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Charity Projects

Vision Aid Overseas Vision Care for Homeless People Expedition Trans-Antarctica At Specs of Kensington we are committed to supporting charity. Over the years we have raised lots of money by participating in fun runs and other sponsored events. We also take a more hands on approach by getting involved in charity projects. In February 2006 Chloe Robson joined a Vision Aid Overseas team travelling to Ethiopia. Read about her experiences and see some of her beautiful photographs below. In January 2007 she was part of a team travelling to Burkina Faso, West Africa. Burkina Faso is the third poorest country in the world and has no provision for eye care. We would appreciate it if you could bringing in your old spectacles which will be sorted and sent out to be reused. Chloe found the experience so rewarding that she went back to Ethiopia in 2008 as part of a team to teach local nurses how to examine eyes. Since 1997 Elaine Styles has been involved in providing the Opticians service at the Crisis Open Christmas. As a result of this Vision Care for Homeless People was set up and has been running since September 2004. In February 2007 it obtained charity status. See below to read more. Alastair Vere-Nicholl sought our expert advice when seeking eye protection for the Invesco-Perpetual Challenge Expedition Trans-Antarctica in aid of the Alex Roberts-Miller Foundation. Read about their amazing adventure below.

Vision Aid Overseas

The World Health Organisation (WHO) released recent statistics and have now made blindness prevention a global priority. "Up to sixty percent of children in developing countries die within one year of losing their sight". "Millions of people are functionally blind because they lack access to spectacles." At Specs of Kensington we fully support Vision Aid Overseas. A charity dedicated to helping people in the developing world whose lives are blighted by poor eyesight, particularly where spectacles can help. For 25 years it has worked at sending abroad teams of volunteer optometrists and dispensing opticians who set up clinics, screen large number of patients and provide appropriate spectacles. Our optometrist Chloe Robson was a member of a team travelling to Ethiopia in February 2006. In January 2007 she embarked on another expedition to Burkina Faso in West Africa. Chloe found the experience so rewarding that she went back to Ethiopia in 2008 as part of a team to teach local nurses how to examine eyes.

Chloe's team worked in the South of Ethiopia where there hasn't been any previous teams, and there is no provision for eyecare. Her team of 4 optometrists and 2 dispensing opticians saw nearly 1600 patients and dispensed 1500 spectacles. Although many eye diseases affect people's sight in developing countries, the majority of people only require spectacles to improve their vision, helping their education and employment. The photograph opposite shows a student called "Matusal" receiving his first ever pair of spectacles. His prescription was -24.00DS! Chloe's Diary - Ethiopia February 2006 Please continue to help us support such important charities by bringing in any unwanted glasses you may have, or by making a donation to the charity.

The crowds hoping to be seen

The waiting area

A school outing

Elders waiting patiently

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Vision Care for Homeless People

In 1997 I saw a small advertisment in one of our professional journals appealing for help with providing eye examinations for homeless people at the Crisis Christmas. I decided to volunteer because I really wanted to do something to support other people at what can be a particularly lonely time, I did two days and became hooked. It was a fantastic experience. Something as fundamental as getting a full eye examination and being provided with appropriate spectacles can make a huge and immediate impact on a homeless person's life. Homelessness charity Crisis has been running the Crisis Christmas for 35 years from 23-30 December each year. Crisis provide a "Gateway to Opportunity" for homeless people giving them a chance to see a doctor a dentist or an optometrist, talk to a counsellor, have their hair done and take part in a range of activities and training opportunities. It offers homeless guests a range of services and learning and skills activities that will inspire them to rebuild their lives in the New Year.

Elaine's Diary - A day in my week at Crisis

Homeless people are more vulnerable than the general population. They have a higher risk of being assaulted or having property stolen, so spectacles might be lost or broken beyond repair. Therefore it was frustrating that the service was only available at christmas. Four years ago, with a group of like minded optometrists we set about organising a service to run on a weekly basis throughout the year at the Crisis Skylight centre in East London. "Vision Care for Homeless People" was born. It was set-up to provide eyecare services for homeless people in an environment in which they feel welcome and comfortable. In February 2007 we were awarded charity status by the Charity Commission, we are number 1118076. This enabled us to open up in a second centre at The Passage in Victoria. The service runs every Monday at the Crisis Skylight centre and every Wednesday at The Passage. A full eye examination is carried out by a qualified, caring optometrist, and if required we can make appropriate spectacles. Spectacles take 1 - 2 weeks to make. We have some ready made reading spectacles that can be dispensed at the time if they are suitable. The Vision Care team currently carries out about 400 eye examinations a year and we aim to increase this. All the staff are volunteers. Vision Care's long-term aim is to expand and have centres nationwide. We are in the process of setting up a new centre in Birmingham and have three other centres under discussion, two in London and one in Leeds, that are next to be set up. For further information contact Vision Care for Homeless People

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Expedition Trans-Antarctica

Meanwhile, two Land Rovers drove 700 miles from the other side of the continent to met the ski team at the South Pole. The Land Rovers re-supplied the ski team with provisions and specialist kites (similar to kite surfing) and both teams returned along the Land Rovers' original route. Under the power of the kite sales the ski team harnessed the wind and racing alongside the Land Rovers. After discussions with Alastair (a member of the ski team) and our own extensive research, we found from Adidas Eyewear a mask and goggle for which we could not only fit Hoya prescription lenses (in the form of a glazable insert) for Alastair, but which would also provide suitable protection for the team. Adidas Eyewear has kindly sponsored the masks and goggles. Hoya Lens UK Limited who sponsored the prescription lenses provided expert advice.

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