Impact award for homeless vision charity

Celebrating at the Leeds clinic

Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) has been chosen from more than 400 UK charities as one of 10 winners of a 2020 GSK Impact Award.

Designed to recognise outstanding work of small and medium sized charities working to improve health and wellbeing in communities across the UK, the award is for £30,000.

“This really highlights the brilliant work of all our dedicated volunteers who faithfully run the clinics and helps call attention to the need for eyecare services that reach out to homeless and vulnerable people,” said David Brown, VCHP general manager.

“As well as the very valuable funding, the charity will receive expert support and leadership development provided by the King’s Fund.”

Lisa Weaks, assistant director at the King’s Fund, said: “Vision Care’s work is a testament to the power of volunteering to change people’s lives for the better. For a charity with no full-time staff, we were impressed by the significant impact it has on communities across the country. In the last year alone, it has provided free eye care to over 1,800 homeless people by mobilising volunteer opticians across six cities.”

Our photograph shows from left: Olwyn Nelson, Leeds clinic manager, David Brown, optometrist volunteer Benji Chandra, and Steve Clark a volunteer optometrist and NHS optical adviser, who was instrumental in setting up the Leeds clinic