I think I blinded someone last Friday or at least I would have done if the eyeball on which I was performing a cataract replacement operation had not been attached to a dummy. This was the official opening of Rayner’s impressive new £20m R&D, training and production facility in East Worthing. Rayner is the only producer of intraocular lenses in the UK, has just moved from Hove into a brand new facility here and as part of the opening tour invited guests to perform an operation on a very life-like eyeball.
Alas I punctured my poor patients eyeball 3 times before I got the new lens in place in what is supposed to be a precision surgical operation taking just 15 minutes under local anaesthetic when an expert is involved. This is a state of the art facility which will soon be employing 200 people and another vote of confidence in the business environment in Worthing.
In less dangerous conditions it was good to see such a strong turnout for the Findon Valley Residents Association AGM on Friday evening including a full set of local councillors with lots to report. I have been attending the FVRA meeting for the last 20 years and it is certainly one of the stronger and more active residents’ associations in the constituency and an important way of representing local views to the powers that be. Good luck to Maggie Winter who takes over as chairman from Ron Merriman and has been a strong voice for the Valley on the local A27 Working Party.
I was back in the Valley the following afternoon for my latest ‘Talk to Tim’ and again it was a packed house wanting to talk about the EU Referendum with a lot of people particularly angry about the Prime Minister’s £9.3m stunt to send a propaganda leaflet to every house at our expense. The next one will be at the Barn Theatre at Southwick on Saturday 23rd from 2pm and again all constituents are welcome. I am glad to report that there are now more than 20 different organisations taking part in my Pensioners’ Fair the day before at the Guildbourne Centre from 10am-1pm so come along and see what is on offer.