Farewell to a Wonderful Colleague and Teacher!

The London office bids farewell to John Talbot

The London Office had the great honour to work closely with John Talbot during his tenure as the Chairman of our charity.  He is both a wonderful teacher and a great friend. 

We had the good fortune to learn a great deal from John.  He taught us how to understand the key issues surrounding eye care in the OPT.  When asked, he was always there to give invaluable input into every fundraising proposal.  With pen and paper in hand, John’s explanations of complex matters were always informative to the lay person and often very funny.  He also had the artistic flair that only a skilled artist could muster!

Instrumental in initiating diabetic retinopathy screening in the UK, John subsequently led the drive to ensure the screening and treatment of diabetic retinopathy is a key priority for our charity as it develops in response to health needs in the OPT.  At 12 to 15%, the rate of diabetes in adults is three times more prevalent there than in the West.  It is a pandemic medical and social scourge.  Complications can damage the retina and lead to blindness.  John will be delighted to learn that a number of important fundraising proposals to address this serious issue are currently being considered.  If successful, the ambitious project will be the first of its kind in the Middle East.

John accompanied me to many meetings with potential and existing funding sources.  His vision – excuse the pun – and passion for our charity meant he was very effective in persuading partners, old and new, to support our work. 

Through John, the London office also had the great delight of providing an internship to his wonderful daughter Annie.  Like John, she brought dedication and professionalism to any task asked of her.  Annie lit up our office and, although we were sad to see her go, we are delighted by the ongoing success she is achieving in her chosen career.  John must be so proud.

Though extremely sad to say farewell to John, we understand that family must come first.  Everyone in the London office will greatly miss the loud ‘Hello’ that preceded the giant strides as he entered the office.  We wish John, Esme and all the family the very best.

Nicky Wynne, Head of Fundraising & Marketing (International)