Deteriorating sight has not stopped a Radlett pensioner doing her bit to help other people.

Joan Brookes, 93, organised a "successful" soup kitchen at Christ Church Vision Hall, in Watling Street, to raise money for the Age Related Macular Degeneration unit at Hillingdon Hospital on Friday, November 8.

Mrs Brookes, who was herself diagnosed with macular degeneration in 2008, was inspired to start fundraising for the hospital three years ago.

She said: "For my 90th birthday party, I gave money to charity. Julian Patterson, who treated me at Hillingdon Hospital suggested I raise money for the hospital instead."

Since then Mrs Brookes has kept busy despite the condition which means she has to undergo painful injections in order to retain her sight.

Over the past three years she has held coffee mornings and tea parties to raise more than £3,300 for new imaging equipment.

More than a hundred people attended Mrs Brooke’s soup kitchen on Friday and were served home-made tomato and chicken soup and French bread.

They were also serenaded by students from the Purcell School of Music in Bushey and took part in a raffle.

Mrs Brookes’ granddaughter, Rebecca, had managed to persuade her employer Barclaycard to also donate money.

She said: "I like to do my bit for the community."

Mr Patterson and Nicholas Lee of Hillingdon Hospital were also present.

Mr Lee revealed age related macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in people over the age of 65.

The form of the condition Mrs Brookes has, the wet, is responsible for 15 to 20 per cent of all cases of age related macular degeneration - about 26,000 cases a year.

It is the most common form of blindness for those over 65.

Mr Patterson said that without treatment, patients can go blind in three years.

He added: "People should check their eyesight and if they notice a difference in left and right, not assume it is cataracts or old age.

"They should go to the nearest eye casualty or GP."