siblings. They all receive a welcome pack of hat and scarf and badge and a birthday card each year. Many of you will have children or grandchildren; why not enrol them in The Pirates’ Group? Membership is a one-off fee of just £1.00. Application forms are at the Reception Desk in Outpatients, we will be delighted to enrol new members into the Pirates’ Group.
Train Travel
Accessible stations and Stations Made Easy
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) have produced maps of the mainland National Rail network that provides at-a-glance information about the accessibility of many stations.
Sometimes it can be helpful to have an idea of what a station looks like before you get there. Stations Made Easy allows you to plan a route around a station. Links to Bournemouth and Poole stations follow:
www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/BMH/details.html
www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/POO/details.html
Discounts
If you have a disability you may be eligible for a Disabled Persons Railcard.
If you do not have a Railcard and you are blind or partially sighted and travelling with a companion, or if you use a wheelchair, you can get a discount on Anytime tickets.
GDPR Statement
The GDPR came into effect on 25th May 2018. The Friends of The Bournemouth Eye Unit hold records of members' names, addresses, telephone phone numbers and e-mail addresses. These can only be accessed by the Trustees of the Charity. We do not use them for anything other than administration and they are never shared with any third party, NHS provider or any other Charity or Ophthalmic related researcher or commercial business.