Pupils give the gift of '˜sight'

More than 1,000 pairs of glasses have been collected by school children in Lincolnshire to give the gift of sight to poor children in Africa.
Pupils from Chestnut Primary School in Ruskington with their glasses they collectedPupils from Chestnut Primary School in Ruskington with their glasses they collected
Pupils from Chestnut Primary School in Ruskington with their glasses they collected

Hundreds of pupils from schools in the Sleaford and Grantham areas collected the 1,017 unwanted glasses as part of of Lunettes Opticians recycling campaign.

Lunettes Opticians in Sleaford, Ruskington and Grantham teamed-up with 12 local primary schools and Vision Aid Overseas charity to help people in developing countries who are unable to receive eye care.

The international charity helps over 13 million children and adults who desperately need good eyesight in order to gain a valuable education, which in turn helps in the fight against poverty.

Pupils from Winchelsea Primary School with the unwanted glasses they collected for Vision Aid.Pupils from Winchelsea Primary School with the unwanted glasses they collected for Vision Aid.
Pupils from Winchelsea Primary School with the unwanted glasses they collected for Vision Aid.

The Sleaford area schools that took part include, Ancaster CoE Primary School, Caythorpe Primary School, Welbourn CoE Primary School, Cranwell Primary School, Ruskington Chestnut Street CoE Primary School and Winchelsea Primary School.

Tushar Majithia, managing director of Lunettes Opticians said: “I’d like to say on behalf of Lunettes Opticians and Vision Aid Overseas a huge thank you to all the schools which participated. We were overwhelmed with the number of glasses which have been collected by the children and parents in Lincolnshire.”

Adding: “Many people consider sight to be their most precious sense, and yet 1 in 10 people around the world can’t see properly because they don’t have essential eye care and glasses.

“This campaign was a way of raising awareness about the work of Vision Aid Overseas and also highlighting the importance of good vision care to children and how they can help other children living in Africa who are unable to access eye care and glasses.”

Pupils from Winchelsea Primary School with the unwanted glasses they collected for Vision Aid.Pupils from Winchelsea Primary School with the unwanted glasses they collected for Vision Aid.
Pupils from Winchelsea Primary School with the unwanted glasses they collected for Vision Aid.

Helen Duckett, Headteacher of Winchelsea Primary School in Sleaford, which also took part in the campaign last year, said: “We have an Eco Club in the school which is all about recycling, so this campaign fit in well with that. There’s also the charitable aspect to the campaign which is all about helping someone who is not quite as fortunate, and this is an important message for all the children and something we discussed in class.”

A spokesperson for Vision Aid Overseas said: “This campaign helps to teach children in the UK that they should look after their sight because not every child in the world is as lucky to have opticians available to them where they can get their eyes tested and be prescribed glasses so easily. It also teaches them how they can make an impact in this world and help other children living in poverty access essential eye care and glasses which can completely transform their lives.

“On behalf of Vision Aid Overseas, I would like to thank Lunettes Opticians, especially Tushar Majithia who planned this campaign and all the schools involved and everyone who donated.”