Opticians Haine & Smith is thanking the generosity of individuals who donated more than 1,600 pairs of glasses to help the homeless in a pilot scheme.
The firm, which operates 20 practices across the West of England, partnered with regional homeless charity Alabaré in September to pilot a ‘pop-up’ eye-testing centre at Unity House in Chippenham last September.
Haine & Smith opticians carried out sight tests on residents in the supported housing centre and, if needed, provided them with free glasses donated by spectacles manufacturer Wolf Eyewear.
Following the success of the pilot, the Haine & Smith team visited the Alabaré home in Trowbridge to officially launched its ‘Sight for All’ campaign and now plans to stage more ‘pop-up’ centres across the county.
To make sure it had enough frames for the residents to choose from, the opticians put a call out to Wiltshire residents to donate their old glasses, which were then refurbished and re-used.
More than 1,600 pairs were handed in to Haine & Smith practices across the county.
The firm’s clinical lead optometrist Anna Lewin said: “When we launched our campaign we didn’t imagine we would get such a good response.
“To receive this many pairs of unwanted spectacles already is amazing. We’re busy planning our next ‘pop-up’ centre so please keep bringing your donations to us.”
Glasses that cannot be refurbished will be handed over to the Wiltshire Lions Club, which will use them for its own scheme helping eye clinics in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Ghana – meaning none of the glasses go to landfill.
Anyone wishing to donate glasses can take them to any Haine & Smith practice. For locations visit www.haineandsmith.co.uk
Pictured: Top: Some of the glasses donated for the pilot scheme. Above: Haine & Smith clinical lead optometrist Anna Lewin carrying out an eye examination on a resident at Unity House
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