Volunteer optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical assistants and ophthalmologists are needed to run this year’s Crisis at Christmas Opticians and Eyecare Service in London.
Operating from ten pop-up clinics across London, the service is expected to cater for hundreds of visitors during the week of 24- 28 December 2023.
David Brown, General Manager of Vision Care, explained –
“Vision Care and Crisis UK have been in partnership running an Opticians Service in London each Christmas for over 20 years. Volunteers have been selflessly offering their professional optical skills every Christmas since to provide eye tests and glasses to people affected by homelessness. The annual partnership is how Vision Care started and now, Vision Care operates eight year-round clinics in city centres across England.”
Thanks to generous support from sponsors including Specsavers, Topcon and Essilor, the volunteer teams will run pop-up clinics in residential and day centres across London during Christmas. Each clinic will be led by optometrists, with assistance from dispensing opticians and optical assistants. Topcon are setting up a state of the art ophthalmology clinic for the week, where ophthalmologist volunteers, will be utilising the latest diagnostic equipment.
In a message to anyone thinking about volunteering, David says,
“Since we started, people like you, volunteering at Crisis at Christmas Opticians Service, started a movement which has spawned pop-up clinics, drop-in clinics and Crisis at Christmas opticians services right across the country. They have brought the gift of sight to many people experiencing homelessness. Get involved. Thank you. And enjoy your shift.”
For more information about the role and to apply please see
https://www.crisis.org.uk/optometristvolunteer
https://www.crisis.org.uk/opticaldispenservolunteer
https://www.crisis.org.uk/opticalassistantvolunteer
https://www.crisis.org.uk/ophthalmologistvolunteer
Specsavers: Specsavers is sponsoring Crisis at Christmas in London and running Crisis at Christmas Opticians Services from Crisis Skylight Centres across the country.
Essilor: Essilor is set to glaze all the spectacles provided to the Crisis at Christmas guests in London.
Topcon: Topcon are providing a pop-up ophthalmology clinic in one of the Crisis at Christmas, London centres