The Master's Abseil Challenge

The Master Spectacle Maker Liz Shilling succeeded in raising over £8,000 for the Spectacle Makers' Charity. She is deeply grateful to all those who supported her and the Charity. The money raised will be put towards establishing a new programme of bursaries that will support people with significant sight loss, providing a means to access educational and vocational training or to experience cultural, sporting and other leisure activities. 


The trustees of the Spectacle Makers' Charity carry out essential work and ensure support for projects and charities that ensure no one is left behind or excluded due to a vision impairment. They can only do that with the generosity of donors. Please consider giving regularly, with the knowledge that your donations will be making a real difference to children, adults and elderly people with sight loss and other disabilities. 

You can set up a standing order HERE. Make sure to fill out a gift aid form too.

Friday 20 September 2024

Sponsor the Master!

The Master Liz Shilling will be ditching her gown, badge - and prism bar! - in favour of a safety harness to abseil down thirteen floors of St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster, in aid of the Spectacle Makers' Charity. 

As a past Charity chair Liz is keen to take on this challenge to raise money for incredible projects working to improve the lives of people with sight loss and research that aims to eradicate preventable blindness.

This is only possible with your support.  The Master is touched by the generosity shown in the last couple of weeks which means she has exceeded her initial target of £5,000. But there’s plenty of time still until the abseil on 20 September - so can we push that total up even further now, to £8,000? 

£8,000 would mean at least 8 more bursaries to support dispensing opticians, orthoptists, optical imagers, ophthalmic assistants and nurses and optometrists of the future starting their degree or diploma courses across the UK this Autumn and help young ophthalmologists in training pursue fellowships and research projects to expand their own learning.

Click below to donate by debit or credit card to The Spectacle Makers’ Charity (registered charity in England & Wales no. 1186122). Please do remember to tick the box if you are a UK taxpayer and your donation would qualify for Gift Aid. That small tick in the box will boost the amount you give by 25%, at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you for all your good wishes and for your support.



Please note that the amount raised will update every 24 hours. You will receive an email receipt acknowledging your donation.

If you cannot view the donate form, please click the link above to donate via donorbox. 

You can also come and support Liz in person! Spectacle Makers and supporters will be getting together on the lawn outside the main entrance to St Thomas' Hospital, adjacent to Westminster Bridge, on Friday 20 September about 11.45, ready for the abseil starting at noon. Friends and family are very welcome to join in, and we encourage you to bring a small picnic and refreshments (there is also a coffee shop and M&S just inside the hospital Main Entrance). To let us know you'll be coming along, please visit the Abseil Challenge event page and register there: