Bhavini Makwana has been living with a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa for 19 years and is registered Blind. Despite this she has volunteered for RP Fighting Blindness and raises money to find a treatment and a cure for this disease as well as raising awareness for the eye condition.
On 28th June 2016, Bhavani Makwana was awarded the Prime Ministers Points Of Light Award at 10 Downing Street by Samantha Cameron, in recognition for her outstanding volunteering for charities. Normally, these awards are sent out in the post, but for Bhavini, she was invited to 10 Downing Street and was given this award in person.
Bhavani is currently raising awareness within the Asian Community, as these are the people who often hide away due to fear of rejection from their family and friends/society and live in denial and lack of awareness and support out there.
Her Just Giving page is filled with her fundraising activities such as climbing the O2, doing a 6 and 15 mile Carrots Nightwalk and recently taking part in the Vitality 10k and as well as organising charity fundraisers, and is currently in the process of organising another one in September. Among others she organises information days combining speakers with activities such as Bollywood dancing. Bhavini also founded ‘Social Eyes’, a support group with a difference which gives people with RP an opportunity to socialise and have fun together. In addition she regularly staffs the ‘RP Fighting Blindness’ charity helpline and organises fundraising events.
