Vista scoops trophy at national Vision Pioneer Awards

Our Family Support Officer Paula Varney has been crowned Professional of the Year (Children and Young People) at this year’s Vision Pioneer Awards.

The Vision Pioneer Awards celebrate the outstanding work of professionals in the eye health and sight loss sectors across the UK.

Created by UK Vision Strategy in collaboration with RNIB and NB Online, the awards champion good practice and honour the achievements of professionals committed to supporting children, young people and adults who are blind or partially sighted.

The awards also aim to raise awareness of sight loss and the importance of quality eye care by striving towards the outcomes of the UK Vision Strategy.

In addition to Paula’s win, Naomi Bell, Eye Clinic Liaison Officer based in the Leicester Royal Infirmary Eye Clinic, was a finalist in the Professional of the Year (Adults) category.

Paula said: “I’m absolutely delighted and utterly surprised to have won the Professional of the Year award. The fact that Naomi and I were both named as finalists in these national awards was already a great achievement, and to be crowned the winner was the icing on the cake. I cannot take all the credit, as it’s thanks to the amazing team I work with that we’re able to provide this valuable service.”

The awards took place on Monday 13 June at London’s Grange Tower Bridge Hotel. There were five categories in total, which included Campaign of the Year, Innovation Award, Professional of the Year (Adults and Children and Young People), and Team of the Year.

For more information visit www.ukvisionstrategy.co.uk/vision-pioneer-awards