ForSight Ltd

Public benefits

Purpose 1: The purpose of Foresight NI is to providing funding for research into Sight loss and Low Vision in Northern Ireland. Benefit 1: (a) The public benefit to flow from the funding of research at Belfast City Hospital and Queens University Belfast relating to sight loss and low vision and associated ophthalmology diseases is to increase the

knowledge and skills base available to surgeons and GPs in their treatment of all forms of sight loss. (b) The public benefit that flows from the funding of advanced state of the art equipment is that researchers have access to laboratory facilities, tools and equipment not normally available through the NHS. This equipment will speed the analysis of data which will lead to shortened validation times of the research. (c) Public awareness and actively promoting the needs and opportunities of people with sight loss (51,000 in NI) Purpose 2: The purpose of Foresight NI is to provide funding for Northern Irish Charities providing services for children with Sight Loss and Low Vision. ForSight want to provide, fund or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare which improve the conditions of life of blind and partially sighted children and young people and their families in Northern Ireland. Benefit 2: The benefit which flows from this purpose is reduced stress, improved family life and individual well being for the parents, carers and families of children and young people who are blind or partially sighted and increased ease of access and efficiency to supports and services for those children and young people so that they may reach their full potential resulting in alleviation of anxiety and stress. Purpose 1: The benefits are evidenced by improvements in:- 1) A better understanding of the causes of sight loss 2) Increased knowledge of the factors leading to long term prevention of sight loss 3) Increased knowledge into the genetic risks associated with certain behaviours causing sight loss 4) Better ways of managing sight loss in the community. Annual updates on current research projects will be made available on our web site www.forsightNI.co.uk (in development). The results of research will be published worldwide with papers being presented for example to the American Society of Ophthalmology and the British Transplant Society. Purpose 2: This will be demonstrated through the deployment of funding to organisations who work with children with sight loss or / and hearing loss. It will be demonstrated through the use of evaluation forms with families. It is demonstrated through active collaboration and partnership working with statutory bodies, agencies and the voluntary sector. No harm arises from ForSight activities. The community of interest includes: • The 51,000 people in Northern Ireland with sight loss www.rnib.org.uk/nb-online/eye-health-statistics • People who are blind and vision impaired and their parents / carers • Academic institutions researching into sight loss Charity Trustees are usually parents of blind or partially sighted children and young people and hence gain benefit in the same way as all other beneficiaries. This benefit is incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to all beneficiaries. No other private benefit apart from salaries paid to staff.

What your organisation does

Foresight NI will operate as a charity retail business generating income from charity retail activity. All profits generated will be used to support research programmes in Queens University into sight loss and living with low vision and to AngelEyes which is a Northern Irish sight loss charity supporting parents and children with sight loss.