I shall pass through this world but once
Any good that I can do or any help that I can give
to my fellow beings, let me do it now
Now; for I shall not pass this way again
(Stephen Grellet 1773-1855)
Graham Layton was born in 1917 and grew up in north London. He was educated in Wellingborough School in Northamptonshire. In 1947, he arrived in Karachi where, for over 30 years, he built up MacDonald Layton Company, one of the largest and most successful construction companies in Pakistan. He retired from active involvement in the business in 1977 and returned to England to develop a small house-building business in St. Albans. In 1984, he returned to Karachi, explaining that 'this country has been good to me. This is where I made all my money, so why not give something back'. Throughout the development and rapid expansion of the LRBT hospital network and right up to the last week of his life, he continued as the dynamic chief executive, personally supervising the construction of six more eye hospitals. He had an outstanding ability to motivate and generate loyalty in those around him. He was honoured in 1990 for his tireless work for the underprivileged in Pakistan with the Sitara-e-Qaid-e-Azam (Star of Pakistan) and in the UK, where he was awarded the CBE in 1994. He died in 1999, leaving the bulk of his estate to further the work of his remarkable charity.
The Graham Layton Trust is a charity registered in the United Kingdom, committed to supporting the Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust in Pakistan. LRBT, as it is commonly known, operates a network of efficiently managed and superbly equipped eye hospitals, which supply free treatment for blindness and eye disease to the poorest and most vulnerable section of the population throughout Pakistan. The Trust was founded in 1984 and is supervised by a Board of Trustees. Through the entirely voluntary work of the trustees and some key supporters, financial contributions are made to LRBT's work in Pakistan.
The Graham Layton Trust is organising a dinner-dance charity event to raise finances for the Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust in Pakistan on Friday 26th April 2002 at the Hurlingham Club, London SW6.
For more information on the Trust, visit their website: www.glt.org.uk
and on the event: Hutoxi Kandawalla: Tel.020.8337.7323