New Council members welcomed at College AGM

New Council members welcomed at College AGM

The College of Optometrists welcomed eight new Council members at its AGM on 23 March. The AGM, which took place as part of Optometry Tomorrow Bitesize 2021, was held virtually because of restrictions in place due to COVID-19.

College President, Colin Davidson FCOptom, said; “I would like to warmly welcome our new Council members. The College Council ensures that we remain true to our principles and accountable to our members, and we rely on them to act as ambassadors for their region, so it is vital that we have engaged Council members who are rooted in the profession. I would like to thank our dedicated outgoing Council members for their hard work, particularly during the last year when their input has been so important as we navigated the pandemic.”

The newly elected College Council members are; David Hill MCOptom (Eastern), John Kidd MCoptom (Eastern), Keziah Latham FCOptom (Eastern), Jay Varia MCOptom (London), Katie Curran MCOptom (Northern Ireland), Lewes James Hambrey MCOptom (South West), Jagdeep Singh MCOptom (West Midlands) and Paul Appleson MCOptom (Yorkshire and Humber)

Following the election process, two Council members retained their seats, they are; Irene Ctori MCOptom (London) and Johnathan Waugh MCOptom (Scotland).

New Council member Lewes James Hambrey MCOptom said; “I am excited to join the Council at a time when optometry is evolving to meet the demands of a changing world, and am grateful for the opportunity to represent fellow professionals. Optometrists have exceptional skills that must be recognised and respected, and I look forward to working with other members of the College to encourage collaboration and provide the profession with a successful future.”

Nine members of Council ended their tenure at the AGM; Parth Shah MCOptom (Eastern), Deepali Modha MCOptom (Eastern), Peter Allen FCOptom (Eastern), Joy Myint FCOptom (London), Lorcan Butler MCOptom (Northern Ireland), Stephanie Campbell MCOptom (South West), Prab Boparai MCOptom (West Midlands), Aleksandra Mankowska MCOptom (Yorkshire and Humber) and Eddie Pigott MCOptom (South East).

Several other appointments were also announced at the AGM; Dr Tony Gibson FCOptom was elected as Treasurer, Mike Horler FCOptom was co-opted to the Council as a representative for the South East region. Four new members to the Board of Trustees were also announced; Kyla Black MCOptom, Dr Irene Ctori MCOptom, Professor Kathryn Saunders FCOptom and Johnathan Waugh MCOptom.