Can your practice help the homeless this Christmas?

Can you help the homeless this Christmas?

Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) is aiming to help even more homeless people this Christmas gain an eye examination and spectacles, by asking optical practices across the UK to reach out to their local homeless shelters.

Currently, VCHP runs Christmas clinics in conjunction with Crisis, around London, with more than 80 volunteers last December and generous donations from across the optical community.

Elaine Styles, VCHP chair, said: “We know from our weekly regional clinics that London is not the only place in the UK that needs optometry services at Christmas for the dispossessed.

“We are urging practices to reach out to their local homeless centres and discuss providing a service in their community, for a truly Christmas Spectacle.  This may be within the practice or as a domiciliary service within the refuge centre.

“Many practices have domiciliary kits and it could be relatively easy for them to reach a group of people who may never have had an eye examination. We are providing an advice pack, which can be emailed to practices.”

Advice packs are available on the VCHP website here.

Last year VCHP provided eye exams and glasses, where needed, to some 2,000 patients; 327 attended the Crisis at Christmas opticians’ service, organised in conjunction with Crisis UK.