THANKS to donations from customers, a local opticians has collected more than 20,000 pairs of specs for charity over the past year.

Specsavers, Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton, has been gathering old, unwanted pairs of glasses from customers throughout the year, which have been donated to Vision Aid Overseas, a charity dedicated to fighting poverty by transforming access to eye care in developing countries.

Store manager Nigel Davidson said: “Through the donation of old glasses, we are helping to provide access to eyecare for people who may not otherwise have access to it.

“Such a simple thing can transform the lives of some of the world’s poorest people, helping in everything from school to work. The charity works tirelessly to ensure this need is met, and customer donations are vital to their success.”

Alongside the collections for VAO, the store also collects spectacles to donate to the Ashanti development charity in Ghana, as well as sending cases to Romania through the charity, Smiles Project.

Members of the team travelled to Ghana in 2013 to provide free eyecare to locals at a Specsavers-sponsored eye clinic run by Ashanti Development, where they helped more than 1,000 people by carrying out eye examinations, fitting second-hand specs and making referrals where needed.

Another trip is planned for October this year to return with specs that they have received through donations in store, so the team is encouraging people to continue to give their old glasses for the cause.