News archive

Heather Walker

One of our longest-standing trustees, Heather Walker, has retired after 45 years’ dedicated service. She became a trustee only two years after the Friends started.

Heather was Membership Secretary in the early years and continued to help with secretarial work whenever needed but her major contribution throughout her 45 years has been her key role in organising the many events held to raise much-needed funds for the hospital.

Former secretary and chair Dinah Harrison paid tribute to Heather for the enormous amount of work she has carried out over such a long time, saying “Whether it was a garden party, jazz supper, antiques road show, race night or boat trip, Heather was at the centre of it. Her wide social connections, planning, communication, persuasive charm and hard work on the day made our events so successful.”

We wish Heather all the best in her well-deserved retirement.

13 December 2024, archived on 22 August 2025

Kat runs for the Friends

Kat Jedrysiak raised £249 by organising a 10k run along the River Avon on Sunday 13 October. Five hospital staff (Vanessa, Lauren and Kat from Theatre Department, Carmen from an office and Debbie from an outpatient department) took part.

Kat was very happy with how the event went and said she was “proud of all of us.”

“There is such a nice feeling after raising money for a good cause. Furthermore we had an amazing time, getting to know each other better as we are from different departments and finishing with a coffee at the Ashton Court café.”

She hopes to run more events in future in support of Friends of Bristol Eye Hospital.

13 December 2024, updated 7 March 2025, archived on 22 August 2025

Quiz Night

We’ve arranged a fun quiz night to raise funds to support the hospital. It’s at 6.30 for 7pm, Thursday 3 April 2025, at the Frenchay Cricket Club, Common Mead Lane, Hambrook, BS16 1QQ. Included in the ticket price is a buffet – and there’s a cash bar.

You can make up your own team of up to five (or as many teams as you like!) or simply come along on your own or with friends and join another team.

Parking is free – and we’ll send directions to the Cricket Club when you book your ticket.

We look forward to seeing you there, and having a fun night!

12 February 2025, archived on 3 April 2025

Autumn Ball

Friends of Bristol Eye Hospital and corporate sponsors Haag Streit and Veni Vidi subsidised the costs of the eye hospital’s Autumn Ball. We were especially keen to ensure the cost of attending was affordable for all staff.

Ophthalmologist Panos Maghsoudlou, who co-organised the event, has written: “The evening was well attended, hugely popular, and filled with great energy and enthusiasm. Guests enjoyed fine food and wine, and the dance floor was buzzing all night! It was truly a memorable occasion, bringing people together in celebration and support of our shared cause.”

He added, “We are incredibly grateful for your continued commitment and generosity, which makes such a meaningful difference to our work.”

20 December 2024, archived on 3 April 2025

“Hyperlegible” website typeface

We use the Atkinson Hyperlegible typeface on this website, our newsletter In Sight and other new leaflets.

The typeface was developed for the Braille Institute of America. It is named after the Braille Institute founder J. Robert Atkinson.

For the benefit of visually impaired readers, it aims to ensure that individual characters cannot be confused with one another, ultimately improving readability. Also, the shaping of the letters is exaggerated to provide better clarity and the open areas of certain letters are expanded to provide greater distinction.

The Braille Institute has made the typeface free for anyone to use – and you can find guidance on how to download and install the font here.

16 March 2022, updated twice, archived on 10 March 2025

Christmas cards on sale in BEH

Designs available can be seen at the booking-in desk on the ground floor – or click here.

Each pack costs £3 (regardless of any price shown on the pack). Packs contain ten cards of the same design plus envelopes.

Cards can be purchased from the booking-in desk or the main reception desk near the main entrance doors. Sales are open between 8am and 5pm.

You can pay by credit or debit card. You can also pay by cash but staff will not be able to give you any change (and we receive the excess as a donation).

5 November 2024, archived on 23 December 2024

Successful wine-tasting evening

On 19 September 2024, the Friends held a fund-raising wine-tasting evening, which those attending said was a ‘great success’. Held in the prestigious Clifton Club, the event was sold-out and raised £1,070 for the Friends.

Hosted by Clifton wine merchants DBM Wines, six different wines were tasted – three white, and three red – from countries including Lebanon, Georgia and Romania. DBM Wines director Richard Davis related the history of each of the wines being tasted, which added enormously to the evening’s enjoyment.

The funds raised were boosted by generous donations from some who were unable to attend and from DBM Wines, a raffle (the prizes for which were kindly donated) and the sale of our Christmas cards.

24 September 2024, updated 12 November, archived on 27 February 2025

Update on hospital services in May 2024

Mark Stevens, BEH’s General Manager until 10 May 2024, has recently updated the Friends on current issues facing the hospital. His update includes thanks to the Friends; how the hospital has coped with and recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic; staff recruitment including new consultants and the introduction of new staffing roles; lastly, plans for the future refurbishment of the hospital’s operating theatres and the ground floor.

Mark is leaving BEH on secondment as Deputy Divisional Director, Bristol Dental Hospital. We wish him the very best in his new role, thank him for his substantial assistance to us in the work we do for BEH and express a heartfelt plea that he return to BEH as soon as his work in the Dental Hospital is complete. Thank you Mark.

9 May 2024

A kind message

We received this message from Stephen Rhodes on 16 November 2023:

“My wife had cause to visit you for the second time in an emergency having sustained her second detached retina in 18 months.  Thanks to your excellent service and fantastic prompt response, she has made a full recovery and feels that her eyesight has gone back to how it was before the retina detached.  Not only have you repaired two detached retinas for her, you have dealt with the cataracts in each eye as well.  People are only too quick to complain about some of the care they receive through the NHS but without your prompt action and the skilled doctors and nurses who looked after her, she would be blind.  I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done.”

Thank you Stephen; we have forwarded your very kind message to the hospital manager who has shared it with the staff concerned.

The picture is one of the brickwork mural panels at the hospital, recently deep cleaned with assistance from the Friends.

17 November 2023, archived on 15 February 2024

Our new Chairman in 2023

Kay McCluskey was elected as the Friends’ ninth Chairman in May 2023.  As a grateful patient of the Eye Hospital, Kay became a trustee of the Friends in January 2016.  She chairs our Events sub-committee and is also on our Finance and Governance sub-committees.

Prior to retiring in December 2023, Kay was a Personal Injuries Consultant with Enable Law – one of the UK’s leading specialist medical negligence, personal injury and mental capacity law firms.  Working for over 40 years in the field of personal injury claims, she is proud to have been recognised by Chambers as being in the top tier of personal injury lawyers in Bristol and the South West.

She is also a member of the Board of Headway Bristol and a member and former President of the Bristol Medico-Legal Society.

24 October 2023, updated and archived 25 January 2024

Our new Secretary in 2023

Carole Brooke was elected as our fourth Secretary in September 2023.

Having been treated at the Bristol Eye Hospital for the past two years (and still ongoing), Carole became a trustee in May 2023.

“Becoming a Trustee seemed fitting to give a little back to the staff who use their skills and expertise to benefit so many people.  It wasn’t a difficult decision and taking on the role of Secretary will also support the Friends in their excellent work.”

At other times, Carole can be found hacking at a golf ball at Long Ashton Golf Club, playing with her three grandchildren or helping to run a community health service called The Nailsea Leg Club!  She likes to keep busy!

Before retiring, Carole was a GP Practice Manager, firstly in Shirehampton and then in her home town of Nailsea.

25 October 2023, archived on 25 January 2024

Christmas Cards on sale in BEH 2023

Designs available can be seen at the booking-in desk on the ground floor or via the button below.

Each pack costs £3 (regardless of any price shown on the pack).  Packs contain ten cards of the same design plus envelopes.

Cards can be purchased from the booking-in desk near the main entrance doors.  Sales are open between 8am and 5pm.

You can pay by credit or debit card.  You can also pay by cash but staff will not be able to give you any change (and we receive the excess as a donation).

Cards are usually on sale in the hospital from mid October until Christmas Eve.  If you would like to purchase cards at other times of year, please contact the Treasurer.

20 October 2023, archived on 17 January 2024

Friends’ AGM 2023

At our AGM on Wednesday 10 May 2023:

• Dinah Harrison stood down as Chairman.
• Kay McCluskey was elected as our new Chairman.
• Wendy Beatty retired as our Secretary and stood down as a trustee.
• Carole Brooke was elected as a new trustee.
• Our Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts for the year ending 28 February 2023 were approved by members.

11 May 2023

Annual General Meeting 2023

Our AGM will be held on Wednesday 10 May 2023 at 6.15pm.

The meeting will be held in the Hospital Boardroom.  Members may choose to attend in person or, if they prefer, online.  Full details of how to attend will be sent to all members in April.  In Sight 2023 will also be distributed before the AGM.

The Trustees are delighted that Rani Sebastian (Glaucoma consultant and the Eye Hospital’s new Clinical Director) and Sarah Swift (NHS Deputy Divisional Director with responsibility for Ophthalmology) will be there to say a few words about the importance of the Friends’ support for the hospital.  Mark Stevens (the Eye Hospital’s General Manager) and Jess Moss (the hospital’s new Matron) are also expected to attend.

30 March 2023, updated 26 April, archived 11 May

Richard Markham stands down as a Friends’ Trustee

We are sad to report that Richard Markham has stood down after serving as a trustee for seven years including four as Chairman.  A Life Member of the Friends since 2002, Richard has supported and encouraged our activities since the charity’s earliest days.  We greatly appreciated his increased commitment and contribution to the Friends after his official retirement from full-time consultancy at BEH, even while he continued to help the hospital by taking clinics.

We shall miss his wise counsel and deep knowledge and experience.  We thank him profoundly for his support.

30 March 2023

Devoted to Bristol Eye Hospital

We are delighted to welcome Gail Glew and Jenny Ward as trustees.  Gail and Jenny both retired from the hospital after a truly astonishing 51 years’ service each for the Bristol NHS Trust.  Prior to her retirement in July 2022, Jenny attended our trustees’ meetings for many years (as the representative for all the nursing staff), advising us on grants and assisting with fundraising events.

As trustees, Gail and Jenny will continue to help us support the hospital.  Their astounding loyalty, long experience and passion for serving the hospital’s patients and all things BEH will be invaluable.

Both served as new co-opted trustees until our AGM on 10 May 2023, when they were elected as trustees by the Friends’ members.

27 January 2023, amended 31 March 2023, updated and archived 16 October

Team Veolia fundraising

On 28 September 2022, Team Veolia climbed the 886m of Pen y Fan Mountain in support of Friends of Bristol Eye Hospital.

Stuart Elliott, Veolia’s Area Sales Manager South & Wales. said “The team consisted of 7 of us and we spent a great day enjoying the terrific views over Wales whilst raising funds for a great cause.

In total we raised £565 for the Friends to help and support the immense work of the Bristol Eye Hospital.”

We are very grateful to Stuart and his colleagues for this super fundraising.  Many thanks.

2 December 2022, archived on 21 April 2023

New telephone number

We have a new telephone number: 0300 102 4556.

Calls to this number are free from UK landlines and mobiles.

1 August 2022

Thank you, Gail

In September 2021 Gail Glew, one of Bristol Eye Hospital’s ward nurses, completed 50 years’ service for the NHS in Bristol.  She has dedicated her entire nursing career to the care of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust’s patients, so this truly is a lifetime achievement.  Although the Trust does have long service badges, there is none which recognizes this extraordinarily long period of service.  So BEH asked us if we would make a modest contribution to pay for food and refreshments to allow Gail’s colleagues to mark the occasion in a small and appropriately distanced celebration.  We were delighted to do so and we say a heartfelt “Thank you!” to Gail on behalf of the Friends and all the patients she has cared for since 1971.

5 April 2022, archived on 3 August

Everything I Can See

Emma Don held an exhibition entitled “Everything I Can See” at Cardiff School of Art & Design from 8 to 14 June 2022.

Emma raised funds for the Friends in thanks for treatment and care she has received for anterior uveitis at Bristol Eye Hospital since 2012.

“Eyesight is such an important sense for everyone, and this becomes even more so on receiving a diagnosis adversely affecting that.”

Emma specialises in 3D stop motion animation which is a very visual medium.  However she incorporates audio into her work to make it more accessible for the visually impaired.

You can watch Emma’s exhibition video or support her fundraising via the buttons below.

24 March 2022, updated 8 September, archived 9 January 2023

Professor David Easty 1933-2022

It was with sadness that we learnt of the death in January 2022 of David Easty, for 27 years Consultant in Ophthalmology at Bristol Eye Hospital, the first Professor of Ophthalmology at Bristol University, founder of the National Eye Research Centre (now Sight Research UK) and Chairman of Friends of Bristol Eye Hospital from 2003 until 2009.

David was a member of the Friends from 1979 and a loyal supporter.  We were honoured and delighted when, after retiring from a long and distinguished career in the course of which corneal transplant surgery was transformed, he became our Chairman.  During his tenure he instituted numerous fundraising events and activities which increased our profile, doubled our revenue from such events and set a new standard.

A patient recently wrote: “David Easty was my corneal consultant for nearly 20 years and performed a complicated transplant on a congenital glaucoma eye.  The care he gave me through a succession of post-operative problems was second to none.  Nothing was too much trouble and he supported me through many crises.  I felt we were in it together and that he wanted the better vision I craved almost as much as I did.” – a heartfelt tribute giving a patient’s perspective on David’s skill and care as a consultant.

We remember David with huge gratitude and affection.

23 March 2022,  archived on 29 July 2022

Fundraising at The Old Forge Inn, Whitminster

Following an operation at the hospital, Alex Sherman, the Manager of The Old Forge Inn in Whitminster near Gloucester, was so pleased with the care received at Bristol Eye Hospital that he organised a series of fundraising events at the Inn.

Despite events and numbers attending often being limited by the pandemic, he raised £318 (including Gift Aid).

22 December 2021, archived on 26 July 2022

Thank you, Peter

Peter Turner stood down at our AGM after over 19 years as a trustee.  He first came to a Friends’ meeting in January 2002 after hearing a talk from Consultant Ophthalmologist Mike Potts to the Bristol Society of Opticians.  Peter was elected as a trustee in May 2002 and served without a break until July 2021.

Peter is the third generation Optometrist now running his family’s practice Turners Opticians.  In addition he works part time as a Senior Optometrist in the glaucoma & cataract clinics at Bristol Eye Hospital.  In common with most health care providers at this time, he is catching up on a backlog of around nine months’ work as well as dealing with the current workload, so his commitments to his patients and to his wife and growing family of three are keeping him fully occupied.

Peter’s knowledge, experience, opinion and advice have been an invaluable help to his fellow trustees.  It’s been a long and happy association and we thank him so much for the many years of service and support he has given to the Friends.

3 August 2021 archived on 21 March 2022

New Chairman and Secretary

At the trustees’ meeting following our online AGM on Tuesday 24 November 2020, Richard Markham confirmed that he would be retiring from the office of Chairman.  We are very grateful to Richard for being our Chairman for 4½ years and for agreeing to stay on longer than he intended because our AGM was delayed by the pandemic.  He continues as a trustee.

Dinah Harrison was elected by the trustees as our new Chairman, after serving as our Secretary for an astonishing 43 years.  Wendy Beatty was elected as our new Secretary.

We are delighted that Dinah and Wendy have taken on these important roles.

Dinah is our eighth Chairman and Wendy just our third Secretary since our foundation in 1977.

30 November 2020, archived on 26 July 2021

Janet Coakham

Janet Coakham, who died on 16 March 2020, was a trustee of the Friends for 15 years (1988 to 2004) and Vice-Chairman for 12½ years.  She was pleased to be able to do something for the hospital staff and patients as she was so grateful for the laser treatment which saved her vision.

She was the first editorial assistant of the British Journal of Neurosurgery which started at Frenchay in 1987.  She single-handedly saved it when the editor unexpectedly resigned and she ran it herself for two years until a new editor was appointed in 1992.  It is now a well-established international journal.

Janet had a quiet, unassuming manner and natural charm.  She was an utterly reliable practical help, especially when it came to organizing fund-raising social events.  She was kind, fun to be with and an elegant and reassuring presence on all occasions.  Friends’ Chairman Richard Markham said “She is and will be sadly missed by a very great number of people in Bristol”.

27 October 2020, moved to archive 5 May 2021

Mark Carwardine

In September 2019, celebrated zoologist, wildlife photographer and environmentalist Mark Carwardine gave a most entertaining illustrated presentation at Ashton Court Mansion on his “Travels and Tribulations of a Zoologist” around the world.

100 supporters thoroughly enjoyed the show which raised £1,500 for the Friends.

Bowling club’s charity of the year 2019

Friends of Bristol Eye Hospital was Ashcombe Park Bowling Club‘s Charity of the Year for 2019.  Martin Paterson said “As captain, I have the choice of which charity my club will support throughout the year.  Many of our members, including myself, are currently undergoing or have received treatment at Bristol Eye Hospital.  Therefore, to show our gratitude for all the treatment we have received, and after talking with Professor Sparrow, it was an automatic choice to support Friends of Bristol Eye Hospital.”

Overall, the club’s members raised £1,411 for us.  Thank you very much!

27 March 2019, updated 5 May 2021

Moorwood Art Show 2019

Moorwood Art is a contemporary fine art gallery in an ancient bluebell wood in Bruton, Somerset. Artists’ work is presented within a relaxed home environment and sculpture is displayed within the surrounding gardens and woodland.

The Friends were delighted that Moorwood Art made us their charity of the year for their Art Show in 2019. The show, which ran for two weeks in March, displayed the work of 45 artists, including paintings, sculpture, wood turning and pottery – and raised £1,000 for the Friends.

Camilla Drinkall, who has organised the annual Moorwood Art Show since 2010, chose the Friends as their charity of the year because of the excellent care and treatment given by Bristol Eye hospital to her husband Philip as he suffered from very bad short sight and had two lens implants in 2018.

1 April 2019, updated 28 June 2019

GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation requires us to protect personal data, inform trustees, volunteers, members and other supporters what data we hold for them, how we use it, and how it can be viewed, amended or deleted.  In May 2018, we wrote to all members and supporters setting out how we comply with GDPR.  You can view our current Privacy Policy here:

If you have any question about the data we may hold for you or wish us to amend or delete anything, please contact the Secretary.

17 May 2018, last updated 31 July 2020, archived 27 September 2021