This month we held 2 successful meet-ups in different parts of the UK, bringing together a variety of people affected by aniridia.

In the north we were proud to hold our first ever event in Scotland, when trustee Eleanor Burke welcomed 11 people to the Best Western Kings Manor Hotel in Portobello, Edinburgh for an informal get-together.

Attendees ranged from parents and their children to couples and individuals, including a gentleman from RNIB Scotland. Everyone received a welcome beverage, and over the next 3 hours they all enjoyed networking and discussing their various experiences of living with aniridia. The children also got to play with a very special Aniridia Day teddy bear, which one lucky 5-year-old was able to take home.

In the south-east, meanwhile, we once again held a social gathering after the Sight Village exhibition in Kensington, London. A group of 9 people, hosted by trustees James Buller and Dave McKay, met for drinks at Pret, before moving on to Bill’s restaurant for a nice dinner. It was a lovely evening of socialising and shared stories of life with aniridia.

Thank you very much to everyone who attended these meet-ups, making them so enjoyable, informative and worthwhile. And big thanks to our trustees Eleanor, James and Dave for hosting them. These events are always a fantastic opportunity to meet others with the condition.

We are hoping to repeat both of these meet-ups again next year, and we will of course share the dates and locations with you nearer the time.

But everyone is welcome to organise aniridia meet-ups in their area, and we highly encourage you to do so. Once you’ve arranged a venue, date and time, please do let us know and we’ll help you to advertise it. The more opportunities we can all provide for people with aniridia to get together, the more it benefits our community through networking, support and shared experiences.