Belated Christmas presents for Africa: Katherine Sidwell and Joe Mills, dispensing assistants at the Specsavers Caterham store with some of the glasses donated by customers for Vision Aid Overseas.

Caterham residents have come together to donate more than 1,200 pairs of glasses to Africa to help improve access to eye care services in developing countries.

Over the last year the Specsavers store in Caterham has been encouraging customers to donate their used and unwanted glasses to global sight charity Vision Aid Overseas. Customers can simply drop them into collection boxes in store and they are then sent to the charity and recycled using environmentally-friendly methods.

With the help of Caterham residents and Specsavers, Vision Aid Overseas uses the proceeds from selling the reusable materials to establish vision centres, train healthcare workers and utilise the expertise of volunteers to give people desperately-needed eye examinations and treatment.

Sundip Patel, store director of Specsavers Caterham said: “We encourage all of our customers purchasing new glasses to donate their old pair. It’s so easy to do and rather than gathering dust at the back of a cupboard, they can benefit people in countries where quality eyecare is not as readily available. Our customers have really embraced the scheme and it’s been brilliant to actually see the boxes of specs sent to the charity. We are hoping to collect even more this year.”

As well as collecting glasses, Specsavers stores nationwide have raised more than £250,000 to improve eyecare in Zambia. This has funded the construction of vision centres and training facilities for optometrists and eyecare specialists, in Kabawe, Mansa and Lusaka. To donate your glasses please visit the store in Church Walk, Caterham Valley.