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

Monday 16th August

Services ranged from topical issues on substance misuse to a relaxing massage and Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) was invited to open their doors and run a clinic for the day. Volunteers Mina Boromand (DO) and Shaneela Chana (OO), along with the help of general service volunteers at Crisis kept the service running at full capacity maximising the opportunity to help those in urgent need of new glasses or an eye health care check.

Volunteer Shaneela Chana said “We were delighted to be welcomed and participate in this event. Many patients, you find, have glasses lost, stolen or beyond repair relying on very old or “makeshift” glasses. We had more patients attending than we could actually accommodate highlighting the actual need and importance of this service for those homeless or exposed to vulnerable conditions”

Fortunately, VCHP has regular clinics running literally every Monday at SKYLIGHT (except Bank holidays) and Wednesdays at the Passage, Victoria. VCHP are always encouraging new volunteers to help and support their services both in London and Birmingham on a Monday. Please be in contact if you think you would be able to donate some of your time to help support the clinics by e-mailing: info@visioncarecharity.org.

Crisis Christmas is also held every year from the 23^rd - 29^th December, VCHP will be extending their service for the week and will be on board to recruit volunteers in the near future too so watch this space!

We have two centres in the capital – one in Victoria and another within the Crisis Centre near to Liverpool Street station and already a number of spectacles have been made up for the homeless by Kentoptic.

As Preston Everard, Kentoptic Executive Manager explained:
“This charity fits in well with our company ethos. My directors have given a lot of support to our staff, and to myself in recent times, and I have been delighted with the response of our team in taking on this extra work. As a company we have always looked to giving a little back and so when the opportunity arose to work with such an inspirational charity we were delighted to accept. I have to say, we have been very surprised by the powers needed. You can’t function properly when you can’t see and many of the prescriptions coming through have been high: up to +5.00D.”

The ISO 9001:2008 Quality Accredited lab, which is housed in an elegant, large windowed, Victorian cricket ball factory in Tonbridge, boasts more than 400 years of glazing and surfacing experience between its team – some who joined recently from local lab, Gilco – and the latest in computer and glazing technology.

Elaine Styles, Chair of the charity is delighted that Kentoptic have taken up the work –
“With the recession we are seeing a lot more homeless people – particularly men, but the charity work is extremely rewarding. The best part is the dispensing. Helping people to see again properly – often after many years – is amazing. For many this brings a confidence boost and the ability to start filling out job application forms,” she said.

NB: Volunteer optometrists, dispensing opticians and students are urgently required to work within the charity’s Birmingham Centre: visit www.visioncarecharity.org or call 020 8356 6532

Picture shows: Richard Tuck, Kentoptic Operations Manager, Elaine Styles, Chair of the Charity, and Preston Everard, General Manager of Kentoptic

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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

“We dispensed 230 pairs of glasses at our two centre connected to Crisis and many thanks go to Essilor for the tremendous support that they continue to give us in London with free glazing,” said Elaine Styles, Head of Operations at the charity.

She added:
“Homelessness is an issue which presents more than ever in the current times.  During the clinics I met many who were experiencing the rawest consequences of the recession who would have never have expected to find themselves in such circumstances.”

The charity is looking for more volunteers to work throughout the year, and not just at Christmas, at its centres in London and Birmingham. Also sought are any ready readers that opticians or suppliers might consider donating.

Broadway, which manages the Combined Homelessness and Information Network database has found that 3,472 people were sleeping rough in 2008/09, a spike of 455 on last year and up from 2,500 in 2004/05.

Its report, Profiling London’s Rough Sleepers, examines characteristics of more than 13,000 people who have been seen sleeping rough in the capital over the last decade. The report also finds that there has been a decline in very young and very old rough sleepers.

While the proportion of first-time rough sleepers from what it describes as a ‘white ethnic’ background has steadily declined from 80 per cent in 2000/01 to 63 per cent in 2007/08, those identified as black or black British grew from 13 per cent to 20 per cent.

In the year 2008/2009, the largest group of rough sleepers from outside the UK was Polish (244) with the next group being Eritrean (127). Some 92 per cent of these Eritreans were new to the streets, says the report. ‘There is a misperception among [Eritreans] that sleeping rough will eventually result in access to social housing,’ it adds.
The report attributes the rise in Eritrean numbers to a wave of asylum claims being accepted in the last couple of years resulting in people leaving asylum support accommodation with little notice. Racism towards those Eritrean communities dispersed to whiter areas had forced many to flee to London where an Eritrean community, relatives or Eritrean Pentecostal Churches may have drawn them into the capital.

A spokesperson at the Communities and Local Government department’s rough sleeping team said: ‘The profiling and models developed through this research are already informing policy here at CLG and will ultimately impact on the practical, dedicated work happening everyday to change the lives of those who sleep on the streets of London.’

The highly valued provision of lenses, glazing and financial aid from Essilor includes supporting the charity’s busy Crisis at Christmas period which sees a record number of people seeking help.

Essilor’s support, which started in 2007, has helped the charity to provide spectacles for hundreds of homeless people, some who have been functioning without glasses for years, with prescriptions of up to -16.00d.

Marc Tersigni, Essilor UK Managing Director, explained:
“We have much praise for the management and volunteers who work for the charity.  Through their dedication, hard work and commitment to the cause, the project has gone from strength to strength.  Essilor recognises the challenges that charities face when fundraising and is pleased to continue supporting such a worthy cause.”

Volunteer optometrists and dispensing opticians are sought to help at the Snow Hill, Birmingham, and Commercial Street, London, centres.

“Since we started to support Harinder Paul and his work the volume of dispensing has increased considerably.  There is a tremendous demand for this amazing charity,” said Zerrin Pekri, Horizon Optical’s Sales Director.

The Dunstable-based company has seen prescriptions for the homeless pass through its labs that range from +10.00d to -7.00d, but with the majority between -3.00 to +2.00d.

“It is terrible to think that people are living on the streets of our capital with vision like this – wherever would they be without the charity?” she asked.

More volunteer optometrists and dispensing opticians are needed, not just at the London centres, but also at the Snow Hill, Birmingham, practice.

Shaneela Chana has taken on the role of Operations Trustee, having joined the charity in 2005.

Elaine’s priorities are for the charity to consolidate the existing clinics within London and Birmingham by developing a greater base of volunteer optometrists and dispensing opticians, and to look at new regional centres –
“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.  Homeless people – who come from all walks of life including accountants and teachers – need our services.  Many are missing out on not just vital health screening but also on something as basic as reading specs to enable them to fill out job applications,” she said.