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Liverpool FC, Standard Chartered partner to fight blindness

By Editor
18 October 2016   |   2:21 am
English Premiership frontrunners, Liverpool FC, have teamed up with Standard Chartered Bank to promote the firm’s flagship community programme, which works to tackle avoidable blindness.  
Standard chartered bank Nigeria

Standard chartered bank Nigeria

English Premiership frontrunners, Liverpool FC, have teamed up with Standard Chartered Bank to promote the firm’s flagship community programme, which works to tackle avoidable blindness.  

Coming four days after the global ‘World Sight Day,’ the Reds took to the Anfield pitch wearing the Seeing is Believing logo on their shirts for the iconic fixture against Manchester United yesterday.

While the game was going on in Anfield, clients of the bank were hosted to an exclusive viewing of the match in Lagos. A statement by the bank at the weekend revealed that although over 285 million people around the world suffer from visual impairment issues, “the reality is that up to 80 per cent of cases can be prevented or cured. This season marks the fifth year that Standard Chartered and Liverpool Football Club have come together to support Seeing is Believing.

“To-date, the partnership has raised more than £250,000 through fan contributions and auction proceeds.”To celebrate the campaign, Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp, appears in a unique video that highlights the effects of avoidable blindness.

Following the match, the campaign will culminate in a series of charity auctions in support of Seeing is Believing.  As part of the game, a number of match day mementos were up for bidding, including signed player shirts, the Captain’s armband, a pair of signed replica Jürgen Klopp glasses and a signed limited edition braille match day programme, produced to commemorate the fixture.

The bank said it would match all donations from the campaign and mobilised to win the fight against avoidable blindness globally. Speaking on the campaign, Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, said: “Seeing is Believing is a fantastic initiative, and one we are proud to support as a Club. As somebody who wears glasses I know just how important sight is to my career and livelihood. That’s why this issue is particularly important to me.

“I’m sure the generosity of our wonderful supporters will make the auctions a big success and help contribute toward the ambition of eliminating avoidable blindness by 2020.”

Chairman of Seeing is Believing and Group General Counsel at Standard Chartered, David Fein, confessed that he is “inspired by the amazing support that Seeing is Believing continues to receive from Liverpool FC’s players, its manager and its fans.

90 per cent of avoidable blindness occurs in low and middle income countries, affecting many of the communities in which Standard Chartered operates. This initiative is making a tangible difference to the lives of millions of people around the world, and Liverpool FC’s support brings us one step closer to eradicating avoidable blindness.”

Commenting on the project, Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand and Marketing, Nigeria, Dayo Aderugbo, disclosed the impact of the project from an initiative by Standard Chartered Bank staff and supporters to pay for cataract operations into a project which helps prevent, treat and cure blindness across the globe, partnering with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and other organisations.

He added: “Following the fixture against Manchester United, fans will be able to bid for the limited edition items on Charity Stars until November 8; with all money raised going towards Seeing is Believing.”

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