A SUTTON opticians is calling on the community to help with their specs appeal — asking people to donate old or unwanted glasses to help those in need.

Specsavers in the Idlewells Shopping Centre is teaming up with Edwinstowe and the Dukeries Lions Club, to help support those with vision needs in the developing world and with more local sight-related and eye-care projects.

“In today’s environment reusing or recycling is more important than ever, and so we were keen to explore what options there were for old spectacles,” said Specsavers Sutton store director Nigel Davidson.

“The work that the Lions Club do to sort, grade, recycle and ship spectacles to those that need them is fantastic, especially as they rely on volunteers to manage much of the process.

“In recent years I have visited Ghana twice to deliver eyecare to those in need and have experienced first-hand the difference initiatives like this make.

“We are very much looking forward to collaborating with the Lions.”

Donated spectacles are taken to a workshop in Chichester, where they are sorted by a team of Lions and other volunteers from Chichester Lions Club, graded by Medico France in Le Havre and shipped to eye clinics in the developing world.

Countries that have benefited include Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Nigeria, and Nepal.

“Rest assured nothing is wasted,” added Robert Crampton, president of Edwinstowe and the Dukeries Lions Club.

“Materials from spectacles that are unsuitable for recycling are used to raise funds for the project and funds are also used to support other sight-related research and charitable projects around the world.”

Anyone who has a pair of old or unwanted spectacles can drop them off in store at Unit 37, Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton, where there is a designated collection bin.

TOP: Robert Crampton, president of Edwinstowe and the Dukeries Lions Club, left, and Specsavers store director Nigel Davidson.