The Specsavers branch, on Little Westgate, has been donating £1 for every eye test, and will continue to do so throughout January, with the aim of raising more than £3,000.
The money will go to eyecare charity Vision Aid Overseas, who plan to build a dedicated eye care clinic and teaching facility in the Zambian capital, Lusaka.
A quarter of Zambia’s 12 million population is estimated to have eye health problems, and the new clinic will help deal with life-limiting but treatable conditions that are rife in the country.
Philip Mokrysz, director of the Little Westgate store, said: “I would like to thank our customers for their ongoing and truly lifesaving support. The difference we are able to make with a pair of glasses can be as simple as whether someone is able to work or not.
“Our store and the local community in Wakefield are really getting behind this project and we’re delighted to be able to assist the Zambian people and their government.”
Specsavers Wakefield has joined stores across Britain to raise more than £300,000 to fund the new facilities.
Since 2003 more than a quarter of a million glasses have been collected and recycled by Specsavers stores for Vision Aid Overseas for use in developing countries.
[wakefieldexpress]
why shud they dump their recycled rubbish on our land??
otherwise I like the idea of an eye clinic.
Good initiative by the Wakefield community – I’m sure the eye clinic will be appreciated by many.
Foxy, I agree with you. Its the recycled crap that is being sent to us. Technology which is outdated is “donated” to us. Eye clinics have gone very advanced.