Our guest this evening Brian Ellis was an inspiration. In 1985 he joined a team of optometrist from the USA to go to Tanzania and work in some eye camps before going on a photo-safari. He realised how much we take for granted and how difficult the situation was with no affordable eye care. This meant that the educational chances of many children was limited. Most middle aged people need some help with close detail. There would be problems for doctors and nurses. Brian spoke passionately about these issues and clearly felt the need to see how they could be addressed by practical action. The charity ‘Vision Aid Oversees’ was born. in 2016 670 million people around the world could have their lives transformed by the provision of spectacles. Vision Aid Oversees has five Vision Centres in Ethiopia. In Sierra Leone three locations are being developed. There is also work in Zambia, Botswana, Burkino Faso and Ghana. The vision statement is ‘No one lives in poverty because of poor eyesight, no-one lives with poor eyesight because of poverty’. Full information is available on www.visionaidoversees.org On the website there are also details of ways to support the work. £240 means eighty pairs of glasses can be provided in the partner countries. £472 can pay for a month’s training for an Optometry technician, £910 pays for seven days of eye testing. The address if Vision Aid Oversees, 12 the bell Centre, Newton Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9FZ.
Jonty joined us tonight and read the events guide and the weather forecast. He also brought us a story about bats in a hospital meaning it had to close and that those designing robots are taking inspiration from gecko’s ears.
Tonight’s playlist.
Booker T & MGs – Crazy – show theme
Sting – Englishman in New York
Garth Hewitt – Be the hands of Jesus
Graham Kendrick – God of the poor
Third Floor Movement – Let’s love one-another
George Michael – As
Lucas Graham – As
Nelson Riddle – Route 66
Jamie Cullum – Pointless nostalgic
Madness – Our house – requested by Patrick
Cliff Richard – Summer holiday – requested by Phyl
The Christians – Harvest for the world
Seasick Steve – Started out with nothin
John Barry orchestra – Theme from On her majesty’s secret service – not identified by the listeners
Louis Armstrong – We have all the time in the world – requested by Michael – the end theme from On her majesty’s secret service
Vintage Jazz cover – Living on a prayer – enjoyed by Lee
Dream Academy – Life in a northern town
Carrie Underwood – Jesus take the wheel
The Band Perry – All your life
Gregory Porter – Wind song
Marc Antoinne – Sunland
Join me next week from 8 for another edition of Friday Night Extra.
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