Martin Blake from Specsavers Opticas presenting the glasses to Linda King from the Calviá Lions Club
On 10th October Specsavers Opticas launched a campaign to collect 3,000 pairs of unwanted glasses in just three months to be given to the Lions Club International and distributed to those in need. This campaign strove to give the gift of sight to some of the world’s poorest people and the response has been fantastic. 4,436 pairs of glasses have been donated over the three month campaign across all eight stores, well over the target!
José Ángel Moral-Tajadura, Specsavers Opticas’ Business Development Manager commented “We would like to say a huge thank you to all the generous people, the media and local organizations who have helped support the campaign and donated their unwanted glasses. Every pair will make a huge difference to someone’s life.”
The glasses donated during the campaign will be sent to the Lions Club’s recycling plant in Alicante where they are first separated into single vision, bifocals, varifocals and sunglasses. They are then graded according to prescription strength, cleaned and boxed for distribution.
Lions Club representatives are located across many developing countries including Africa and India. They test the eyes of locals and send requests for the required prescription glasses onto the fulfilment plant. Lions Club International collects around 70,000 pairs of glasses to be re-dispensed every year, with each one being donated and hand selected for specific people in need.
Linda King from Calviá Lions Club Secretary commented: “Calviá Lions are delighted to be associated with Specsavers Opticas in Mallorca. In total over the past year Specsavers Opticas through the public in Mallorca have donated over two thousand pairs of used spectacles. These have been sent to the Lions recycling centre in Alicante and then to be sent, totally refurbished, to help cure preventable blindness throughout the third world.”
Specsavers Opticas will continue to have a strong relationship with the Lions Club and glasses can be donated at their Santa Ponça store or any of their eight stores on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Mallorca. To find your nearest store visit www.specsavers.es
