What Happens to Unwanted Spectacles?
Some just languish in drawers, cluttering up our lives and serving no useful purpose. Some are thrown away a waste and bad for the environment. But some are recycled to help people in Africa who would not otherwise be able to get the spectacles they need.
Ruth Farthing, of Daventrys Danetre Rotary Club, was shocked and saddened when she was told that: There are many children in schools in Africa who cannot see the blackboard or read their textbooks. This must be so very frustrating for these children. And it means that they will not get the education they need and deserve. And when they grow up they will not be able to fully help and support their families and communities.
So, determined to do something, Ruth now collects the unwanted spectacles - almost a thousand every month or so - that have been returned to the opticians in Daventry, all of these opticians participate in this recycling. She then sorts, packs and dispatches them to a Charity called Vision Aid Overseas which uses them to help support the 20 Vision Centres that they have set up or now fund. Through these Centres, and through Outreach, about 100 professional volunteers have helped almost 50,000 patients, and over 13,000 hours of training are provided each year.
So, if you have any unwanted spectacles then do please recycle them to any Daventry optician!
more President Peter Montgomery runs the Marathon on behalf of Mercy Ships.
more When I came back from Sierra Leone, my husband noticed I was different. I was only there for three weeks but I found things very difficult because we take so much for granted in this country.
more Mercy Ships is an international faith-based organisation with a mission to increase access to health care throughout the world.
more Every 8 weeks a collection of Spectacles is arranged by Ian Clarke and his partner Helen.
back RCODD have always had an International Committee and every year do other activities to raise funds to support it. This list below gives an overview of what we have been involved in.