Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Angel Eyes NI</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> is the IoD NI Charity of the year for 2010/2011 and they have challenged me<strong> </strong>to walk round Ormeau Park in Belfast, wearing special glasses that stimulate visual impairment and experience what it is like to cope with only 35% of my normal sight.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><em><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This would be like trying to drive your car with frosted windows.</span></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Walking with me will be 17-year-old Kirsten from Newtownards who was born with congenital cataracts and glaucoma and now has only 35% vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has overcome the odds to achieve 8 GCSEs and is now studying for her ‘A’ levels at Strathearn Grammar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dawn Purvis, MLA, Sara McKinty of McKinty Associates and Frank Bryan of Bryan Powercom (and immediate past IoD Chairman) will also be taking part in the walk.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Angel Eyes NI </span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">is a charity that supports families who have children with a visual impairment. It is run on a voluntary capacity by parents and provides emotional and practical support for parents. Every penny donated will be used to provide programmes and support. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So please dig deep and donate now.</span></span></strong></p>
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