Working in conjunction with Vision Care for Homeless People, Crisis is seeking volunteer optometrists and dispensing opticians to donate a few hours of their time for this very worthwhile work.

“The volunteer lines are now open on the Crisis website and we are hoping that we will receive a lot of support from the optical profession. Last Christmas we saw 242 patients, many of whom had a desperate need for glasses. This is such a valuable part of getting some of the homeless back on track,” said VCHP Chair, Elaine Styles.

Click here to Sign up

*In addition, VCHP is seeking donations of new plastic and metal frames suitable for the Christmas glazing service. Please contact the charity on 020 8356 6532 or email will@vchp.org.uk

http://www.optometrytoday.tv/video.php?channel=3W4F-Y9I4-5V37-TVU7-LTCC&resource=912Z-O1KB-WJ4O-FI03-XYG4

Monday 16th August

On Monday 15 March the Centre will open its doors between 6-8pm for local optical people to see what the clinic is all about.  Located within The Salvation Army residential centre in Shadwell Street, Birmingham, it is an ideal opportunity for anyone who has considered volunteering to find out more.

“There is an enormous demand for the care that we are providing in the community, particularly as the recession bites and more vulnerable people are finding themselves homeless.  The service that we are providing, in a centre where homeless people feel at ease, is vital,” said Elaine Styles, VCHP Chair.

Other volunteers and trustees of VCHP will be present to answer questions and to show off the facilities of the clinic and consulting room.

To find out more call: 020 8356 6532

The company has also highlighted the charity with the mailing of hundreds of VCHP e-Christmas cards, which will see festive greetings arriving in the in-boxes of Birmingham Optical Group customers and colleagues.

The charity is keen to encourage more optometrists and dispensing opticians to donate a few hours of their time between 23-29 December to provide eye care for those who will be making use of the Birmingham and London centres.

Explained Shaneela Chana, Senior Service Organiser of the charity -
“We always see greater numbers of people who we can help at this time of the year, and during the past couple of years we needed more optical volunteers.  It is frustrating not to be able to help more because of a lack of optoms and DOs, so if anyone can spare a few hours of professional time, please do contact us.”

Volunteers should visit:   “http://www.crisis.org.uk/volunteering” www.crisis.org.uk/volunteering

Optometrists and dispensing opticians are urgently required by the charity to work within the London and Snow Hill, Birmingham, Centres.

“Some professionals are put off from volunteering because they don’t know who they’ll meet.  In reality 98% of those who come to us for help are not rough sleepers, but marginalised people who live in hostels and safe houses: they just do not feel comfortable about going into a High Street Opticians,” said Harinder Paul, who set up the charity six years ago.

Housed within The Crisis Centre, near London’s Liverpool Street Station in a converted Victorian textile warehouse, the complete optician’s practice is kitted out with equipment donated by many UK companies.

“Suppliers have been so generous: it was always my aim to provide a comprehensive optician’s practice, but within an approachable environment for homeless people. So far we have seen more than 3,000 patients,” added Paul.

A second London practice operates in Victoria and the Birmingham Centre is located within the Salvation Army’s William Booth Centre, in Snow Hill.

“All of the volunteers who work with us come for a session just once a month and they find it tremendously rewarding.  The service is greatly valued and it is a terrible shame when we are not able to open up the practice because of a lack of volunteers.”

Since opening in 2003 Vision Care for Homeless has picked up a number of serious pathologies and helped thousands to regain their self respect.  One of the aims, mirroring that of Crisis, is to help people to get back to work.

“A lot of people need help to be able to read a job application form before they can get started, and even providing ready readers is a solution for many. Our patients are so grateful for what we do. They do not feel part of society but within our centres they feel safe.  We are always particularly busy during the ten day Christmas period when many homeless people feel very abandoned.”

Or go to the crisis volunteer page http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/volunteer.html