Lions raise vital cash for eye care

ESSENTIAL optical equipment will be supplied to Ipswich Hospital's eye department thanks to the generosity of an Ipswich charity.

The Lions Club of Ipswich is raising more than £3,000 to pay for two Tono Pens, which measure the pressure within the eye and help in the diagnosis of glaucoma.

The specialist pens feature state-of-the-art technology recently developed in America.

Lions president Eddie King was behind the charity bid and he visited The Evening Star's Ipswich offices yesterday to pick the winners in the organisation's annual prize raffle, which was one of the fundraising initiatives.

He said: “As part of my president's project I'm hoping to be able to raise enough funding for two pens.

“The Lions Club International is raising money to save the sight of people in third world countries so I thought it would be good to offer something similar to the people of Ipswich.

“I put my idea to the club members and they were more than happy to support it.”

The pens will be handed to the hospital at the Lions' charity anniversary dinner on April 19.

Mr King said: “There will be a representative from the eye department there on the night.

“The hospital is very, very pleased with what we are doing.”

Mr King said the Lions Club wanted to thank those who had donated prizes, including Hong Kong Palace Chinese, Wholesale Fittings, Hunters Landrover, Oven Clean and Windsor Clark Brackenbury.

Lions clubs exist in 186 countries worldwide, with up to 1.4 million members.

The Ipswich club, which boasts 24 members, is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary.

Is your charity raising money for a worthy cause? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.