Avril Charnock (ne Tarling) passed away on 30th April 2025 aged 72. Avril loved her career in Orthoptics and took advantage of opportunities to widen her skills. After qualifying in 1972 her first post was in Newcastle but within a year she took on the challenge of working in Switzerland and Freiburg communicating with patients in German. On returning to the UK she worked for Sir Stephen Miller before joining the Western Eye Hospital and Paddington Green Children’s Hospital. She led the orthoptic services, which later became part of Imperial College Healthcare Trust, for the next 33 years.

In 1980s she was one of several orthoptists to volunteer at St John’s Eye Hospital, Jerusalem and she was very proud to enlist the help of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners to maintain the tranquil gardens, which surround the hospital today.

She cared passionately about communicating effectively with patients, taking a counselling skills course; and ensuring those with vision impairment reached their full potential by setting up a low vision support service. She developed access pathways for adults with learning difficulties and children with SLD.

Her dissertation for her degree brought her in touch with patients with optic neuritis and her knowledge was used to advise professional colleagues.

She was a strong advocate of the orthoptic society and volunteered as secretary, along side Jean Voller as chair, from 1992-98.

On 17th July her orthoptic colleagues attended a Service of Thanksgiving at St Mary’s Church Putney, to celebrate her life.