Crisis at Christmas collection day this week saw 130 pairs of specs lined up to be dispensed to very grateful Londoners experiencing homelessness.
Ranging in powers from +5D to -15.25D, the dispensing day brought together volunteers who have worked to provide eyecare services during December at thirteen different clinics within the London area. Vision Care for Homeless People have been supporting Crisis since 2003 with the annual vision clinics and dispensing of specs.
Service organisers, Parth Shah and Bryony Allen, both optometrists, led the largest offering of clinics yet which provided 152 eye examinations, as Parth explained –
“Each year we are looking to make the service better, and this is now my sixth Crisis. It makes a very fulfilling Christmas to use my skills in serving the community. We all aspire to do some good and this service is for the betterment of some of the most vulnerable people in society. I would urge anyone to get involved – not just at Christmas but at the clinics around the country throughout the year. Our guests’ faces light up when the glasses go on.”
Clinic Assistant, Charles McMaster had found the volunteering opportunity through the website Reach Volunteering, and through his previous work in healthcare thought he would be a good match –
“I volunteer two or three times a month and it is incredibly rewarding to provide such an essential service, and to make such a difference to people.”
Picture shows, left to right, the volunteer collection day team –
Charles McMaster, Paul Showman, Linda Lucas, Bryony Allen and Parth Shah
