Future vision 2009
Following on from the success of our 2006-2007 Open Your Eyes campaign, RNIB's virtual ageing photography booth will hit the road once again in December under the new title 'Future Vision' for a tour of vocational colleges in the UK targeting 16-25 year olds with a new message; smoking increases risk of blindness.
Research done with teenagers has shown that using the message 'smoking causes blindness' increases desire in this age group to quit smoking. In addition, the tour will promote the importance of regular eye tests. It is hoped by spreading the two messages to young adults there will be an increase both in take-up of smoking cessation services, and of eye tests at the locations visited.
Open your eyes 2006-2007
On Friday 30th June 2006 visitors to the Broadmead shopping centre in Bristol found themselves queuing for upwards of 40 minutes to come face to face with themselves at the age of 72.
This was the first day of RNIB's exciting Open your Eyes campaign which gave people the opportunity to find out how good (or bad) they would look when the reached their seventies by means of a virtual ageing photography booth.
After the booth had done its worst, shoppers then had the chance to meet RNIB staff who reinforced the message at the heart of this unusual experience:
Good diet, exercising, not smoking and avoiding direct sunlight, will not only safeguard our looks as we age, but also our sight: A healthy lifestyle can save sight.
Between June 2006 and September 2007 the booth travelled up and down the UK accompanied by public meetings on eye health organised in conjunction with Age Concern. These meetings provided unique opportunities for older people to learn about eye health directly from healthcare professionals.
Alongside this, members of Parliament and UK members of European Parliament visited the booth as we brought our message to their constituencies. The tour also gave them an opportunity to consider the effects lifestyle on eye health.
MPs and MEPs who visited the tour included:
-
John Battle MP
-
Clive Betts MP
-
David Blunkett MP
-
Kevin Brennan MP
-
Giles Chichester MEP
-
Richard Corbett MEP
-
Den Dover MEP
-
Jill Evans MEP
-
David Marshall MP
-
Linda McAvan MEP
-
Greg Mulholland MP
-
Doug Naysmith MP
-
Mohammed Sarwar MP
-
Dr David Strang MP
-
Graham Watsom MEP
-
Jenny Willot MP
The extent of local media coverage allowed the Open Your Eyes tour to make a significant impact at each location visited.
The photo booth provided a fun and effective way to engage large numbers of people, allowing RNIB to communicate the importance of eye health to thousands of people up and down the UK.