THREE colleagues from a Sutton opticians are returning to the Ashanti region of Ghana to perform eye tests and deliver donated spectacles to local people — and are appealing for more used spectacles.

Store director Nigel Davidson, in-store trainer Zoe Shotton and contact lens optician Lisa Carlin, from Specsavers in the Idlewells shopping centre, will be joining six colleagues from other Specsavers stores to support a charity, Ashanti Development, in October.

Each team member from Ashfield aims to take along 500 pairs of donated used spectacless, collected in store.

Nigel, a qualified optometrirst, said: “Our first visit to Africa in 2013 was a revelation and everyone came back from the trip inspired, tired yet delighted to have been able to help a community so far away. It was a brilliant way to use unwanted glasses, and what made the difference is that we were able to guarantee that the people who needed help got help.

“We saw 1,300 people over the six days that we were there, with more than 2,500 donated pairs of spectacles distributed, helping an impoverished farming population living mainly at subsistence level.

“We had a fabulous response from the people of Ashfield last year, and we urge anyone who would like to donate to bring unwanted glasses or sunglasses to the store in the Idlewells.

“As we need as many pairs as possible, I would appeal to everyone to check the back of their drawers for old glasses – they could make a difference to someone’s life.’
Ashanti Development is a charity run by volunteers set up at the request of Ghanaians living in London. The charity aims to provide remote villages in Ashanti with water and sanitation, healthcare, education and income generating activities. For information, go to www.ashanti-development.org

To donate unwanted spectacles, go to the store, or call 01623 552456, or go to www.specsavers.co.uk/suttoninashfield

Pictured are Zoe Shotton and Lisa Carlin.