Fight For Sight (FFS) is a large charity that funds research into eye diseases. They have often concentrated on eye diseases that affect a large number of people. However, they are now looking at how they can help fund-raise for rare diseases and small charities.

FFS have offered us a place on the programme they are developing for small charities and rare diseases, subject to us finding enough volunteers to qualify.

Here is how it will work: FFS has set up a 15 mile London Nightwalk on 21 September, 2012, starting at 11 pm.  If BUS can find 30 people who are willing to pay £25 each to participate in the 15 mile night walk, and are willing to find sponsors for their walk (each person needs to be sponsored for at least £150), then all the money these people raise will be banked with FFS specifically for research into Birdshot.  This means that, if we manage to get our biobank set up, then researchers who want to use the biobank samples for research into Birdshot can apply to FFS for a small grant to fund the staff and other equipment for that research.  Exciting!!!

Before we can accept this offer, we need to be sure that we can find 30 people.  We are approaching all our members and all ‘Team Birdshot’ (which includes consultants, nurses, low vision experts, etc) to see if we can find the 30 people.

Could you let us know as quickly as possible whether you want to/are interested in undertaking this 15 mile London night walk?  FFS is expecting a very big turn out for this event, and we would really like to participate if at all possible.  21st September is a Friday night, so we could have the week-end to recover!  We might have to wear some silly clothes for the walk – maybe we can all go dressed as birds!

Please, please let us know as quickly as possible whether you want to be involved in this, so we can get back to Fight For Sight.

Rea