Optalis staff get quizzical in aid of local stroke clubs

On Thursday December 5, Optalis held its second annual Pub Quiz for staff. The event was organised again due to the storming success of the event last year, where hundreds of pounds were raised for local charity The Link Visiting Scheme.

The quiz, organised by Optalis’ own Community Involvement Group, saw six teams battle it out for the coveted first prize at The Molly Millar Pub, Wokingham. After much tension and anticipation during the final scoring period, The Mighty Oaks team emerged as victorious for the second year running, winning wine, chocolates, and a £50 iTunes voucher.

This year, Optalis have chosen to support three local stroke clubs; Wokingham Stroke Club, Earley and Woodley Stroke Club, and Life After Stroke Together (LAST) Stroke Club. To date, £300 has been raised for the cause, and on December 20, Optalis hope to top this amount up with a Staff Bring and Share lunch at their head office - where a raffle will be held.

Michael Taylor, treasurer for Wokingham Stroke Club, said: “Our club is extremely grateful to Optalis for their kind offer to include us in the share of their Quiz Night proceeds. In these difficult times, all donations to club funds are most welcome, enabling us to continue to provide varied programmes of social events for its members".

Claire Giles, treasurer for LAST Stroke Club, said: "LAST is a self-funded group for stroke survivors with communication challenges. As such, we rely heavily on family and friends to fund and organise our various activities, so we’re delighted to be included in a share of the funds raised by Optalis staff this month. The group extends its warmest thanks for their efforts, and rest assured - all will be put to good use."

Andrew Pickup, Optalis’ managing director, said: “Optalis is delighted to support this cause. Some of our staff work hard to support people who have suffered from stroke, and so it’s a subject matter we’re only too familiar with. It seemed very appropriate to choose these charities to receive our fundraising efforts this year, and I hope this contribution from the team makes a real difference to the Borough’s residents.”