Valli Opticians wins national award

The Valli Group chain of opticians practices in Huddersfield and Calderdale is celebrating a hat trick of awards in the last 12 months having just been announced the winner of a prestigious national award in recognition of its services to optics.

The Valli Group picked up the ‘Company of the Year’ title during the Association of Optometrists (AOP) glittering annual awards ceremony in Birmingham on Thursday (November 7). The award recognises a company which has striven to improve optical standards, drive forward technology and raise awareness of the importance of optics to a wider audience.

Set up by Moin Valli and his wife Rachel in 2005, the company started life as a chain of three optical practices with eight staff, and in eight years has more than doubled in size to include eight businesses – six of which are optical practices – and 25 employees. They own the Valli Opticians practices in Lockwood, Honley, Meltham and Mytholmroyd, alongside SD Haigh Opticians in Almondbury and Mamtora Opticians in Hebden Bridge. They also expanded further this year to include two other optical businesses – Valli Home Eye Care, a domiciliary service for elderly and disabled patients, and Valli Corporate Eye Care, which specialises in providing bespoke eye care services for medium to large companies.

Mr Valli delivers talks to schools and community groups about the importance of eye health and describes the company as, ‘forward-thinking and passionate about providing our patients with modern, highly-equipped practices, coupled with traditional values of the very best in customer service.’

Commenting on the award, Mr Valli said: “Winning this accolade is a tremendous honour. To be shortlisted for such a prestigious, national award was great recognition and something we are very proud of, but to be voted the winner is the icing on the cake.”

It is the third award the company has won in the last 12 months. In November 2012 Mr Valli was named Young Business Person of the Year in the Huddersfield Examiner Business Awards and in April the Valli Group won the Business Excellence category in the national Optician Awards. Mr Valli is also shortlisted in the Entrepreneur of the Year category in the Halifax Courier Business Awards 2013, the winner of which will be announced on Thursday (November 14).

AOP Chairman, Lyndon Taylor, said: “This is the third year that the AOP has run its prestigious Awards evening, which celebrates the achievements of optical professionals and groups. Each year the enthusiasm for the Awards seems to grow, and 2013 is no exception.

“We have received more nominations than ever before, with 16,000 votes cast for those who have been shortlisted. The winners and those shortlisted should be celebrated for their individual initiatives and achievements.”